When I was a teen, if you had suggested that we go shopping at the Salvation Army, Amvets or Goodwill, I would have looked at you like you had two heads. Back then, it was all about big brands for big bucks. I remember in junior high all I wanted was a pair of jeans from E-Street. They cost more than a hundred bucks, and my mom was like, “no way!” Who could blame her. She didn’t spend that on herself. She wasn’t going to shell out for her daughter just so her daughter would look cool to her friends.
Fast forward to today, and guess what? Going to thrift stores is about as cool as it gets. Thanks to my step daughters, ages 17 and 13, I’ve learned that there’s a whole contemporary culture around finding cool stuff that costs a lot (seriously, A LOT) less than it costs at any bigtime boutique or department store. These ladies love to “go thrifting” as they call it. I’ve tagged along a few times now, and it’s a great time. My husband is even on board because it gives him an excuse to flip through the second-hand records and books.
It’s always a super-fun outing for the whole family, and we have come home with some seriously cool treasures! We’ve found jeans, coats, sweaters, shoes -- you name it, and sometimes they still have the tags on them! I’ll admit, at first I was like “eeek, I don’t want to wear other peoples clothes!” But hey, you find something you like, for like less than ten bucks? Throw that in the wash and you’re all set! I have a couple pairs of jeans and some cool sweaters that have become real favorites, and for real, I don’t think I’ve spent a total of more than fifty bucks! You can’t argue with savings like that, plus it’s a good feeling knowing you’re giving something a second chance. Good for the budget, good for the environment -- total win-win!
What’s really fun is finding a unique piece at a thrift store, and then pairing it with something more expensive. What’s better than pairing a classic, high quality designer piece with a pair of $7 jeans, especially if you know they had to be super expensive new . . . it’s amazing! I’ve seen that emerge as a real trend, and my step daughters and their friends certainly prove how popular that is now. These kids are so savvy. They know the latest sneakers or a fancy jacket will cost big bucks, so they save up for that or ask for those big-ticket items as birthday or holiday gifts, then stretch their budget buying second hand. Everyone gets so creative putting together their unique looks. I love it!
I’ve always loved fashion, make up and having fun being creative with how I look. Let me tell you, I went through a hippie phase, a tough girl phase, and a few others -- for awhile I even made my own clothes, something that would be a perfect complement to thrifting today. I’d modify what I bought all the time, making it mine alone. I’d cut up jeans and corduroys, or add patchwork to shirts. I can tell that’s what’s really fun for these kids thrifting today. They love finding something that nobody else will have, and they can cut, patch, paint or whatever without freaking us out about wrecking something expensive.
But I think my favorite thing about thrifting is that it’s just fun. It’s a treasure hunt and we all go together, sifting through the racks and bins, then meeting up to compare what we found and discuss whether something is worth keeping or is okay to let go. We laugh about the crazy outfits and looks from different decades, the iconic and ironic t-shirts we find, and the cheap pieces we’d never pay full price for, but when it’s only a few bucks, why not?
So, if you’re looking to make your clothing bucks go much, much further, and want to have a ton of fun in the process, next time you’re thinking of heading downtown or to the mall, redirect that full-price plan and hit the local thrift store instead! I promise you’ll have so much fun, your clothing budget will go about ten times further, and you’ll be looking great!
Where is the store?