Fall fashion without fast fashion

Despite spending under $5 for each article of clothing he wears, senior Alex Taylor manages to rock his unique outfits with more flair than most others. With a majority of his clothes coming from thrift shops like Savers, which he especially recommends, Taylor works to modify and match different outfits until he deems them worthy of wearing. 

Taylor first experienced the joys of thrifting the summer after his freshman year, while shopping with his sister. Since then, his experiences have continued to inspire him to “make a statement” through his unique sense of fashion.

Thrifting isn’t just easy on the wallet; Taylor likes that it’s sustainable, as opposed to what he refers to as fast fashion “deathtraps.” Fast fashion franchises like H&M, Zara and Urban Outfitters have a fashion show every week, with new styles and looks. Taylor dislikes that these companies use so many resources and charge so little for their products. 

“It’s insane,” Taylor said. “Do you know how much actually goes into making a T-shirt? It took me four weeks to learn how to make a T-shirt and I still don’t quite have it yet.” 

With thrifting, Taylor can also find expensive, name-brand clothes for amazing deals. 

“I found the shirt I’m wearing right now at a thrift store for $17, and I checked the tag and it said Yves St. Laurent and I cried. This is probably worth like $300, but I got it for $17,” Taylor said.

Although he has a lot of clothes, Taylor tends to stick to clothes that are under $5. He also tends to prioritize different styles during different seasons, as in the fall, he typically favors duller, earthy colors, while in the summer, he favors vibrant colors. 

“My essentials include all my pants, yes all my pants are essentials,” Taylor said. “I’m not a huge fan of ripped jeans, but I do love contrast stitching and patchwork.”

Although he tries to make a bold statement sometimes, Taylor also tries to keep his clothing items simple. At the time of his interview, his outfit consisted of a creme, oversized button-up shirt with, despite its lack of pattern, a pair of Dockers pants, a belt and Air Jordans with red and white laces.

“The outfit I’m wearing right now makes a simple, loud statement,” Taylor said. “It’s clearly too big for me, so in a way it’s loud. I also love these Dockers pants because they have a little pleat down the side, and it just looks so cute.”

Taylor encourages those trying to find a sense of fashion to shop at thrift stores like Savers, Buffalo Exchange and Bows and Arrows. Physical stores are a little inconvenient to go to, so Taylor mostly shops online using Depop, an online shopping app targeting people in the fashion community.

“I also go to Nordstrom Rack a lot, a surprising amount, just looking for garbage,” Taylor said.

Style is an essential part of Taylor’s life, and he admits that he devotes at least 20 minutes every morning putting on an outfit together, regardless of whether he gets to school on time.

“I love having a cheap outfit that looks fire, looks amazing and just [makes me feel] like a whole new person,” Taylor said. “It’s like a costume. Every day, you’re a different person, dressing up as a different side of your personality.”