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Thrift Stores
"Thrift stores are a refreshing change of pace from my generation’s superficial fashion trends—thrift items are priced based on quality, not brand name. "
By Kelly Douglas
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In the United States, shopping at a thrift store has become popular enough to earn a slang term, “thrifting.” Youth Radio’s Kelly Douglas is way ahead of the trend. The Grady High School senior has been thrifting since the age of 11.
When I turned 11, my parents told my older brother and me that from that point on, we would have to pay for all of our clothes, toiletries and school supplies with our meager monthly allowance of $18. This plan was supposed to teach us responsibility and money management skills, but all it really did was make me extremely cheap. But when I discovered the world of thrift stores, my shopping problems were solved.
In a society as wasteful as ours, why are thrift stores so taboo? They are a place where you can buy authentic vintage clothes for dirt cheap, and also donate old junk that would otherwise clog up landfills. People seem to think recycling ends at bottles and newspapers, but imagine how many resources could be saved if more people used thrift stores? Thrift stores are a refreshing change of pace from my generation’s superficial fashion trends—thrift items are priced based on quality, not brand name. When someone compliments my favorite white linen sundress, I’m not embarrassed to say, “Thanks, it was four dollars.”
By shopping at a thrift, you can help the environment, save your money, and feel the great satisfaction when you see someone wearing a designer t-shirt and expensive distressed jeans and know you have the same outfit for under five dollars.
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