Feature photo courtesy of Taylor Vitelli and Stephanie Ranque
In May, I read #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso, the founder of Nasty Gal clothing company. I was days away from my commencement ceremony. As I finished up final touches to my senior thesis, I thought about life after graduation. Like a majority of my fellow peers, I felt confused and directionless. I had some time to figure things out since my substitute teaching gig ended towards the end of June — but what then?
Amoruso’s book discusses her rise to corporate fame. She talks about the struggle she faced, so young and nearly (if not entirely) broke. She started putting outfits together at the thrift store, photographed her friends that modeled them, and sold them on Myspace while working some sort of dead-end, mindless job. She recognized the importance of recycling resources and making it here own. Inspiration is everywhere and anywhere, waiting to be discovered.
Growing up, I never saw fashion beyond self-expression. Quite simply, I wore what I felt, and didn’t think of the complexity behind it. As someone from a working-class background, I soon became infatuated with thrift stores and what they had to offer. I saw the challenge of creating an outfit not because a small budget particularly, but moreover, with a limited storefront and tight-knit space. There’s a lot to be found, especially when it’s unorganized. It sometimes can be challenging to scope out a secondhand store, depending on what’s inside.
Amoruso describes “#GIRLBOSS” as a creative collective for women inspired by storytelling. She rose to success through fashion and resourcefulness. What was my story, waiting to be told? I don’t particularly like the name, #GIRLBOSS, but I wanted to figure out what my next big step would be. I wasn’t sure if fashion was my medium. However, all these years, I relied on resourcefulness to dress myself. Maybe this was a pattern.
I opened my closet. I organized clothes into three piles: attire I intended to keep, some that was falling apart, and others in good enough condition to sell. I started browsing common e-commerce sites to sell clothes through. You can only sell vintage clothes on Etsy, and Ebay sounded like a whole other ball game. That’s when I found Poshmark, a social network specifically for selling clothes, and started setting up listings immediately, that night.
Sure, I haven’t started my own business, but I turned unwanted clothes into profit. I intended on moving out of that room anyway, so why not turn it into a personal project? I found an accessible outlet to foster creative energy. If you’re interested in learning more about Poshmark, check out this column on what prospective sellers should consider.
Are you a fan of Nasty Gal? Have you read #GIRLBOSS? What’s your latest project? Would you like to share your Poshmark closet? Tweet your feedback to @decorcione!