Goodwill (Trenton, NJ)
Nearly New (Princeton, NJ)
When you walk into a second-hand store, you instantly register a musty smell reminiscent of a grandmother’s attic and stacks of fabrics imbued with decades of memories and dust. Digging through stacked piles and endless racks of clothes is truly a treasure hunt. In Mercer County of New Jersey, two towns sit only a 15-minute car ride apart, yet are starkly different in every aspect. And in these two communities stand Nearly New, a consignment store in Princeton, one of the wealthiest towns in NJ, and Good Will, a thrift store in Trenton, one of the state’s poorest towns.
At Nearly New, I was greeted by storeworkers Mary and Gina, a mannequin adorned in a colorful sundress, and a bright blue store sign with a butterfly print. Mary and Gina said the store is “unique,” “special,” “fun,” “historical,” and “sustainable.” At Good Will, I was welcomed by supervisor Harry, a children’s Santa Claus Christmas sweater, and the bright blue signature Good Will logo. Harry described the store as an “awesome,” “fun,” “mind-blowing,” “exciting,” yet “overwhelming” place.
An old saying goes: you can tell a lot about a person from their trash used clothing. Both Nearly New and Good Will have similar store layouts and displays; both stores have sectioned racks for men, women, and children, as well as fitting rooms to try on the treasured finds. However, every item in each store is unique and contributes to a distinct narrative about its respective location and corresponding community. “Cut from Different Clothes” uses the medium of photography to explore the textures, colors, and materials in these second-hand stores that reveal details about the class, race, and culture of their communities.
Goodwill (Trenton, NJ)
Nearly New (Princeton, NJ)