he great thing about fashion – like anything else - is it can be exactly what you want it to be. You can wear what you like, when you like, and make the statements you want with something as simple as your OOTD. If the statement you want to make is that you’re worried there won’t be a planet in 50 years or so where you could show off said outfit, you now have options.

Fast fashion isn’t exactly built to last. A dainty sweater from an international fashion retail chain will start crumbling the very second you wash it for the first time. T-shirts will start showing their age faster than their price warrants. The slightly more upscale/luxe lines many of these labels offer are actually where you will find the quality, but that comes with an equally upmarket price tag.

With the rupee devaluing against foreign currency faster than you can say taraqqi pazeer, buying clothing that both is fashion and pocket friendly seems impossible now. The solution? Buy local. Be thrifty, buy thrifty.

Fortunately, the local market is now home to homegrown brands which aren’t astronomically priced, and do cater to most style demands. The flies in this fashion ointment though, are that local brands too have had to hike prices because of raised costs, slightly more affordable brands like Outfitters are more or less geared towards a younger market, and for a frugal geriatric millennial like me, the prices vs. quality aren’t justified sometimes. Finally, sometimes there is an article of clothing that resides in the vision board in your head, but that just isn’t available locally.

For that, you may want to turn to one of the many businesses in the country selling pre-loved, pre-owned, slightly used, brand-new and tagged, slightly damaged or store-returned pieces.

Thrifted, started up by friends Eizaan Belgaumi and Mishal Kazi, is one of these businesses. Finding a gap in the market for the kind of clothes they both looked for themselves, the duo - aged 18 and 20 - decided to take matters into their own hands.

“We decided to start our page out initially as a thrift shop to help people in Pakistan find clothing that is both affordable and trendy as well as sustainable. However, our aim for the business is to grow it in such a way where we can hopefully in the future start our own clothing brand with the same affordability and sustainability factor,” they tell Instep.

“Our logo was chosen to be featured on our own clothes such as t-shirts, oversized graphic tees, hoodies etc. The idea is to bring about a clothing brand of high quality which would simultaneously be affordable as well as sustainable.”

As for how Thrifted sources clothing, they say: “All of the clothes displayed on our page at the moment, and clothes that will be displayed in the future are pre-loved/ They are either from other online thrift stores or thrift stores around Karachi, or they are brand-new directly out of our closets! They are washed, dry-cleaned and ironed once before posting and once before dispatching to our customers.”

With those concerns addressed, Eizaan and Mishal move on to the part we all love most: fashion. Here the brains behind Thrifted list the top trends for this summer.

5 key trends for SS23

Trend: Ribbed material

The bright color of this cropped top coupled with its soft ribbed material is what makes it the perfect everyday go to for summer.

Trend: Halter neck

This jumpsuit is a must have for Summer 2023 due to its many trending features, from the halter neck design, to its bright orange colour, to the side slits! It’s the perfect go-to beach outfit!

Trend:
Loose-fit jeans

Loose fitting pants along with cargoes have made a comeback internationally due to their chic yet casual vibe, and are very ‘street style’.

Trend:
Minimalistic top

This cropped tank top with its slight detailing makes it easy to style in various ways from casual to formal, making it the perfect summer top.

Trend:
Oversized graphic
t-shirts

Oversized t-shirts printed with eccentric designs can be a great way to express your individual style without being too over the top for both the ladies and the gentlemen.

Trend: Printed bottoms

These relaxed-fit pants pack two trends in one, and are a must-have for the summer. Their floral print gives them the perfect summery vibe hence they can be dressed casually. However, their black and white print makes them an easy article to style for work as well!

– All articles featured are available at @thrifted_khi on Instagram