THE HUNTER'S GUIDE TO PREYING ON CLOTHES

The universe's secrets to satisfying the shopping predator in you.

Open your closet and lay your eyes on your hard-earned collection of caged clothes. Maybe you already like what you see, or maybe the mythical creatures you've always wanted in your wardrobe have remained elusive. One thing's for sure: a zookeeper is never contented - so here are some pro tips (1/2 jk) that I, a master hunter, have learned over the years of window shopping. I really enjoy talking like this 

Here are the habitats you must keep your eye on - let the hunting season commence!

Thrift Shops

I really wanted to make all the gifs one size, but it will take longer for the page to load. Please bear with the smaller vertical gifs! 

Imagine: why spend a crapload of money on big, shiny brands for mediocre clothes when you can get amazing, rare pieces on thrift stores for a fourth of the price? These shops are usually large so it takes a lot of energy (and dedication) to find clothes that you really want to take home. It may also seem very unappealing at first since some pieces are from weird brands no one has ever heard before, but they throw some gems here and there. I once saw an American Apparel shirt in the middle of the clothing chaos for Php 60 (USD $1.36) - AMERICAN APPAREL. 1.36 US DOLLARS. AA doesn't even have a franchise here in the Philippines!!!!,,..11! I almost cried, I swear. Most of my clothes are thrifted, including my Nike Air Force 1's, the military jacket in this post, and the Forever 21 knit here. It's very tiring but once you see a shiny, magical piece that you will love to death and wear 'til it rips to shreds, you'll go home happy. Take it from my internet mom Geordie Gray, who is basically the goddess of thrifting. 

Small Brands at Department Stores

I usually hate department stores because that's where everyone else shops (and an abundance of cringe-worthy clothes like shirts with graphics similar to """"rEcKlEsS yOuTh""" or ""cOcO mAdE mE dO iT"" are present), but I recently discovered that there are a lot of unknown brands just waiting to be cried at. One is GTW Urban on SM Department Store, which features streetwear for teenage girls; I found it on a quiet corner but it yeLLS a lot of promise. 

I also bought a holographic sling bag at the children's section for Php 300 (USD $6.78) - the price would be doubled if I bought it online. It has pieces inspired by big brands as well; there are jelly sandals worth Php 400 (USD $9.04) which costs Php 600 (USD $13.56) at Rubi and Cotton On.   

DIY

What do you do if (a) you really like this certain piece of clothing but you are definitely not willing to pay 36796793067867347 for it, and/or (b) you pictured this piece in your head or saw it in the internet somewhere and you would die to have it but has no idea where you can find it ??//??/ You do it yourself, of course! You can spend hundreds on band merch or you can be the smart, practical superhero that you are and use sharpies, a silk screen (use textile paint!! ok!!) or transfer paper. There are a bajillion possibilities (and tutorials that go with them) and you can never really give a valid excuse on why you can't diy your own clothes. You can tie-dye (or just use fabric dye in literally any way you want: create blots or dip-dye or recolor a whole piece of clothing) (same goes for fabric pens and paint - you can do literally anything), cut your clothes into crop tops or shorts, draw on plain slip-ons, make your own patches using the soft  kind of felt you usually touch when you're in a craft store, and make all sorts of chokers. This paragraph is extra lengthy but aaaahhhhh I just love diy ok!!!

Online

This is the kind of shopping I do the most because it's just the most convenient - I can shop in my pajamas and find sick clothes without the difficulty of crowded malls or intimidating rows upon rows of racks. I can do it in five minutes or all day, and clothes I love are just a few taps away. 

I personally love shopping in ZALORA, one of the leading online markets worldwide, as it offers a variety of beautiful pieces from your favorite brands, like Nike and River Island, as well as to-die-for apparel that you won't see anywhere else under its own label and exclusive brands only seen in the aforementioned site, like Something Borrowed and Collective.com. It also has a much affordable price range and regular sales (one of which is their Chinese New Year Sale!) It not only features amazing clothing but make-up as well. ZALORA also has ZALORA Marketplace, where you can find unique pieces from independent boutiques like Fudge Rock.

Another reason to love this online store is that its service is totally flawless - you can pay through MasterCard, major bank chains like BDO, and cash on delivery (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) (BEST THING EVER I SWEAR). Their courier includes JRS Express and 2GO to ensure faster transactions. They also have additional perks like free shipping for orders above Php 995 and free return of orders after 30 days. 

Their website layout is so on point, which makes browsing so much easier. They also don't seem to run out of products to show you, I can spend days and nights scrolling through this! You can also earn up to 20% commission through their Brand Ambassador Program (BAP). Seriously, what's not to love? 

Shop at Zalora's sale here, and if you're not from the Philippines, they also have counterparts in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.  

My other favorites include Inu-Inu, independent stores in society6 (like Cactei), tictail (like Pep Club), and Instagram (like Floristry Crafts, Fashion Trends MNL, BerryCoolShoppe, and famous brands like Seashop and Teen Idle). 

Your mom's/dad's/cousin's/little brother's/*insert another family member*'s closet         

If you're broke because of all the online shops I so naively linked above (I know I am), you can always pay a visit to the most wonderful store of all - another closet. I'm certain that there are a lot of pieces just waiting for a new home - probably a dress too small for your mom, or an old shirt your dad doesn't want anymore but is basically screaming to be rebirthed with just a few tweaks here and there (YAY ANOTHER EXCUSE TO DIY). Just!! make!! sure!! they!! agree!! with!! giving!! away!! their!! clothes!! don't!! take!! their!! stuff!! without!! permission!! 

That's it for your training, soldier. Go enjoy your new battalion of killer clothing, you little hunter you. Where do you usually go shopping? xx