Young, Black and Thrifting: A Nifty Thrifty Experience

Imagine this! A chilly rainy Sunday afternoon a group of young black talented friends get together to talk about the beauty of thrifting as it relates to our culture. Thrifting pros being able to share their love of fashion in a safe space. Men and women sharing stories about finding priceless gems for the low at some of New York’s most popular thrift stores.

Curated by a group of friends who share a passion for Photography, Creative Directing, Fashion Styling, and Entrepreneurship Nifty Thrifty was born.

Nifty Thrifty was created to expose more people who look like us to thrift stores and the possibility of finding high value goods that are inexpensive. Our Culture has been influenced to purchase apparel that is outrageously priced from brands who often do not appreciate our business. Thrifting is the best of both worlds. Nothing like scoring a $250 designer jacket for $10 bucks.

At this phase of our lives we want to impact our wallets positively, acquire the things we want and expose ourselves to new experiences. Saving money and being able to develop a sense of fashion at the same time is extremely freeing.

Shopping with friends will always be fun, but Nifty Thrifty was a true learning experience. The group hit the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY and payed a friendly visit to several thrift shops. Our favorite shops were Buffalo Exchange located at 504 Driggs Avenue and Beacon’s Closet located at 74 Guernsey Street. We found great items at Crossroads Trading and The Urban Jungle as well.

Here are a few takeaways from the Nifty Thrify Thrifting and Educational Experience:

1. All the stores carried items that are brand new with the retail tag attached; not everything is used.

2. Every store was organized and clean. I was surprised to see neatly organized and color coordinated racks. I have seen worse at Forever 21. There were fitting rooms as well.

3. There is a great selection of sizes and you can find clothing for any body type or occasion.

4. Thrifting has the same feeling of shopping at your local mall. You must search through racks to find what you like. At least at a thrift store you will find unique pieces at a discounted rate.

5. You’ll save tons of money and still look good. You do not need to keep up with the latest fashion trends to turn heads.

Aside from the shopping and learning aspect it was beautiful to be among talented individuals who have a creative vision, can collaborate with others, and have a personal sense of style.

For more information on the curators please visit their respective social media pages.

Photography @m3ll0Drama

Creative Directing @iamnoirshamel

Fashion Styling @tslim85

Entrepreneur and Inspiration @beardguard