No matter how strange or wacky a style may seem, it always seems to reincarnate sometime in the future. Who would have guessed that colored leggings, a former trend in the 80s, would become a modern fashion staple? Who could have forseen the return of the funky-patterned 60s minidress? Chanel's quilted handbags with gold-chain straps recall the years of dixieland jazz and speakeasies, and yet are some of the most coveted items in the fashion world. Styles from decades past are reappearing every year, so why buy brand-new designer imitations (now that's an oxymoron) when you can own the real thing for less?

Vintage stores, unlike malls and boutiques, have a certain aura about them. Perhaps it's the old music they play, or perhaps it's the quirky personalities of the employees. Maybe it's the exciting notion of generations of clothes coming together under one roof--or maybe it's the combination of all these things. Vintage stores are to fashionistas what coffee shops are to college students: they foster fresh fashion ideas and inspire new combinations. Why not pair this vintage minidress with my chunky amber necklace and that white floppy hat? says the seasoned vintager. Why not mix elegant with radical? and so on.

Every vintage trip I take inspires in me new ideas and provides a happy alternative to expensive designer clothes. What more could a poor, fashion-obsessed girl want?