Thrift Shops: Cool finds In Frugal Times

byAlexisstrjzziere staff writer

Tbere comes a time in everyone's life when we must bite the bullet and confess. that our wardrobe needs a little sprucing up and we must disregard the non-essential articles. Why head to the King of Prussia mall when non-stop inexpensive shopping is only ·around the comer? Who could have ever imagined that shopping at a thrift store could feel so good on the heart and wallet?

Consignment shops have been around for years, but it has not been until recently that they have gained such popularity. They offer one of a kind must haves for everyone. From old school Adidas warm up pants to mom's favorite collectables, they have everything under the sun. Not only do consignment shops offer an opportunity for discount shopping, but they also benefit the community around us.

A consignment shop is someplace where you buy a yearly membership to consign your clothes and other belongings at. That's right folks, when that neon yellow polka dot ribbed sweater is no longer gracing the covers •of Vogue, you can sell it to a con- ceeds also profit the Protestant churches in the area. The welcoming smiles from the sweet ladies behind the counter encourage donations of jewelry and furniture, but please, no clothes.

Most consignment/thrift stores have a wide shopping selection. Furniture, shoes, jewelry, clothes, house ware, furs and purses are just a few of the many treasures you will find there. It is important to remember that most of the great people that work at consign- rnent and thrift stores are volunteers. The proceeds from the sales profit organizations by choice of the shop.

The Trading Post, a volunteer .organization dedicated to supporting cancer research at Fox Chase Cancer Center, is located on Lancaster Avenue in Paoli. Open Monday-Friday 9:30a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday lOa.m. to 3:00 p.m. accepts donations the first Saturday of every month. The Trading Post is quite, clean and appealing. They offer a wide selection of jewelry, clothes, furnishings for the home and everything in-between. For more infor- mation you may contact the store at 610-644-4110.

All sales are final at this second hand thrift shop.• You can find anything from a fuzzy leopard coat to a blue running jacket. signment shop, and if someone in their right mind wants to buy it, then you get a portion of the proceeds. Not only can you find unique pieces at thrift stores, you can make some money and also make someone else's day when they find the silver bangle bracelet they have been looking for that you no longer want.

Tucked away off the traffic packed Route 30 on Berwyn Avenue in Berwyn, sits a quaint thrift store called The St. Jude Thrift Shop. Opened Monday-Friday l0a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdayl la.m. to 3:00 p.m., they cater to the needy community around them. They accept mostly donations and few consignments offering extremely low prices. Proceeds go towards helping to pay the tuition of students in need of financial assistance at St. Monica's School and Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor. Pro-

Right behind the Bryn Mawr Hospital, the Bryn Mawr Hospital Thrift Shop can be found. Located on Glenbrook Avenue in Bryn Mawr, the store is opened Monday-Friday 9:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 9:30a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This store, which carries a large selection of cool furniture, benefits the Bryn Mawr hospital. Consignments of up-to-date clothing can be made seasonally and donations are welcome. For further information call 610-5254888.

If second hand shopping is not an interest, remember to keep in mind that donating any clothing, or articles no longer needed to these stores may help someone else. Donations are always accepted at The Salvation Army located on Pechin Street in Roxbourgh and Main Street in Norristown.

It is never to late to visit the nearest thrift shop. Be creative, be unique, go crazy, go thrift store shopping!

by Jen Smith staff writer

They are showing up on the sides of faces all across campus. They are a fashion statement, an increasingly accepted form of expression, and very popular among Cabrini College students. They are nose rings, and they have taken over.

A trend that began over a millennia ago, has throughout its history faded in and out of style, however it seems, the nose ring is back with a bang.

Resident facial piercing expert, Julian Smoger has not one but two silver studs in his nose, and a third in the form of a bull ring straight through his septum. "Nose rings are a way to accentuate the nose. I'm basically addicted to piercings, but I really feel like they increase physical beauty.

That's why I got mine." said Smoger. "If you don't like needles, you don't like pain, and you aren't willing to take care of it, getting a nose ring is a bad idea for you though."

But the man of many piercings isn't the only one rocking the nose rings these days. Many girls on Campus have jumped on the bandwagon as well. Heading down to South Street, Kadillac tattoos in Manyunk, or a number of piercing studios in the city, gi:oups of friends are all. biting the bullet and taking the pain together.

"I almost broke my friend's hand." Says sophomore resident Kelly Wayland of her experience under the needle. "I was so scared it would hurt that I squeezed her hand before it even started." But Wayland was surprised that the pain wasn't too strong.

"Tattoos hurt worse." Was the general consensus when I asked a group of sophomore girls· about their painful piercings. Everyone seemed to feel that the pain was worth the gain, as they all love the look. Why are we suddenly seeing an outpouring of nose rings on campus? According to Carolyn McGettigan, it all began with her. "I started the trend." Said McGettigan. "I got mine done last semester and suddenly all of these followers wanted to be like me. That is where it all began."

No matter where the trend started, students have quickly become surrounded by the shiny silver nostrils of their classmates. They are nearly inescapable around here it seems. So next time you are in the Caf, or sitting in class, glance to the side, look behind you, or maybe even at your roommate