Bustle Booth
Why Emma Chamberlain Gets A "Euphoric" Feeling From Thrifting
Plus, all the details on her new Levi’s campaign.
Emma Chamberlain remembers her father wearing Levi’s while she was growing up, so she was understandably excited the first time she came across a vintage pair in a thrift store. “That moment made me fall even more in love with thrifting,” says the 19-year-old YouTuber. “It manages to be sustainable and creative, which is an amazing combination.”
So when the brand asked the content creator to star in its new “Buy Better, Wear Longer” campaign — promoting durable pieces to curb overconsumption — it felt like a natural fit. As part of the initiative, Chamberlain opened up about her passion for secondhand shopping — like buying Levi’s vintage 501 jeans, a foundational part of her wardrobe.
“You can wear them with any top and any shoe, and it works perfectly every time,” she says. “I style them with literally anything, from a plain white tank top to a colorful patterned sweater.”
With more than 10 million YouTube subscribers, Chamberlain spends a lot of time creating new content — think travel vlogs and cooking tutorials — to share with her followers. Her best advice for juggling multiple priorities and projects? Setting strict working hours.
“I try my best to set certain hours for working so I don’t overdo it,” she says. “Sometimes I schedule three hours of work for a day, sometimes I schedule 12. It’s helpful for my brain to know there’s a definitive end to my workday to keep me productive and prevent me from procrastinating. If the lines between work and play get messy, nothing gets done.”
Get to know Chamberlain better with her Bustle Booth questionnaire below:
In The Bustle Booth
What’s your coffee order?
I actually have a few: iced almond milk latte with four shots of espresso, cold brew with almond milk, iced americano, and occasionally a hot almond milk latte — only in cold weather. I cycle through these regularly.
What are the saved weather locations on your phone?
Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Paris, Malibu, Rockland (Maine), and Maui. Nobody has ever asked me that. I like that question!
What’s your sign?
Gemini. Beware.
Favorite overused movie quote?
“Be careful what you wish for” from Coraline. Although I don’t believe this one is overused.
What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?
I passionately loved Arthur as a kid, but also Spongebob — duh.
What’s one movie or TV show you’re currently obsessed with?
I’ve recently been really into documentaries. I’ll watch them about anything — food, clothes, people, animals, crime, history, you name it.
If you had to be on a reality TV show, what would it be?
I used to watch Survivor as a kid, and even though it looks like a complete nightmare, a part of me is curious. So probably Survivor.
Go-to karaoke song?
Easy. “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts.
What’s something that’s inspiring you lately?
Reading books. I’ve never been much of a reader but I finally realized what I was missing out on. It’s been life changing. The amount of lessons and wisdom to be gained from a good book is mind blowing.
What’s something you would want people to say about you?
That I’m kind and make them feel good about themselves. I try to leave people in a better mood than I found them.
Check out her thrifting video with Levi’s below:
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