This document summarizes the opening of a new student-run consignment store called Thriftsburgh on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The store aims to reduce campus waste by providing students a place to donate unwanted items and purchase pre-owned clothing and goods. Most of the initial inventory came from a large clothing drive organized by students and university services that collected over 111,000 articles of clothing. The store offers students an affordable and sustainable way to refresh their wardrobes while supporting worthwhile social and environmental causes.

2. As college students, most of you spend a vast portion of your time in class, at the library or caffeinating
at the nearest coffee shop. Although studying isn’t the most glamourous way to spend your time, it is a
great opportunity to show off your personal style and earn those A’s! Lectures, labs, recitations and
meetings can be a little less painful if you’re sporting the right outfit. The perfect outfit for class is a
combination of comfortable and stylish. You don’t want to overdo it, but you don’t want to wear
sweatpants everyday either. Finding a balance between these two extremes is key to creating the
picture-perfect look to fit with your busy schedule.
This Fashionisto is rocking a look that appears comfortable, but also has a little flair of style. The black
crewneck sweatshirt and tan khakis keep the look simple while the plaid scarf, black watch and brown
lace-up shoes give this outfit the perfect edge. The plaid portrays a studious vibe, the khakis create a
hint of professionalism, and the crewneck keeps the whole look casual. Bravo Fashionisto!
Follow the basics of this look and you are sure to find an outfit that will make you look great and feel
productive. Your day-to-day routine doesn’t have to be drab. Grab a coffee, stroll to the library, write a
paper or ace an exam in style! Waking up in the morning and putting on the perfect outfit could be all
the motivation you need to breeze through your day with confidence and ease.
One Simple Change: Do you have a dinner date after class? For a more formal event add a button-down
dress shirt to replace the crewneck. This will create a more sophisticated and charming look that will be
sure to land you the job, a second date, or a 100% on your presentation.

3. As college students with star-studded dreams and empty bank accounts, we tend to rely on inexpensive
fashion-forward pieces that can be easily recycled in different outfits and styles. Finding solid color
basics that can be effortlessly converted from casual to formal is key to adding depth to your wardrobe
and most importantly saving some cash. Skip the weekend retail therapy and instead spend a Saturday
digging through the piles of clothes you already have. You’ll be utterly amazed by what you find. Don’t
be scared to bust out a 9th grade treasure. Most former fashion trends are oldies but goodies.
Recently, faux leather skirts, leggings and pants have become a hot trend on campuses across the
country. This Fashionista is killin’ it in a faux leather skater skirt complemented by a soft neutral sweater
and a statement necklace. I love how the pieces contrast to create the perfect amount of incongruity.
The look is subtle and sweet with just the perfect touch of sass. This look is caught in-between casual
and formal, but can easily go either way with minor touches.
Pants, skirts, shorts, tank tops, tights, etc. can all be layered or mixed and matched to create some
unique ensembles. Use what you have! You’ll look great and I promise no one will know your sweater is
6 years old. There are no rules when it comes to what you can and cannot reuse. Get creative. Use some
of the high school treasures you dug out to dress it up or tone it down. Start by focusing on one crucial
piece and add and subtract until you find the perfect balance. The secret to creating a look that is
fashionable but distinctive to your style is being open to both old and new ideas.
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “Comfort! Whether it’s a skirt, jeans, a full business suit or
sweatpants make sure you’re comfortable and confident. Looking good leads to feeling good!”

4. Whether your interest in fashion is a hobby or a full-blown career, everyone has
to start somewhere. This Fashionista is just a freshie and is already taking steps
to dive into the fashion industry. She just recently created a personal account on
Instagram where she features her own personal style, interacts with designers,
and encourages peers to play a part in the Pittsburgh fashion scene.
CollegeFashionista: What inspired you to create an Instagram page dedicated to fashion?
Erica Spaeth: I’ve been following many different designers on Instagram and I loved all the clothes they
posted. I also joined University of Pittsburgh’s Fashion Business Association last semester and by
following Meredith Kearns (President of FBA) and seeing her CollegeFashionista profile, I decided to jump
in and get involved in the best fashion photo sharing social network out there. Also, I made a
CollegeFashionista profile so I could follow fashion trends cropping up on campuses all over.
CF: What are some of the most popular trends you’ve noticed at Pitt?
ES: Pittsburgh is a colorful city, but it’s always cold! A big trend in my area is colorful leggings- they are
both stylish and practical. I like to wear leggings of all colors and patterns. I’ve noticed lots of colorful,
patterned leggings around Oakland. I have also noticed lots of cute scarves this winter. They are great
accessories on cold or chilly days.
CF: How do you stay up to date on current fashion trends?
ES: I stay current in lots of different ways. I follow many different designers on Instagram as well as
periodically check fashion oriented websites to see what new designers are carrying. I regularly browse
Moda Operandi and subscribe to sites like style.com, Fashionista, and Textbook. I follow fashion writers
such as Tamar Koifman, as well as following other Pitt students on CollegeFashionista. Being a part of
the Pitt Fashion Business Association has helped to open my aperture wider and I’ve been exposed to
new trending fashions. Every meeting we discuss the latest developments in the fashion world. Last but
not least, magazines are always a good go-to!
CF: Who has been your coolest designer shout-out to date?
ES: Tony Bowls is the official evening gown designer for the Miss America pageant, as well as a designer
of retail prom dresses. I had posted a photo of myself in my prom dress, which he had designed, and
coincidentally was also a replica of the dress that Miss America 2013 wore. Tony Bowl’s prom
manufacturer, and the “evening gown sponsor of the Miss America Pageant” saw my post and
commented positively on it. The official Instagram of Tony Bowl also liked my photo. Getting
acknowledgement from designers is awesome and I look forward to getting more designer attention!
Learn More: Search @fashionista.pitt.ejs to follow Erica on Instagram!

5. Recently, Marques’Almeida caught the attention of Fashionistas across the country with a new spring
collection that is crafty, unique and gritty. The style is extremely edgy, but even with the grunge vibes
the looks still maintain a very chic and glamourous quality. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with
black on black. Black is slimming and classy. A classic black ensemble is timeless no matter what style
category it may fall into. Grunge is back in fashion and it’s gaining momentum across the country. The
‘90s has resurfaced with a modern twist. Faded, ripped, oversized and layered pieces styled in just the
right way can create a great look with a lot of texture and complexity that is sure to turn anyone into a
punk princess for the day.
I’ve really tried to break out of the clean, sleek appearance and recently I’ve gone for some more risky
looks. Marques’Almeida’s spring collection inspired me to pursue some relatively out-of-the-box styles.
Here, I’m wearing high-waisted acid wash jeans, a simple black crop top, a black moto jacket, tall black
combat boots and a checkered red flannel for a little pop of color. I added a lot of gold jewelry to
brighten up the dark colors and create some contrast. Everyone needs a little bit of glam to go with
every outfit. Accessories are a girl’s best friend. I tied in the black and gold pieces of the outfit with a
two-toned chevron, metallic cross-body hand bag. The gold aviator sunglasses were just a fun, spring
accessory to go with the gold theme and add to the overall look.
This show encouraged me to try some more dangerous looks. I toned down the Marques’Almeida
runway look into a much more casual, everyday look that I absolutely love. You aren’t stuck in one style.
Mix it up and experiment with trends if you’re bored with your typical look. It’s always good to
experience new things even when it comes to what you wear.
Get My Look: 1. High-waisted jeans. 2. Colored flannel. 3. Basic crop top. 4. Leather moto jacket. 5.
Combat boots.

6. Recently, Thriftsburgh, a new consignment store opened up right
on the Pitt campus. The store is a student led initiative that
kicked off last week. The store not only raises awareness for
social and environmental issues, but also provides students with
a place to pick up some inexpensive thrift finds. I had the
opportunity to chat with some of the students who organized
the launch to learn more about Thriftsburgh and its cause.
Name: Anna Greenburg
Role: Student Organizer
CollegeFashionista: What inspired you to open a consignment
shop on campus?
Anna Greenburg: We were inspired mainly by the volume of end-of-semester waste students leave on
campus. We wanted to provide a place for students to bring the stuff they no longer needed for reuse
rather than just throwing it out.
CF: Where do most of the clothes and items available for sale come from?
AG: More or less all of them came from a world-record attempt hosted by the Office of PittServes called
Give a Thread. Paul and I and the old student government board environmental committee chair, Kacy
McGill, were the student organizers of the attempt, but it was mainly headed by Misti McKeehen and
Erika Ninos from PittServes. We tried to gather 150,000 articles of clothing, but only ended up getting
around 111,000. Thriftsburgh got its start up inventory from the collection, the rest of which went to
GoodWill, Dress for Success, and several other places. Many students have been donating directly to the
store since we opened to receive store credit. We award half of the store-value of a donated article of
clothing in store credit to the student. For example, if a student donates a dress we would price at $10 in
the store, they receive $5 store credit.
CF: How do you plan to use the proceeds from the store?
AG: We plan to maintain a “rainy day fund” in case we need to make any large-scale purchases or
repairs for the store. The rest of our proceeds will go to the Pitt Green Fund. The Green Fund is a team of
eight students under the Student Government Board that reviews funding applications and allocates
funding to sustainability-related projects on campus. This year we’ve funded a coffee-grounds reuse
event, three new hydration stations, a hydroponics initiative, and the start-up supplies for the thrift
store, among many other projects.
Learn More: To pick up some thrift pieces and contribute to the Pitt Green Fund, visit Thriftsburgh,
located on the first floor of the O’Hara Student Center. Thriftsburgh is great little shop with lots of
available clothing and accessories. Check it out!