"Students shop on a dime"

Life and Style, Cardinal and Cream

March 19, 2009 issue, p. 6

  Hunting. It takes focus and determination to prowl around for the ultimate find. Hunters must be willing to dredge through their surroundings until they see the one thing they hope to come across. At that moment they know it is all worthwhile.

  This is how a true shopper feels as he or she is about to pick up the leather jacket valued at over two hundred dollars now revealing $30 marked in red on the price tag.

  When bargain shoppers enter a store, they are embarking on a hunt for items to fill up their closet without emptying their checking account or incurring future debt.

  Katelynn Meadows, sophomore anthropology major at the University of Memphis, is known by friends for her sophisticated style and effortless overall look. The thing many of them do not know is most of her clothing came from thrift stores or bargain shops. 

  During an interview about her love for shopping on a budget and finding great deals, Meadows sat sipping coffee wearing an olive green suede Banana Republic blazer, medium wash jeans, a light pink embellished cardigan with a black T-shirt underneath, topped off with a beige woolen scarf. The price of the outfit: $30.  

  “Shopping for clothes on a budget is an exciting challenge,” Meadows said adding, “I grew up shopping for clothes at the thrift store, and now even when I have more money, it is still the first place I go.” 

  Meadows grew up in a family of seven and was the third in line out of five kids. Her mother began taking them to the thrift store to shop for clothing at an early age.

  “My mom never introduced us to anything else; (the thrift store) was usually our only option,” Meadows said. 

  After years of developing her keen eye for unique pieces and practicing conservative spending, Meadows has a few pieces of advice for the inexperienced bargain hunter. The first thing she does is set a budget before going shopping.  

  “Even if the item is less than the original price, it may not fit into your budget,” Meadows said.

  The key to shopping at thrift stores is to start in one section, Meadows prefers the shirt section, and work through the rows of apparel not limiting the search to brand name items. Though it is easy to find recognizable brands at the thrift store, Meadows says not to limit yourself to them because you might miss something truly unique. 

  “See the potential in everything,” Meadows said.  As a seamstress, she does not limit herself to buying only items in her size; if an article of clothing grabs her attention, she takes it up if it is too large. 

  Another way Meadows mixes up her look is by sifting through magazines and finding outfits she likes, then duplicating the ensemble with pieces she already owns.  

  One reason Meadows shops frugally for clothing is because she says she believes Christians will be held accountable for how they spend their money. She says she does not believe it is wrong to spend money on clothing, but it should not be the priority. 

  Meadows also uses shopping at thrift stores as a ministry to others in and around the stores. She often asks people in need whether or not she can buy them something. 

  “We should clothe the poor and feed the hungry first,” Meadows said. 

  Pat Patterson, a personal shopper for many years as well as a seminar speaker on shopping thriftily, shares Meadows’ passion for shopping at thrift stores.  

  Patterson began shopping on a budget for clothing when her husband lost his job and her son was in high school. She says they turned to yard sales and thrift shops for items they needed. 

  “After we started this family experience, we found (shopping at thrift stores) to be successful, fun and it also met our needs,” Patterson said adding, “my son even asked me to dress his dates!”

  During this difficult time in Patterson’s family life, she developed strategies for shopping on a budget, which she still sticks to today. In addition to Meadow’s tips, she adds a few of her own.  

  The first thing she tells people to do is to take an inventory of what they have in their own closet and try to find new and creative ways to wear those things.

  Patterson also tells shoppers to find out what colors work best on them before going shopping and then to buy those colored items.  Instead of having a random assortment of mismatched things, this allows more pieces to mix together. 

  When it comes to college students preparing for careers, Patterson says it is important to build a basic wardrobe by sticking with classics.  

  “Classics will give you a good return on your dollar and you can add different accessories to update the basics,” Patterson said. “Remember to see the whole picture when shopping by thinking about items you already own and imagining the outfit in completion.”

  Although shoppers may not have immediate luck at finding an item they need, Patterson says it is important to keep trying. She and Meadows encourage others to join in on the hunt and give bargain shopping a try.