As college students, we all know what it is like to regret spending so much money on clothes. Even though we are down to our last bit of cash, we like to reason with ourselves to buy those trendy jeans. That is why I like looking through thrift stores and buying those trendy jeans for five dollars instead of $60 at Urban Outfitters. This summer, we can stay fashionable on a budget.
Most of my clothes are from thrift stores. You can find your basic tees to the most unique, out of the century tops. In fact, most thrift stores sell brand names that you’ve heard of like Gap, Urban Outfitters, J. Crew, and so on. My outfit actually consists of a pair of thrifted Ralph Lauren jeans with a Ralph Lauren belt I got at a sample sale and a plain black T-shirt from Gap. The Ralph Lauren jeans were only five dollars while regular retail stores would probably sell them for around $100 dollars. The belt was 6 dollars and the Gap shirt was fifty cents. Yes, fifty cents!
I started thrifting since the beginning of high school. I only went once or twice during summer or winter to add to my wardrobe but each time, I would find my favorites of the season. My favorite blue sweater was from the Salvation Army in New York. It was only one dollar and it looked so cute and comfy. It is my favorite sweater to slip on during a super cold day in winter. Another one of my favorite items that were thrifted was a light jacket that was my essential for fall. It was the perfect combination of dark blue and green that kept me warm during cold fall nights. You can find brand names and staple pieces, like my belt and pants, if you look hard enough.
My go-to high-waisted blue jeans were ones that I found and cut myself. It is the perfect pair of color to go with various tops. Sometimes, you find a pair of pants that is almost perfect and discover something you don’t like about it. These Ralph Lauren pants were actually flared outwards on the bottom. I didn’t like that style so I attempted to sew it tighter and roll it up to fit it to my liking. Sometimes, it may be tricky to fix up your pants but the results could be amazing.
One thing you shouldn’t thrift, however, is your shoes. In my opinion, shoes should be the one thing that you should allow yourself to splurge. Especially, since those are what you have to walk in all day while shopping at the thrift store! That is why I’m wearing a pair of Nike Flyknits to aid my feet through a long day of walking.
What do you think? Do you like thrifting for your clothes or shopping at retail stores? Let me know in the comments!
