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

Jun 4 , 2023

Helen Mirren, Zooey Deschanel, SZA and Janelle Monáe all share a love of thrifting. Photos: Getty Images; AP; EPA-EFE

Musicians SZA, Janelle Monáe, Lorde and Macklemore have all spoken about their love of thrifting, with the latter even rapping about it on his song ‘Thrift Shop’ a decade ago

Karl Lagerfeld muse Florence Welch’s onstage style was shaped by her charity shop finds, while SATC’s Sarah Jessica Parker says she only buys second-hand clothes for her son James Wilkie Broderick

Some celebrities choose to express their style with expensive designer labels, but some prefer thrifted and second-hand clothes.

Stars like Janelle Monáe, Sarah Jessica Parker and Macklemore have all spoken publicly about their love of thrifting, while musicians including SZA and Florence Welch proudly wear their second-hand finds onstage.

Here are eight celebrities who enjoy thrifting and showing off their second-hand style:

1. Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles on March 12. The singer and actress says she used to spend all her money in second-hand clothing stores. Photo: AP

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.”

2. Helen Mirren

British actress Helen Mirren claims not to pack clothes for her holidays, but rather sources her wardrobe from local charity shops instead. Photo: AFP

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 at the Oscars in February 2019: the singer says she’s something of a vintage T-shirt fiend. Photo: Shutterstock

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.