Great Thrift/Resale Shops for Ladies?

[TootsieWootsie]

I guess I was one of the unlucky poor ones who sent themselves thru on working and scholarship. Ahh well...builds character.
No, I just wondered if the youth in college were into the vintage thing. Guess not in Boston. In Houston/Chicago they are. Different areas, different strokes.

[eevee]

wow, where are all these uber-wealthy college students?! when I lived in Boston, all my college friends were trying to survive off of Ramen and squeezing 6 people into 2 bedroom apartments. just because you're going to an expensive school doesn't mean you're a trust fund baby (see, there are these things called scholarships, grants, and loans...)

there are (last time I checked), no fewer than 5 used clothing/goods stores in the Allston Brighton area alone. my personal favorites are Urban Renewal and Boomerangs. The Garment District is also a good place to go, as is Second Time Around.

[smarty]

The "wealthy" students are hanging out at Saks, Neiman and Newbury Street with their Porsche and BMWs.

The "poorer" students hang out at Macys, Gap and ...

The "really poor" students hang out in Allston and Brighton... just kidding

There are very little scholarship money unless you are extremely smart or poor. Grants and loans has to be re-paid. Average student in US has $20K student loan. My friend who decided to go to a private college has $100K student loan. (he think that was one of his dumbest move.) This translate to $1K a month in the next 10 years. Guess where he is living? (Have you heard of the Boomerang generation?)

My nephew got $1000 from Boston U (Tuition+fee $36K, R+B $11K) and $5000 from U. Washington (Out of State Tuition+fee $23K, R+B $8K)... It is a very easy decision... isn't it?

My point? Yes.. there are "poor" students... but many came from middle upper class... the smart ones that cannot afford it will not likely choose a private college.

[eevee]

grants don't have to be repaid.

not a major point, but it just always amused me how some people here think that the majority of college students in Boston are walking around w/ a silver spoon in their mouths (or rather driving around in pricey German cars) and a stack of credit cards in Daddy's name. from my personal experience, these types of college students were in the minority, not the majority. plus, in most schools, it's not really cool anymore to look like an obvious trust fund baby, so even the kids that can afford Macy's may shop at Urban Renewal

[TootsieWootsie]

Luckily, I went to college in the day when there were grants and scholarships in Illinois (1974 grad.). Today Illinois is broke! Nothing for students...sorry. And that, folks, is why Daley and his cronies are getting richer....suuuuuccckkkking the money out of the coffers slowly! Somebody, please, enlighten me as to WHY Illinois residents keep voting Daley in as Chicago Mayor? (Other than Chicago doesn't care if the rest of the State is taken care of so long as they are)

[charolastra00]

Originally Posted by eevee

grants don't have to be repaid.

not a major point, but it just always amused me how some people here think that the majority of college students in Boston are walking around w/ a silver spoon in their mouths (or rather driving around in pricey German cars) and a stack of credit cards in Daddy's name. from my personal experience, these types of college students were in the minority, not the majority. plus, in most schools, it's not really cool anymore to look like an obvious trust fund baby, so even the kids that can afford Macy's may shop at Urban Renewal

I don't think I know a SINGLE person at my $50K a year school with mommy and daddy's credit card and an unlimited budget. I'm on an almost-full scholarship and am getting a loan from my Grandpa to avoid ruining my credit and the rest of my friends are in similar situations- and we all can make tops $1000 on federal work study for the entire year. We all shop at the Garment District (and not even the Garment District proper- the crawl on your hands and knees, rooting around the floor, and pay by the pound part), Oona's (right off of Harvard Square on Mass Ave towards Central Square), Urban Renewal, or the clearance rack at the Gap or Old Navy. There's a few more that I've popped into in the Allston area and Central Square but I don't remember their names.

[smarty]

Originally Posted by eevee

grants don't have to be repaid.

not a major point, but it just always amused me how some people here think that the majority of college students in Boston are walking around w/ a silver spoon in their mouths (or rather driving around in pricey German cars) and a stack of credit cards in Daddy's name. from my personal experience, these types of college students were in the minority, not the majority. plus, in most schools, it's not really cool anymore to look like an obvious trust fund baby, so even the kids that can afford Macy's may shop at Urban Renewal

Yes.. grants don't have to be repaid... However, the maximum Pell Grant award for the 2007-08 award year (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008) is $4,310. Very few get full scholarship... many get a few thousand. I often wonder how people make up that gap...if family do not contribute.

In any case... I see many Jersey folks... where ipod, Armani, up-to-date phones, ... is a norm...

[TootsieWootsie]

I don't know how others make up the difference, but I still owed for my apartment and food, clothes, lights, phone, etc. I worked for attornies (then a Judge). Thank God for having to learn how to type...and take shorthand, which is no longer used. I hated it, but you can do anything if you have to.

[clevedark]

I heard the rich international students dump tons of clothes at resale shops in Boston and Cambridge every season. My friends' daughter was coming home with these outlandishly expensive designer clothes and my friend was like WTF??? And her daughter showed her the consignment shop tags.