Thrift Club Grows Its Community Through Fashion, Sustainability, and Sweet Treats

Club members decorate sweater-cutout cookies. Photo: Senmeri Angaza

By CAMILLE LAMOUR

The author is the secretary of Thrift Club.

Thrift Club, one of the newer offerings at this year’s Club Fair, is a place where members embrace their personal style while promoting sustainable fashion choices.

Thrifting is the act of shopping for used goods at discounted prices, typically from second hand stores, flea markets, garage sales, and Goodwill.

The president of the club, Senmeri Angaza ‘27, was introduced to thrifting in childhood by her mother and grew a love for fashion over the years.

“I started Thrift Club to create a community to connect students who like thrifting and introduce new people to it,” she said. “Positively benefitting the environment while purchasing good quality clothing is something I want to share with others.”

Madiha Asghar ‘27, the vice president, says her style is whimsical and ’90s-inspired, and she wants to bring out what makes others unique.

“I believe everyone tries to fit into fashion norms, but thrifting helps everyone show themselves off,” she said.

Treasurer Andrianna Bell ‘27 joined “to get more involved with fashion and find my style while connecting with people who have an interest in thrifting,” she said.

Mai-Lei Desouza ‘27 is the social media manager of the club. She is responsible for spreading details about the next meeting via Instagram.

Desouza got into thrifting over the summer. “I like to upcycle second-hand clothing with my sewing machine,” she said. “I enjoy the creative freedom.”

At Thrift, curious students learn about different stores and share their personal shopping experiences. Members have recommended L Train Vintage on 1st Ave because it’s affordable, with a wide selection of men's clothing, and 2nd Street in SoHo, which is known for its trendy clothing and crowds.

“Now I have a few options to choose from when I decide to go thrifting,”  Yaima Anguisaca ‘27 said. 

At one meeting, members designed their own thrift stores with colors and vibes inspired by some of those they learned about, like Beacon’s Closet on Bogart St. 

Once they finished their stores, members enjoyed brookies baked by Angaza’s mom, and went around the room viewing other “stores” while marking which one they’d personally visit. 

At club meetings, members are always given a sweet treat, such as the club favorite brookie or s'mores cookies. “Our president's mom does the best job making the most delicious vegan treats,” Kayleen Boule ‘27 said. “I like how they're also on theme. One meeting happened the day after Earth Day, and her mom made plant and dirt-themed cupcakes.”

During the week of Earth Day, club members made a themed recycling bin and placed it outside of room 161. Earth Day is important to thrifters because a circular economy reduces waste and conserves natural resources by giving pre-owned items a second life. Second-hand shopping directly minimizes the environmental footprint of global manufacturing. 

Another memorable meeting took place in December, and as usual, the desserts were on theme, as members made their own sweater designs on sweater-cutout cookies. 

“I loved seeing everyone's creativity drawn out in the moment. You could see everyone's style portrayed in the cookies,” Bell said. 

A club favorite challenge is where two members go on Depop, a popular second-hand e-commerce app, and find pieces to create an outfit in five minutes. A winner is decided by the remaining members based on whose outfit shined brightest.

“It was pretty competitive because our judges are people with such unique styles, but it was also really fun to see what my competitor and I could come up with in less than five minutes,” Jaden Parra ‘27 said. 

Thrift Club has quickly become more than just a place to talk about clothes. It allows students to express themselves, connect with others who share similar interests, and learn how fashion can positively impact the environment. By encouraging individuality and environmentally conscious shopping, the club continues to leave a lasting impression on Midwood students, one thrifted piece at a time.