Marques J. Clark is a husband, father, forward-thinker, educator and author. Born and raised in Oak Park, IL, Marques always had a passion for writing. He took an interest in poetry at an early age and had his first piece published in 8th grade. Marques received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Master of Science in Higher Education from Northern Illinois University. Upon graduating, Marques started his entrepreneurial career as the co-founder of Aucity, a marketing and research company that develops strategies for engaging younger audiences in non-traditional ways. In 2016, Marques became the bestselling author of his first book, The Goodwill Fashion Lookbook. He currently lives in the Western suburbs of Illinois with his wife Kyndall, and son Micah. During his down time, Marques enjoys photography, traveling, reading, spending time with friends and family and binge-watching Shark-Tank. He is currently wrapping up the first installment in his Pop Culture in Education book series. Marques' personal mission is to help individuals reach their fullest potential through creativity and innovation and wants to continue to serve as a resource for those interested in discovering their passion.
What better way to make your Goodwill shopping experience more exciting than by taking advantage of a few of Goodwill’s shopping resources? Check out The Goodwill Shopping Checklist if you are new to the Goodwill shopping experience. If you’re like me and are a frequent Goodwill shopper then you will love these!
Getting up and going to work can be a struggle sometimes. Especially when you’ve had a great weekend with beautiful weather, friends, family and relaxation. Finding something to wear to work can be even more of a challenge, especially when the everyday dress code is business professional.
Finding brand name items at Goodwill is not as difficult as it may seem. The secret ingredient to finding high-end pieces is having a little patience. I’ve found so many hidden items on the racks by taking my time and analyzing each piece before moving on to the next item.
For the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with various Goodwill shoppers in the Chicagoland area. These individuals display their creativity and innovation through their outfits every day. What is the one thing that they all have in common? They are huge fans of the Goodwill shopping experience. Shopping at Goodwill is an exciting, never-ending scavenger hunt! With so many options available, and endless amounts of creativity, they find new inspiration each time they visit one of the many Goodwill stores. Check out the behind-the-scenes photos below ...
Hannah Bonecutter is an accomplished, young woman with high aspirations and immense dedication. While earning her Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Hannah became a licensed professional educator in Illinois. Since then, Hannah has taught and privately tutored students in all subjects and across all ages from infants to high schoolers. She also has experience teaching in a variety of different settings, including urban, suburban, private, and public.
Layering is mastering the technique of combining items to produce an amazing outfit. Many people use layering to stay warm, but it is an easy way to exemplify fashion versatility on another level. If you want to show people you’re more than just a t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans, add a little layering to your repertoire. On your next Goodwill shopping trip, think of how you can combine different items to produce an incredible outfit.
How would you describe your experience as a Thrifter?
Christine: I’ve been thrifting for a long time now. I thrifted a lot in high school because I found that it’s an easy way to get really creative outfits while sticking to a budget. I’ve gotten use to going to Goodwill and picking out items that are appealing to me and I see it as a challenge to find great items. The best thing about thrifting is that you get to go through anything in the store without having to worry about a price tag because all of the items at Goodwill are so inexpensive.
What is your experience with thrifting?
Cynthia: I’ve always been into thrifting. I think it’s starting to become mainstream now and so many more people are gravitating towards it. When I shop, I usually look in the clearance section to see what creative and inexpensive pieces I can find so becoming a Goodwill shopper was an easy transition.
The Fusion Effect is a digital fashion show that features students in the Chicagoland area modeling Goodwill clothing. Ten students were given $25 Goodwill gift cards and were challenged to go into Goodwill stores and piece together as many outfits as they could create. Using strategies from The Goodwill Fashion Lookbook, students were able to successfully curate multiple styles.
While working on The Fusion Effect: A Goodwill Digital Fashion Show I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Goodwill shoppers about their shopping experiences and various trips to Goodwill stores. To make the most out of your Goodwill shopping experience you want to have a plan, but also an open mind for finding items. These shoppers were asked to give their top 3 tips when shopping at Goodwill. Let’s see what they had to say ...
Before you go on your Goodwill shopping trip it’s important to first have a plan in place. Organizing your closet is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your shopping skills and have a successful trip at Goodwill. It helps you figure out what items you already have, what items you can add to your wish list and what items you need. And by “need”, I mean something you absolutely cannot live without. It also saves you the headache of going through your closet and spending so much time trying to find the right outfit.
Choosing the right material to wear can be tricky. It’s great to have an outfit that looks good on you, but you also want to think about comfort, durability, and ease of maintenance. Like many other shoppers, I used to pay attention to brand, color and style, but never worried about the material. I never understood the importance of choosing the right type of fabric until I saw items in my closet starting to fade or shrink over time.
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