Clothes shopping as a college student can be hard. Keeping up with fashion trends and experimenting with personal style seems almost impossible, especially with the pricey nature of popular clothing brands. For those looking for an affordable way to shop, look no further. Thrift shopping is an easy and enjoyable way to shop on a budget.
Thrift shopping, or “thrifting,” not only serves as an exciting hobby but could also be a way to make money as well. Many people utilize the low prices of secondhand shops to buy and resell items that may be worth more money. Thrifting is also a great way to help slow down the environmental impacts of fast fashion, which refers to the mass-production of clothing to maintain trend demands.
Boston has some great thrift stores, each not far from UMass Boston’s campus. Goodwill, located in South Boston, is a small thrifting location of the popular chain store that is full of racks overflowing with hidden treasures. The store is organized by color, each clothing item pinned with a tag that determines its price, and there are signs throughout the store that indicate what each tag color represents.
The back of the store holds an assortment of books, knick-knacks, furniture and other random odds-and-ends at a discounted price. For those looking for a more sizable place to browse, the Morgan Memorial Goodwill location in Roxbury is much larger and laid out in a similar setup to the South Boston location. Despite being farther from UMass Boston’s campus, this location is worth the trip for its endless variety of quality clothing.
The South Boston location is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Roxbury location is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and both are closed on Sundays. Both Goodwill locations also accept donation drop-offs during all open hours. Their website, goodwillmass.org, features a detailed list of acceptable donation items to ensure quality.
Another great thrift shop is a small store called Boomerangs, the closest location to UMass Boston’s campus located on Washington Street in the South End. This secondhand store consistently carries popular name brands and trendy items, all at a reasonable price. Boomerangs offers a variety of clothing, shoes, accessories and home decor.
There are also Boomerangs locations in Jamaica Plain and Cambridge, each store featuring similar layouts with different and unique pieces. Each Boomerangs location also accepts donation drop-offs during open hours. Hours vary between each location, so be sure to double check online before going!
For those who appreciate vintage finds, The Garment District in Cambridge is a spacious secondhand store with colorful walls and a retro atmosphere. The store has two floors, the first featuring large bales with a mishmash of assorted clothing. When shopping from the bales, the price is $2 a pound, which is a remarkably good deal!
On the second floor of The Garment District, one will find endless racks of clothing, shoes and accessories that are organized by category, with both modern and vintage apparel. However, they know what they are selling at the Garment District, so the items are priced higher than at other thrift spots. The store also contains a costume section, which is perfect for those preparing for Halloween! The Garment District is open seven days a week with the hours varying by day.
While it may seem tempting to splurge on those brand-new shoes at the mall, the same item may be available in perfect condition at a thrift store. Hitting the jackpot on a thrift store find can be a rewarding and exciting experience. For those looking to donate clothes, pick up a fun hobby or simply save some money, Boston’s thrift shops are the place to go!