As promised, I am continuing my list of tips and tricks to living fashionably on a college budget.
3) Many people fear the thrift and second-hand stores. While, there is sometimes reason to fear, you'd be surprised by the treasures you find. A lot of times, second-hand stores have designer clothes on an affordable budget--and while yes, they have been worn by someone else, they have been washed! You borrow your friends clothes? Whats the big deal. Stores such as Nimble in Cotati, are the perfect place to test out the waters of second-hand store shopping. You'd be surprised by the great pieces you can find, for a great price.
4) Forever 21. Forever 21 has become one of, if not the most popular store among teens and young adults shopping on a budget. Their clothes are inspired by current trends and the works of popular designers, but are sold at price-point. I have been an advocate of Forever 21 for years--why not they have cute clothes that generally don't cost more than $20 or $30. However, I have recently been struggling with their selection. For one, they only cater to one body type, so it makes it difficult to find clothes that fit the average woman the right way. Not to mention, the quality is not up to par by any means. Conversely, I have been able to fill my closet with various things from their store when I've gotten lucky enough to find a good fit that does not look cheap. My advice is to still utilize Forever 21's trends at an affordable price, but make sure you save up to incorporate quality pieces into your wardrobe.
These are good points, but they don't take into account the reason the prices are low. All of their items are made in factories in China and around the world, where people don't get paid well for their work.
ReplyDeleteThey are intentionally made cheaply and of low quality to keep people stuck in the cycle of purchasing. I strongly recommend against shopping at stores like Forever 21 or even Target, though I know their basics are hard to resist.
Thats a good point I didn't take into consideration. I have done projects and research on outsourcing in the fashion industry, and it is virtually inevitable.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna do more research on it, and make a post in the next few weeks. Thanks!
I agree with Sara Jane. Anything that is cheaply made is intended to keep consumers shopping (electronics are another big one). In the U.S. an individual discards about 39 lbs. of clothing per year... and that's just in clothing alone (so no shoes, accesories, etc.) (http://www.slideshare.net/Annie05/how-many-pounds-of-clothing-shoes-and-textiles-does-each-person-in-the-usa-throw-out-each-year-presentation)
ReplyDeleteSo yes, they have cheap, "cute" stuff that probably lasts about five wears and then it gets tossed in the garbage (as opposed to being recycled, or donated, if unwanted). Out of sight, out of mind.
So I shouldn't shop at Forever 21? :)
ReplyDelete