"In general, I am a fan of the new. New people? Love to meet them! New experiences? Love to have them! New films and albums and books? All reasons to get up in the morning! But, when it comes to things to buy and collect and wear, I've never really been a modern girl. I've always loved retro objectsthings that seem to hold within themselves an ancient story, things that might possibly have been enchanted by a bog witch."
"One of my favorite childhood toys was my grandmother's creaky beige typewriter; I spent more time clacking about on the thing than I did playing with any of my dolls du jour. In my teens, I developed a passion for thrifting that has never really abated; I still prefer to wear a dress from fifty years ago to one made yesterday, all things being equal."
"Now I feel like my time has finally come, because buying secondhand has never been more popular. A 2025 Recommerce Report, by the online marketplace OfferUp, found that ninety-three per cent of U.S. consumers bought at least one used item in the past year, and nineteen per cent of them were making their first-ever vintage purchase. Members of Gen Z are especially passionate about shopping secondhand."
A lifelong preference for retro objects and secondhand clothing exists, rooted in childhood attachment to a grandmother's creaky typewriter and a persistent passion for thrifting. Preference for older dresses over newly made garments remains. Buying secondhand has become mainstream: a 2025 Recommerce Report by OfferUp found 93% of U.S. consumers bought at least one used item in the past year, with 19% making their first vintage purchase. Gen Z shows particular enthusiasm for secondhand shopping, leveraging internet research to find high-quality used luxury items. Motivations include economic and climate anxieties, cultural nostalgia, fatigue with constant online marketing, and concerns about AI and technocratic trends.
Read at www.newyorker.com
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