Whenever I walk around my local mall I always see the teenage girls flock to Forever 21 for their overpriced, cheap sweatshop clothing. It’s not to insult anyone, but if I had the kind of money they do to buy all of that, I’d be intelligent and spend it somewhere else: Secondhand Stores.

Often wearing used clothing has a negative connotation. However, it isn’t always so. Lately it has become the “in” thing to buy clothing vintage at a high cost. More and more celebrities are opting for this style of shopping and so are some well known subcultures. As long as you can put together a nice outfit, many will admire your taste and way of saving money. 

Secondhand stores have so much to offer. They have one-of-a-kind pieces that are guaranteed to not be found and your average mall store. And trust me, anxiously digging through those racks of clothes is much more fun than you think. 

And in the recession, it’s hard for some to afford new clothes. Secondhand stores will sell clothing at a very low price, around 5 bucks or less. Ideally, the only good quality clothes these days are designer. I know that you can always find designer clothes at used clothing stores, plenty of them. It’s just people are unaware of this.

From my experience, buying secondhand was the best thing that has ever happened to my wardrobe. I am able to buy clothes without worrying if I will not like it the next day. I saved so much money compared to buying new. They are so cheap and sometimes you will be very surprised at what you find. I am often asked where I purchase my clothes and complimented on my outfits. And many people were moved by me to start buying secondhand themselves. 

Where you should buy secondhand:

• Consignment Shops: You can sell your clothes and the employees pick out only the good items which will save you much time digging through the racks and racks of uninteresting clothes. However, they sell quite expensive at about $10 for a shirt and designer items $20 or more.
• Goodwill/Salvation Army: Items are very cheap and usually under $10 and around $4. Your purchases go to a good cause which is a plus. At my local Salvation Army, everything is half off one day a month.
• Swapmeets/Garage Sales: This is probably the best place to shop. My local swapmeets usually have vendors with piles of clothes for $1 each. I find a lot of interesting stuff, including vintage cameras.

Here are a list of a few things I’ve found in the past:

• Lucky Brand Vintage Inspired Green Winter Cardigan for $1,  Orig. $80
• Kimchi Blue Perforated Oxfords for $1, Orig. $50
• 2 Pairs of Vintage Oxfords for $1 each
• Doc Martens $25, Orig. $180
• Zara Cardigan for $5, Orig. $60
• Various Vintage Jewelry for $1 each

I highly recommend that you shop secondhand. It’s the smart way to save money, be fashionable, and stand out from the rest.