Bargaining Benefits

     As I have mentioned, there is a plethora of benefits associated with thrift shopping. The article attached below, written by Katherine Martinko, lists ten of the greatest advantages that second-hand shopping has to offer. There were a few items that not even I had ever thought of! This really says something considering the fact that I've been surfing the racks at thrift shops for several years now. The most interesting thing I found from the article was that Martinko and I both acquired our thrift shopping lifestyle and bargaining skills from our mothers. What are the odds of that?

My favorite benefits that Martinko listed in her article are the following:

*Thrift store items are typically higher quality simply by virtue of being there.
     I've purchased items in the past that almost looked brand new; almost like they'd never been worn before! Many people imagine thrift store clothing to be grungy and dirty, but that's hardly ever the case. I have received numerous compliments on the clothes that I've bought from second-hand stores. It's always funny to see the look on people's faces when I reveal to them where I shop. 

*Thrift stores are an opportunity to develop your own unique sense of style.
     By shopping in thrift stores, you will be opening yourself up to a variety of possible styles to choose from. Regular stores tend to specialize in only a few styles and advertise to only a fraction of the public. For example, Hot Topic is geared towards the punk-rock, Goth type crowd whereas Victoria Secret serves only the female population. This is why thrift stores are so special. They incorporate every kind of style into one place. Their target customer base includes everyone.

*There are really fabulous finds on all the racks at a thrift store.
     It does take a great deal of patience to shop in thrift stores. This is mostly because of how much merchandise is physically crammed onto the racks. This is due to the significant amount of donations thrift shops receive from the public. However, if you encompass the virtue of patience and have a good idea for style then you will have the opportunity to discover some truly awesome treasures!

*There are no hovering salespeople waiting to make a commission off your purchase.
     Martinko made me laugh when she included this in her list. The one thing I've always disliked about department stores is being approached and questioned by salespeople. I know it's their job and that they make commission off of our potential purchases but, in my opinion, they tend to be annoying and bothersome most of the time. However when you shop at a thrift store you're on your own and you don't have to feel like you're constantly "being watched."


Link to Article

Trendy Jammin'

     It has become evident within the last couple years that shopping at thrift stores and wearing vintage clothes has become a much more popular option than what it used to be. When the smash hit "Thrift Shop", by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, was released in summer 2012 I knew thrift stores were coming back in style! With it's hilarious lyrics, the song portrays all the benefits and truths behind shopping at second-hand stores. 
     After doing a bit of research regarding this hip hop tune, I discovered that Macklemore and I share a mutual interest in saving money by purchasing secondhand clothing and accessories and we also share a mutual disdain for over-priced designer labels. This song is a revelation about the amount of money you can save while still having a style that's all your own. By shopping at thrift stores you will never have to be paranoid about running into someone who is wearing the same outfit as you. You will be completely unique! 

Below is a YouTube lyric video of "Thrift Shop" -- Don't worry, it's the clean version. As a fellow thrift shopper the lyrics that stuck out the most were the following:

"I'm gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket."

"They be like Oh that Gucci, that's hella tight. I'm like yo, that's fifty dollars for a t-shirt. Limited edition, let's do some simple addition. Fifty dollars for a t-shirt, that's some ignorant ___ ___. I call that getting swindled and pimped, ___. I call that gettin' tricked by a business, that shirts hella dough and having the same one as six other people in the club is a hella don't." 

 "I wear your granddad's clothes, I look incredible. I'm in that big ___ coat from that thrift shop down the road." 

Overall, this song is a suitable representation of the complete concept of thrift shopping and all the benefits related to it. Enjoy rockin' out!   

Link: "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore