ReaganGraeve

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ne fact that is often neglected about Marian girls is their ability to create a killer outfit for the multitude of themed dress days during their high school career. A typical closet can include items for 80s, Y2K, Santa, safari, cowgirl and multiple wardrobe pieces in every color of the rainbow. Plus, of course, a week’s worth of outfits devised of just two colors for Field Week. 

As the clothes start adding up, so do the expenses. To combat this, girls get creative when it comes to picking outfits for spirit weeks. Being shocked by the outfits in the halls during her first Gnimocemoh Spirit week, freshman Harleigh Link and many other girls hit the thrift store to “save money and do something fun with friends,” she said. 

 Senior Kenadie Rudloff started thrifting her clothes sophomore year instead of buying fast fashion. “Maybe it’s easier to shop through Shein, but it’s relatively the same price to go thrifting,” She said. Not only is thrifting a cost-friendly option, but “it’s fun to create unique outfits and even upcycle clothes to fit the theme,” Rudloff said. 

There’s a misconception that thrifted clothes are of worse quality than newly manufactured clothing. However, this is not typically the case: “You can get some really cool and high-quality clothes,” Rudloff said. Often thrift stores have lightly worn, high-quality items. Rudloff recommends Goodwill because they “section their clothes based on color,” she said.

Junior Leela Sookram has had a passion for thrifting since the sixth grade. It’s safe to say that she’s a pro in finding unique clothing items, even thrifting her homecoming dress. To Sookram, thrifting isn’t just buying clothes, it’s a way to customize your own style. 

Instead of picking out a short-lived trendy item from the mall, Sookram fills her wardrobe with items she hand picked. “You can appreciate what you buy more because you found it,” she said. At the thrift store you’re in a sea of different clothes from different trends and years, creating an individualized experience. 

When people thrift “you can see people’s personal style rather than just trends and see what they really enjoy in clothes,” Sookram said. 

She explains it as “a cycle. I donate my clothes and then I thrift clothes. People get to sort of trade through thrifting,” Sookram said. 

Most days, the standard outfit for school is a blue skirt and some version of a uniform approved crewneck. But on the occasion of spirit weeks and themed days, Marian girls love to gather up wigs, sunglasses, tops, skirts, shorts, pants, dresses and jackets. 

Next spirit week, consider taking a trip to your local thrift store to get an outfit that you can guarantee won’t be repeated by anyone else.