Thrifting For Fashion

Serenity McDuffie 

Contributor 

In today’s economy, financial times are hard for everyone, but especially hard for college students. Of course, we all want to look good and keep up with the latest fashion trends, but who has the money to buy expensive designer clothing on an undergraduate budget?

Well, the good news is that one does not have to spend a load of money to keep up with the latest fashions. Contrary to popular belief, many of the styles sold today in popular clothing stores such as Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters can be found for fractions of the cost in many of Fayetteville’s local thrift stores.

As a Fayetteville native, and five years of “thrifting” experience under my belt, I am quite knowledgeable of what the city has to offer when it comes to shopping re-sale vs. retail. I will share some of the best thrift stores in Fayetteville, as well as tips on how to make the most out of your thrifting experience.

Before continuing, it is important to understand that styles and trends always repeat and reinvent themselves. With styles from the late 80s and early 90s being of extreme influence to today’s trends, it is completely unnecessary to pay excessive amounts of money on clothing that has been designed to mimic a style movement that has already been done. That is where thrift stores come into play. Thrift stores have a wide selection of trendy items such as, designer high-waist denim, tailored blazers, leather jackets, Cosby-style sweaters, vintage athletic jerseys and sports apparel, designer purses, and a seemingly endless selection of abstract printed tops and bottoms.

Shopping in thrift stores, as opposed to the mall has a number of benefits. Aside from the obvious fact that it saves a ton of money, it also assures originality.

With many clothing items from thrift stores being vintage and one-of-a-kind, it is highly unlikely that you will see someone wearing the same sweater or shirt as you. Also, much of the clothing found in thrift stores is quality, and some items even have designer tags.

There are a number of thrift stores throughout the city of Fayetteville, and some are located just minutes away from Fayetteville State University (FSU), making them easily accessible to FSU students. The Salvation Army, a well-known chain of thrift stores, is located no more than ten minutes from the FSU campus on Robeson Street. I have found many designer clothing items from this store specifically, from prestige brands such as Christian Dior, to more affordable brands such as Levi Strauss. All items ranged in price from fifty cents to no more than ten dollars.

Also in close proximity to Fayetteville State University is Myroover-Reese Thrift Store, a small family-owned thrift store with a ton of fashionable vintage clothing. Myroover-Reese is located on Clinton Road, right off of Eastern Blvd.

In addition to the thrift stores listed above, there are a number of others that can be found in a Google search, including two Goodwill thrift stores.Looking fashionable does not have to be expensive. It is possible to find trendy and designer clothing from thrift stores for just cents on the dollar.

While thrifting, keep in mind the following tips:

Be prepared to search through clothing. Thrift stores are not set-up and organized like popular retail stores, there is a lot more patience and searching involved.

Have an idea of what it is that you are looking for. For example, if you are looking for high-waist denim, or patterned blouses, focus on those items and they are more likely to “jump out” at you amidst the, sometimes overwhelming, selection of clothing.

Don’t be disappointed if you do not find anything on your first thrifting trip. Thrift stores are really hit-and-miss, sometimes you find something, and sometimes you do not. The key to becoming a successful thrift store shopper is consistency. If you don’t find anything one week, check back the next. Good luck!