Collegiate Times

Thrift center

With go-green initiatives gaining more attention than ever, financial uncertainty haunting our every move and vintage styles dominating the runway combined with Blacksburg's proximity to what can only be described as "the worst mall ever," there is no better time than now to embrace secondhand style and start thrifting.

Related: The sacred art of thrifting

With go-green initiatives gaining more attention than ever, financial uncertainty haunting our every move and vintage styles dominating the runway combined with Blacksburg's proximity to what can only be described as "the worst mall ever," there is no better time than now to embrace secondhand style and start thrifting.

HOW TO THRIFT

Get over it. Many hesitant thrift shoppers just cannot get over the fact that the clothes are secondhand, explained Virginia Tech student and YMCA Thrift Shop employee Nancy Ballhagen. "They think, 'Oh, it smells like grandma's. It smells old and funky and you know I don't want to touch things other people may have sweated in.' The truth is, sometimes we do get things in that are dirty and gross, but those things end up being textiled and we don't put them out on the floor. So you aren't going to find dirty, disgusting items in the store." Think about it: The employees do not want to be touching soiled items either - so you aren't going to find them on the floor.

Get into it. Once you have gotten over your fear of thrift stores, junior psychology major Maggie Savage recommends you tag along with a more experienced shopper to see how it is done.

"I take my friends who aren't so sure about it all the time," Savage said.

Leave your expectations at the door. "Unless I'm going to a theme party, I don't go with an idea of what I'm looking for," Savage said. "I just went the other day and found this great sequin-y butterfly top, for no reason." If you go with an image of exactly what you want to find, you are likely to miss out on a lot of gems along the way or leave disappointed.

Take your time. By taking the time to look through all of the racks, "I bet you I can find at least five items that still have the tag on them that have never been worn," said Suni Heflin, marketing manager of Goodwill. "People just don't realize what's really here. It does take a little more effort to find something."

Follow your instincts. "I just go in and grab things by color or pattern or if it's sequined or something like that," Savage said.

"If you go down the aisle and you look for a particular sleeve or something that catches your eye, and then that will start your creativity and imagination," Heflin adds. "I usually find one good piece and build from it." By looking for something unique, you will eliminate a lot of the excess time spent sifting through rack upon rack of lackluster clothing.

Take a second look. "I look through everything," Ballhagan said. "I'll look through the fabrics of things even if it is really ugly. I'll get it so I can cut it apart and make it into something else." Clothing reconstruction and DIY projects allow you to put to use an item that otherwise might not fit, is damaged or is just out of style.

But think twice before you buy. It's easy to forget that you are spending money when things are only $2. But that money adds up and so do the piles in your closet. If you cannot think of several times you will use the item now, you won't think about it after you buy it either.

Complete the circle. Donate your old items too. When it comes time to clean out your own closet, give back to the thrift stores you frequent. In tough economic times, thrift stores have "seen a huge increase in shoppers," Heflin said. "On the flipside, that means a decrease in donations." So free up space for new items and protect our landfills from excess waste while providing your peers with a chance to thrift.

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