Thrifting is both a luxury and a necessity, it just depends what side you are on.

If you look in my closet, I really think it's a window into me, as a person. I'm going to explain my own experience with thrifting, some ugly truths, and silver linings available today.

The first time I remember going to Goodwill, I was probably in middle school. I found the cutest Sperry's and if you go to a white school, you know that assimilation is key. Instead of spending $100 on shoes I got them for $3. My mom, just like any other parent always wanted me and my brother to have the things she never had, even if she didn't have the money to do so. Do I think that Sperry's are cute? No, but I wore them because—well everyone else did.

These are the Sperry's

Then in high school the first Plato's Closet opened up in my hometown, and at first it was a little weird. By "weird", I mean that it used to be filled with polo's. Right now you're probably thinking, wtf do polo's have to do with anything? But in Naples, public middle school's were transitioning to dress code. Khaki or navy pants and polo's. So what happens when a bunch of middle schoolers don't have dress code in high school? They no longer need their polo's. So thank you government, for thinking that by implementing dress code, poor kids will not feel as left out. But the reality is, now single mothers' have to find a way to buy clothes that their kids don't have.

All those polo's we ALL never used again.

Now when I go to Plato's closet, I'm like damn this place has some lowkey drip.

I want to take a moment and acknowledge something though, although many of us are starting to thrift and reuse clothes, I think there are a couple of truths we need to stop turning a blind eye on.

1. Some people's only way of shopping is thrifting, and although it may seem like something fun, it's a luxury because most of us don't HAVE to thrift. Some of us can spend our leisure time walking around stores and tryin to find gems, while most people that work minimum wage can't do that. Also, most of us can buy designer clothes and shop at other stores where the clothes have not been previously loved.

2. Fast fashion is cheap, and when things are that "cheap" they actually cost more. It cost the lives of people slaving away in factories with zero regulations, health codes, or work conditions. The fact that companies are able to profit off the sweat and blood of children—it's something that I could never justify and cannot condone how it is happening!! She In, Zaful, H&M, Hershey's, Nike, F21 are just one of the few companies that have taken their factories abroad.

3. Some people have started to scam through thrifting. Not only selling brand items and never having the intention to sell, but also by purchasing a $4.00 top made by a child slave and then reselling it for $20. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, I cannot emphasize this enough, stay smart. If you have money, stop being stupid and donate it to your local charity instead of over paying for Lululemon when you can just buy it yourself.

If you're spiritual this is not going to sound like news to you. But my mom doesn't like thrifting for two reasons: she could only thrift when she was young and kids bullied her, and because she thinks there is bad juju. Now off course I believe my mom, not only is she psychic and knows weird things, but I trust her judgment.

My mother Jackie.

The thing is, I recently did an egg cleanse, and for those of you that don't know what that is, I'll explain later in another article. And my egg reading had a lot of webs and nails, which mean that I have a lot of people wishing me to fail. I can't emphasize this enough, but always make sure to have sage in your home and to light it up and send a little prayer when you're alone. I also do this with the new clothes I buy.

I started thrifting again, because I was getting tired of looking at the same clothes. It seemed like everyone just copies each other and clothes are not original anymore. Like deadass everyone just wants what other people are wearing and I think that's so sad, annoying, and overall just un-inspiring.

After having a major break through with my own sexuality and starting to be confident (but like real confidence, not the shit confidence that breaks when you don't get enough likes on your picture bull), I realized that I needed to also start dressing confidently.

Maybe the reason we all dress the same it's because we're not confident enough to stand out. I mean we are so quick to get lip injections and have delated lips, but we're too scared to wear something no one has, and how do we do that? Start with baby steps. What's something you've always wanted to wear but you've thought no, "that isn't for me"? Because I bet you, we all think that.

As for now, I'm finally doing what I love. I've always wanted to make unique clothes and I got over my fears and insecurities and I learned how to sew! I'm excited to start my own little thrifting page. It meant a lot to get over this fear and I want to give back to my community. I chose to send low income houses randomly $50 for food around my neighborhood. I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it, but I know it's something I truly care about and whether it's a hobby or a business, I'll continue to do it.