Thrift shopping is a great way for us college students to shop while balling on a budget. During my trip to the thrift store I got a sweatshirt, a sweater, a t-shirt and a pair of shoes for a total of 7 dollars! It can be hard to find some cute clothes and items with the huge mass of clothing offered at thrift shops, so I have compiled some tips to make your shopping trip easier:
1) Go in with an open mind
It is important to go into thrift shopping with an open mind. These clothes have all been donated by other people, so some will be a hit and some will be a miss. I always go into shopping knowing exactly what I want, but there’s always a change you might find something similar (but not the same) and you have to be flexible. Don’t get discouraged if at first glance you don’t see something you like: keep digging and you might find some hidden gems!
2) Look everywhere
Don’t be scared to glance around in the men’s section. Sometimes you can find some cute jackets or sweatshirts that are in the men’s section that you can still rock! The men’s section is especially great to find some nice flannels that you might not be able to find at any store in the mall. That’s what makes thrift shopping so great; you can find clothes that no one else has! During my trip to the thrift shop I even found a cute UMass sweatshirt in the men’s section!
3) Make a list
Although it is important to keep an open mind, you should also go in at least having an idea of what you want to get. Thrift stores have racks upon racks of clothes, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the large selection. If you go in with some idea of what you want, it’ll make the store feel smaller.
4) Get creative
You can even take the thrifting experiencing beyond the store and get crafty at home! There are so many thrift flips you can do–you just have to get creative! One of my favorites is taking a big t–shirt and turning it into a tube top. During my trip to the thrift store, I found a cute big t-shirt that would be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Making tube tops is so easy and can be a lot of fun to do with some girlfriends. Start by cutting the shirt from the bottom at the length you want it to be.
Then, you cut that piece on one side in half and then cut those pieces in half again. Then, you cut triangles into the two half pieces and tie in the back! It takes only 5 minutes to do and I bought the T-shirt for only 99 cents!
5) Give back
Thrift shopping is a great experience to find some cute and cheap items, but it is also important to give back if you can. Take a look through your closet and find some pieces you haven’t worn in a while and donate it. It’ll feel good and it’ll really help out someone else!
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All other images courtesy of the author.