When Evelyn DiFiore, a freshman at Lasell University, took a sustainability course two years ago, she fell in love with sustainable fashion. “I buy all of my clothes from local thrift stores or online resale stores like Depop,” she said. 

At Global Thrift, Evelyn bought a huge bag full of clothes, but she was most excited about an American Eagle cropped plaid shirt she found for only $5. “I thought this would go great with my personal style, and it is still in great condition,” she said. A similar shirt can be found on Thred-Up, another online resale store for $18.99, with an original price of $43.

Evelyn described her personal style as “an eccentric cool girl,” although she admits she does not always act cool. “When I found that shirt, I screamed a little in the store,” she said. “I get so excited to shop.” She planned to style her new shirt with jeans and a handful of necklaces. 

The new Mr. Worldwide goes global at the thrift

Berta Muza ’25 tossed her curly hair over her shoulder as she exited the store with a paper bag stuffed to the brim. “I came to Global Thrift today to buy a few pieces for my Halloween costume,” she said. “I am going to be Pitbull this year.”

She bought an After Hours suit jacket and a pair of men’s black slacks with no labels on them. “I got both of these pieces for $18,” she said. New at Men’s Warehouse, an After Hours suit jacket costs $149. At Nordstrom, men’s black slacks range from $35 ASOS pants to $2,250 Valentinos. 

“After Halloween, I will wear the slacks with platform boots and a funky T-shirt,” she said. “The suit jacket is slightly oversized, so I will wear tight clothes underneath and spunk it up with some big, unique jewelry.” Berta described her style as “quirky and European-inspired,” which she attributes to being raised in the main thrifting neighborhood in San Francisco, the Haight. 

On Halloween night, Berta planned to complete her look by pretending to hold a microphone and yelling “timber” all night long. 

A kitchenware hunt that PAN-ned out perfectly

Leo Passman ’22 went to Global Thrift on the hunt to find the perfect pan to make shakshuka, a Magrebhi dish of eggs poached with tomatoes, peppers, olive oil, and spices. “I wanted to find a pan I could put in the oven without ruining or getting metal in my food, ” he said. 

Triumphant, Leo left with a Calphalon stainless steel saute pan for $15. “It is about a foot in diameter, which isn’t remarkable by itself, but I love how the sides meet at a 90 degree angle instead of curving slowly like most frying pans,” he said. “It also came with a glass lid.” New on Calphalon’s website, a similar pan costs $109.99. 

“I knew I had to buy it when I saw that the pan didn’t have any gross marks or stains from previous use,” he said. After he mastered shakshuka, Leo planned on making all his favorite liquid-based dishes in his new pan, like cheesy pasta, risotto, beef stew, and Thai curry. 

A three-dollar tee, two cut-off sleeves, and a priceless memory 

While Noah Mcnerny ’22 often shops at Global Thrift, his all-time favorite find was a Port & Company graphic T-shirt with a portrait of Che Guevara. “It’s an article of clothing that brings back good memories,” he said, “I bought the shirt for a promotional photoshoot with my a capella group for our final show together.” 

He bought the T-shirt for $3. On Amazon, graphic t-shirts featuring Che Guevara cost $21.99, and Port & Company tees range from $7.23 to $28.91. “I styled the shirt by cutting the sleeves off and pairing it with a matching bandana and flannel,” Noah said. 

“I mostly wear solid colors, clothes from L.L. Bean, and jeans,” he said. “Occasionally, I’ll throw in an artsy graphic T-shirt or a ripped denim jacket.” Noah describes his style as “a typical New England guy.”

Dahlia Raz’s pop-art pops at Global Thrift

Waltham local Carmine Dimasi spent his childhood walking down Moody St. to see what new local events were happening. Last March, he visited Global Thrift for their pop-up shop featuring TikTok-famous artist —Dahlia Raz — who sells hand painted clothes, furniture, and art.  “The store looked so vibrant and colorful that day,” he said.

Carmine bought a blue suede Field Gear jacket with a Picasso-esque face painted on the back for $65. “I like to style jackets with light colored undershirts and dark pants,” he said. “I’m early into discovering my style, but I love to see people who wear out-there clothes.” 

A similar Field Gear jacket on Poshmark can be found on sale for $43 from $95, which is comparable to Global Thrift’s price. “I thought the jacket was expensive, but I loved how her abstract art gave the piece a high fashion feel.” To Carmine, who is inspired by avant-garde art and music, the value of a one-of-a-kind hand painting from a viral artist was worth the investment. 

Ultimately, Global Thrift was overwhelmingly described as being able to provide functional items for a cheap-enough price to be worth a one-time — or many-time — use. For many customers, the treasures they find become an everyday staple — just as Global Thrift is for community members.