Bargain hunting

AUFS is growing strong! With loads of new members, this year will be better than ever. To start off, this is a blog entry by Annie Hughes. Enjoy!


Having just become a fresher at the University of Aberdeen I'm starting to realise that my love for shopping may have to be put on hold for the next couple of months. Having the likes of Topshop and River Island right outside my door is already proving difficult to resist and putting a serious dent into my freshers budget. So, I think I’m going to have a crack at the charity shops...

This fills me with dread. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE vintage clothing - a worn out denim jacket I picked up at a small charity shop back in Northumberland being my staple piece of clothing along with a gorgeous printed scarf that I got in a village yard sale for just a pound. However, even though I’ve picked up some pieces they have been few and far between - it's always other people that find great little buys, never me.
For example my friend, who seems to have a knack for picking up brilliant pieces for small prices, has picked up a vintage wool jumper with fair isle patterns across the front and a faux fur jacket which I envy every time I see her wear it (both costing a bargain 10 pounds.)

I will try harder though. Dragging myself away from the safety net that is Topshop into the unknown charity shop jungle is my first hurdle to cross. After all, Freshers week is a time to step out of the comfort zone that was High School and try new and exciting things. Whether it be talking to a complete stranger or just simply venturing into a charity shop on the hut for the perfect woolly jumper.

 

Oxfam

Barnados

Save The Children

Not one for designers labels, but..

this is a fantastic film by Massy Tadjedin! And I love the haunting music of Zola Jesus. Enjoy!

Aberdeen's First Impressions

AUFS is back! And what better way to sell our society and the whole of Aberdeen to new students than to scare them with this over exaggerated piece of writing. Realize now that nothing I say can be taken seriously, and save yourself from a lot of hassle. 

Accommodation, degree programs, societies, and sports clubs, these are a few of the various things you have to worry about when starting university. You have probably been grilled about at least one of these topics by a close relative or a teacher. The topic discussed in this article is, somewhat controversially, left out of prospectuses and open day talks, even though it grieves most students in a new city. What to wear in the important first few weeks of university is no laughing matter, since adding a fashion faux pa to the already nerve racking experience might just send a new student over the edge. To avoid such mental collapses, a short break down of activities and nights out, and their dress codes might be in order, as well as mentioning the limited shopping possibilities Aberdeen has to offer.

First impressions are key, and depending on which group you are looking to infiltrate, Freshers week is the time to do it. Whether Hollister and Jack Wills are your thing, or you would rather scavenge charity shops for those 90s threads, Aberdeen's shopping scene provides some relief. The before mentioned labels can be found amongst shops, such as AB10 that provide to students with a fuller bank account. If you are a hipster and enjoy the finer things in life, make your way to Attic and Concept for your dose of Carhartt and Diesel. Not leaving out the Ebay generation, Aberdeen's charity shops are surprisingly affordable and you are likely to find real vintage pieces. For the students not willing to dig through bargain baskets or spend a months allowance on an outfit, the ready made fashions of Topshop, H&M and New Look are there waiting for you.

Now that you've got the look, where should you go to show off your style? The beautiful and the dirty rich gather around Tiger Tiger and Coco at Babylon. Here you can meet other genetically gifted students wearing their Sunday best, and don't forget to pose for those baby pink tinted photos. The Pearl Lounge and its clientele, however, live by a philosophy of more is more, where another layer of make-up is always needed, and another round of 70p jagerbombs never hurt anyone. If you want to take your creepers for an outing, Snafu is your best bet. A club full of topknots, Vans and vintage that would make the 80s look tame. Korova is for the tattooed and tough, while Origin is for the chilled out, and if you mix all of these together, you get an average night at Exodus.

Nevertheless, before you take my word on it and stick to one club for the entire year, note that this article was very exaggerated and generalised. Experiment and party while you can first years!