The Traveler

Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Larry Ash Bargains at Cheap Thrills, located in downtown Fayetteville, attract many customers as the recession drives shoppers to look for extra value.

In a time of recession, fashion might be the last thing on the minds of many, but that doesn't mean appearance goes out the window.

Even with articles concerning corporate layoffs and bailouts on the front cover of papers, various headlines about the latest on Michelle Obama's wardrobe still make an appearance.

Our society recognizes that ours is a culture of people born to buy.

Today, consumers have the ability to choose to buy a hybrid car, shop for organic groceries, choose reusable bags instead of "paper or plastic" and other schemes in the process of going green and lowering their carbon footprint and bank account.

But when it comes to purchasing clothes and other everyday needs, shoppers are essentially conditioned to buy more than they need.

Target has brought many big-name designers to their stores, at an affordable price that gives customers the opportunity to wear designer clothes that would otherwise be out of reach because of high prices. And thus, the transformation of Target to Targét began.

Designers like Isaac Mizrahi, Alexander McQueen, Mossimo, Converse and Liz Lange are among the few offering a great selection of their work for a fraction of the price.

Mizrahi however, who paved the "runway" in creating the fashionable image of Target, left the store this past year. Since his departure, Target has introduced a number of new designers and consumers aren't disappointed.

One can find McQueen's designs for thousands of dollars or save money by buying a piece from the designer at Target for about 20 dollars - for a lower price, the shopper gets the name and the quality.

"My favorite places to shop during these hard times include Forever 21, Target and Old Navy," said Bonnie Barton, a UA sophomore apparel studies major. "These places provide a great variety of fashionable clothing and, at the same time, do not put a hole in one's wallet."

For those with wardrobes stuffed with shirts that no longer fit right and pants they've outgrown, a simple solution as well as a shopping trip can come from such a problem.

Continued...

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