Shopping at Pasar Santa: Thrifting Culture

Get in fashionistas… we’re going shopping!

But not any kind of shopping—it’s all about the quirky thrift finds that Jakarta’s shopping malls lack. So, where are we heading? A market.

Pasar, known amongst Indonesians, is humanity’s lifeblood. By definition, it’s the space where buyers and sellers converge to exchange goods and services. This hubbub is not dying anytime soon, reimagined through the lens of youth and their appreciation and hyper fixation on thrifting.

Pasar Santa’s thrifting culture

Thrifting is the modern fashion insider’s quiet rebellion: the pursuit of pre-owned, storied pieces, be it vintage silhouettes, forgotten designers, or unexpected gems rescued from secondhand spaces and reintroduced with contemporary flair. Its allure lies in rarity and authorship; in a world saturated by fast fashion and algorithmic trends, thrifting is fundamentally the ultimate luxury of individuality. Think fashion with provenance, where every piece carries a past and invites reinvention.

More than a shopping habit, thrifting has become a cultural stance—championing sustainability, resisting excess, and celebrating the poetry of reuse. To thrift is to curate rather than consume, to dress with intention, and to understand that true style is not bought new, but discovered.

Jakarta’s thrifting culture didn’t suddenly emerge. It has roots in long-standing traditions of secondhand shopping at flea markets like Pasar Senen and Pasar Baru, where preloved garments have circulated for decades as practical, affordable options. The 2010s and especially the early 2020s transitioned into the culture around it. Spaces like Pasar Santa (Santa Modern Market) became celebrated not just for used goods but for curated vintage, unique finds, and a youth-centred creative lifestyle, turning thrifting into a trend and cultural statement among Jakarta’s young fashion lovers.

About Pasar Santa

This is not the market you might imagine. Tucked between Jalan Cipaku I and Jalan Cisanggiri II in South Jakarta, this once-unassuming market has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years, particularly in connection with the city’s youth thriving thrifting culture. What many may not realise, however, is that Pasar Santa began its life as an entirely ordinary traditional market since its inauguration in 1971.

Pasar Santa was a muddy, rundown market, marked by cramped conditions and a distinctly unpolished atmosphere in its earliest days. It served purely functional purposes, selling daily necessities such as vegetables and basic staples. Despite its humble—and at times unsightly—state, Pasar Santa was never short of visitors. Locals flocked to it daily, relying on the market to meet their everyday needs. A turning point came in the early 2000s, when Pasar Santa underwent significant renovations aimed at restoring cleanliness and dispelling its reputation as a run-down marketplace.

Today, Pasar Santa is a favoured hangout for the capital’s young and creative set. Its modernised design retains the soul of a traditional market, blending clean architectural lines with the lively, communal energy of its past.

Thrifting at Pasar Santa 101

Beyond aesthetics is a rich tapestry of experiences. The thrifting culture at Pasar Santa has become one of its defining attractions due to its quality of secondhand fashion at accessible prices. Inside is a myriad of options, including true vintage pieces and well-known labels, perfect for anyone crafting statement looks spun from clever, fashion-savvy mix-and-match moments.

Pasar Santa is also a haven for vinyl collectors and lovers of vintage records, a destination for rare and retro finds, a casual coffee stop, a culinary playground, and a thrifting paradise for books. Such is its magnetic appeal that Pasar Santa now draws not only locals, but curious international visitors as well.

Beyond the thrill of scoring designer pieces at a fraction of their original cost upholds environmental sustainability by extending the life cycle of garments still in excellent condition.

Here, shopping transcends mere practicality. It becomes an act of creative expression. Many visitors arrive armed with research, already knowing which stalls or kiosks align with their personal style and needs. Whereas seasoned thrifters recommend a few essentials: set a clear budget, dress simply for ease of movement and heat, and understand your preferred sizes and silhouettes (notably since not all stalls are equipped with fitting rooms).

Let’s get on to the list of quirky thrift finds!

Attitude you can wear

Streetwear is the pulse of urban style, where culture, attitude, and bold design intersect. It’s for the fashion-forward, the unapologetically expressive, and those who want their wardrobe to speak before they do. The first floor has endless picks of t-shirts, trousers, skirts, jackets, hats, belts, scarves, and so on, catering to men and women. Natural and synthetic fabrics equally rule these new and original or secondhand pieces. Each is a statement, a badge of belonging, and a path into the ever-evolving street culture that defines the city’s heartbeat. You just have to be extra cordial to choose and not get caught with thirst!

Books to read, covet, and repeat

Books are portals, not merely pages for the curious, the contemplative, and anyone who craves a little intellectual glamour. Spot for hidden literary gems and iconic classics on Pasar Santa’s ground and first floors. Non-fiction, fiction, children’s books, and comics are sold in English and Indonesian; some are new, while others are secondhand and are even sold under Rp150,000. You can donate your old books, too, rather than having them lying around your home! Remember: a well-chosen book isn’t just a read—it’s an accessory for the mind, a conversation starter, and a quietly chic way to express taste.

Recommended stores: Book Faculty; POST Bookshop.

Chic details, maximum impact from ornaments

Decorate your space with tiny sculptures of personality. You can score cult classic figurines, animal-shaped installations, vases, decorative bowls and plates, trinket and jewellery boxes, hanging decor, table lamps, pottery, statement pieces, and the list goes on! These ornaments are for those who appreciate the art of subtle detail, the ones who see their home or work desk as a gallery and their objects as whispers of style. Each elevates space into a world that feels both curated and utterly lived-in, turning everyday moments into something exquisite.

Recommended stores: A Craft; Chipi Chapa; Soba Soba.

Dainty and statement accessories for finishing touches

Accessories are the punctuation marks of style expressed through delicate whispers or bold declarations. From dainty, barely-there pieces that flirt with subtlety, to statement designs that demand attention, these treasures are for the discerning, the fearless, and anyone who understands that style lives in the details. Think stainless steel, silver, gold, splashes of colours and patterns in necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, handbags, footwear, and belts. Take some time to try on as many as you want—don’t worry if you’re hogging up space, everyone else is dying to find the right accessory either way.

Recommended stores: Blinders Room; Konkubin; More than Goods; Things & Clothinc.

Playful and personal stickers to collect

Small indeed, yet stickers have an impact that is anything but. Perfect for the playful, the expressive, and anyone who loves to leave a little signature touch wherever they go, these designs transform everyday objects—laptops, journals, water bottles—into personal canvases. It can also be a supply chain for scrapbookers. Each sticker is a tiny declaration of style, a wink of creativity, and a way to make the mundane feel utterly curated.

Recommended stores: Chipi Chapa; Kesukaan.

Vintage, timeless finds with modern flair

Vintage is fashion with history, a secondhand catch that carries character, story, and soul tailored for the discerning, the risk-takers, and anyone who refuses to follow trends blindly. Coquette, cottagecore, 80s, Y2K, preppy, academia, maxmilism, and Scandi are some styles and aesthetics to uncover on the market’s second floor. A mix of family collectables and curated vintage finds, thrifted from other markets throughout Indonesia and abroad (Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok), have been selected. Take a deep breath before entering a vintage store—you’ll need all the patience and time of your day to get a hold of a piece that is wholly, undeniably yours.

Recommended stores: Qurated Picked; Soba Soba, Woodstock; Wonders of Hellen.

Vinyl, CDs and cassettes to spin the past

Record stores are modern-day treasure troves, where vinyl crackles like nostalgia and discovery reigns supreme. Millennials are no strangers to CDs and cassettes, which can be easily spotted across the second floor. It’s refreshing to spot Indonesian and English punk rock, R&B, pop, jazz, and rock albums in a tangible form. Even contemporary releases, like Sabrina Carpenter and The Weeknd, are on display. Audiophiles, collectors, and anyone who appreciates music as a tactile, tangible experience can ask the shopkeeper to give a record a spin. Nothing compares to the thrill of finding a rare gem to soundtrack your life.

Recommended stores: 33 RPM; Jajan Kaset; Laidback Blues Store; Satoe Lagoe; Utama Lab; Wigwam Records.