There is a reason the terms “fast fashion” and “fast furniture” are modeled after the phrase “fast food” — it’s essentially the same thing. Just like McDonald’s will package up your Big Mac in a couple minutes, so, too will Wayfair, Amazon, Shein and H&M ship your items to your door in mere days. Items that are “fast” offer convenience, affordability, and consistency. But there is almost always a hidden cost when it comes to cheap thrills.
The Council for Textile Recycling reports that the average U.S. citizen throws away between 70 and 81 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year. Another startling stat? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans throw out roughly 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings annually — and some 80% of it ends up in landfills.
Items made to resemble higher-end pieces (i.e. “dupes”) might look good in theory, but if you’ve ever bought them, you know they don’t last. They are made to be disposable. Wear it a couple times, and then get rid of it and make room for the new trend — and the cycle continues.
Still, “dupe culture” abounds in modern society. I vividly remember those magazine spreads from the ‘90s and 2000s about “How to get the look for less.” Today, it’s influencers who share how to get “the look for less,” and it’s generally by rounding up cheaply-made items that look vaguely like a designer-made piece (but aren’t made from the same materials and won’t stand the test of time). There are now even apps devoted to helping people find dupes of items they see online or in real life. As a result, consumers purchase pounds and pounds of cheaply-made clothing, furniture and accessories, and they replace it (by throwing it into a landfill and buying more of it) every year or so.
Dupe culture is also stifling our creativity and infiltrating the luxury space, as well. When one trend “blows up,” not only do all the fast fashion and furniture brands try to copy it, but even the big names copy, too. It’s why, if you go to a Neiman Marcus or Saks right now, every designer has some variation of a lug-sole loafer (because Prada’s version went viral, so it trickled down to fast fashion brands like Zara and Amazon, but it also trickled outward, so brands like Bottega Veneta and Valentino created their own lug-soled loafers).
Dupe culture is also harming our planet (the manufacturing of fast fashion and fast furniture creates more carbon emissions than items that are made in smaller batches) and it’s also unhealthy for our bodies, too — many fast fashion and home furnishings brands have also been found to use Microplastics in their production.
Now, there is a big difference between a blatant dupe and something that is inspired by something else. I happen to love new items that are vintage-inspired, particularly if the vintage item in question is no longer manufactured, and if the item it inspired is well-made and high-quality. But! The vintage-inspired pieces of today themselves inspire dupes! Just look at the chair below, which you have no doubt seen all over social media. The vintage-inspired version has sadly been duped to death (and duped quite cheaply, even though the “cheap” versions are being priced in the hundreds!) and is a reminder that what we buy should be made to last, not made to languish in a landfill.
A much better way of shopping, in my estimation, is to buy well, rather than buying often. And buying well, for me, means buying 2-3 high-quality pieces, rather than 20-30 “fast” pieces.
But there’s a flip side: buying the better-made, higher-quality item might be more sustainable, but it’s also incredibly expensive (many designer furnishings and pieces of clothing are so inaccessible these days, it’s almost comical).
This is why I love thrifting and shopping vintage: you don’t have to shop the look for less. Instead, you can shop the same thing for less — the same Maitland Smith coffee table you saw in Kacey Musgraves’ living room, the same 1980s YSL dress you saw Kendall Jenner wearing in a paparazzi shot. And you can do it affordably, so long as you teach yourself how to shop.
Buying vintage well requires patience. It is not as easy as hitting “add to cart.” But over time and with patience, you can curate a home or closet full of spectacular, gorgeous finds that you can have for years (or sell, once you decide you’re tired of them — because well-made vintage retains its value in a way that an Amazon dupe simply doesn’t).
Life is, of course, all about balance. Sometimes, you just crave a fast-food burger, or the cheap thrill of a Zara dress. And I think it’s perfectly fine to give in to temptation on occasion. But if you can, try and view shopping secondhand as a first choice rather than a last resort.
And that brings us to another fact: That the average thrift store only sells a third of what's on its shelves. Tell that to the next person who tries to tell you that avid thrifters aren’t leaving anything “for the rest of us.” There’s more than enough to go around, and that’s the truth.
Below, I’ve rounded up my version of “the look for less:” Some vintage items that are just as affordable as a “dupe,” that will give you a modern, high-end look, but won’t contribute to the endless cycle that is fast fashion and fast furniture.
How to Shop High-End Vintage Pieces That Look Modern
My biggest tip? Look for materials that won’t go out of style.
If we’re talking clothes, it’s impossible to go wrong with a broken-in leather jacket. Or a silk blouse, provided it isn’t done in an overtly trendy pattern. Oversized blazers in houndstooth, plaid, or just a basic black or brown shade are all safe bets, too. A silk slip dress will also always be in style (and note that this one was made by Express — and most likely in a factory — but it’s made of real silk, not a blend, and purchasing the vintage version means you aren’t contributing to the cycle of fast fashion. Many modern-day fast fashion brands used better materials in the 80s and 90s verses the synthetic blends often used today).
Jewelry-wise, look for gold, copper, and silver pieces that are signed. It doesn’t have to be from a label like Givenchy or Chanel, even Matisse is a safe bet. I can’t get enough of this little abstract, $18 pair of earrings.
For the home, look for leather or upholstered furniture. Even if the fabric feels dated, you can get a piece recovered and make it look brand new. Parsons-style chairs, benches and stools are timeless and great candidates for a reupholster job. For accessories or smaller items, never say no to high-quality marble. It always looks chic and is always in style. Art exhibit posters are also always on-trend, even if it’s a poster from the 1950s.
Rapid Fire
The socks I can’t get enough of: I recently splurged on a ridiculous pair of sneakers and needed a perfect sock to go with. So I bought this $6 pair of red socks and I love them. They are also three-for $15 so I actually bought six pairs total, in a mix of colors. But I love the red. These are nice quality for the price and I tend to keep socks for years and years.
In my cart: This hand-held steamer takes up very little space (slip it in a carry-on, stash it on a shelf in your laundry room) and is easy to use. The reviews are excellent and I’m planning on pulling the trigger this weekend.
All I’m wearing lately: These linen shorts by J. Crew are currently on sale for $59.99 and they are longer than a typical short — so they are ideal if you don’t want to show off a ton of leg. I think these are very chic with a black or white bodysuit and a slicked-back bun but honestly the matching button-up and sandals is also a great look. Another lesson in shopping well! J. Crew is probably considered fast fashion but if you stick to the higher-quality, more classic materials like linen, you can have a piece like this for years. It’s not overtly trendy, J. Crew does a good job on production (i.e. these won’t fall apart after one wear) and it looks more expensive than it is.
and I’ll leave you with this…
I feel like this gives me words to my disdain for dupes that I hadn't previously realized. Always learning from you!