As the great RuPaul Charles once said, “It's never been the clothes that make the man,” and it's true! We can all agree that Ukay-ukays or thrift shops are the gold mine of fashion. Well, it is a safe haven for second-hand clothes and broke young adults (and teens) who like to look good.
Although browsing through hangers and jumping through shop after shop could be tiring at most, finding a good ukay-ukay steal feels like winning the lottery! For all of you who haven’t tried thrift shopping, Let Ralph De Jesus, an artsy human being from Cubao, Quezon City take you through a journey that is the joy of ukay-ukay.
Ukay-ukay as a form of getting out of your comfort zone
There was a time when looking good equates to having lots of money, but not today henny!
Times have changed and we are progressing towards a community where fashion doesn't have to cost you a lot. Investing in affordable yet quality clothes is something Ralph takes from thrift shopping.
He doesn’t remember much when exactly his love for ukay-ukay started, he just realized he was hopping from one spot to another finding the best fit that suits his style and it shows.
He draws inspiration from following Instagram accounts and checks out Pinterest from time to time for his next OOTD. “I feel like I am mostly influenced by the people around me who dress themselves amazingly as well,” he said. As long as you know you and how you want to express yourself, Ralph’s advice for all of you is, “The best way to gain confidence in exploring fashion and trying on new clothes that are out of your comfort zone, is to expose yourself out there.”
Look, the pandemic has been a party pooper and several holy grails of thrift shops like the ones in Quiapo, Manila or Bangkal Market in Makati City are very hard to go to, Ralph shared that he enjoys thrift shopping from small Instagram shops. So, why not go check them out too.
Ukay-ukay as sustainable fashion
Alright, the big question that’s been an ongoing stigma, is sustainable fashion such as ukay-ukay good? According to Ralph, as much as sustainable fashion is good, it should not be imposed on everyone, since everybody has their own taste in clothes and lifestyle. On the other hand, he also said that we should stop shaming those who prefer fast fashion because going through all that digging requires time and patience, and sheesh, that is no joke.
There are a lot of layers to this issue, but Ralph advises that we enjoy what we can afford and organize to fight the bigger issue.
