Hey you. Yes you. The one that has had the same boring old fleece your mom gave you for a birthday gift. Every time autumn rolls around you get so excited to sip on your Pumpkin-spiced lattes and carve a pumpkin you hope looks like a witch, but ends up looking something Ray Charles would carve using his feet.
But what you get most excited about is the fashion. Finally, it’s time for sweater weather. You bust out your favorite Patagonia fleece, knit top hat and scarf ready to show off just how good you look when the leaves begin to change color.
Then you look in the mirror. And you realize there’s one problem. You have the fashion sense of a raccoon.
But wait, Joe, oh wise and fashionable one. How can we look fly this season and still have enough money to eat my sorrows away with queso? It’s easy, you silly goose. You do what Macklemore has told us to do since 2012: pop some tags.
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People want to be fashionable when it comes to the fall and winter seasons. The problem for them is companies like Columbia, Patagonia and Timberland are great, but burn a hole in your wallet quickly. Obviously the less money you have, the less clothing items you get.
Goodwill and Salvation Army are great places to pick up a new fleece and other accessories for less than $10. Thrift stores have everything from fleeces to thick jackets to keep you bundled up this season.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Aren’t these jackets affordable but hideous? That’s because you aren’t looking hard enough. Thrift stores often get a bad knock for only providing the public with dirty and unflattering clothing. You have to get past the stigma of thrift stores and hunt. Eventually, you will find that lovely sweater that I guarantee you no one else will own. That’s the neatest thing about thrift stores. Hundreds of people even on this campus own Patagonia jackets. None will rock the new white fleece you got for a third of the price.
Thrift stores also offer additional clothing like hats, scarves and bottoms. Of course, make sure to check the condition of the item before you buy it. The last thing you want to do is buy some item and realize there’s a rip or a nasty stain on your new plaid scarf.
Feel like you got your poop in a group fashion-wise? Thrift stores can help you in other departments as well. Decorations for fall and winter are always around. As are plates, silverware and glasses to drink your favorite type of cider (if it’s not apple cider, you are dead to me).
Blankets are a solid gem to find too. At Goodwill, a blanket in great condition will cost you about $7. We all know how cold it can get out of the blue thanks to the crazy weather in Grand Junction, so dropping a few bucks on two extra blankets will be a smart decision for those days you want to curl up and watch a movie.
Keep your expensive brand jackets and sweaters. Throw away all those beanies away that you dropped more money than any human being should ever reasonably spend on a hat. I got $20 in my pocket and I aim to be the most fashionable man on the Western Slope, all thanks to Goodwill.