Hey HC! So I’m back with another thrifting article, but this time, I decided to see if my advice would actually work. To test my theory, I set out to Goodwill this past week with some other adventurous HC writers to put my thrifting advice to the test with a little challenge. We were each given $10 and 30 minutes to find a stylish, inexpensive, and unique outfit. While I do love thrifting and have done it many times, this challenge was actually pretty intense.
Kelsey Willock
When I first got to Goodwill I had no clue what kind of outfit I wanted to put together. This normally isn’t a problem for me because when I come to thrift stores, I spend a ton of time looking for hidden treasures, but this time I needed to hurry! The stress drove me a little crazy amidst all the shoppers and odd smells, and I just wasn’t finding any of the right clothes. At one point I even got so desperate that I thought this pair of seersucker baby blue bell-bottoms were kind of cute (FYI they were heinous).
After almost losing hope, I finally spotted my statement piece! It was a fuchsia shirt for $2.25 that I knew I could pair with a cute little vest or belt.
Then everything started to work out for me. I found some simple jeans for $3.35 and even got help from a 5-year old girl that said I would look nice in “dis vest” ($2) (hopefully that’s not cheating!).
All in all, I thought the outfit was pretty cute, given the time crunch, though I do regret passing on a really cute hat I found at the beginning of my search. When you go thrifting make sure if you think something is cute, at least try it on—you never know if it will be there when you come back!
Total: $7.60
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Lauren Hunstad
Although super intimidating at the beginning, my first foray into the world of thrift shopping was super fun and eye-opening. Before contributing to this article I had never gone to a thrift store, but this experience proves that anyone can do it if they keep a few tips and tricks in mind.
Because it was my first time I really focused on wardrobe stables—things that were simple but still made a statement. The wild prints that shone brightly from the racks were a little overwhelming, so I kept to simple solid, yet bright, colors. It takes a true eye to get past the garish and make it into something great.
For my outfit, I found an oxford button-up in a beautiful periwinkle color. Knowing this was a little boring, I searched harder until I found a big teal sweater to wear over it.
The look I created was super comfy yet full of color for early spring. And amazingly enough, my ensemble was around $5—a serious bargain compared to other stores. I had a great time thrifting and can’t wait to do it again!
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Morgan Harbert
Coming from California, I am quite familiar with thrift store shopping. I’ve been doing it for a while and even go to a few shops in Winston-Salem, so I was really excited to see what I would come up with during the challenge.
I started looking through the sea of short-sleeve shirts and even drifted through the skirts to see if I could find some trendy floor-length ones. However, I wasn’t really in love with anything until I found this Ralph Lauren tank top ($2.25) hidden in the small shirts section. It was really simple, but I knew I could pair it with a bunch of cute accessories.
So then I went to the purse section and found a simple strap bag ($3) to layer over my tank top. The only other thing I needed was a pair of pants, which were also not hard to find. I just went to the pants section and found a pair of jeans ($3.35) that fit perfectly and looked good as new.
My look was relaxed, cute, and versatile (and also under $9). Can’t get much better than that!
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Now it’s up to you guys now to decide which outfit you like the best! Give us your feedback and even advice on what you think would make our outfits even better. Also, don’t be afraid to try the challenge yourselves. Tell us about your experience, and we may feature you in the next thrifting article! Good luck, girls, and remember to just have fun with it! Thrift stores can be goofy places, but they can also be filled with inexpensive treasures that can become your new favorite pieces!
*Photography by Katie Mahone