From Janelle Mone to Macklemore, here are 10 celebrities who've spoken about their love for thrift
- Some celebrities choose to express their style with thrifted and secondhand clothes.
- Stars like Sarah Jessica Parker and Macklemore have spoken about their love of thrifting.
- Meanwhile, musicians like SZA and Florence Welch even wear their secondhand finds onstage.
In October 2019, Janelle Monáe said they used to spend all of their gas money at thrift stores.
The actor told CNBC that shopping at thrift stores was their "vice" because they wanted to wear styles no one else was wearing.
"I used to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars [at thrift stores] — and this wasn't even when I was making thousands, I didn't even have $1,000 probably," they said. "If I've got $500, I was spending half of it in the thrift store, and I wasn't saving my money."
In August 2010, Helen Mirren said that she doesn't pack clothes when she travels — she shops at thrift stores at her destination.
"I love a good charity shop, especially when I'm travelling. When I'm going to cold places, I take nothing — just underwear," the actress told The Daily Express. "On my way from the airport, I ask the driver to take me to a good charity shop, and I buy boots, socks, trousers, jumpers, sweaters, hats and scarves — usually for £30."
Mirren also noted that she doesn't take her thrifted items home with her — instead, she donates them back to another secondhand store before she leaves.
SZA talked about her love of vintage and thrifted T-shirts in April 2016.
Speaking with Vogue before her first Coachella performance, the "Kill Bill" singer said she had "no idea" how many vintage T-shirts she bought from thrift stores. She noted that she started thrifting when she didn't have affordable options for clothes.
"It's weird, because thrift stores are the devil: You can literally come home with a garbage bag and just do it all over again the next day, and still have only spent $20," she said.
In July 2013, Macklemore talked about thrifting on tour after the release of his hit song "Thrift Shop."
The musician told NPR that his love of thrifting often contradicted hip-hop's culture of "consumption."
"You know, I love thrift shopping. It is something that has been a part of my life since I was a young kid and it's outside of the box. I like to write songs about my life and things that make me a unique person, and thrift shopping is one of those," he said.
He continued: "Hip-hop is usually an art form that is about ... bling, consumption. Yeah, I have [expensive items] too. But I also have a bunch of clothes from thrift shops and it's about, you know, just saving money. And I think that's something that's rare in hip-hop culture. It's usually about spending money."
He also shared with the outlet that his tour bus was often filled with goods he found at thrift shops across the country.
Sarah Jessica Parker said in November 2016 that she only buys secondhand clothes for her son.
Parker is best known for playing "Sex and the City" protagonist Carrie Bradshaw, a character who was often spotted wearing vintage or secondhand clothing.
She told Vanity Fair that "The True Cost," a documentary about labor conditions in the fashion industry, changed the way she shopped for her child.
"I will only buy secondhand clothes for my son, James Wilkie. The documentary 'The True Cost' really changed me," Parker said.
The actress also told the publication that all the clothes she wore in the HBO series "Divorce" were sourced from flea markets, vintage stores, and online marketplaces like Etsy and eBay.
In September 2013, Lorde said she shopped at thrift stores because she felt "weird" spending a lot of money on herself.
In a conversation about her personal style with Teen Vogue, the "Green Light" singer talked about how thrift shopping played into her taste and budget.
"I love thrift shopping. You can get ten things because everything costs, like, three dollars. I feel weird spending money on myself — my first big purchase will be a double bed!" she said. "I like simple clothes, but sometimes I'll go for a goth-witch vibe."
Florence Welch said in February 2010 that she developed her onstage aesthetic by finding unique pieces at thrift stores.
The lead singer of Florence and The Machine told The Guardian that she tried a lot of different clothing items onstage before figuring out her signature whimsical style.
"The aesthetic came along the way, I think — just through experimenting, and going on tour, and trying stuff out on stage, having fun with it, and not taking it too seriously. If I had a ballgown at home, I'd wear it onstage. If I found something in a charity shop, I'd wear it. That's where it grew from — just wanting to play dress-up," she said.
She also said her room was "like an antique shop, full of junk and weird stuff" like a taxidermied bird, newspaper clippings, and a large sword.
Zooey Deschanel said in March 2014 that she thrifted vintage prom dresses as a teenager.
According to The Cut, the "New Girl" actress told Lucky Magazine that she even though her room was always messy, her vintage outfits and hair were always pristine.
"There's a picture of me I wish I could find. I would buy these big, cheap, fluffy '50s prom dresses from thrift stores and just put them on with a tiara and sit and type at my computer," she said. "My room was a total messy-teenager disaster area, but I'd have on a vintage dress and my hair would be perfect."
Aya Cash shared her tips for shopping anywhere from Goodwill to a consignment boutique in May 2021.
The actor told luxury vintage boutique Consignment Brooklyn that she doesn't like spending money on clothes she'll only wear once — and even consigns clothes back to thrift stores after she's done with them.
She also shared her best tip for buying clothes secondhand: "I shop everywhere – CBK, Goodwill, Beacon's Closet, and even on Instagram. Most of my favorite vintage/secondhand shops sell on Instagram, and I'm always discovering new spots from all over the map. Knowing your measurements is important, too … you never know when or where you will find something special."
Paloma Elsesser said in April 2020 that she had a sustainable wardrobe growing up because she could only afford used clothes.
The model, who is known for her eclectic, "cool girl" style, told Oyster Magazine that she only buys new clothes if she knows they're going to last.
"I really admire peers who only wear sustainable brands and I'm still working out how to mandate that into my everyday life," she said. "But in general, I've never really bought fast fashion, I've always tried to shop vintage and thrift by default — mostly because that was all I could afford growing up — and I try not to buy and wear things that are just trend-driven."
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