This past week, a lengthy feature in Elle written by Kit Warchol graced my feed:

Naturally, it has a controversial title to boot: “Is Gen Z Killing Vintage Fashion?”

Cue the gasps, the oohs, the ahhs, the yeses, the nos.

The piece centers on “rag houses” - warehouses that buy up donations from outlets like Salvation Army and Goodwill, and sell items of varying condition to both commercial and individual buyers. We meet Alicia Siemens and Amanda Sanchez in the article, two young buyers from Reformation. They’re on a mission to scout these rag houses for “one-of-a-kind pieces” (for those lacking context, Reformation is a trendy women’s clothing brand with a mission to “bring sustainable fashion to everyone.”) and the reader is taken on a journey through the types of items at these rag houses, ranging from stained decades-old t-shirts to quality-made Mexican dresses to Zara fast fashion.

At its core seems to be this thesis “That vintage buying and reselling has become increasingly mainstream has caused concern among long-standing buyers. The current demand for secondhand often outstrips an intrinsically limited supply, leaving buyers—and even rag houses—scrambling to maintain their stock.”

Basically: everyone wants secondhand now, and it’s Gen Z’s fault.

How about… no. Let’s discuss:

It’s not Gen Z’s fault. Or TikTok’s fault. Just, come on.
Yes, shopping and selling secondhand is super popular right now, made especially easy from a bursting menu of digital resale apps like Poshmark, thredUP, Depop, and others. But secondhand is a massive category, and not not all secondhand = vintage.
- Exhibit A: I’m currently selling a pair of white and gray Vince skinny jeans from my closet. Wore them for a few years, then stopped wearing them. They’re not vintage, but they are secondhand. Ditto for the silk romper and the Commando NWT bodysuit also currently listed in my Poshmark closet.
Who is to say who should or shouldn’t be permitted to appreciate secondhand or vintage? Seriously — if you’re trying to tell me that you’re personally having a harder time finding vintage pieces and you want someone to blame, let’s reframe this problem: Is it because the vintage pieces are no longer found in the places they once were? Is it because the price points have shifted? Is it because your tastes have evolved? Is it because you used to shop the rag houses, and now you have to look on Poshmark? Whatever the reason, it’s not because Gen Z is killing off vintage, that I can assure you.

In the words of Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson, calm down. There’s plenty of secondhand clothing to go around — trust me.