Thrifting can seem overwhelming, but a day of digging can conclude with a shopping bag full of treasured finds.
Secondhand shopping is an option for students to add to their wardrobes without breaking the bank. While shoppers can drop $100 on one item in a generic retail store, the same amount can buy multiple items in a thrift store.
Throughout the multitude of clothing racks, jewelry displays and accessory selves, items like a jeweled dress, a Michael Kors purse or a vintage blouse can be discovered.
Michael Dolan, owner of Meta Exchange on Bluebonnet Boulevard, said he primarily sees University students in his store.
“It’s good for students to come here and shop,” Dolan said.
Meta Exchange, which has been open for two and a half years, allows customers to buy and sell clothing and accessories.
Dolan said Meta Exchange offers cash on the spot for accepted items to resell in their store. The store primarily is looking for popular brands like Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, Michael Kors and Ray Ban. This business plan allows customers to turn in clothes they no longer want, receive cash and purchase new items to refill their closet.
“The majority of our successful sellers are LSU students,” Dolan said.
Dolan said students who sell are successful because they own what other students want to buy. He said one student customer came in to browse and found a Michael Kors wallet she’d been eyeing at the mall. She paid a much lower price at Meta Exchange than she would have paid at the retail store, all thanks to a seller who no longer wanted it.
While Meta Exchange primarily focuses on stocking newer merchandise, the store does house a vintage section. A floral blazer, a midi-skirt and a mustard-colored cropped blouse are just a few of the things that were recently on the vintage clothing rack.
Meta Exchange’s selection of mall brands, designer brands and vintage pieces gives customers a taste of everything. Shoppers can find something that works for their personal taste and leave the store pleased with their purchases.
The Purple Cow is another thrift store option for students looking for a mix of new and vintage merchandise.
The store’s location on Jones Creek Road has been in Baton Rouge for 10 years, but The Purple Cow recently expanded to a second store on Perkins Road.
Assistant manager Brittany Henderson said the Perkins Road location has been open for nearly two months and has had its fair share of student shoppers. Henderson said the store offers a 10 percent discount to college students.
Unlike Meta Exchange, Henderson said The Purple Cow is like Goodwill, where they accept all donations from customers and offer a “mix of everything.” However sellers receive no cash back for their new purchases.
Most clothing items running between $1 and $10 and designer pieces normally not surpassing $24, so nearly everything is affordable for most students’ budgets. Customers can fill their closets with clothing and accessories, but also can find things for their apartment or dorm in one shopping trip.
While thrifting involves scouring through racks, the purchases are usually much more reasonably priced and one-of-a-kind as opposed to shopping at the mall or a boutique. At the multiple thrift store options around campus, students can pull unwanted items out of their closet and then fill the gaps with inexpensive secondhand options.
It’s like shopping a friend’s closet, except no one is begging for you to give it back.

Gallery • 14 Photos

Raegan Labat

Meta Exchange offers a variety of used name-brand items on a college student's budget.