Rummaging through cardboard boxes and dusty white trash bags may not be the ideal way to find a new outfit, but when my grandma recently moved from her house she lived in for decades, this activity turned out to be a clothing haul for me.
As my mom was helping trudge through boxes that have not seen the light of day in years, what seemed like junk to her were items that gen z would love to thrift and bring back to style once more.
Flinging sweaters left and right, seeing the popular style from my mom’s high school years was intriguing. From shoulder pads to ruffles, the late ‘80s and early ‘90s showed its love of bold clothing. Thinking of when my mom would have worn the same sweater I adopted is fun to imagine, although my mom thought it was absurd to think I wanted her old clothes. While going thrifting is fun, being able to say, ‘This was actually my mom’s in when she was in high school,’ is much more satisfying.
I also have discovered a few items of my dad’s. A few months ago, he was clearing out a chest of drawers in our storage room and landed upon some old band t-shirts of his. He built up quite the collection over the years of attending rock concerts, and most sat in a drawer for years, no longer being used. As soon as he said he was getting rid of the clothes I jumped on the opportunity and took them. Sure, some of the clothes had better days, but these shirts were tied to invaluable memories and experiences, and I did not want them to be discarded.
The black fabric that makes up most of the shirts has begun to fade to gray and the bright logos have dulled a bit over the years. The press-on designs and lettering chip away a little more every time I wash them, but these quirks add character to the shirts. I like that when people see me wearing them, they will not think I got the clothes fresh off the rack.
From Pink Floyd to Tool and White Zombie, these shirts feature bands I grew up hearing through my dad. Even though I would not call myself a raging fan, I enjoy their music. These band Tees add a great flare to jeans and a jacket!
I would love to save some of my clothes I wear now for my kids when they are my age, just to see if the trends cycle back around. Seeing my future children wearing my favorite jacket from college would be interesting (if they think my clothes are cool enough, of course).
The next time you think about throwing a clothing piece away, think again, as you never know if your future children might want them.
So, if you take a trip to the thrift shop and cannot find something that piques your interest, just ask your parents to dig through their storage boxes – you might find your new favorite piece!
