A Few Pointers for Thrift Shopping & 90s Fashion

Earlier this month, two of the biggest touring bands, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band, headlined the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which could only mean one thing: the 90s are coming.

Think about it; in the early-mid 90s, we celebrated the 60s and 70s. Spike Lee’s Crooklyn and Forrest Gump come to mind. And in the latter part of the 90s and through this decade we’ve appreciated the 80s — most recently evidenced following Michael Jackson’s death –, but now we’re moving on. Perhaps it was Jackson’s death combined with Michael Jordan’s induction in the Hall of Fame that got us thinking about the 90s again…regardless, they’re back.

I was in L.A. a few months back and saw plenty of girls with the pants formerly known as “Hammer pants”. And a few weeks ago, in New York, I spotted this attractive young lady coming out of the Subway station with a great flannel that reminded me of my first arena concert back in 95: Green Day.

Growing up in the 90s meant being aware of all of the great music and style that was out. So, if I wanted to listen to hip hop or if I wanted to listen to Pearl Jam or Dave Matthews Band I could do so seamlessly. So yeah, what’s old is new again and the 90s are upon us.

That said, I don’t really care to see baggy F.U.B.U. jeans and throwback jerseys anymore, as Jay-Z comments on The Blueprint 3’s “Off That”.

Which leads me to my point in all of this as it pertains to guys especially; the 90s are a delicate time in our fashion history and tread carefully when going retro. The best skill any guy can have in order to fully embrace the MTV Real World decade and still look HBO Entourage cool is to know how to shop in thrift and consignment stores.

You can find a Goodwill or Salvation Army just about anywhere so here are a few rules to go by:

1.    Keep good karma
Before you go to the thrift store ready to shop, go into your own closet and take out anything you haven’t worn in a year, put it in a bag and donate it. This almost always leads to me finding a gem. One time it was a Brooks Brothers suit, another time it was a Christian Dior tie.

2.    Be methodical.
When Tiger Woods lines up for a putt, he’s doing the same thing he does every put –reading greens, doing a test putt and then stroking the club. He wins because he’s not trying to change his game up, he’s methodical. Shopping is just like golf, you have to have a method that you trust and will not falter from. For me, it’s quite simple; I only look for button-down shirts. If I happen to stumble upon a nice suit rack or set of ties, of course I’ll look, but only momentarily. I can be in and out of a Goodwill with two Polos quicker than you can order a Whopper.

3.    Compliment your wardrobe, not replace it.
This may seem simple because most of us are shopping in malls and boutiques more often than thrift stores, but you’d be amazed by how many times I see guys in Salvation Army looking at every single t-shirt or collared shirt like they’re back-to-school shopping.

Nonsense, I say. Thrift and consignment stores are perfect for two things and two things only: 1) complimenting clothes you already have (maybe a t-shirt to match some new kicks) or 2) getting something you want, but can’t afford at a department store like Nordstrom’s or trendy store like Urban Outfitters. That means everything from flannel shirts and vests to skinny jeans and quirky-looking ties to fill out your 90s look.

The 90s were some glory years for many of us. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, BET’s Rap City and the ’96 Atlanta Olympics were just some of the highlights for me. I still remember hearing about the Tommy Hilfiger-styled U.S. Olympic team outfits for opening ceremonies. Ahhh, those were the days. However, the 90s fashion redux shouldn’t be overdone in your closets or daily fittings. Just remember to tread carefully, and visit thrift stores regularly.

Photo credit Joah Spearman

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