Budget Friendly Fashion

What’s new in fashion just finished strutting down the runways at New York’s famed fashion week, giving an insight to every girls dream closet for the upcoming seasons. The trendy collections featured were nothing short of scintillating — with blazing colors, ornate florals and tantalizing patterns — by top designers — on opulent fabrics.

Most of the clothes featured on the runway won’t be available in department stores, however, multiple brands and designers will be using the trends from fashion week as their inspiration, making similar options readily available. Who cares if your blouse is from Marshalls instead of Macys?

One of the challenges college students tend to run into when trying to keep up with the trends is that we have Champagne taste on a beer budget. The good news is that fashion trends are constantly being recycled and reintroduced, making it easier to dress trendy while on a budget.

Discount stores like Marshalls and T.J.Maxx offer name brand and designer clothing at discount prices, giving you more bang for your buck. Since the majority of the items are overstock from department stores, you can be sure you’re getting quality pieces.

“Shop around! There’s almost always a lower price,” said Leslie Melacon, co-owner of Center of Attention Salon and Boutique in Lumberton.

Thrift shops are a dumping ground for clothes that are currently “out of style", but will likely be reintroduced in upcoming seasons. There is a preconceived notion that thrift stores are unorganized and full of dirty, stained items, but it is actually far from the truth. The majority of thrift stores organize their items by color and season — and often times a good portion of the items still have original tags.

LU student, Tierra Billiot, is known for her bold style and savvy thrift shop finds. Stepping to the beat of her own drum, Billiot doesn’t let the latest trends make or break her outfits — if she likes it, she wears it.

“I don’t like wearing what other people wear, especially on a college campus," she said.

"You can tell what the new trends are because everyone wears the same thing. I like looking at old 90s and 2000s music videos for inspiration. Back then everyone was original, and they wore what they wanted,” said Billiot.

It’s important to remember that scoring bargain deals is not for the faint of heart, it takes time and persistence.

“Be patient, you may not find anything at the first store you visit, but you can always try another one. Be sure to search through anything and everything, including the men’s, children’s and toy sections,” said Billiot.

“Don’t be scared to wear what makes you happy, and don’t think you have to shop at the latest and coolest stores. Go to Plato’s closet, shop at second hand stores, even Walmart. Have no boundaries with your clothes,” said Billiot.

Whether you sift through local thrift shops, or browse the aisles of your local discount stores, you will be sure to find budget friendly fashion. Remember, embracing yourself and putting your own creative twist on things is a trend in itself.