Are you looking for ways to spruce up your wardrobe this winter without dropping a bundle? You may want to consider shopping the FCS Thrift Boutique. The fashion boutique, located at 307 Branchport Avenue in Long Branch, offers quality men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories at deeply discounted prices. Name brand and designer items are donated every day and are marked for sale as quickly as possible. Some of the items are brand new with tags!  If you’ve never visited our Thrift Boutique, FCS volunteer Diane “Dee” Trillo has some suggestions for making your shopping experience a pleasant one.

An avid thrift shopper and garage sale enthusiast, Dee was a frequent customer to the Thrift Boutique before she began volunteering at the store over a year ago. Now she visits several times a week, merchandising the windows and counter top displays to reflect the constantly changing merchandise in the store. Dee says she loves a good bargain, especially now that she has retired from her job as a school guidance counselor.

“I refuse to go to the mall and pay retail prices when I can get the same thing here for half the price, or less,” Dee says. “You just need to know how to shop.”

And Dee knows how to shop! She is usually sporting at least one items she purchased at The Thrift Boutique.

For the uninitiated, Dee suggests keeping an open mind. Since the Thrift Boutique’s inventory is donated, you never know what you might find on the sales floor. One day it might be a great pair of shoes. Another day, it could be designer jacket or a vintage handbag. That’s what makes thrift shopping fun!

To make the most of your Thrift Boutique experience, Dee offers these tips:

1. Compliment your existing wardrobe.  Rather than try to put together an entire outfit on your first visit, Dee recommends shopping for pieces that will match what you already own. If you can, bring hard-to-match items into to shop with you to compare. Remember to check different sizes. Many gently-used items might have the sizing tags removed, or they may have shrunk in the wash. Our sales staff will happily assist you with finding the right top or blouse to go with your favorite skirt, and you’ll walk away with a whole new outfit.
2. Accessorize.  Thrift stores are a great place to find shoes, belts, bags, scarves, even jewelry at a fraction of the cost of retail. Most accessory items are donated before they begin to show wear and tear. No one will believe you bought them at a thrift store! Dee recommends using accessories to update a neutral wardrobe and give it some “pop.”
3. Think High-Low.  Another way to refresh an outfit is to give it a totally different look.  Add a dressy blazer and some high heeled pumps to your everyday jeans to step it up a notch. Or dress down a silk dress or skirt with a jean jacket and boots. It’s fun and affordable when you shop at the Thrift Boutique.
4. Shop the displays. The mannequins and floor displays are put together with existing merchandise. They can provide ideas to help you create an outfit. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! And make sure to try your outfit on in one of our well-lit, comfortable dressing rooms before you purchase it. As a courtesy to our customers, we can hold items for purchase for 24 hours. However, we cannot accept returns or exchanges. 
5. Shop often. Regular thrift store shoppers know that to get the best deals, you have to shop early and often. Merchandise is put on the sales floor first thing in the morning, and throughout the day. Can’t get there during the day? Check the store Facebook page and Instagram for updates on special items as they arrive.

Finally, Dee adds that the best part about the Thrift Boutique is guilt-free shopping. Not only are you saving money, you are keeping clothes out of the trash stream, and every penny you spend goes to support programs that assist people in the community.

The FCS Thrift boutique is open for shopping and donations Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 5 pm, and Saturday from 10 to 4.