The stereotype that goes along with secondhand shops is negative:  Used up, dirty, old clothes. But this stereotype is so untrue.  Clothes from secondhand shops can be just as nice as regular shops, and sometimes you can even find new clothes.

Every college student is trying to save money, and thrifting is an easy and effective way to do so.  Shops like GoodWill, Salvation Army and Savers have bad reputations for selling gross clothes and for being dirty, but just throw the stuff in the wash once and you are good to go.  Depending on where you go, you can get sweatshirts for four dollars, shirts for six, jeans for five — you can’t find better deals than that. Seriously, you can’t.

If you give it some time and some effort you can find some real gems in those shops. It’s cheap and original clothing that no one else will have.  In high school, clothing was, for most people, all about the labels.  Hollister, American Eagle and Abercrombie were the cool brands at my school, but all of that stops mattering so much when you get to college.

Around here, it’s more about being trendy and stylish, and you can be those things by thrifting. Plus, let’s get real, walking around on campus decked out in brands looks a bit ridiculous. However, if you are looking for brand name, previously used clothing there are always shops like Plato’s Closet; a little more expensive, but still good quality and cheaper than buying brand new.

Another great way to have more original clothing is to make it yourself. A friend of mine, who calls herself a 40-year-old at heart, is really into crafting.  The other day she bought a jean button up from Savers for four dollars as well as clothing bleach and dye for ten dollars.

The shirt she replicated sells for 62 dollars online at my favorite store.  Seriously dudes, how does that not sound like the most awesome thing ever? It’s as easy as taking an old button up, cutting out the back and sewing some lace into the hole.  Easy peasy.  It takes little time and hardly any creativity to replicate another outfit.

For me, the best reason to thrift shop is to be sustainable.  When was the last time you threw away clothing because you wore it until it couldn’t be worn anymore?  A few months ago I had to throw away some jeans because they were so ripped up but other than that … I have no clue.  I donate a lot of clothes and buy a lot of secondhand clothing but I rarely use clothing until it is unwearable.

Our society that has been tricked by advertisements telling us to “buy buy buy.”  You don’t need eight pairs of jeans or 12 sundresses.  Instead of renovating what we already own, we just get rid of it.  This is a mindset that needs to be changed.  Recycling, redo and renew clothing. It’s great for the environment and great for you!

Our need for constant ‘new’ is a major issue all over the world.  Thrifting is a simple thing any person can do to save some resources.

My favorite store now-a-days is my mom’s closet.  She kept all her awesome clothes from the ‘80’s and ‘90’s and they are amazing.  The best part is, it’s all free!

So seriously guys, now more than ever, sustainability has become so important.  I’m not asking you to buy you socks and undies from GoodWill (ew), but I am asking you to give it a shot. It could end up being the best fashionable move you’ve ever made.