The Griffon News

Ideally, dressing well should cost buckets of money. Ever-changing trends, season after season, can be hard to keep on top of for the discerning college student on a budget. But it can easily be done and for very little money.

Secondhand, consignment and thrift stores offer great opportunities for the budding fashionista. Minimal digging is inevitable, but the payoff can be rather impressive. Recently, a friend of mine came across a vintage Burberry jacket in mint condition. Originally priced at around $300, she nabbed it for just $20.

Thrift stores can also be a treasure trove for other designer items. I once uncovered a cache of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Ralph Lauren dress shirts, all in the same size, my size. They had even been recently dry cleaned and pressed, still wearing the paper tags. Such finds are rare but can and do happen.

Many thrifting opportunities exist for Western students in St. Joseph. These include the Goodwill, the Salvation Army, the Second Seasons Shop and the recently opened DAV Thrift Store on the South Belt. The DAV, which opened Jan. 9, has been very busy, which manager Nadine Bennett expects to continue.

“We welcome college kids to come see what bargains we have to offer,” Bennett said. “Sunday is our big bargain day, when articles with white tags are 25 cents or five for $1.”

Bennett’s favorite finds at thrift stores are the vintage books and clothing.

Freshman Katie Sheets, who is from Kansas City, frequents high-end department stores such as Halls, Kansas City and Nordstrom, but also has a passion for thrift stores. She finds that thrift stores provide an excellent source for both classics and seasonal, trendy pieces that won’t break the bank. Her favorite thrift store find is a vintage Michael Jackson “Bad” tour tee, which she found years ago but continues to wear.

“I love the way it has been worn so much it is paper thin,” Sheets said. “I didn’t bring it to college because I didn’t want to chance losing it.”

Many give the same respect to thrift stores that they give to dumpsters or soup kitchens. This connotation is undeserved because most thrift stores are actually quite clean and feature things that one would actually consider buying. Being previously worn doesn’t mean worn out. In fact, Target donates new, clearance merchandise to Goodwill for a fraction of the original price. On a recent trip, new ties from Target were just 98 cents and surprisingly stylish.

But even new merchandise just isn’t the same as buying that perfect vintage piece, according to Brad Dixon, a junior and fellow thrifter.

“There are many one-of-a-kind finds that no one else has,” Dixon said. “Also, people tend to ask me more about my vintage from thrift stores than they do about my new clothes because they are just so much more unique.” Dixon’s favorite thrift store find is a pair of perfectly worn, faded Levi 501s.

As mentioned before, some rummaging through undesirable, dated Eddie Bauer pleated corduroys and dumpy, oversized Reagan-era Cosby sweaters is required, but the reward can be phenomenal and well worth the effort.

It can also make for a fun-filled afternoon with a few friends, digging and commenting on the more unsavory merchandise you will most likely run into.

So, try the thrift store approach to fashion, and you’ll soon wonder how you ever looked good without it.