Written by: Daniela Foster
One of my favorite aspects of going to a rave or festival is dressing up. I am someone who loves to express myself through the clothes I wear, whether it’s a cheeky baby tee or a full on orchestrated outfit complete with massive platform boots and a wig. Unfortunately, clothes cost money, and rave outfits are EXPENSIVE!!! I, too, fell victim to the overpriced, tiny piece of fabric trap and have spent an embarrassing amount of money on rave clothes. This not only did damage to my bank account, but also to the environment, since I unfortunately was contributing to the overconsumption of fast fashion festival fits. However, I finally realized that there’s a way to get cute rave outfits without breaking the bank while being sustainable: secondhand shopping.
My personal go-tos for when I am nearing a rave and outfit hunting have become Depop, Mercari, and Poshmark. These three apps are well known for being places where people sell their pre-loved clothes, shoes and other items. While apps like these are typically associated with shopping for more casual clothes or holy grail vintage fashion items, they can be surprisingly useful for finding items your favorite rave store sells and paying less for it!
Search terms are key: The best search terms to use are either names of specific brands (ie: IHeartRaves, Rave Wonderland, Freedom Ravewear, etc) or “Rave _______” (insert item you are looking for in the blank). Looking up major fests like EDC or Coachella on these sites can also help pull up items curated by users that match the vibes of the fest. I can PERSONALLY attest to all three apps as I have found some personal HOLY GRAIL items.
There are also specialty retail sites for ravewear specifically! One of the most notable is Raveival, which focuses on helping rave outfits that most see as “one wear only” away from the landfill by reselling them. Their specialty is rave wear, so you are able to sort through different brands and clothing items. If you have the chance to go to an in person store or event that has secondhand rave wear in stock, I highly recommend you check that out as well.
My biggest tip would be to keep an eye out on social media! See if an influencer or brand you follow posted a Depop link with lower priced items! Sometimes there might even be someone doing an IG story sale!
Ultimately, there has been a big boom in the rise of secondhand shopping for ravewear. Hopefully, companies can listen to the ravers who purchase their clothes and line their wallets and engage in helping the circular rave apparel economy. For now, support those business that listen and get good fits for a lower price.