Thrifting and Tea
a conversation with Max Dahl-Sam about the ethics of thrifting, creativity, fashion trends, and living at your own pace. Extras: perception of clothing, frugal Asian parenting, and tattoo talk.
This is part 3 of the Let’s Get Thrifty Series, and I had the opportunity to interview the wonderful Max. We recorded this in a busy cafe in central Vancouver almost two months ago, but it has taken me a bit to type out the answers from the audio. With that said, I am so excited to release the transcript of our 30-minute conversation over tea and coffee, and hopefully, you resonate with it :) - Rach
10:00 am - somewhere in Vancouver, early February 2023
Rachel K: Hi Max, welcome, I know you, but obviously the readers don’t, so could you introduce yourself to us?
Max Dahl-Sam: My name is Max Dahl-Sam, I’m the Marketing Director at Get Thrifty, and I am in my 3rd year at UBC.
RK: Where were you born and raised?
MDS: I was born and raised in North Vancouver, and I currently live over in Kitsilano, closer to UBC.
RK: Do you want to plug any socials?
MDS: Instagram: @maxdahlsam, photography account: @dahl__sam
RK: You mentioned you’re the marketing director. What exactly do you do?
MDS: So my job at Get Thrifty is to lead and manage a team of five, and together we coordinate events and promote the club, as well as affordable and sustainable fashion to UBC students and neighbouring communities. Right now we are working on a fashion show that will be thrown near the end of March.
RK: That’s so exciting!
MDS: Yeah, it is a fun position, a lot of responsibility, but it’s very rewarding.
RK: I guess what would you say is your favourite part about the job?
MDS: It has taught me so much about what motivates me, because beforehand, I wasn’t entirely sure, something about coordination and project management, honestly leadership as a whole, has really struck a nerve with me.
RK: Right.
MDS: I love something about working towards, like, a tangible end goal, as opposed to small, daily tasks. I feel like the event coordination, reaching out to people…
RK: Lots of big-picture stuff?
MDS: Yeah, I love seeing something you put so much effort into come to fruition and being able to reap the benefits of that.
RK: Awesome, and you guys [Get Thrifty] did a fashion show last year? How was that experience?
MDS: That was like, a month after I started [at Get Thrifty].
RK: That’s crazy.
MDS: Uh, yeah, so, *L* [Get Thrifty President] ended up doing the majority of that, I was just kind of there for support.
RK: How would you explain/condense your personal style in a few words?
MDS: I mean, if you asked me in high school, it would have been: loud, complicated, kind of funky, maybe a little bit emo…
RK: Oh! Interesting.
MDS: Yeah, I was kind of part of that phase…
RK: I relate to that.
MDS: It was stripes and skinny jeans, turtlenecks and chains…now I’ve kind of transitioned more into simple pieces because I’m trying to take care of my carbon footprint.
RK: Mhm.
MDS: I’m almost, kind of disgusted with the amount of consumption I did in high school, so I am trying to ease that and find more timeless pieces. So, I guess simple, classic.
RK: I think it is really good investing a bit more into pieces that are quality, I guess, that last a really long time.
MDS: Yeah, that last for a long time, but also that look okay for a long period of time. I used to be so into like, big graphic tees, and heavy branding, following the trends as everyone was, but yeah, moving towards simplicity.
RK: Basics are, yeah, definitely something that is learned.
MDS: I feel like, basics are actually kind of where trends are going, ironically enough, and how you play with those layers.
RK: One accessory you cannot leave home with?
MDS: Most recently it has been my gloves. I get so cold easily, but also from like, an aesthetic standpoint, I love having colours flow right to the fingertips, so gloves have been where it’s at.
RK: Like, the cohesiveness, I guess, of an outfit. Especially in Vancouver, it gets really cold sometimes, I mean you’re from North Van so.
MDS: Yeah, as well as the public transit, I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so having an extra layer between actually touching the outside world is nice.
RK: So true, I think gloves are underrated, not enough people wear them.
MDS: Everyone needs a good pair of gloves.
RK: What is fashion/clothing to you? This is kind of an open question, interpret it how you want.
MDS: I think changing my perspective on it, because I go into phases of: clothing is so superficial, it doesn’t mean much, there is no overall meaning behind it, but I kind of shifted my perspective, especially within the business realm, I find clothing is a way to communicate with people that I am a little bit more than just a business student.
MDS: Clothing has that ability, the initial perception of a person, so, if I am at like, a networking event, and I have [am wearing] something that is able to communicate to them more depth or change of character, a small insight into who I am, my values. Clothing is a way to communicate additional information to others about myself that you wouldn’t get right away.
RK: I like how you put that, it’s like expression, but a little bit more than that?
MDS: Yeah, because it’s also like, it says a lot about culture and people I appreciate.
RK: I feel like sometimes when you’re walking on the street, you notice like a commonality or a similarity, like of another person with clothes, and you’re like “oh that is really cool.” Things like that.
RK: Best item/piece you've thrifted? Thrifting can include consignment, stating price is optional.
MDS: About a year and a half ago, I got this cardigan from Front and Company, and it’s a super vibrant red. I was almost going to wear it today. It is from 1973, and it’s a Coquitlam girl’s softball uniform. Which is hilarious to me, because I love it and it’s like, about as old as my parents, but I love the irony of wearing it because it’s Coquitlam girl’s softball, which is totally not me *laughs.* It just has character to it, some story behind it.
RK: With thrifting, you realize the clothing or item has a story before it, and it has gone through time and space in the hands of different people, I guess? Which I think is really cool.
MDS: It is almost interesting that some pieces can be 50 years old and still be in good condition. It has obviously been appreciated along the way, and now it is my responsibility to care for it before I possibly hand it to whoever is next.
RK: You mentioned Front and Company, which is kind of a staple here in Vancouver. That kind of leads to the second question, what is your favourite or the best Thrift Store?
MDS: That’s a deep cut, it’s in North Vancouver, and it’s actually part of a church (Mount Seymour United). It is the thrift store in the church, which is super funny, but it’s the only place where I’ve found clothes that still go for a dollar or two. I don’t go to the church because I am not religious, but the environment is so positive. You get the small, usually family-run business vibes there.
RK: And the prices stay low and consistent.
MDS: You can tell everything is very much within the community, and has stuff from old folks homes, schools, everything just feels like it’s local and from the same area.
RK: I think with the rise of prices in like, Value Village, it is nice to go to a thrift store that’s predictable, the one to ten dollar range.
MDS: People kind of go there to dump anything and everything, and since it is in North Vancouver, it’s basically the only thrift store out there for donating clothes or stuff in general. I find so many steals there.
RK: What is your favourite thing about thrifting, in particular?
MDS: I have a bit of an addictive personality, and something about thrifting has an almost “gambling” sense to it. You say to yourself “there is a chance, I am going to find something good.” One of the best parts about it is the thrill of “will I find something?” and the inevitable feeling of accomplishment.
RK: Yeah, I totally get what you mean.
MDS: For that reason, thrifting is a little bit more rewarding than intentionally buying clothes, because it is almost like you’re having to dig through piles and scavenge for yourself.
RK: I think the thrifting community is quite established here, in Vancouver, so there are so many places, so many people that sell online, small stores…
MDS: I’m very cheap, and my dad, growing up Chinese, totally ingrained in me the value of finding a good deal.
RK: I totally relate to that.
MDS: Whenever I find a good deal, I look at the original retail price and I’m like “dad look at this!” It’s like $15 bucks!
RK: I think it’s an Asian parent thing, the frugality, but they are always like, “you have to find a good deal, I’m not paying full price for this.”
MDS: Never, ever full price.
RK: I do not think my parents have ever paid full price for something. Maybe the house…
MDS: “And it had the tags on dad!”
RK: Exactly. *laughs*
RK: Do you think that thrifting has changed with the introduction of larger companies such as Value Village in terms of sustainability or pricing? Or have they always kind of been part of your experience?
MDS: I mean, thrifting at places like Salvation Army was just what I did, obviously with price hikes and stuff, it is very clear that they [large companies] are taking advantage of the trendiness of thrifting. Which seems counterintuitive to what thrifting was established to be. So from that perspective of being one of the only outlets where people can donate, as well as places for people to find affordable items and clothing, seems a little bit sneaky, to be taking advantage of those who are in that situation of people who need it.
Read more here: Why are Value Village’s prices getting so high?
RK: Most definitely.
MDS: You’ll search for something as simple as a toaster, and have it be over $30. At that point, it might just be easier to go to Walmart and buy a toaster, for around the same price, which is, as I said, totally counterintuitive to reducing waste and recycling, which is what thrifting and thrift stores are meant to be for.
RK: In recent years, I have seen thrifting become more of a trend, very much a more capitalistic view, I think with Get Thrifty (the club Max and I are a part of), it is nice to reclaim thrifting as what it is intended, or supposed to be, which is secondhand.
MDS: It seems as though companies are taking advantage of that, which is mostly to make a profit.
RK: I might be wrong, but I heard Value Village is owned by Walmart or the company that owns Walmart?
MDS: Oh really?
RK: (Fact Check + Author’s Note: Value Village is owned by parent company Savers, Inc., which in turn is owned by conglomerate company TPG Capital, Walmart owning Value Village was just a rumour. With that said, that still relates to points Max and I are trying to make about the philanthropy and prices of larger “thrift stores.”)
RK: I do love supporting smaller businesses or thrift stores as well, but Salvation Army and Value Village are sometimes the most accessible.
MDS: I cannot remember which one (Salvation Army or Value Village) but I heard that one of them might not actually be a charity, and is for profit, which feels sort of against what they are “for.”
RK: Definitely. Who or what inspires you? Movies/films, books, public figures, people you know?
MDS: In general, as of right now what has inspired me is definitely self-discovery.
RK: That’s a good one.
MDS: I am doing my best to take up opportunities that come up in my life, Get Thrifty being one of them. I feel like I am at a time where I want to experience as much as I can before I kind of lose that sense. Yeah, meeting new people, discussing topics, taking new opportunities, switching jobs, that kind of stuff.
RK: Yeah, of course.
MDS: In terms of public figures…
RK: I don’t mean influencers or anything, but people that have been there, people you admire, perhaps.
MDS: As much of a cheesy answer as it is, I would say my manager at my job in North Vancouver, and not for any concrete reason, he just has his shit together.
RK: He’s just cool like that *laughter*
MDS: He’s just a cool guy. He seems like he’s found a sense of stability, and has achieved a sort of minimalist lifestyle, he lives within his means and seems happy and content with that.
MDS: For a while, I have had the sense that I needed to conquer the world, especially in my first year [of university], I was on the grind, and I wanted to accumulate all my wealth, but now my mindset has changed.
RK: Right.
MDS: There is a lyric by Smino, “my only goal is to get everything I want, and give it away.” That is kind of what I am going for a bit, I would like to achieve my goals, but then be happy to live day by day with as little as I need.
RK: Definitely, with grind and hustle culture, it is very, very prevalent in this day and age, that is a great reminder. Appreciating the simple things, the little things is something that people should focus more on.
MDS: It could also just be my mind adapting to living in a city, telling myself, “you do not need a lot, you are happy in your box of a home.” Using your means for more important things.
RK: Any style influences or inspirations?
MDS: I used to be really big into following fashion influencers, but most recently I have been unfollowing because I saw myself “riding” trends. It wasn’t good for me, and it wasn’t good for my wallet.
RK: Me too.
MDS: For me, it has just been living. Seeing people, on the street being like “I love what you are wearing.” So recently it has been people who I surround myself with, more than any social media influencer.
RK: Yeah, people who we see on the street, or who we meet at school definitely seem to have more of a story behind their clothes, and it is not just because they are being paid to promote or endorse a certain thing.
MDS: If I did have to say one person, it would be @julian_wc on Instagram. He is the kind of guy who does not really fall into trend cycles, he just wears clothes. Every single thing he wears looks like there is intention behind it. The clothes are altered, cropped, or he added a different element to the outfit. Not really influencing but gathering different fabrics and playing with proportions is something he does well.
RK: Just making it your own.
MDS: He is just someone who I see as having found their own identity in personal style, in that sense.
RK: For sure. Trends, especially with clothing and fashion, have so many sub-micro-trends. They are there, people buy masses, get rid, and 10 years later they come back. It is hard to find a balance between getting rid of and keeping. You are like “this might be cool!” but then it is like, “why am I saying this? make it cool now.”
MDS: There is a lot of social pressure to wear things, as well as to not wear things.
RK: There is a point where you just say, “I am going to wear this because I want to wear it today.” Whether it is “trendy” or not.
MDS: I found myself, working in Gastown especially, wearing more and more black. That is just what happens there, which kind of “stunts”my outfits in a sense. *laughs*
RK: Black is a great colour. Very versatile.
MDS: Very versatile, super mysterious, super “main-character-y.”
RK: Main character energy! With colours, you can always play with them, in monochrome outfits, and pops of colour, every day is a new way to express that.
RK: Any last things/words you want to say to the readers? :)
MDS: Live at your own pace. Be true to yourself. Listen to your body, and take breaks when you need to take breaks. Don’t feel pressure to keep up with anybody. Don’t be a star that burns fast and burns out.
RK: Burnout is so real. Thank you for that. With everything being turned into or part of an industry (ex: the well-being industry), there needs to be a reminder to live at your own pace, whether that matches the people around you or not. Sometimes you got to take it slow, and sometimes you have a goal in mind that you want to achieve and that takes a push.
MDS: It gets so overwhelming just keeping up. Obviously, with school, with work, and what is happening with social media. It is draining for your mental health, so do not be afraid to disconnect.
RK: Especially, the comparativeness that comes with all that, you see people and you’re like “they have done so much” it gets draining. Definitely. It is also cool to admire and notice that they have done some really cool stuff as well.
MDS: Yeah, and also redefining what “success” means.
RK: Would you say that you are pretty content with what you’re doing as of this moment?
MDS: Yeah, right now on my journey, I can look back and see all that I have accomplished. Am I “fully” content? I feel like there is something more. There is appreciating how far you’ve come, as well as acknowledging how much there is to go.
RK: We are still relatively young, there’s so much more to explore. If we looked back at our high school selves we would be like “oh my goodness.”
MDS: *sarcastically* I can cook myself dinner!
RK: That is an achievement in itself.
MDS: At the same time, I tell myself, “I’m too young to act this old.” Doing things like staying in, and spending time with my girlfriend and dog at home.
RK: There are moments where you are just like, I want to spend time with people I love, those around me, who have been supporting me, who I can listen to, who understand.
RK: There are some days where your social battery just cannot deal, but sometimes you have a moment where you meet with someone and think to yourself, “that was a really good conversation.” Like now.
MDS: Just spending time with people who you feel comfortable around, those conversations tend to be more regenerative.
RK: Thank you so much Max, for your time, it was great getting to know you more.
MDS: Likewise. Thank you :)
Extra bit:
RK: I did notice a tattoo, did you just get that?
MDS: I got this yesterday. *laughs*
RK: What is it? (The majority of the tattoo was covered by his shirt sleeve)
MDS: *rolls up t-shirt sleeve* It’s Max from Where the Wild Things Are.
RK: I love it.
MDS: I love it so much.
RK: I used to read the book and watch the movie all the time as a kid.
MDS: This was like, my childhood book. I was going to get something different, something from an album cover. I was listening to a podcast, and the host brought up Where the Wild Things Are.
RK: You were like, “this is a sign.”
MDS: That was just the universe slapping me in the face.
RK: Taking pieces of childhood and the nostalgia of it all, is a very cool concept. How many tattoos do you have?
MDS: This is my first tattoo.
RK: Did it hurt?
MDS: It didn’t, it took a lot longer than I expected, 3 hours or so, but I didn’t mind.
RK: I want to get one but I have no idea what my pain tolerance is. *laughs*
MDS: I genuinely believe to my core that women have a higher pain tolerance than men, childbirth and everything, you guys endure cramps, so you’ll be fine.
RK: Yeah, I should be fine.
MDS: A lot of women I’ve talked to said the process of a tattoo feels good. Like my girlfriend and roommate said, “I love the feeling of the tattoo gun.” It was a little bit painful but nothing to be afraid of.
RK: If I do get one I really like @nina.chwelos from Vancouver. I’ll see when she’s available.
MDS: I got mine from a girl named Tanya from Toronto, I was thinking of flying there, but she posted on her Instagram story that she was coming here for a bit, so I booked.
RK: It was great to hear the story behind your tattoo, thank you :)