When scouting through racks upon racks of clothing at the mall, nothing seems to fit my style. The same trends seem to perpetuate themself throughout each store leading me back to the comfort of thrift shops where I have endless options in dressing up my individual style.

Name brand clothing has an appeal due to its trendiness and quality, but second hand or “thrifted” clothing has lately proved to be popular because it leaves room for individuality while also not draining your bank account.

The first shop, Hand Me-Ups offers not only clothing but large pieces of furniture as well. It it the most like Goodwill out of the three. They acquire their items mostly through donations from the community. With their three locations on North 90th St, Q St, and Spaulding St, they are slowly expanding their reach.

On my visit there I made my way to the back where they had a special section for holiday clothing and decor. It’s a great place to find vintage pieces to decorate your house for the season and find unique sweaters for those ugly Christmas sweater parties.

My next stop was Scout in Dundee. Two shops that make up Scout lie on either side of Underwood Ave. The original side serves as the vintage shop that also includes decor while the newer addition has clothes that are more on trend and is where clothing can be sold. They are famous for their new and recycled selection of clothes which draws many young adults. By collecting  most of their pieces by buying from customers and having other locals sell their trade whether it’s jewelry/pins or calendars/journals, they are a buy-sell-trade shop. Scout is unique even in terms of their furniture: it’s repurposed. The flooring and counter were made from scrap lumber and the paint used on the walls were on their way to the landfill.

When selling your clothes to Scout, they  either offer in-store credit, online credit, or cash on the spot. Although somewhat picky on what they will buy from you, it is an easy way to make a quick buck off of clothes you do not wear anymore and find eclectic pieces that fit your style. I was able to sell some of my old clothes to make room for new ones and made $20 in the process.

To end this thrifting excursion, I visited The Flying Worm. Nestled in the Old Market, it is a popular space with vintage and hip styles. The owners of this secondhand shop venture across the country finding and buying clothing that fit their look. On rare occasions they will buy from sellers in the Omaha area.

Upon entering I was drawn to their recently added medley of vinyls. Artists ranged from Chicago to REO Speedwagon to Eddie Money. For only $5.95, these timeless musician’s records can be added to your collection.

A unique aspect that both the Flying Worm and Scout have are grab bags. Grab bags are filled with mystery items of clothing and accessories that are sorted by size and gender. At the Flying Worm, they start at $14.95 and at Scout, $15.00. It is a gift that will surprise both you and your friend this holiday season.

Thrifting is a commitment and often demands the right mood to be able to actually find something you like, but it’s worth it. Instead of breaking the bank on name brand clothing, create your own style and look to second hand shops for inspiration.