By Angelinah Alaura, Assistant Editor
The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College
ROCKRIDGE, Calif. — With the rising prices in day to day goods, from gas to groceries, even buying something as simple as clothing has become an indulgence for many students. As a result, some feel they’re having to sacrifice their style and identity due to a tight budget.
“Personal expression shouldn’t be a luxury, but it is,” says Amia Estrella, a theater major at Diablo Valley College.
That’s where events like the Wardrobe Project Flea come in. Held on the third Saturday of each month beneath the Rockridge BART station, the bustling market aims to address affordability and accessibility of styles through an assortment of regional clothing vendors.
Greeted with upbeat music and bustling crowds of people, shoppers sift through an assortment of clothes they would not typically find at a thrift store or mall. Many vendors have dollar bins filled with good quality clothing, drawing young people to purchase unique items at low cost.
“Working towards an affordable world is a primary goal of ours,” said Talia Brown, the co-owner of the Wardrobe Project, a thrift store in Oakland specializing in secondhand clothing and the organizer of the monthly flea market.
“Much of human struggle comes from the lack of access to the things we need to survive,” she added, “and we don’t want to limit access to the things we don’t need but can bring us all joy.”
A July article in the San Francisco Chronicle analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index showed that since 2020, prices of clothing in the Bay Area have risen 7 percent, as groceries have jumped 35 percent and housing has climbed 19 percent, putting sharp pressure on young people in particular.
For Amora Patterson, a psychology major at Diablo Valley College, the Wardrobe Project Flea is a way to still find affordable clothes as thrift store prices climb.
“I remember being a kid and going to stores like Plato’s Closet and the Salvation Army,” said Patterson, who also works fulltime at the Suicide Prevention Hotline in Alameda. “You were able to find cheap clothing.”
But now, thrift stores themselves have become expensive — sometimes even comparable to buying clothes brand new. And when it comes to shopping online at bargain retailers like Shein, consumers like Patterson recognize there are other hidden costs.
“An item from Shein might be considered ‘affordable,’” explained Patterson, “because it’s $6, but we’re paying that cost elsewhere by underpaying laborers, wearing cheap and toxic synthetic materials, and damaging the environment.”
According to Yale Climate Connections, Shein emitted 16.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023, more than four coal power plants combined. The company has been under immense pressure due to their textile waste, high levels of micro plastics, and inhumane labor conditions.
Additionally, donation centers like Goodwill, Eco Thrift, and Savers are competing with resellers and the online market, relying on A.I.- dependent software to price match.
“They’re determined to knock out the middle man and increase profits,” said Brown.
In the process, the surge in secondhand prices is affecting the personal expression of young people.
In her job as a suicide prevention responder, a common theme Patterson said she hears from young callers is that they felt ashamed and were bullied for the clothes they wear.
“It’s the lack of accessibility of clothing and not being caught up with trends,” Patterson said. “I advocate for that freedom of self expression.”
Estrella agrees that self expression for young people shouldn’t be compromised due to economic need.
“Expressing yourself, even in, like, your personality, the way you talk, and the way you dress is, like, your art,” said Estrella, who comes to the Wardrobe Flea Project as much for the community as she does for the clothes.
“It was just so much fun walking around and talking to people,” she said. “There is something so beautiful about being human and being different from everyone else.”
