Thrifting as Spiritual Practice

Rebirth, creativity, and more...in the thrift store

Rayon, polyester, cotton, etc. I know these fabrics by feel now, though I didn’t always. This mindfulness is just part of why I find thrifting to be a spiritual practice.

I discovered thrifting at a young age and was enamored with the unique and inexpensive finds brimming with potential. As a child, I remember dunking a dilapidated thrifted Barbie car—purchased with my hard-won chore money—into my bathtub full of dish-soap suds…and bringing it back to life, like a hot-pink plastic phoenix from the dirt-covered ashes. At thirteen-ish, I went on to style a thrifted mini prom dress into a top to wear over a t-shirt—a layered look that I just loved as a quirky middle schooler in the mid- to late-2000s. Years later, I even worked at a thrift shop for a while, which was a lot of fun, because I got to see not only how I would reinvent old pieces but also how the people I helped would do the same. 

This fashioning, refashioning, mending, and reclaiming just feels like rebirth to me. But it’s not just the rebirth of the clothes or other needed/wanted finds, it’s the rebirth of myself. (Can you tell I’m an enneagram 4?) Thrifting is full of inner child work. It’s a sorting of introspective questions that don’t always have yes-or-no answers but always help me grow:

What pieces draw my eye? Why or why not? 

Is this piece comfortable to wear? Does it make me feel like myself—and confident in that fact? 

Is this a piece of clothing I wanted to try but couldn’t when I was younger and less resourced…and do I want to take on that art project now? Why or why not?

Simply put, for me, thrifting is art for my body, home, and life.

Local thrift shops are the best! This is an amazing dress I thrifted online from Witch Bitch Thrift. I found them through IG, since I don’t live in Connecticut, but I loved the whole vibe of their shop and the way they run it. If you know of a great local thrift spot where you live, feel free to share in the comments!

Thrifting is not a quick endeavor. It goes against capitalism’s cry for more-right-now. It says, “What’s already here? What beauty do we see in what’s around us?” That slowness fits my personal values and makes for a great hobby that also meets my needs in a more economical way. It’s a way of sifting through many possibilities in a safe way—a practice-run for boundary setting in my work and personal life. 

Now, to be clear, thrifting is not without its ethical concerns, and it is from a place of privilege that I can engage with thrifting in the way that I do. Much has been written about that, so I’ll direct you to “Is Thrift Shopping Sustainable or Ethical? Notes from an Industry Insider” by Leah of StyleWise, a fantastic place to start on the deep-dive that is thrifting ethics. 

For me, thrifting is a way to create, get needs met, and mend—contributing to a more thoughtful way of engaging with clothing and other items and to treat our earth and our communities that dwell on it with care. As long as thrifting stays mindful for me, it is a spiritual practice that connects me to my own body and to the earth. It invites me to rebirth, creativity, reflection, and slowness, held in the beauty of what already is. 

In Wonder,

Kandi Zeller (She/Her)

Instagram: @kandi.zeller

Fiction: Reedsy Blog

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kandizeller/