There is nothing wrong with shopping for thrifty, cheap clothing. A regular buyer of the fashion, Maria Olga finds excitement in shopping amidst the bundle of thrift clothing.
Maria’s love for thrifty clothes
A story behind every piece of clothing — sharing on this, vintage design, thrifty clothes enthusiast Maria Olga said that each piece of clothing is unique on its own.
“Whether it is an authentic vintage piece, or a remake, the designs, who make them, where they come from, their previous owners distinguish it from one another. Regardless of its background, the intricate vintage detail is a treasure,” she added.
Been purchasing clothes from thrift shops since college days, the 26-year-old teacher shared that she has always preferred vintage styles compared to the current trends. “To me, it is classic and timeless, elegant and poise. In my opinion, vintage will never go out of style and nothing can stop a girl from dressing up, not even a lockdown.”
Relishing the details and workmanship of every vintage clothing, Maria disclosed that she has always shown interest in vintage fashion. “Especially styles inspired from the Victorian Era to the late 90s. But of course, intricate details always come at a high price.”
Henceforth, Maria chose to scour through bundle/thrift shops in search for these timeless pieces, “Shopping thrift has always been a fun-exciting experience as you never know what precious gem you will find among the sea of bundle clothes.”
Furthermore, Maria explained that the thrift shop sells exquisite clothing at a reduced price.
“Can you buy an authentic Givenchy vintage blouse with just RM20? Or a Burberry dress with just RM30? My point here is, when you thrift, every brand is affordable,” she elaborates.
According to her, thrift clothing can cost as low as it can get. “There is no such thing as to look fashionable, you must shop for expensive brands. If you know how to style, even cheap clothes can look expensive.”
While many are sceptical about the concept of wearing thrift, Maria shared that there have been myths going around, stating that thrift clothing are haunted by their previous dead owner.
Nonetheless, having thrift for many years, Maria explained that not all thrift clothes are old or pre-owned.
“Some are factory leftovers or extra production. It is easy to tell if they are still new because it comes with a price tag. So there is nothing to be afraid of really.”
Whether it is fast fashion or thrifting, the part-time doodle artist said it is depending on the users’ choice. “I have nothing against their opinions or choices.”
However, Maria shared that the trend of buying thrift is gradually developing amongst the Sarawak market. “The market and demand have noticeably grown over the years as we start to have many local vintage online shops in Sarawak. I suppose many have realised why pay more when you can look expensive and fashionable in thrift clothes? At the end of the day, it is all about how good you style them.”
Asked on how she would style herself, Maria shared that if she would dress up as though in the late 90s, “I would wear a mom’s or boyfriend’s jeans, topped with a vintage top while donning the 1982 classic Nike Air Force 1 sneakers.”
As for dresses, it is much easier to style. Maria explained that dresses alone are elegant enough, “so you do not have to try so hard to style them. Just a pair of vintage heels or sandals will do. And if you want to look extra, just add on some accessories to enhance the look.”
Aesthetically handpicked
Having donned fine vintage-look clothes and sharing them on social media, Maria said that her friends started showing interest and had asked her to sell as they are interested to buy.
“I love sharing good stuff with others, and in this scenario, what I can get, they can get it too. That’s when I thought maybe it’s a good idea to open an online vintage shop of my own,” and with that, she opened her online shop on Instagram to provide her customers with fine vintage clothing at an affordable price.
