Ukay: An Introduction

Ukay-ukay is an acquired taste. While some find buying second-hand clothes unhygienic or cheap, generations of eclectic fashionistas have since re-packaged it into some kind of fashion haven.

Flea market in Finland (Wikimedia Commons)

“Ukay-ukay” comes from a Cebuano word that means “to look” or to “unearth.” In the northern parts of the Philippines, it goes by the name of “wagwagan.”

Origins

According to theukayqueen.com, it is rumored that ukay originated from the practice of buying (and then selling) extra second-hand garments from humanitarian groups like Salvation Army which were engaged in sending old clothes from the US to aid refugees and calamity victims in countries like the Philippines. 

Something old, something chic

While claimed by Filipinos as something unique to our culture, thrift or second-hand shops are nothing new. In the US, collectors and budding fashionistas cherish the one-of-a-kind trinkets and clothes they find in thrift shops.

From Margarita Dreams Shop

Ukay-ukay shops offer fashionable (and sometimes branded) vintage clothes, shoes and bags – for a small fraction of the original cost.

Ukay-ukay shopping is something more like a sport and an art combined. You must have the stamina and the patience, as well as an eye for beauty to find something worthwhile. Look for something well-made, fitted and relatively new.

Timing and location is also important. “Professional ukay hunters” usually know when new arrivals come in – so they can get first dibs and pick out the best in the bunch. Some shops also offer better clothes. Prices also vary. You can get really nice clothes for less than P50 in the provinces but it’ll be nearing P100 when you get to Metro Manila.

From Margarita Dreams Shop

Online ukay

Because of the evolution of ukay-ukay, it has now been embraced by the Internet generation. There are dozens of blogs created by girls chronicling their ukay finds and hundreds of shops in Multiply and Facebook, bringing the ukay experience into cyberspace.

While these shops save you the time and the effort needed to go through  all those stores and racks of ukay, the prices are relatively higher and you can’t really fit them (though there are posted measurements).

Nevertheless, it is almost always worth it because of the money you save and the great clothes you find.

Watch out for ukay reviews and our Ukay Online Directory. (If you own an ukay store, post a comment with the link or the address of your shop. In exchange, we hope you could re-post this article. Thanks!)

- K