Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Get Thrifted

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Ashley Rossi and Shelby Carignan Student Contributor, Boston University
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Allison Milam Student Contributor, Boston University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

When it comes to vintage and consignment shopping, Boston is no NYC or LA. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend more for designer duds; you’ve just got to do a little digging. Luckily for you all, fellow Her Campus BU contributor Shelby Carignan and I journeyed across our chilly city to scout out Boston’s best resale designer deals. After a long day of shopping, we agreed that these three amazing shops are definitely worth a visit:

 

Buffalo Exchange: Located on Harvard Ave., this buy-trade-sell store houses brands like J.Crew, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Betsey Johnson, Forever 21, H&M, and Urban Outfitters at extremely discounted prices. It’s like shopping in your best friends closet at 50% off. I found Tory Burch flats barely worn for $38, a gorgeous sample size J.Crew dress for $35, 7 for all Mankind jeggings for $40, and an H&M dress for $9 all in one visit. Shelby bought two awesome Forever 21 pieces for a combined price of $12, and went crazy for the selection of cocktail rings and costume jewelry. The store has a massive shoe and jean collection and huge dressing rooms so you can try everything on. The staff is extremely friendly and is helpful with finding specific pieces. Because it is buy-trade-sell, new stuff arrives all the time, so it’s definitely worth stopping in on a regular basis. And while you’re at it, bring in any clothes you haven’t worn in awhile to make some cash. Here is their website.

 

Second Time Around: Despite having so many locations across Boston, each STA is a unique goldmine for cheap designer apparel. We personally loved the one in Harvard Square. It has a smaller selection than the locations on Newbury; however, it is more selective and has more wearable pieces. When I was there they had amazing fur coats on sale for 50%. Shelby bought a great pair of Zara heels for just $17. Be sure to make note of their sale system: prices with certain colored tags are additional percentages off. Also, if you received the college coupon book at the beginning of the year, you have a 20% of coupon.
 

Rescue: This is another buy-trade-sell store that is located on 297 Newbury, near the Copley T stop. This shop has more designer items and vintage t-shirts, but still has great bargain finds. I especially love their shoe and jewelry selection, while Shelby can’t have enough pairs of their cheap, colorful wayfarer shades. You can also bring your gently worn clothing here and get cash upfront (typically 30-50% of what they value they item at). They also host cool events at local bars featuring Boston bands. Check out their blog and website.

 
Other stores to check out: Urban Renewals, Garment District, and Goodwill 

Allison Milam is a sophomore at Boston University double majoring in Communications/Advertising and Sociology. After living in sunny Sarasota, Florida for her first eighteen years, Allison shipped up to Boston for a new climate and a new start. She spends most her time working with the Community Service Center, writing for the Buzz Magazine at Boston University, and participating on BU's National Student Advertising Competition's team. She has a passion for cooking, eating, and talking about food, and hopes to attend culinary school after she graduates from BU. Allison spent the summer of 2010 as the resident food writer for SRQ Magazine back home in Sarasota, and continues to do freelance. Whenever she can squeeze it in, Allison loves watching Weeds and Mad Men. Her goal is to attend as many concerts and meet as many famous people as possible while living in Boston! Allison loves living the city lifestyle and hopes to one day write for Bon Appetit magazine or work for a cutting-edge advertising agency!