A friend of mine organized a private party for us last night so we got to shop for just $10 and a bag of clothes. The way this works is, you pay a flat fee (usually $20), and you get to make an even exchange, e.g. bring in a bag of clothes for the store, then fill your empty bag with whatever is in the store. You can bring in up to 3 bags. We also got to pick through each other's clothes to fill our bag.
It's a different shopping experience than going to a thrift store where items are individually priced. I find that in those situations, I have to really evaluate whether that item is worth the money I'm about to spend. I may like the item, but if it's not my style, is it worth the $5? At UpShift, however, shopping is kind of like a dig and save, but much nicer. The clothes are styled on mannequins and organized by color, and I can find a plain white shirt to go in my bag without worrying about whether the plain white shirt is worth the $3 that a thrift store might have priced it at and whether I can get a new one for the same price at Target. The price comparison is taken out of the equation which is nice, and it was nice to look at the mannequins for style ideas. Also, anything can go in your bag including purchases, shoes, and accessories.
This is a great way to restock your entire wardrobe. Also, if you don't have enough items, they can hold items for you and you can come back at a later date and pay the fee. I'm looking forward to coming back and seeing what new items they have in stock.