While growing up I was only 20 minutes from the best tax-free shopping in the Midwest: The Mall of America.

Picking Iowa State as the institution to continue my education was an easy one, but I had one fear: Where would I shop in Ames, Iowa, of all places. The worry continued to haunt me for the rest of the summer.

Now I am going on to start my senior year at Iowa State, and I can assure new students of one thing: Ames does have some fantastic shopping. Here’ s some places an I can recommend.

First, if you’ re looking to do a lot of shopping, Main Street is your primary destination. If you have an interview coming up, forgot your suit at home, or don’ t have one at all, Moorman Clothiers is the place to go. They have excellent customer service with a wide variety of men’s and women’s suits. As an added bonus, they make free alterations to any suit you buy from them.

If you’ re the ultimate girlie-girl and enjoy brands such as Free People, BCBG and Miss Me, there’s a shop on Main Street for you as well. Lyla’s Boutique offers trendy styles. Their apparel ranges from cocktail dresses to cutesy cyclone gear.

Whether you have clothing you no longer wear and want to get rid of, you need to clean out your closet or you just want to save for a future study abroad program, there are two thrift shops found on Main Street. Miss Meyer’s Consignment offers high-end second-hand wear for women, and The Loft, another thrift store where you can donate items or buy, offers apparel for men and women.

For a fun weekend outfit I recommend heading to Ayden Lee, located at 1614 S. Kellogg Ave. Ayden Lee is an Ames-only boutique that offers apparel for both sexes. In the men’ s department, they offer anything from suits on down to jeans and V-neck sweaters. In the women’ s department they offer professional little black dresses and contemporary pieces. And the best thing? Everything is priced perfectly for a college student budget.