Confessions of an Ukayholic

Wag-wag in Ilocano or Ukay-Ukay as what Filipinos call it is one of the madness the whole Philippines is fond of nowadays. When you’re a foreigner in the country and happen to see heaps of clothes usually piled on the streets and under tents, flocked by people selecting through somewhat like rummages – is and are the Ukay-Ukay or second hand and pre loved clothes.

I myself is an avid Ukay-Ukay shopper. These clothes are grouped or tagged by their sellers as class A, B, C and others. They say these are relief goods for countries that were affected by typhoons, floods and nature’s disasters. Others say, these are left behind clothes of dead people which their families can’t stand to wear turned out to be given away. These may be true but the outstanding fact is that – you can find fabulous finds in Ukay-ukay for a few bucks. A ‘fashionista’ (a person who finds vanity in dressing up) can find all sorts of clothes that are not in usual styles. I remember my mother saying, “If a dress or shirt is designed in an another way compared to the standard cut, apparently it came out from Ukay-Ukay’. And I know she’s right. If you’re a thrifty shopper but still wants to have branded and signature clothes, Ukay-Ukay is the best spot for you. Name it from Armani, Mango, Converse, Nike, M(phosis, Bossini, LV, Xoxo and so on.. It’s boundless and endless. You may even find some still with price tags. I believe some of the clothes in Ukay-ukay were from factories and manufacturers of clothes abroad and those which has defects were being thrown away were collected by people who have ‘business’ in mind.

When I was single, I’ve visited so many Ukay-Ukay spots but still I had bought clothes from malls and boutiques. And when I became a mother and a wife I now can’t shell too much cash from my wallet for it. It would be possible but my family and household needs are now on the top of my list to be dispensed with our income. For my husband and kids I see to it they get the newest, decent and good quality clothes for their outdoor wears even if it’ll cost me some hundred bucks. As of now I’m stashing an amount from our weekly money so I could purchase Kultura’s Filipino Barong Tagalogs ( 32 USD is the cheapest as I’ve known so far by canvassing prices at SM Department Stores) for my husband. But ladies like me (blessed with a slim figure, I’d say. Thank You, Lord) can get mostly from Ukay-Ukay what I want when it comes to dressing up. The most expensive item I had from Ukay-Ukay cost me 1.2 USD. The cheapest? 0.11 cents.

Ukay-ukay has so many selections to choose from: shirts, skirts, mini dress, long dress, pants, denims, shorts, hats, caps, shoes, pumps, heels, wedges, sandals, boots, polos, tuxedos, belts, kitchen towels, bath towels, curtains, pillowcases, blankets, comforters, mattresses, tablecloths, bags, stuffed toys, sneakers and even underwear can be found in these heaps and piles of what I call ‘rummage’. In some Ukay-Ukays usually the large ones, it’s terribly stuffy and the smell isn’t exactly aroma therapeutic. One just needs to be patient. This trait I see is very essential if you want to get down and dirty with Ukay-ukay. It’s a matter of surviving the stinky smell, bargaining with the salesladies and salesmen and checking in and out the pieces you had collected before paying.

Going through piles and piles of clothes can be a chore but the payoff is rewarding with the chances of finding treasured pieces to add to your wardrobe. Besides, it’s the thrill of the hunt that makes it exciting. Reminder, be sure to wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, and to dry clean all the items you’ve bought before wearing it – even if you’re excited to don your ‘new’ clothes. Remember the heresies?

Tip: Baguio City (the Philippines’ Summer Capital) is renowned as the place that holds the largest group of Ukay-UKay stores. After munching on fresh veggies produced by the city and having eaten some bread with Baguio’s strawberry jam and jellies, why not try to venture out with the locals of the place and do some Ukay-Ukay?