Instead of going to Urban Outfitters, Bailey Penrod took scissors to a pair of jeans she had purchased from the local thrift store.
Naomi Owens goes stops at the thrift store and picked up jeans for $6, and cut them into a pair of shorts that one might pay close to $50 for at Urban Outfitters.
While thrift shopping for cosplay costumes, Paige Staudt discovered a wide assortment of second hand clothing that she could craft into spring fashion for almost nothing.
As warm weather emerges, students with little money have been scouring thrift shops rather than larger retail stores to build fashion statements.
There are multiple thrift stores scattered throughout the Pittsburgh region, among them being the Goodwill and Salvation Army located on East Carson Street, that are filled with bargain deals and clothing that can be transformed into the hottest looks of this season. On top of these great deals that students can find within the thrift stores, many provide student discounts.
Retail stores such as Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, provide fashionable clothing for college students but do not provide their clothes at reasonable prices for students.
Some who have used the thrift store model say they can often out style stores such as Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, where clothing such as t-shirts are anywhere from $10-$150 and $10-$35 respectively.
“I like the fact that you can make your closet more unique without the price of retail shopping,” said Madison Turiczek.
Many Point Park students have found their alternative outlet from thrift stores. Students can find low-cost clothing articles and create them fashionable pieces of clothing. Jeans can be cut into capri pants or shorts for the warmer weather, whereas long sleeve shirts can but trimmed into t-shirts or crop tops. There are multiple ways to turn a simple piece of clothing into something fashionable for the latest season.
Penrod has recently purchased jeans from the thrift store for $2 and after measuring, trimming, and cutting them; she transformed them into trendy high-waisted shorts that she can wear when the weather is nice out.
“I would much rather buy old jeans that are already broken into and cut them to my liking. Why wouldn’t someone want to pay $3 versus $30? it’s much more practical, especially on a college student budget,” said Penrod.
While shopping for jeans at a thrift store that she can transform into stylish shorts for the spring, Owens has stumbled upon name-brand pieces of clothing. One time she went to the thrift store and ended up finding a few name-brand shirts. Owens paid $6 for three Forever 21 tops that would have cost roughly $60, had she purchased them at Forever 21.
“I think it’s really smart to shop at thrift stores because you can find a lot of really nice things like name-brand stuff for low prices,” said Owens.
Staudt looks to thrift stores to find clothes that she can use for cosplay costumes. However, she has found that many of her costume pieces can double as everyday outfits. Staudt has made various pieces, such as, vests, garter belts, eye patches, and shirts. Along the way of making her costumes, she has put together fashionable pieces of clothing that can be multi-purposed into ordinary, everyday clothing. She has turned her costume shirts that she purchased for a low price from a thrift store into a shirt to wear during the day.
“Some of the costumes had everyday uses. Like, I took a long sleeve shirt with a vest attached and changed it into a tank top to wear during the day,” said Staudt.
Not wanting to spend upwards of $30 on a t-shirt at Urban Outfitters, Turiczek, goes to the thrift store to grab a few t-shirts for approximately $3-$6 per shirt. While paying for her own clothes throughout college, Turiczek has found a cheap alternative from thrift shopping. She said she keeps an eye out for flannels or big t-shirts to buy. Once she gets them home, she cuts them into shirts that fit her. Turiczek said she would trim off the bottom in order to make them fit better for the nice weather.
There are alternative ways to get the same fashionable clothes for this spring season without dishing out all the cash. Many thrift stores are scattered throughout the Pittsburgh region that students can check out. On top of the bargains that students can find within thrift stores, many provide student discounts. Students can receive even better prices if they provide their student ID.
Thrift stores are a great venue to find inexpensive clothes that can be created into trendy, hip clothes for the spring fashion season this year.