Honors Thesis

Colby College Honors Thesis: Thanks, It's Second-Hand: Shifting Values of Second-Hand Clothing in Mexico City

ABSTRACT: This thesis is an analysis of the relationship between people and clothing in Mexico City. Using ethnographic snapshots, local histories and scholarly research on used clothing, this thesis looks at how the economic and emotional value attached to second-hand clothing is determined by place, story and social identity. This thesis questions how clothing changes value as it travels between the United States, open air markets that have existed since the Aztec empire and curated second-hand and vintage stores in Roma Norte, one the city’s most affluent neighborhoods. Second-hand clothing is unique in that it has an added narrative from its previous owner and time period. These identities contribute to value given by both sellers and consumers. Finally, this thesis considers how race and class structure economic and social relationships within the network of second-hand clothing exchange. This thesis seeks to provide insight about the network of second-hand clothing exchange in Mexico City and encourage readers to consider their own contribution to clothing consumption and disposal.

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Pages from sketch book from CDMX research

bike-packing ecuador & peru

The summer after graduating college I spent over two months bike-packing through Ecuador and Peru. My boyfriend and I started in Quito with our bikes and very little plan. We stayed in hostels talking to fellow travelers and locals about recommendations and relying heavily on strava heat maps to guide us. Below are a collection of drawings I made along the way.