Almost everyone has heard of Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop,” a brilliant song that talks about the joys of thrift shopping, while also highlighting the misfortunes people may experience while doing so.

As the song suggests, thrift shopping has developed certain stigmas in society. Some of the misfortunes one might experience are finding very old clothes (maybe something your grandfather could wear) or even disgusting, smelly linens.

I’m here to tell you thrift shopping isn’t as bad as some people believe. It’s actually a smart way to buy clothes you’d normally pay double for at a department store. Some clothes you purchase may not be in the best shape or look all that great, but there is always a way around that.

Upcycling is a term used for people who buy cheap clothes at thrift stores and add their own flare to them. Upcyclers add patterns, extra fabric or embellishments onto the garments, making the clothes look brand new and fashionable. As college students, this is a perfect and cheap way of getting fashionable, inexpensive clothes, and it’s a great way to be creative.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you go to the thrift store and decide to try upcycling your own.

• Always get staple items, whether it is a shirt, a jacket, pants or shoes. Getting these items will allow you to be creative in more than one way. It also gives you the opportunity to upcycle an entire outfit.

• Buy simple items. Purchasing simple items allows you to go crazy when redesigning. It allows you to work with as many patterns and fabrics as you want without worrying whether they will clash, and because the item is small you don’t have to worry about messing it up.

• Be creative. Upcycling allows you to tune into your inner fashion designer and start working with different patterns, textures and embellishments. Don’t be intimidated when you first start: Most embellishments come with instructions and watching a YouTube video can be helpful.

• Go to the stores. Going to look at department stores allows you to get a feel for what may be in for the season. You’ll also see possible trends that are on the rise so you can be ahead of the curve. Looking at your favorite stores can give you that creative spark you need.

• Hit the arts and craft stores. These stores are where you will find all the fabrics you might want to use in your next upcycle project. Arts and crafts stores carry fabrics in all different colors, as well as different colored thread—maybe you’ll find a colored thread that catches your eye or a crazy and fun embellishment you’d like to add for an extra kick to shoes or collars of jackets.

Upcycling may seem like a lot of work (maybe in some cases it is), but in the end your clothes will look great and so will you. Also, saving money you would normally be spending on new clothes doesn’t seem like a bad idea either. The money you save could even go toward that trip you’ve wanted to take. Or you could create a savings account and think about paying off your future student loans with the money you save. Paying for college is one worry that is on many students’ minds. When you pick up a hobby like upcycling, you might find your little niche. You might even turn your new passion into a big boutique or start a clothing line for yourself.