College Couture: One Student’s Perspective
By Evan Clark
There’s a common understanding and acceptance among college students that somewhere between the student loans, high cost of books and 2 a.m. pizza deliveries, the price we wind up paying for college is worth the education and the jobs we’ll earn in return. I also hear that college is a time to discover who you really are or something like that. In keeping with such college lore, I’d say my greatest discoveries so far have not been in the classroom or dormitories, but in discovering my online checking account and all the random and unnecessary purchases I tend to make after a weekend spent mostly downtown. And now as the hourglass of summer is almost running out, it’s time to get back in the college swing of things … which means you better be looking fresh this fall. And what’s fresher than a shopping spree at your local thrift store?
Now hold on, I know what you’re thinking. Salvation Army? Goodwill? What else do they have besides my grandmother’s used sweaters and my Uncle Cletus’s Whitesnake jean jacket? Well, not only do many of these second-hand stores have a wide selection of grandma Christmas sweaters and one-hit wonder 80s metal hair band memorabilia, they also have just about everything else you need for your college attire — all at a bargain price. I can’t express how out of touch with society I feel when I enter an Abercrombie and Fitch or other generic mall store. Obscure and overly sexual music playing, I catch myself glancing at the mannequins (is that just me?) with the nicest twelve packs I’ve ever seen while clouds of cologne fill my already depriving lungs — I guess I’m just not cut out for it.
But whenever I enter the automatic doors of my hometown Salvation Army, I immediately feel like one of those kids on the old school Nickelodeon contest shows running around Toys ‘R’ Us grabbing every possible toy within a twelve-foot radius and shoving it in my cart. Just the experience of shopping at second-hand stores is easily worth more than your final receipt there. The art of finding that perfect T-shirt that will get you props from everyone at the party. The suspense of never knowing what the next shopping aisle will bring to your already jammed shopping bag. And most of all, the satisfaction in knowing that you just spent the same amount of money on ten items of clothing that you would on one polo at American Apparel. These are just some of the factors that might convert you from the dark side of back-to-school shopping.
I recently did my back-to-school clothes shopping at a nearby Salvation Army and I couldn’t tell you where else I’d rather have gone. It’s like a college headquarters with ninety-cent racks full of great T-shirts, jeans all priced around two bucks, and everything from great flannel jackets (for the 90s grunge rocker inside me) to Hawaiian shirts (which I’ve been known to rock on occasion). Not only that, but they have other great stuff for going back to school such as bikes, couches, and most
important of all, a Frisbee rack. When my shopping was done, I had over twenty items of clothing —ranging from T-shirts, sports jackets and jeans —and a grand total less than sixty dollars. As I read my copy of the receipt, my eyes became as wide as a Looney Tunes character strapped to an Acme rocket. How is this place so awesome?
Before I was a full-fledged second-hand store shopper, I must admit that my shopping center of choice was Kohl’s. Yup, Kohl’s, the store that always seems to be trying to fit in with the other department stores. I was behind the curve, and not only that, but I wasn’t identifying with the attire I was wearing. Then I wandered into a Salvation Army one day and it changed shopping for me forever. A store that not only has all the same brands that you can find at other stores, but other outrageous clothing items you can only find at some random garage sale — and all for dirt cheap. The catch? It’s used clothing, which to me is a small price to pay for a very small price. Some may find it a little strange to be wearing some complete stranger’s clothes, but I look at it in a different way. I view all the clothes at these stores to each have their own unique story and background behind them. What if the awesome flannel jacket that I just picked out was worn by some crazy lumberjack who couldn’t find a way to pay his rent so he decided to rob a 7-Eleven, which prompted a high-speed chase followed by his arrest, leading to the confiscation and donation of his flannel jacket which is in my very hands now? Or, maybe some dude simply gained a couple pounds and tossed it. Whatever. The point is that it adds a different aspect and twist to the shopping experience that can only be obtained at a second-hand store.
I’ve tried my best to persuade you, reader, to get ahead of the fashion curve, create your own unique style and do what makes sense and cents, which is to shop at second-hand stores. You never know what you can find at these places and not only will you be saving yourself from becoming a slave in the world of department stores, but you’ll also save some much needed dough along the way.
Now it appears that I’ve run out of tie-dyed shirts, so I’m going to make a run to Salvation Army. Keep it fresh.
Great Finds
I’ve bought some great items of clothing from these stores in my day, but there are some that outshine others. I’ve compiled a top five list of my ultimate second-hand store purchases and an explanation of why they make the list. Here it is, in no particular order.
A yellow nylon jacket with the words “HAPPINESS INC.” written on the back and the name “Jenny” stitched on the front left side. It sounds corny, I know, but this jacket looks as if it was featured in a Beastie Boys’ music video. I wore it around my high school and let’s just say I turned more heads than Megan Fox on a unicycle. There were also many times that I told people that some hot chick named Jenny left it at my house. While this never actually occurred, it did make me sound much cooler than I actually am.
My aviator sunglasses. Everyone rocks their own style of shades, be you an Oakley’s guy or a Ray Ban girl, and I’ve always been that guy who reps the aviators while sporting his jean jacket with the collar flipped up. There’s nothing better than when you get to the checkout line at Salvation Army and there’s a sweet pair of shades just chilling there waiting to be picked up to protect UV rays from your eyes and look cool while doing it.
Red leather pants. Yes, I said it. Red leather pants. A side note about me: I am in a band, so there’s a little bit of a rocker in me. And I’m pretty sure these pants were donated by Jim Morrison himself. At first I told myself there was no way in hell I was going to buy those things, but after a little convincing from friends, I took the chance. True story: I wore them downtown and people actually gave me money for wearing them. Whether it was mockery or pure envy I can’t be too sure, but I’m the one who’s laughing all the way to the bank.
My Masters sports jacket. Second-hand stores are great if you and your friends want to dress for a theme night. A group of my friends decided that we should have a Masters club and all buy green sports jackets. Of course, Goodwill had four green sports jackets and everyone was super jealous when we arrived at a party in Tiger Woods style.
Patrick Ewing New York Knicks jersey with matching shorts. This was my most recent second-hand store purchase and probably my favorite. There’s nothing more awesome than repping a 90s basketball star’s jersey, be it a Charles Barkley Phoenix Suns or Penny Hardaway Orlando Magic jersey. When I spotted the jersey, it literally had a glowing halo around it that dragged me to it like a fly to a bug zapper. I recently wore the jersey to Lollapalooza and made some friends I never would’ve made without a little help from the hall of fame center.
