Photography Courtesy of Emily Delgado
Emily Delgado is stuck in the ’80s, ’90s and the early 2000s. A fashionista with an affinity for the past, Delgado created Thin Thrift, her own vintage clothing shop operated through an Instagram page. Delgado, a 22-year-old University of Missouri–St. Louis English student and part-time nanny, spends much of her free time collecting vintage clothing dating back 20–30 years ago. "I’m hyper-aware of everything people wear," she says noting how she selects vintage items for everyday wear. When she’s not curating which pieces will make her store, she’s building her brand, hosting pop-ups, and sharing her thrifty style with others.
Why did thrifting turn into a business? I started Thin Thrift [because I] wanted to share my findings with others and sort of act as a personal shopper. A lot of people love vintage clothing but it takes a lot of work and time to find the good stuff. Not everyone wants to or can devote their energy toward that. I wanted to be—and continue to be—that for [my customers]. From their accessories to their socks, I pay attention. What’s common in everyone’s styles? What can I take a risk with? If I find something that is a little different, I take the time to think about whether it's within the realm of “This is dope. I’m going to try this.” I put myself in the customer’s shoes.
Why did you get into thrifting? I started thrifting in high school. My style was beginning to evolve and retail stores weren’t matching my style. Then it became a hobby—something I really enjoyed doing. [During my] sophomore year of college, I wanted to do something different with my life. I felt like I wasn’t doing enough for my creativity.
Why did vintage clothing become your brand? I’m sucked into this trend. The ’80s are back. Everything is back. Even retail stores like Forever 21 and H&M are copying the ’80s and the ’90s. I feel that 20 to 30 years ago—and even in the early 2000s—people cared more when they made clothing; they put more care into what they were making. Retail clothing is bad for the environment and it’s all about mass production. I do like up-to-date styles, and I’ll still enjoy a neon heel here and there, but you can still find those things secondhand. The process of buying vintage is so much more fun and rewarding.
Illustration Courtesy of Emily Delgado
Where do you source your clothing from? It’s this big warehouse. I call it “The Bins.” You are searching by hand. It’s not on racks—you’re digging. Wear gloves. It’s work and a lot of anxiety for some people. I’m trying to get away from the Goodwill stores. I can’t give away my source of where I usually go, but the place I source my clothing is a community that I did not expect to, A: be accepted into and B: be able to experience. I have a few people that I have met there. We come together at the end and we’re like, "What did you find? What did you get today?" It’s extremely meaningful because I never thought that where I buy clothing for customers would give me that kind of experience.
What makes a piece of clothing fit your brand? I know what kind of material to look at and what kind of style to look for. If I see the sleeve of a sweatshirt I can tell whether it’s a vintage sleeve or if it’s modern because of the stitching. Single stitch is super important. Single stitch signifies that it’s the early ’90s and less. It’s cool to find sweatshirts and shirts that have wear and tear on the collar because that’s the aesthetic right now. Graphics on T-shirts are huge. As for jeans, look for the patches on the back, always check the buttons to see what the design or pictures are, and look at the cuffs to see if they are single stitch. Older jeans have natural distressing and a lot of detailing.
What did you struggle with when you just started out? I was looking over so much stuff. At first, I was completely basing it off of stuff that I would wear. It’s also evolved into what my buyers like and not just what I like. I log my stuff and pay attention to sizes and items that don’t do well. I’m pretty good now at figuring out what does well. My inventory was huge before. It got to the point where I had to say: “I like this and it’s my style, but will others?”
Why did you name your business Thin Thrift? "Delgado" is Spanish for "thin." I took my last name and inserted it in the name of my business so I could have a piece of me in it. Thin Thrift rolls off the tongue.
How can people buy your products? Thin Thrift is managed through Instagram. Everything that is on the Instagram page not marked as “SOLD” is available to buy. A customer will direct message me, we will do a transaction through Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal. If they need shipping they pay $5, and I ship within the same day of purchase or the next day. If they live in St. Louis they can pick it up for free.I like that because I get to meet my customers and chat with them.
How do you determine the price of items? I ask myself, "Would I buy this for that much?" Especially being a college student. "Is this worth buying for 'X' amount of dollars?" I research the worth of items if I don’t know its worth off the top of my head. I never price at the top of the worthiness scale either because I’m still making a profit and people can still afford it.
What brands do you typically look for? Guess, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo, Beefy Hands, Levi’s, Stüssy, Champion, and Thrasher [Magazine]. Everyone loves Tommy right now.
What is your greatest thrift find? It’s hard to pick one piece that’s my best or favorite. I think it would be a vintage Budweiser NASCAR bomber jacket or a Christian Dior slip dress.
How would you describe your vintage style? I like weird stuff. I like to be daring with it. If I have a plaid shirt, I love to tell my buyers to put it with striped pants or wear all plaid. Buy it and try it and expand your style. What I like to put into my business: being daring but being comfortable, being weird and being okay with it. Have confidence and rock what you wear. Do you.
