Fall is upon us and that means it’s time to bring the sweaters out. If you’re like me then it seems like you never have enough sweaters in your closet. As a college student, funds are tight which means trips to the mall are very seldom. Usually, in order to satiate my wardrobe needs I would shop at Ross, Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Prices there are very reasonable but still big name brand items can still be a tad bit pricey. However, I would definitely recommend especially for men to purchase jeans and other types of pants from those stores because prices there will always be cheaper than retail!

Thrifting has been around for ages. In high school, it’s very popular amongst the girls as they would always brag about the new steals they found there. In college it thrifting was popular as well amongst the girls who were really big on fashion and making their own clothes. Eventually, after hearing all this noise about I decided to give it go and I’m glad I did.

There are rules of engagement when it comes to thrifting. The first rule of thrifting: always bring a friend. By bringing a friend you have an extra pair of eyes searching for things that you can wear and vice versa. There have been numerous times when a friend has found a cool sweater or jacket for me while thrifting.

The next rule is try on everything first before you buy. Clothes from a thrift store are pre-owned meaning that they once belonged to somebody else. Always make sure to inspect all articles of clothing for stains and rips. Once the item has passed the eye test try it on and make sure it fits properly. Sometimes used clothes could be shrunken or stretched out, so don’t always go by what the tag says.

The third rule for thrifting is to change locations. Thrifting should be an adventure so travel to a variety of thrift stores in a variety of locations. You never know what you can find so get out there and explore!

Lastly, after you purchase something always wash the item to ensure it’s clean. A good trick is to add oxy clean while washing because it brings out the color of the clothes. This creates a more vibrant and brighter look to the clothes you purchased.