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May 21, 2009
By Adi Kolev
For high school students, money is not always plentiful. The few of us who are fortunate enough to have jobs are stuck paying for gas, food, and recently, prom expenses. It’s hard to save up enough money to pamper or treat yourself to something new. Fortunately, there are many ways to refresh your wardrobe at minimal costs.
EBay has been around since 1995, but teenagers do not fully take advantage of it.
“I wouldn’t wear anything from eBay without sterilizing it first,” sophomore Marshall Duffy said.
EBay has the same reputation as thrift stores; people are concerned with how unsanitary the clothing may be. Because the buyer does not know where the clothing has previously been, or who it was worn by, it is natural to be concerned about any purchases.
Despite these common wories, others take advantage of this auction website.
“It’s an exquisite way of purchasing expensive clothing for a much more affordable price,” junior Patrick Edgley said.
Clothing companies like American Apparel have eBay sites where they sell new, never-before worn clothing for half the price. With 3-packs of the classic hoodies for 62.90 dollars, as opposed to 42 dollars each, you’re saving 63 dollars on the exact same items.
American Apparel is also known for its versatile clothing. They have a collection of dresses that are designed to be worn in hundreds of different ways. They way you tie the straps can create a variety of halter top, spaghetti strap, one-sleeved and sleeveless dresses, as well as a pencil skirt or boho top. This is a great selection for girls going on vacation who don’t want to feel boring wearing the same thing every day, but need to pack light.
For those of us who are really cheap, or just genuinely can’t afford to spend money on clothing, there are other options. An option that few people take advantage of is a clothing swap. Get together with close friends who you trust will take good care of your belongings and are similar in size, and arrange to swap some of your clothes. Half of what I wear belongs to my best friends, and vice versa. It makes you feel like you bought something new, without the downfall of actually paying for it. You’ll save money and add a boost to your wardrobe when you get bored of the same old clothes you’ve had for months.
Clothing might be expensive at the mall, but there are always alternatives. Mix up your look and keep your money to spend time outside, showing off what you wear. With the warming weather, it’s the perfect time to update your wardrobe.
