8 celebrities obsessed with thrifting and second-hand style: from SZA’s love of vintage T-shirts and Janelle Monáe admitting it’s her ‘vice’, to Helen Mirren’s charity shop holiday wardrobe

1. Janelle Monáe

In October 2019, Janelle Monáe said she used to spend all of her money at thrift stores. The actress told CNBC that shopping at thrift stores was her and her friends’ “vice” because they wanted to wear styles no one else was wearing.

“I used to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars [at thrift stores] – and this wasn’t even when I was making thousands, I didn’t even have US$1,000 probably,” they said. “If I’ve got US$500, I was spending half of it in the thrift store and I wasn’t saving my money.”

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2. Helen Mirren

In August 2010, Helen Mirren admitted that she doesn’t pack clothes when she travels – she shops at thrift stores at her destination. “I love a good charity shop, especially when I’m travelling. When I’m going to cold places, I take nothing – just underwear,” the actress told British media. “On my way from the airport, I ask the driver to take me to a good charity shop and I buy boots, socks, trousers, jumpers, jumpers, hats and scarves – usually for £30 (US$37).”

Mirren also noted that she doesn’t take her thrifted items home with her. Instead, she donates them back to another second-hand store before she leaves.

3. SZA

SZA talked about her love of vintage and thrifted T-shirts in April 2016. Speaking with Vogue before her first Coachella performance, the Kill Bill singer said she had “no idea” how many vintage T-shirts she had bought from thrift stores over the years. She noted that she started thrifting when she didn’t have affordable options for clothes.

“It’s weird, because thrift stores are the devil. You can literally come home with a garbage bag and just do it all over again the next day and still have only spent US$20,” she said.

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4. Macklemore

In July 2013, US rapper Macklemore talked about thrifting on tour after the release of his hit song “Thrift Shop”.

The musician told NPR that his love of thrifting often contradicted hip-hop’s culture of consumption. “You know, I love thrift shopping. It is something that has been a part of my life since I was a young kid and it’s outside of the box. I like to write songs about my life and things that make me a unique person and thrift shopping is one of those,” he said.

He continued: “Hip-hop is usually an art form that is about … bling, consumption. Yeah, I have [expensive items] too. But I also have a bunch of clothes from thrift shops and it’s about, you know, just saving money. And I think that’s something that’s rare in hip-hop culture. It’s usually about spending money.”

He also shared with the outlet that his tour bus was often filled with goods he found at thrift shops across the country.

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5. Sarah Jessica Parker

The actress also told the publication that all the clothes she wore in the HBO series Divorce were sourced from flea markets, vintage stores and online marketplaces like Etsy and eBay.

6. Lorde

In September 2013, Lorde said she shopped at thrift stores because she felt “weird” spending a lot of money on herself.

In a conversation about her personal style with Teen Vogue, the “Green Light” singer talked about how thrift shopping played into her taste and budget. “I love thrift shopping. You can get 10 things because everything costs, like, three dollars. I feel weird spending money on myself – my first big purchase will be a double bed!” she said. “I like simple clothes, but sometimes I’ll go for a goth-witch vibe.”

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7. Florence Welch

“The aesthetic came along the way, I think – just through experimenting, and going on tour, and trying stuff out on stage, having fun with it, and not taking it too seriously. If I had a ball gown at home, I’d wear it onstage. If I found something in a charity shop, I’d wear it. That’s where it grew from – just wanting to play dress-up,” she said.

She also said her room was “like an antique shop, full of junk and weird stuff” like a taxidermy bird, newspaper clippings and a large sword.

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8. Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel said in March 2014 that she thrifted vintage prom dresses as a teenager.

According to The Cut, the New Girl actress said that even though her room was always messy, her vintage outfits and hair were always pristine. “There’s a picture of me I wish I could find. I would buy these big, cheap, fluffy ‘50s prom dresses from thrift stores and just put them on with a tiara and sit and type at my computer,” she said.

“My room was a total messy-teenager disaster area but I’d have on a vintage dress and my hair would be perfect.”