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MACKLEMORE’S MALL
Prowl reporter gives insight on why that $20 in your pocket can go a long way
A nice quality coat received by Prowl reporter Lauren DeWitz for free at Sally’s Giveaway hangs up in Dewitz’s home. Sally’s Giveaway was an event that gave people the opportunity to take home clothes, baby items, furniture and more for free. The Giveaway had its last run only a year ago.
Seven-dollar jeans? Yes please. A 20-year-old shirt that costs 3 bucks – how could I pass that up? If you’re not an avid thrift shopper already, change your ways and spend some cash on clothes for the better.
Living in a small area means we don’t have all of the options most people in cities take for granted. The nearest mall is an hour-and-a-half away, and the one clothing store Powell had, The Merc, went away long ago.
But thankfully, Powell and Cody are the homes of a plethora of thrift stores. (cue Macklemore) And from my experience, plenty of hidden treasures lurk in these shops waiting to be discovered.
There are several benefits to buying used clothes, the most obvious is the huge amount of money you save. The last time I went to a shopping mall, the clearance racks were still more expensive than most thrift shops. Besides, you can find high quality clothing at second-hand stores for cheaper than you can buy crappy quality clothes at a shopping mall for three times the price.
Although the savings is a bonus, you can truly feel good about the clothes you’re buying because you’re reducing waste and pollution. Yes, the action of you buying a second-hand pair of jeans might not be a big deal at first glance, but really, your purchase of the used item means one less new one produced. Less pollution will come from the factories producing synthetic fibers such as polyester in which most new clothes are made from, and there is less gas infiltrating the atmosphere considering most new mass produced clothing items travel significantly before ending up at a place like Forever 21
But also consider this: When an article of clothing isn’t sold at the second-hand store and that store closes, where does it go? Sometimes, they’re given to the textile industries and recycled, other times they end up in a landfill. Therefore, not only are you treating yourself to new outfits, you are shopping in an environment-friendly manner.
More importantly, you would be supporting local residents and businesses since neither Powell nor Cody is resident to corporate thrift shops like Goodwill.
Trust me, not everything in style has to be purchased at the mall.