What they don’t tell you is that in college, Halloween isn’t just one day. Especially here in Boulder, Halloweekend is a huge deal, and you need a different costume for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night parties— plus one more costume for each day between Saturday and Halloween itself. When I was planning out my costumes for last weekend sometime in late September, I found myself (and I’m not proud to admit this) looking for cheap, $10 outfits on SHEIN and Amazon because I knew I couldn’t afford to buy that many different outfits on a college student budget. I closed the computer before making the transaction because the little angel on my shoulder pointed out that the ethics and environmental impact of fast fashion significantly outweighs finding some slutty Halloween costume made of second-grade material. But so many people don’t think about that, and for many, it’s because they simply don’t know.
If you aren’t aware of how harmful fast fashion is, let me break it down for you. Many fast fashion companies, including SHEIN, exploit workers from other countries, subjecting them to harsh labor conditions, including toxic chemicals, workspaces without windows or emergency exits, and long, tiring hours with no breaks, only to receive a salary far below a living wage. Additionally, SHEIN and similar websites are infamous for stealing designs from independent artists and docking prices, running local vendors out of business. Not to mention, the factories used to produce this clothing release significant carbon emissions and other harmful pollutants, perpetuating the global climate crisis. Although alluring for its low prices, fast fashion is simply not worth it. In the week following the party-centric holiday, I mourn all the underpaid workers subjected to toil away in sweatshops just to make something that will end up in a landfill in about a year.
No, you don’t have to spend $100 on one costume made under ethical conditions. And no, you don’t have to wear something completely unflattering either. There are so many cheap, ethically sourced places to buy clothing that won’t later weigh on your conscience or your bank account, and will still absolutely serve at any Halloween party. I’ve compiled a list of Boulder thrift stores, consignment stores and local businesses you can choose from for next Halloween, sorted by price, walking distance from the UMC at CU Boulder and proximity to public transportation. There are so many more options, but these are a few that I visit often as a college student without a car.
- Goodwill: 1741 28th St
- Thrift store
- $
- Open 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- 30 minute walk from campus
- Five minute walk from closest RTD stop (HOP)
- Plato’s Closet: 2510 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder
- Consignment store
- $
- Open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- 20 minute walk from campus
- Three minute walk from closest RTD stop (HOP)
- Apocalypse: 1813 Pearl St
- Consignment Store/Vintage Shop,
- $-$$
- Open 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- 30 minute walk from campus
- Three minute walk from closest RTD stop (204)
- Heady Bauer:2009 13th St
- Locally owned
- Consignment Store/Authentic Vintage clothing
- $$-$$$
- Open 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- 22 minute walk from campus
- Five minute walk from closest RTD stop (SKIP)
- The Coffee Stand: 1201 Arapahoe Ave
- Pop-up thrift store
- A variety of local vendors
- $$
- Open Saturdays!
- 15 minute walk from campus
- Five-to-10 minute walk from closest RTD stop (DASH/SKIP)
- Pig and Pearl Secondhand
- Thrift store
- $
- Three minute walk from closest RTD stop (JUMP)
- 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- UMC Pop-Up Thrift
- A variety of local vendors
- $-$$$
- Typically open Wednesdays until 6 p.m.
- At the UMC at CU Boulder!!
- Boulder Sports Recycler: 4949 N. Broadway Unit 113
- Thrift Store
- $
- Open 10:30 a.m – 6:30 p.m.
- Five minute walk from closest RTD stop (SKIP)
- Rags Consignments: 3129 28th St
- Consignment store
- $$
- Open 10am-7pm
- Five minute walk from closest RTD stop (BOUND)
One secondhand store you SHOULD NOT SUPPORT: The Salvation Army
Here’s Why:
- Anti-abortion
- Aggressively denied accusations of homophobia and transphobia
- Gathered signatures against the Homosexual Law Reform Act
- Tried to push a deal in 2000 making religious charities exempt from laws against homophobic and transphobic discrimination
- Exposed for firing employees on the basis of sexual orientation
- Refused to provide health benefits to partners of employees in queer relationships
- Up until 2013, their website heavily promoted and encouraged conversion therapy
Although the majority of the blame for the climate crisis can be pinned on large corporations, we as individuals can do our part to lower our personal carbon footprints, and shopping secondhand is a great way to start. Whether it is for a Halloween costume or any other time of the year, I hope that the next time you open SHEIN or any of its evil sisters for cheap, convenient clothing, you hear my voice screaming at you, NO! NO! DON’T DO IT! Because, let’s face it, the witches, ghosts, blood, and gore of the Halloween season don’t even come close to the horror that is mass fast fashion consumption.