Thrifting on the rise

Dolce & Gabbana, Coach, Juicy Couture and Louis Vuitton are just a few of the names that many people take pride in wearing or owning.

The brands make some people feel superior to their Target-wearing counterparts.

But in today’s economy there may not be a huge number of college students wearing these designer brands. Because of the steady decline of the economy, young adults are looking elsewhere to be able to afford the latest fashion trends.

This being said, it may not come as a surprise to many that shopping at thrift stores is becoming very popular among young adults not only because it is cheap but because it is fun.

Freshman mass communication major Meredith Levan sees thrifting as a rewarding experience.

“I love it because it’s like I’m having an adventure all the time,” Levan said. “Knowing how every piece of clothing has a story, and (that) you can continue that, is really cool to me.”

The only time some students have ever set foot in a thrift store – if they even have – is to find Halloween costumes. Today, thrifting is being seen in a new light. People shop at thrift stores for different reasons, whether to find clothes that nobody else has or to start trends.

A blog called Sam Iacia explains how most of the clothes we wear today are made in a factory or sweat shop setting. Some people find it better to shop at thrift stores because they believe that the United States already has enough clothing, and it is unnecessary to produce more.

Shopping at thrift stores is akin to a treasure hunt. Every once in a while if you search hard enough you will find a treasure among the thousands of items in each store.

Caitlyn Ryan, a freshman undeclared major, doesn’t shop at thrift stores. Her brother, however, is an avid thrift-store fan.

“My younger brother lives at the thrift store,” Ryan said. “He actually finds some awesome stuff like cool-patterned Patagonias and Ralph Lauren polos.”

There are people that have even been able to find like-new polos and North Face jackets. You never know what someone isn’t going to want.

There are two thrift stores here in Milledgeville: the Salvation Army on North Jefferson Street and the Maranatha Thrift Store on Allen Memorial Drive. Many students stop by these stores regularly to see if any new items have been dropped off.

Buying second-hand clothes may seem odd or even a little gross to some people, but as long as you wash the clothes you find, thrifting can be enjoyable and easy on your wallet.

Posted by Katie Hayes on Jan 19 2012. Filed under Leisure. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.