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The time for back-to-school shopping has arrived. And who does not like going back to school with some awesome new clothes to wear? Everyone knows the big name brands: American Eagle, Hollister, Aeropostale,

Abercrombie; for back-to-school, these and more are the hot spots, and expensive hot spots at that. But who knew that one could find name brand clothes that are in style… for 50-80% cheaper? Second-hand stores—such as My Best Friend’s Closet, White Clover, Plato’s Closet, and Ditto—can be full of surprises. White Clover, which just opened near the old Price Chopper, is a women’s boutique that sells high-end clothing. “You can find fabulous things at great prices and save a lot of money,” owner Cathleen Jones said. Students who shop second-hand know that one never knows what they may find. That can be a good thing, especially for anyone who likes having a uniquely different, yet stylish wardrobe, and likes paying less for it, all at about the same quality. “My favorite thing about second hand stores is the fact that you can get more for less,” senior Hannah Love said. Second-hand stores and consignment stores differ from thrift stores. While thrift stores generally take donations, second-hand and consignment stores pay people for their clothes and therefore pay much closer attention to the quality of the clothes they accept. My Best Friend’s Closet, located across from Retro Bowl, follows this process. “We make sure it has no spots, holes, or missing buttons. It has to be within two years of the current fashion, because that’s typically what customers are buying,” owner Taylor Clark said. If it is a consignment store, like both White Clover and My BF’s Closet, people can sell their clothes to them and receive their percentage of the profits as soon as the item sells, generally around a 50-50 or 60-40 split. “You can find really cute clothes there that no one else has, that you know will be different, and you can get them much cheaper too,” sophomore Samantha Heston said. For anyone who prefers to wear what everyone else has, then that may not be up their alley. But for anyone who still like looking for stylish clothes for cheap, then why not check out some second-hand stores this season? They seem to be popping up around Liberty lately. “Go into the store with an open mind because you never know what you’re gonna find. And just have fun looking for stuff,” Heston said.

Written by Becca Saffier | Photos by Becca Saffier

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foryourSecond-hand stores provide students with great deals on popular brands

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Top. Purses and stylish bags are typically expensive. “Purchasing purses and bags at second-hand stores saves a lot of money,” senior Kylie Callura said.

Middle. Most students look for name-brand clothes while back to school shopping. “I love finding popular styles at second-hand stores. I save so much money,” sophomore Lexi St. John said.Bottom. TOMS are an in-style shoe brand that run about $50 a pair. “At second-hand stores, I can find TOMS that are almost brand new for about half the price,” junior Haley Mead said.

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