Thrift store clothes are the bread and butter of many people’s wardrobes. If you like getting creative with your dress and not being destitute for it, thrift store shopping may be something you should try.
Whereas in a typical store at the University Mall one could spend twenty or thirty dollars (at least) on a pair of jeans, at a thrift store one could easily purchase an entire outfit (and then some) for that much. One time my sister found a pair of brown leather Frye boots that had never been worn for $12 at a thrift store. Western style boots like that are usually several hundred dollars new. Finding a deal that good is a pretty rare instance admittedly, but the fact that thrift stores are cheaper is hard to argue with.
But wait, you say! Thrift stores are full of old lady clothes and dirty sweaters that only hipsters wear! Not true. If you walk into a typical thrift store, you’re going to find those interesting articles of clothing, let’s call them vintage, that might not be up your alley. But if you’re willing to dig a little bit, more often than not you will be able to find almost-new clothes for less than half of what you’d pay retail. If you’re a fan of t-shirts and jeans but you don’t like spending like you’re rocking stilettos every day, thrift stores may be the solution to your problem. If you do like rocking stilettos every day but don’t have the funds to support your shoe habit, give thrift stores a try.
Another problem a lot of people seem to have with thrift stores is the mentality that wearing other people’s clothes is dirty. I wouldn’t really argue with that. But I would strongly encourage you to learn to operate a washing machine, because I’ve found that washing clothes is the best way to prevent them from being dirty. While I will acknowledge that occasionally you find clothes being sold in thrift stores that have holes or stitching that’s come undone, in my experience thrift store clothes are usually in pretty good shape. If you’re handy with a needle, a lot of clothes can be fixed pretty easily and are worth the effort. Check what you’re buying for holes or stains, wash it before you wear it, and you should be alright.
If you’re just a name brand kind of person and you have a hard time trusting clothes that don’t have a tag you recognize, have no fear. I just looked through my closet and found Charlotte Russe, Express, New York Company, Banana Republic, Nine West, Gap, American Eagle, Fossil, Isaac Mizrahi, even BCBG, all of which I purchased at thrift stores. Not a fan of evil corporations that enslave tribal people in third world countries? Okay, I know that statement was ridiculous, but however you feel about the companies that make these clothes is not a problem either, because the money you pay for them goes to the small local business owner and not the company.
Keep in mind, I’ve been doing this for a long time. You may not waltz into a thrift store and be overwhelmed by the piles and piles of name brand shoes that you’re getting for 50 cents a pair. That’s not really how it works. Thrift store shopping is a process in which you have to hunt through lots of clothes that you don’t want in order to find the ones you do. Much like regular stores, sometimes you don’t find anything worth buying. Once you get used to everything being inexpensive in thrift stores, you find something really cool that’s twenty dollars, and you get frustrated because usually things aren’t that pricy. There are ups and downs. Thrift stores will not make all of your shopping experiences magical.
What I do posit to you is that thrift stores have a lot to offer, and if you can get past whatever misconceptions you may have, you will likely find attractive clothes in good condition for significantly less than you will pay elsewhere. The fact that you have to dig for it makes it more fun, in my opinion. I have a much better time cracking jokes about all the horrible pants (how they fit so many pleats in one piece of fabric is really impressive to me) and showing off the jems I found that nobody else did than I do wandering around a chain store full of the same thing in different colors. When you get something at a thrift store, it’s really a find more than it is a purchase. You go through tons of stuff and take away only what jumped out at you, and it winds up being a truly unique experience each time.
The cool thing about living in Tuscaloosa is that there are plenty of thrift stores here. America’s Thrift Store on Skyland Blvd. (right next to Wal-Mart) is my Old Reliable. There’s so much junk in that place that it’s almost impossible not to find something, plus they have knick-knacks to go through which is fun because most thrift stores only have clothes. If you’re into decorating your room with oddities such as a candle shaped like a block of cheese, this may be the place for you. If you’re more of a mainstream kind of shopper and you like to stick to name brands, Plato’s Closet is a chain consignment store on McFarland with really high-quality stuff. They are more expensive, but keep in mind we’re talking thrift store standards here so it’s still better than hitting the mall, not to mention Plato’s Closet will buy your old clothes and put cash in your pocket. One I like to go to a lot is called Déjà Vu on 15th Street, because they organize all of the clothes by size and then color, which for whatever reason makes it more fun. If you are one of those hipsters who can rock Grandma’s sweater as easily as a tank from Express, I would recommend Twice As Nice, which is a nice little vintage consignment store on University Blvd. It’s really close to Mellow Mushroom, and I personally like that downtown area.
I have in no way completed my exhaustive study of Tuscaloosa thrift stores, but these are a few to get you started on your adventures. I hope you find something that turns your expedition into a habit, and more importantly I hope it winds up being a good time for you and whoever you bring along. Good luck, and happy hunting.
