Fashion is one of my so called interests or activities I guess you could say. I can’t live without it but my economical situation right now doesn’t really allow me to live it all the way out.
Albany Park is a neighborhood located in the Northwest side of Chicago, IL and happens to be where my school
North Park University is located and where I live. If you never been in Albany Park I’m going to do my best to give you a fair description of this wonderful neighborhood.
Albany Park is one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the U.S. Actually my zip code is famous for being one of the top ethnical diverse areas in the country. So what can be a better neighborhood to live in for a foreigner like me? Right outside of my window I can see West Lawrence Avenue that stretches from
O’Hare Airport to
Lake Michigan. You can find the most random things on this street. It is not only filled with different kinds of restaurants and grocery stores but also with clothing stores! Now, if you are picturing nice, big and roomy stores with the latest fashion you are on the wrong track. The fashion on Lawrence is like nothing else. Here you can find everything from turquoise tights and sexy party dresses at
Chica’s Secret to “off the shoulder” tops at
Discovery Clothing. My all time favorite store is the
Village Discount Outlet. It is a thrift store packed with women, men, children and infant clothes as well as shoes, purses and household supplies. It is perfect for people who, like me, enjoy searching for the perfect outfits in a jungle of garments. Here are some tips to make the shopping at the Village a lot easier.
Tip #1: Never bring a purse. Only bring your wallet and put it in your pocket. This place is usually crowded and to be on the safe side only bring things you can hide in places only YOU can access.
Tip #2: Take a cart on your way in, it will make everything a lot easier. This place has a lot of stuff and you need to put it somewhere while you are shopping.
Tip #3: Wear tights and a tight tank top, for your own sake. Here’s the thing: They don’t have any dressing rooms. So if you want to try something on you need to do it in front everyone. Wearing tights and a tight tank top will make it less awkward for everyone when you are trying on that polka dot armless dress.
Tip #4: Always take a close look at the clothes. I know the feeling of finding a real catch just to bring it home and realize there is a huge brown stain on the back, not very fun. So always look for stains, holes and loose seams. As for shoes and purses, don’t buy anything that is too worn out and always look inside of the purses! You don’t want to find an old piece of used gum in the purse after using it for a week.
Take these tips under consideration and enjoy your shopping. The two best parts of thrift store shopping are the unbeatable prices (like the $2 top I happen to be wearing today) and the one of kind pieces you can find. So check the Village in Albany Park out! The perfect one of a kind outfit is waiting for you.
/ SMEA
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| West Lawrence Avenue |
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| View of the street |
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| Village Discount Outlet |
