“Your treasure awaits,” my mom would whisper in my ear most Sunday mornings growing up. Her favorite thrift store opened at 10am, so we had to eat breakfast and clean up by 9:30am in order to get there in time to meet Tia Delia, my mom’s only sister in the US. It took them several hours to satisfy their appetite for frugality, so it was necessary to start with a full stomach.
I considered thrifty to be “uncool” throughout my childhood and early teenage years – unlike my cousin Karolina, who was always the first to get in and out of the car. When she came from Mexico every month with Tia Betty and Abuelita, it would turn into a family bond – something sacred that only we mujeres (women) could share. Abuelita, with her love of estate sales and flea markets, passed down the frugal genes to her three daughters. It was inevitable that I would eventually develop the same penchant for second-hand shopping.
It wasn’t until I was 17 and laid eyes on an antique wooden cabinet with glass doors that my mom found on one of our outings that I finally appreciated dating. I couldn’t believe that such treasures could be found in thrift stores – mostly because I never bothered to hunt for gems other women in my family. I would usually sit in the back of the store and read a book while my mom shopped for both of us. But this stunning piece of furniture made me a believer. My mom eventually passed it on to me, with the condition that it stay in the family. It now proudly displays my favorite books.
In the years since, I’ve found countless treasures on our outings. I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw a white gold ring with a cluster of snowflake diamonds. My mom bought it for me as a graduation present and made me swear to keep it as a family heirloom as well. Then my abuelita admitted that the diamond ring she gave me when I was younger was kept by her older sister, who later gave it to her. Now that frugality was “cool” in my eyes, she felt comfortable telling me. We laughed at her previous lie that it was new when it landed on her finger.
Each of my favorite items I’ve kept is associated with a similar memory, surrounded by the women I love. I found my favorite jacket, made of stunning golden leather, the day Tia Delia took me out to soothe my broken heart. I will always remember the wisdom she imparted to me then: “True love can sometimes be tender, but it will never hurt.”
The botanical artwork that hangs on my wall ties us all together—we each took home a pair from a set of 12. The day we found them, we were still trying to get my grandmother through her grief after my abuelito died . It was the first time we had seen her smile in the five months since he passed away. I’ve been collecting botanical art at thrift stores ever since.
When I need a piece for an outfit, I rummage through my mom’s vintage clutch collection and remember the laughs and fights the day we found them. Our relationship has always been complicated, but frugality has been key to us getting by. Thrift gives all the women in my family a common ground despite our differences in style, ideas and age. It forced us to get to know each other better through quality time together, and I learned some of my greatest lessons during these hours sorting through racks and shelves.
Through frugality, the women in my family taught me to express myself with confidence. Experimenting with eclectic pieces has helped me develop my personal style and taught me how to make my home and any outfit my own. Thrifting together has given me a powerful sense of empowerment that I remember every time I sift through endless racks of clothes and racks of trinkets. These women taught me not to follow trends, but to be myself.
“Your treasure awaits,” my mom rings on a Sunday morning. I do not tell her that my treasure is them — that my greatest will always be her.