College Times

Media Credit: Photos.com

There is no need to rack up tons of credit card debt while you’re in college, especially when it comes to fashion. There are plenty of easy ways to keep your style fresh without breaking the bank.

Always check the sale racks at stores, but don’t by something just because it’s cheap.
You never know what gems you might find on the sale racks. It’s great for separate pieces, but at the same time it might tempt us to buy things just because they’re cheap, which brings use to the next rule.

Only buy something if you love it
If you buy things just to buy them, it will only waste money and space in your closet.

Shop unusual stores for unique pieces.
You can find fashion anywhere, so look. If you’ve never ventured beyond the mall, we recommend checking out alternative fashion spots like thrift stores, outlet stores and garage sales.

Sell old clothes
There are so many great resale shops here in the Valley; you should take advantage of them and never throw away old items. Shops like Sunset Clothing Exchange, Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet buy used items including shoes, clothes and accessories. You can either get cash for your unwanted duds or trade them in for store credit to get something new to you that you love.

Trade
This one might sound a little weird at first, but once you and your friends try it, you’ll love it. Each month, my girlfriends and I go through our closets and gather all the things we just don’t wear anymore, whether it’s accessories or shoes. Then we get together and trade it.

Great Thrift Stores

The Arc of Tempe, This is one of our favorite thrift shops because we always find great vintage pieces here. They have a lot of unique jewelry and really great home items. Best of all, every weekend all items are 50 percent off. And on Wednesdays, they offer students 50 percent off when they show ID. 3400 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.967.0303

Tiedemann’s Family Thrift, This giant thrift store, which was formerly Thrift Town, has a huge selection of clothes and housewares. This is a great store for guys’ clothing. 460 S. Country Club Drive, Mesa, 480.964.0864

Savers, We love this Savers, because we always find really great brand-name items here. This is also a good stop for guys if you need things like ties or belts. But our favorite thing about this location is all the great costumes they have around Halloween. 2049 W. Broadway Road Mesa, 480.962.1552, other locations Valleywide

Goodwill Paradise Valley, Many people frequent this location because there’s a good chance you can find designer duds for the thrift store price. 3202 E. Greenway Road, Paradise Valley, 602.482.0182, other locations Valleywide

Unique Thrift Store, This place has tons of clothes for both genders. It takes some rummaging, but if you put in the effort, we’re sure you’ll leave with lots of great finds. 725 W. Indian School Road, Suite 116, Phoenix, 602.788.9355

NORTH

For Love 21
This is Forever 21’s accessory-only store. It’s great because they carry all the trendiest new accessories from sunglasses to jewelry and purses all at the inexpensive Forever 21 prices. Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7104 E. Camelback Road Scottsdale, 480.946.7799

Xi Clothing
This store is great because it’s similar to Forever 21, as they have super cute trendy pieces for a very low price. The quality isn’t always exactly designer, but for the price, you can find some great pieces. Desert Ridge Marketplace, 21001 N. Tatum Boulevard, Phoenix, 480.342.9314

Target
We’re loving Target lately because the clothing department is becoming very chic. All sorts of high-end designers are making affordable lines for this super store. If you haven’t checked out the clothing section at Target lately, we recommend you take a look. Scottsdale Pavilions, 8969 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, 480.991.6007

EAST

Name Brand Exchange
This is one of our favorite resale shops to check out because there are tons of great deals. They only sell clothes that are name brand and in good condition, but at a fraction of the price. Best of all they have two huge $3 racks, where one can find items from brands like Diesel Jeans, Juicy Couture and Ben Sherman. Name Brand Exchange, 3454 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa, 480.832.6884

Sunset Clothing Exchange
They also have a $3 rack! If you don’t find anything on that rack, they also have a super chic shop containing an inventory of the best for affordable prices, like designer jeans starting at $50. 601 W. University Drive, Tempe, 480.968.6797

As Is Fashions
This store is really cool because it is stocked with unsold items from stores like Target, Aeropostale and Macy’s – all sold at highly discounted prices. They have new clothes for under $10 and department store makeup like Clinique and Estee Lauder for 40 percent off what you would find at the mall. 1290 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe, 480.921.0523

WEST

Steve and Barry’s
No item in the store costs more then $10.98! In fact, most of the store’s merchandise costs $8.98. That includes dresses, jeans, tops – everything! The best part is that these are quality, stylish items from labels like Sarah Jessica Parker’s line, Bitten, and Amanda Bynes’s line, Dear. Desert Sky Mall,
7611 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix, 623.247.9509

Charlotte Russe
This store can be hit or miss, because sometimes they’re charging too much for the quality of the item. But what they do have that you might not know about is $2.99 blue dot specials on a lot of their older clothes. Charlotte Russe also has a great selection of accessories that are two for only $8. Metrocenter Mall, 9617 N. Metro Parkway West, Suite 1001, Phoenix, 602.997.2641

Forever 21
This is one of our favorite stores because they carry the trends that are right off the runway at a price real people can afford. Along with their fabulous clothes, Forever 21 also carries inexpensive shoes, underwear and accessories. Arrowhead Towne Center, 7700 W. Arrowhead Towne Center, 623.334.0530

CENTRAL

Park N’ Swap
This is basically a flea market that is worth checking out if you like unusual and rare items. Here, you can find new and used items among the group of over 300 vendors that sell everything from inexpensive Converse shoes to jeans and jewelry. And then unusual items like pet birds and sometimes cars! 3801 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.273.1250

Flo’s on 7th
This is sort of an upscale resale store where you can find gently used items for great prices, but you can also find new items as well. Best of all, the money spent here benefits Flo’s charity that aids young women and girls in need. 4116 N. Seventh Avenue, Phoenix, 602.254.7861

My Sister’s Closet
This is a consignment store that carries a lot of designer labels, including top of the line purses and shoes for a fraction of the price. 2033 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.954.6080

Article Tools