When looking for new outfit inspo, many people look towards Target, H&M or some other common retailer that stock the latest fashion trends. At stores like these, you can pay anywhere from $10-$100 for some clothing. Honestly, Target does have some great styles and wandering through their clothing section when you only went for one thing is a good way to get some new ideas to freshen your wardrobe. But in all reality, it’s not the best place to buy clothing ecologically.
Going to thrift stores and searching through the racks is a great way to get some cheap but high-quality clothing. Though thrift stores may seem overwhelming when you first walk in and going through the racks of clothing can be tiresome, the end result of some great pieces is worth the effort. Starting off in a thrift store, you have to know what to look for and that is getting to know your brands and what to look for in a high-quality piece of clothing. Thrift stores are also a great place to find genuine denim. A lot of jeans now days have denim with the jegging fabric and calling them ‘denim jeans’ when in fact, they are not. Because thrift stores usually care older styles of jeans such as Levi or Calvin Klein, you can find some great pairs of good quality genuine denim that also want to break your bank.
Speaking of money, you can usually find a cute shirt, sweatshirts, sweaters, jeans, leggings and much more all for under $10 each. A personal experience not long ago was at Again Thrift here in Mankato. I was able to score a brand new with tag genuine denim jacket from American Eagle that retailed for $50. I paid a grand total of $7. While thrifting saves you cash, it also saves the environment. Reusing and upcycling clothing is an eco-friendly way of shopping. Many times, unsold in retail stores are either donated to thrift store or thrown away and that clothing will likely end up in landfills.
Clothing aside, if you need to furnish your new place but don’t want to spend loads of money on new furniture, thrift stores are a great way to find nice furniture. There are chairs, couches, dining sets and much more you can generally find at your local thrift shop.
There are a couple of great thrift stores here in Mankato. My personal top three in town are Vagabond Village, Again Thrift, and Vine Thrift. Vagabond Village is a vintage thrift store in Old Town Mankato that has some great aesthetic vintage clothing for a great price! The shop is cute and has a great vibe to it and better yet, its local! Again Thrift is the place to go for new decorations or a rare ‘life is good’ tee. They have a great selection of ‘grandpa sweaters’ and home décor as well. For the best upcycled furniture, Vine Thrift has a great selection. Most of their items are vintage, but they are all in close to perfect condition.
So the next time you want to make a Target Run, do that, but hold off on getting that cute sweater or denim jacket and check out your local thrift store for some great one-of-a-kind pieces and you may just find yourself being pleasantly surprised at what you find.