I was immediately defensive. What exactly does a person raised in a trailer park look like? I wanted to ask. But I already knew the idea he had in his head: Chain-smoking in clothes that haven’t fit right in five years, dollar-store eyeshadow, and a sweat-slick messy bun in a yard littered with trash. This low-income white persona is one I often fear emulating.

And while this image is nothing like my quiet trailer park back home in Big Bear, people have ideas, and I’m painfully aware of them.

We live in a society that hates poor people. We also live in a society that hates fat people, and since I grew up checking both of these boxes, I have often felt the need to overcompensate to avoid being stereotyped.

I wish I had the privilege thinner women have of showing up to work with no makeup on, in jeans and a t-shirt. But I’m terrified of being seen as lazy or unkept. I overwork to the point of burnout out of a fear of being perceived as careless. My love for makeup doesn’t stem from some artistic appreciation, but from the dread of being read as messy.

It all adds up. It’s expensive to look good when you’re overweight.

Because let me tell you, clothes for fat women aren’t cheap—even if the material they’re made from is. The most size-accessible stores are usually a few trend cycles behind. Some of the options are actually horrific. Shops like Torrid, the plus-size clothing store that holds the monopoly in this market, are still trying to sell us cold-shoulder tops. The trend died over 10 years ago in straight-sized fashion, but I have yet to escape it.

Since I can’t afford the overpriced choices, I add them to the wish list, wait, then hope a major sale comes along before the few items I want are sold out.

It’s worth it for the consistent compliments I receive on my cute dresses and flawless makeup, but I wish all this overthinking and overspending wasn’t necessary.

I have spent an egregious amount of money to avoid looking like I didn’t have money, and that comment—that I don’t match someone’s idea of what a trailer park kid looks like—had me feeling proud… while simultaneously being embarrassed for feeling that pride.

I wish I could just live like everyone else. Some days looking good, and some days just getting out the door. But that’s not an option for someone like me.

The post Essay: The Weight of Poverty appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

In 2021, Joanne Johnson was working as a corporate professional in environmental sciences—but her passion was in decorating with plants. She created Fern Heights to offer unique eco-friendly pots to the masses. Every vessel is 3D-printed in SD using a durable plant-derived material. There are currently 17 different styles offered, including realistic dog and cat planters (and you can even get a custom one featuring your own four-legged friend).

Edible Adornments

The key to looking like a snack? Wearing one. Run by SDSU grad and artist Ilse Almazan, whimsical local jewelry company Resinuendo vends handmade earrings that resemble olives, eggs, baguettes, berries, tomatoes, and more, crafted from mixed materials like polymer clay, resin, and glass beads. Almazan also creates charming necklaces, hair accessories, and trinket trays.

Crossbody Cargoes

Until designers answer the cry for women’s jeans with actual pockets, those of us who refuse to stoop to cargo pants must find creative, comfy ways to haul our necessities. Enter Sash Bag, San Diegan Nichole MacDonald’s crossbody carrier with 10 stacked pockets and built-in wallets to evenly distribute weight. Bonus: The company partners with change making charities, giving back to Monarch Schools, local homeless shelters, and other nonprofits.

The post Local Stokes: November’s Hottest Picks appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

“It’s always such a fun adventure going in there. You know, even if you’re not looking for anything, you’re like, ‘I can find you something and it’s gonna be cool,’” says Celeste Shoop-Cohen, who runs an online thrifting sales company, @thift_joyy on Instagram. 

A native of Los Angeles County, Shoop-Cohen found her way to San Diego after years spent in Santa Cruz and never looked back. She started selling in 2020 as a way to help donate to Black Lives Matter and it took off; so much so, that she was able to quit her job. Thrift Joy became her full-time gig.

Fellow re-seller Michelle Gonzalez, who owns @percy__vibes and peddles her thrifted garb at Kobey’s Swap Meet every Saturday and Sunday, has a similar ethos. 

“I don’t shop in the mall at all, and I encourage people to not do it either,” she says. “It’s fun, you know, to go [thrifting] and see what you find—you have a more open mind for developing your style,” says Gonzalez. Hailing from Spain and now based in Mission Beach, Gonzalez has a unique blend of European-meets-San Diego style, spanning vintage finds with everyday staples.

At thrift stores, you’re the maker of your own sartorial destiny. Zara and its heavy-handed, seasonal trend mandate has no hold on you here.

If you’re searching for affordable, pre-loved threads, take advice from these seasoned second-hand specialists for the best tips on where to go, what to look for, and how to get a deal at thrift stores in San Diego.

What To Look For When Thrifting

Trust your intuition but remember what lasts. “I go off just like what catches my eye, but the material matters a lot, like things that are cotton or linen or leather or silk. They’re usually made with a little bit better quality,” says Shoop-Cohen. 

Of course, there are also tricks of the trade that you can learn along the way, such as how to find the perfect vintage tee. “Look for things that are single stitch [on the sleeve],” says Shoop-Cohen. These days, modern shirts have a double stitch on the sleeve. “If it just has one line, there’s a good chance it’s from the ‘70s.”

Another t-shirt tip? Forget gender. “You have a blank canvas on style right now, and I love that it doesn’t matter if it’s [labeled] for a woman or a man. It doesn’t matter anymore,” says Gonzalez. “So that’s the beauty of it, for me. People sometimes ask me, ‘Oh, is this women’s or men’s?’ And honestly, I’m like, ‘Does it look good? Then perfect.”

Where To Go Thrifting

Though Gonzalez keeps her thrifting go-to’s close to her vest, she does offer up this: be consistent and be early. If you’re going to markets like the San Diego Vintage Flea Market or Kobey’s Swap Meet, get there early and make a connection with the sellers you like. Oftentimes they’ll keep return customers in mind when on their shopping outings. 

Also, these sellers always want the product to be new, so they’ll give deep discounts on the items that have hung around a bit too long. Gonzales says, “They do a lot of piles of sometimes they don’t sell something in a couple of weeks. They’re like, ‘Oh, $5 or $10.’ They just have to keep [the inventory] moving.”

She will also tell you where not to spend your time. “I don’t go to Goodwills anymore because they became super expensive, and they already are picking out the best vintage.”

Don’t write off Goodwill just yet, though. Shoop-Cohen digs deep. Literally. The Goodwill Outlet in Escondido is Shoop-Cohen’s top shopping destination—and where she found her best vintage find (a handmade velvet patchwork vest). 

“It’s open from, like, 8 or 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. And people go really early and they wait in line. Then it’s just these ginormous bins that you dig through. Nothing is hung up. But everything is $2, no matter what it is.” Patience is a virtue and a pay-off in thrifting.

Shoop-Cohen has some other hot takes around the city. “I really like Plato’s closet. There’s one in Claremont. There’s one in Chula Vista and there’s one in Escondido,” says Shoop-Cohen. She offers that they’ll often have 50-90 percent off sales that many don’t know about.  

What To Wear While Thrifting

Thrifting can mean you find yourself at a garage sale, an estate sale at someone’s home, or at a second-hand store with no dressing rooms. So, planning your shopping outfit strategically is a must. And comfort is king when searching in bins and piles.

“I often wear leggings or biking shorts [with] a tank top… something comfy. Something that you could try a shirt on over, like [wearing] a camisole underneath,” Shoop-Cohen says. “And biker shorts so you can just slip a skirt on, slip pants on, or slip a dress over.” 

“I always say if you wear leggings or leggings shorts, it’s worth it because you can try [items] right there,” says Gonzalez.

Why You Should Thrift

As of August 2023, Earth.org reports that, “The average US consumer throws away 81.5 lbs of clothes every year. In America alone, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste—equivalent to 85 percent of all textiles—ends up in landfills on a yearly basis.”

Thrifting allows you to circumvent this consumerism by shopping sustainably. With fast-fashion retailers like H&M selling more than three billion garments a year, there is plenty of fashion to go around, on the clothing’s second time around, which is why both sustainable shopping–or,  thrifting–and donating are key. But don’t think you’re only getting Shein cast-offs. Racks of thrift stores are a mash-up of quickly-made goods as well as vintage finds from a bygone era where craftsmanship was one’s calling card. 

Going thrift shopping is an easy way to help minimize the burden of discarded clothing and goods, where you can build a wardrobe with timeless pieces (coats and the occasional designer find), basics, and funky, on-era trends.

“Clothing will last so long if you just wear it. And I understand that something might not be your style anymore, but you don’t need to throw it away,” says Shoop-cohen. “Somebody else will wear it.”

Bonus Tips

Cleanlines is next to thriftiness. A cardinal rule of thrifting? Wash your clothes after you buy them. Shoop-Cohen says, “I always wash them immediately. Even if they look really new because you don’t know who belong to or like how long it’s been there. Even if I buy something new I like to wash it.”

Don’t judge a hanger by its lack of curb appeal. “If you pass through a booth or something at a swap meet, even if you think that there’s not going to be anything there, just do it. You will be surprised.”

Buy in bulk. “If you buy multiple [items], they make you bundles,” says Gonzalez. Bundles usually mean they’ll take a few dollars off the asking price for each individual item.

Enjoy the ride. “You just have to dig—for a long time,” says Shoop-Cohen. But there’s a solution to the beta-mode boredom that can come from continued browsing. Shoop-Cohen suggests to “put some cool music on or call somebody while you’re there. It can be a really fun experience.”

The post How & Where to Score the Best Deals at Thrift Stores in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.