Senior Taylor Dickerson uses her love of fashion and flipping vintage clothes to help save women’s lives and the planet.
Dickerson began selling her clothes on Instagram as a way to declutter her closet, and realized the greater impact that recycling clothes can have on the environment and to help others.
Dickerson dotaes 10 percent of every purchase on her Instagram account to International Justice Mission, an organization that fights human trafficking around the world. With over 230 sales on her account, Dickerson has enjoyed getting to use her love of fashion to advocate for and educate others on the issues that she is passionate about.
Her Instagram platform has also introduced her to the thrifting community.
“You really get to know the people that are involved and actually make really great friendships,” Dickerson said.
These friendships encourage sellers to continue finding ways to upcycle and engage in eco-friendly practices, like going to garage sales and taking the time to sift through second-hand stores.
“I loved the idea of engaging in sustainable living instead of contributing to the fast fashion culture,” Fiona Shea, assistant director of Student & Young Alumni Programs at Hillsdale College, said. “Thrifting has also been a good way for me to focus on the joys of fashion again.”
After starting her account, Shea began to go to more garage sales and thrift stores around Hillsdale, and has noticed the shift in culture towards thrifting.
“The thrifting community has been growing here in Hillsdale,” Shea said. “Things happen at a smaller scale, but I loved seeing the domino effect of others selling clothes and contributing to the upcycling culture.”
For people, especially students, trying to avoid fast fashion, buying and selling used clothing has become an easy and enjoyable method to promote sustainable living— and it can be done from the comfort of one’s closet.
“Kansas City has a really big thrift culture, so I’ve been a part of this mentality for awhile,” Junior Gracyn Howard said. “It was just always something we knew that we could do, so I started over quarantine this year.”
Howard explained how these accounts helped her realize shopping sustainably doesn’t have to come at the cost of your bank account.
“When you sell things, you have more money to buy from and support green, eco-friendly companies,” Howard said.
Both Howard and Shea agreed that thrifting has encouraged them to focus on the joy in fashion. “I have loved being able to protect clothes from landfills, and knowing that someone else will benefit from and enjoy these pieces is a really good feeling,” Shea said.
