As stay-at-home orders continue to be upheld, many students are trying to find ways to pass the time. Online shopping is a popular pastime students may be trying.
People are online shopping to keep up with the trends and have that satisfaction of purchasing new clothes, accessories, shoes and more. Many stores are also having sales to entice more people to shop on their site.
Although online shopping may help cure the quarantine blues, there are alternatives to shopping online at large corporate stores. These alternatives still fulfill that need to shop and stay stylish while in quarantine but in a more cost-efficient, sustainable and creative way.
Instead of shopping on popular clothing sites, consider shopping online at a local small business. Many local businesses are still selling items through their websites and need support now more than ever.
If you’re into modern vintage clothing, La Loupe Vintage is a perfect small business in San Diego to support with locations on Adams Avenue and Park Boulevard. Store owner, Brandi Munoz said La Loupe Vintage has been doing the best it can during this unusual situation.
“It’s scary, but we’re trying to stay positive. Basically everything that we sell online right now is going towards rent and the reduced staff that we have and bills,” Munoz said. “We definitely have our regular customers which I’m very very grateful for. I understand that a lot of people are in tough spots as well, so my expectations aren’t super high, but we’re plugging along.”
For some owners, these small businesses are their main source of income and they rely on customers to support the growth of their business.
“The reality is a lot of businesses aren’t going to survive,” Munoz said. “Right now any dollar you spend at a small business is going towards keeping that business alive, and that’s just not one person’s future, but then other people’s future.”
However, despite current conditions, Munoz said she is finding the silver lining.
“Instead of focusing on things we can’t control, we’re focusing on things we can control,” Munoz said. “I’ve been meaning to get my website up and running for so long, so I’m like ‘Well now this is what I’m doing’ and I’m fully in it.”
In addition to local businesses, shopping at a consignment or secondhand store is another alternative and a great way to shop sustainably. Items sold at consignment stores were previously owned which makes for a variety of styles available to customers. Also, depending on the consignment store, you can usually find items for a cheaper price. If you do tap into consignment stores, try to replenish their stock as well because not everyone is privileged to have the option to shop elsewhere.
Treasurer of San Diego State’s fashion club Fashion Fiends and television, film and media junior Jalen Debose, shared his recent buys. Debose said he bought a pair of the Off-White Nike Dunk shoes from Capitalvegas, a Las Vegas-based, online sneaker boutique that resells sneaker brands such as Nike, Air Jordan and Yeezy Boost.
Debose said consignment stores are also helpful to those who are looking to sell their clothing or any other items.
“I feel like consignment stores are good for the community because it gives us as students the opportunity to be able to merchandise our clothing to a broader market,” Debose said. “I like them a lot especially when you have products that are hard to sell on your own or products that are worth a lot.”
If you’re not looking to spend more money, consider shopping in your own closet and altering items you already have. Altering your own clothes contributes to sustainable living, and can help keep you busy.
Alterations can be as simple as cutting a shirt into a crop top, cutting off the sleeves of a shirt to make a tank top, or adding patches to a pair of pants. There’s really no right or wrong way; the possibilities are endless.
Fashion Fiends President, and business management junior, Alexya See said that altering clothes is a great way to express creativity and stay grounded. Right now, she is painting a pair of pants.
“You never know what you’ll come up with,” See said. “It may be simple to you but mind-blowing to somebody else. It could even lead you a lot of places even to riches.”
The next time you get in a shopping mood, consider trying out these alternatives before you buy an overpriced graphic tee or the same shirt everyone else is wearing.
