Avoid the Mall

Going to the mall is probably one of my least favorite things to do. The only time I find myself going is if I receive a gift card to a store in the mall or if one of my friends is looking for something specific and I am just tagging along. It’s hard to find a good bargain in the mall, so that’s part of the reason why I dislike malls so much. Another reason is because every time I try on clothes at the mall, I leave the building feeling crappy about myself. Stores like H&M, Forever 21, Charlotte Rousse, and Hollister make their clothes for girls who are 110 pounds and 5 foot 8 inches. We won’t go into details…but the clothes made for girls of that size don’t look so good on me. Instead of wasting my time (and most importantly money) in the mall, I’d much rather go to Goodwill.

The only time I see most of my friends who I go to college with in Goodwill is when they are shopping for a themed party. Shockingly enough, Goodwill has more to offer than tacky Christmas sweaters and 80s garb. Some of my favorite articles of clothing are from Goodwill. I’d say I get more compliments on my clothes I get there than the clothes I have from a store in the mall. I can say with confidence that by purchasing the majority of my wardrobe at Goodwill I have saved several hundreds of dollars throughout my time as a college student. 

Two of my favorite Goodwill finds. 

There are some people who are skeptical about shopping at thrift stores, and I understand why. My two rules for shopping at thrift stores, like Goodwill, are to always thoroughly check the clothes for damage before buying them and to wash them before wearing them. Another reason some people choose to stay away from thrift stores is because they don’t like digging through piles of clothes. I think that is half the fun. Finding a cute top in a pile of ugly ones is like finding treasure buried in the sand. 

You don’t have to like shopping at Goodwill, but if you want pinch some pennies, I’d do my best to stay away from the mall.