7 Reasons You Should Go Thrifting
By: Karla Leung ‘22
If you’re a broke college student who wants to shop, thrift stores are the way to go. Not only can you find super cool items, but you can save both money and the environment.
You can find super unique and fun articles of clothing
Because everything is donated, there’s a huge variety in the types of clothing you can find. No matter your style, you can almost always find something interesting, whether it be a vintage tee or a pair of interestingly patterned pants. Thrifting is extremely helpful when you’re looking to buy a staple piece but don’t want to splurge on something you won’t wear very often.
But even if you’re not looking for something that’s a little out there, you can find a lot of good quality basics, such as sweaters, t-shirts, cardigans, jeans, or blazers. Forgot your winter clothes at home? There are plenty of outerwear options. Looking for an every-day sweater? You can find plenty at a thrift store!
You can get creative
The advantage of buying used and cheap clothes is that it gives you the freedom to get creative! Although something may not quite fit right or look at little bland, going into a thrift store with an open mind and a little bit of a DIY mentality can have you leaving with some fun projects! Paint, sew, crop, add patches, or rip off the sleeves! Since everything is pretty cheap, you can feel a lot less guilty ruining your thrifting clothes if your DIY goes wrong. By buying second hand, you can give new life and personality to your clothing.
Even if something doesn’t quite fit, consider altering it! There are plenty of Youtube videos on how to alter clothes, as well as a million more on how to get creative with your thrifted finds.
You need clothes in a pinch
You can usually find almost anything at a thrift store, which is perfect as long as you’re ok with doing a little digging! You can often find racks full of blazers, button-downs, and slacks that are perfect if you’ve forgotten something at home or need something new for an interview. Although spooky season is over, a thrift store also is the perfect place to grab a last-minute Halloween costume. And if you’re ever planning on heading out for the night and need something to fit the theme, a thrift store will probably have it! It’s perfect to grab something cheap and quickly!
You might score something worth a lot
Donated clothes means that you’re getting something way lower than the retail cost, and saving money is always a plus! Some lucky people find designer or rare clothes worth up to thousands of dollars for sale at their local Goodwill, such as @nsm_of_the_pdx, who found a pair of rare Hello Kitty Nike Prestos for only $10 at a Goodwill in my hometown.
Although this isn’t all too common, you can still often find nice clothes at a fraction of the price that you might not otherwise be willing to drop the money on. It’s not too uncommon that you can find sweaters or jackets worth a few hundred dollars hidden in the racks, it’s just a matter of finding them!
It can be lots of fun
Thrifting is really based on luck – there’s no telling what you might find that day! So scouring the racks is gamble of whether or not you find something. There are lots of times when you’ll leave empty-handed, and that can be frustrating. But the more times you go, the more likely you are to find something you really love and makes the time you spent worth it!
It’s environmentally friendly
Not only are you having fun and saving money by thrifting, but you’re being extremely environmentally friendly! By buying secondhand clothes, you’re preventing more clothes from ending up in landfills and reducing carbon emissions. Remember the three R’s, reduce, reuse, and recycle? By thrifting clothes, you’re reusing old clothes and giving it a new home and purpose.
And of course, it’s cheap
On top of all these reasons, thrift stores are cheaper than buying retail! Revamping your wardrobe can be easier than you realize if you check out your local thrift stores before checking retail. At Goodwill, there’s even a color-of-the day, where if the tag of your item matches the color, you get it half price! But overall, as long as you’re ok with a bit of wear or use already in your clothes, buying second-hand clothes can save you a lot of money, especially if you love buying new clothes like I do.
Are you convinced? I hope so! Check out “5 Second Hand Clothing Shops to Check out Near Campus” by Awo Jama to find out the best thrift shops around USC!
Want more from Trojans 360?
Visit Trojans 360 on Facebook & Twitter to stay up to date with more student content! You can also Ask A Trojan an anonymous question, and we’ll try to answer it in a future post. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram!
Trojans 360 is USC’s official student-run blog. Content created by students, for students.
