Turning Potential into Reality by Victoria Viveiros

Whenever I go thrifting, I find that I search for the potential in clothing more than an immediate piece of clothing. Sifting through racks of haphazardly organized tops, jeans, skirts, and dresses feels like a game of “Where’s Waldo,” to me, except I don’t really know what “Waldo” looks like. I imagine the thing I want to find is waiting for me just behind another shirt, and that I’ll know I’ve found it once I do. Although I might have goals of what I want, like new tops for summer, or jeans to replace a pair I already have, I don’t really know how that will manifest in reality. 

One thing that I had been wanting to find was an outfit to go to a concert. I was going to see Tems with a couple of friends, but as the date approached, I came to the horrific realization that I didn’t know what to wear. This prompted me to painstakingly doomscroll on various sites for something that maybe could encompass the aesthetic I was going for, but everything I found just didn’t seem like the right fit. And then I remembered. I had a pile of thrifted potentials in my very room. 

One of the items in this pile was a long sleeve, green and brown, sparkled blouse. To be completely honest, when I tried it on after I bought it, I thought it was a bit ugly; it didn’t fit right, and the proportions were awkward. Despite this, there was something about its fabric that made me think I’d regret not buying it. I had a feeling that I could make something out of this top and so I held onto it. Fast forward a few weeks later and I finally thought of something I could make out of it. The material was stretchy enough to where I could fit into it as if it was a skirt. I got to work, and decided I was going to make a two-piece set with detachable sleeves. When I finished the outfit, I thought about how fun it could be to have a photoshoot with it, so I asked a friend to model the outfit for me. 

 Finishing this little project was such a rewarding experience in that I had made an outfit I could feel confident in for the concert I was going to. Beyond that, it was rewarding to have started something from a vision of a possibility and then bringing that possibility to life. If I hadn’t bought the shirt, I wouldn’t have had an outfit for a concert, or a photoshoot with my friend. Sustainable fashion is all about the possibility for newness and about allowing that possibility to inspire creativity. The answer for what I was looking for wasn’t given to me, I had to find it hiding in clothing racks at a thrift store.