Consignment/Thrift Clothing

Parent Cafe
1

How do you feel about buying second hand clothing? From either a consignment store, thrift shop, online recycle store, etc??

What is the reason you agree to shop this way - what is YOUR reason?

Could be a number of things:

  1. Less $$
  2. Thrill of the find.
  3. You love vintage.
  4. You like the idea of keeping a smaller clothes footprint on the earth. We have WAY too many clothes surrounding us to need to buy new all the time!

This past weekend I went to a very nice consignment store with my girls. Women of all ages shopping there and seemingly, of all economic status. (It’s in a very nice neighborhood).

We had a blast shopping. My girls are 30 and 21 and have no qualms about landing an item they love and paying probably 25-40% of what it would have originally cost.

I had a really good “do good” feeling when we left each with a purchase or two. These clothes were in super great condition! Nice brands and quality. Why NOT recycle clothing?? I felt good that all these people were totally good and happy about all of the above points (1-4). Want Lululemon? They have a rack. Prefer JCrew? It’s there. Just need a pair of extra jeans? Pairs galore.

I don’t want to shop this way exclusively - sometimes you need a certain item and this type of shopping can’t always fit the bill. But I think I want to do it more frequently. Save $$, save the planet, find unique items, have a ball looking. :slight_smile:

So…what is the reason you shop this way - or don’t???

2

I shop at our local Goodwill, mainly for the housewares. I’ve found some great serving dishes there. I also browse at a very very upscale consignment shop that frequently sells new samples from fancy designers, but the only success I’ve had there is a pair of Manola Blahnik shoes.

For me, it’s the thrill of the hunt and the possibility of finding something unique at a really good price.

3

1 and #2 above! We also have one of those high end consignment stores. Racks designated to WHBM, JCrew, e5c. Even a rack of ultra expensive clothing. It’s amazing what you can find there. It’s just fun to find something great and not pay a lot. We have another type right around from my house, so I stop in that one and it’s the one I take my stuff, too, when I’m ready to part with it. They pay cash on the spot and are particular in what they take. It is not so boutique-like the other one, but I find many things there.

I go to Goodwill now and then, I can’t seem to find much. Every once in awhile. I think the women’s clothing is much more used than men’s. My DH once came home with a pair of great jeans, went to wash them and found $140 in the pocket!!

4

Oh gosh, since I graduated and moved to Manhattan I almost exclusively shop at these stores. I grew up very spoiled in that my mom would always buy me clothes from nice brands, so I got used to my favorite brands, but suddenly they became way less appealing when I had to pay for it all out of pocket with my own salary!! Just this month I got two Kate Spade dresses for $12 each, a pair of $1000+ Prada pants for $40, and a Derek Lam dress for $11. It’s definitely about the “thrill of the hunt” and the excitement at finding a genuinely awesome deal.

5

I volunteer at a charity thrift store in an upscale area. Let’s just say…I bought almost everything for DDs apartment kitchen there…I’m talking Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Sur La Table, All Clad, Le Cruisset, you name it. It’s amazing what people donate.

In terms of clothing…I’ve gotten some really nice high end things for less than $10.

I got DH a bunch of pairs of brand new Vineyard Vines slacks once…his size…and very nice quality…$10 a pair.

6

When I was pregnant the upscale consignment shops were a great place to find work clothes. Barely used and fashionable.

7

^^Good to see the excitement from the posters above! And deals. :slight_smile:

Does it enter your mind that a real benefit is giving a piece of clothing a second life? To recycle perfectly good clothing? That is what is foremost in mind now - that it’s sort of my RIGHT thing to think about doing.

8

I regularly shop RealReal. Someone’s mistake (size, fit, color?) becomes my good buy of the day. The fact that I can buy a pre-loved quality item that I can wear over and over at a fraction of a cost is very satisfying. I dress well and I am aware of current trends, but I do not chase fads. I detest disposable fashion. With a few exceptions, my entire closet is meant to be worn many times, so Italian-made classics and basics is what I am after. :slight_smile:

9

All of the above. I don’t do as well finding clothes at thrift stores. My kids, however, are masters. Practically new Italian leather boots, high end designer skirts. My 17 year old son buys most of his wardrobe at thrift stores.

I tend to pick up housewares, some furniture, artwork.

10

I began thrift store shopping & garage sale shopping in earnest when we had babies.

I enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, the browsing, & saving money.

When money got really tight, our local well-stocked thrift store was a life-saver.

I still remember the day I found two LandsEnd winter coats for the kids, in like new condition, in their sizes, for less than $15 each. It seemed like a miracle.

The kids are grown & out of the house now. Both of them have no objection to shopping used. Plato’s Closet is one of their favorites, or eBay.

I haven’t been to the thrift store in awhile. I use eBay the most.

Last spring I was in REI to buy trekking poles, and I tried on some warm weather hiking pants. I continue to be jolted by retail prices. I found two pairs I liked, but there was no way I could part with $70-80 per pair. I plugged in the brand and my size in the Saved Searches feature of eBay and I waited patiently.

Before summer, I had two pairs of warm weather hiking pants, at a fraction of the cost of buying new. Before summer’s end, another two for back-up.

I get all of my merino wool baselayers from eBay as well.

I found a pair of Loft jeans I love, and eBay came to the rescue on several pairs of those. J Crew blouses. Althletca workout clothes. Boots. On & on.

Once you know the brand, style, and size, it works very well.

I get the environmental argument about buying used. Frankly, my primary motive is to stretch my small pile of dollars.

If I had more disposable income, I doubt I’d be buying used — but who knows. It’s so ingrained in me now, it’s hard to imagine buying spendy items at full price.

My kids both tease me when I blurt out how little I paid for something. I like nice things, just cannot afford them.

I am a version of a “uniform” dresser. I don’t wear exactly the same thing day in and day out, but I have a very limited rotation.

11

Adding…H is not a fan of used clothes. It sort of skeeves him out.

He’s sort of kinda okay with it, if I find something good for him & don’t make a point of it being used. But, he won’t set foot in a thrift store. He says “I’ll just go to Old Navy, thanks.”

12

I used to shop consignment when my first daughter was a tween, mostly because she was a tiny skinny thing, and it was much easier to go to our kids consignment shop and browse through a single rack of size 8 pants or dresses to find the brands that came in “slim” or had adjustable waists, or didn’t look too babyish for a sixth or seventh grader…I remember one Mom explaining why she had given my daughter a Justice gift card - because she “never had new things”. Then she tried to give me stained hand me downs. This person was always snooty. It never bothered me.

I started volunteering at a charity thrift in a wealthy area, but it became sort of an obsession. I realized that I would buy things for my sisters, my nieces, my
Mom- anyone! just because it was too good to pass up. My closet became crowded with things that were cheap - a brand new talbots sweater for $4! A Max Mara jacket for $15! I had leather “jean” jackets, denim jackets with cool mandarin-style clasps…and lots of formal wear and suits Anne Klein! Tahari! that fit me like a glove…but the thing is, I never wore almost any of it. I call it “shopping for a lifestyle I don’t have”. I live in the same 3 pairs of jeans and a series of navy and white striped tops. Sometimes I’ll mix it up and wear a navy sweater, or even a grey top or sweater. But that’s it.
So now I am seriously considering binge watching Marie Kondo and taking all my “finds” to my youngest daughters school for their giant Rummage Sale. Because after awhile, it becomes buying for the sake of buying. As the poster above wanted 2 pairs of warm weather hiking pants - and now he (she?) has 4, “for back-ups”. It creeps up on you.

13

^^^ This is a great post and I can feel the thrill of finding those Lands End coats!!

I did not know about the “saved searches” on eBay! I’ll have to explore that.

If I had more free time I would definitely scour resale for home goods. I don’t overbuy on home goods anymore but could find some replacement items I’m sure. I also like vintage/art deco/MCM stuff - which is all very in demand right now.

14

@Gudmom

I agree on your main point — buying for buying’s sake or buying bc it’s a great bargain. My own example about the hiking pants doesn’t fit (punny!), IMO.

I’ll wear out those hiking pants and I’ll be super happy to have two identical pairs that I love in the closet to replace them.

By time the current pairs wear out, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to find the same style — new or used.

And since I’m somewhat of a “uniform” dresser, when I find a piece of clothing I love & is perfect, I do buy more than one, knowing I’ll use them down the line.

I’m not shopping for novelty, but practicality.

Like the back-up pair of Altra Lone Peaks. Love them. Bought a second pair on clearance at Zappos. Gonna be so happy when my current pair wears out and I have the same style I love in the closet. I’m not going to be bemoaning the fact that this year’s model is not the same as last years that I loved so much — which often happens if you read shoe reviews.

:slight_smile:

15

@abasket

LMK if you try the eBay Saved Searches function.

It’s a way to shop with purpose. Mindfully.

Just don’t compete with me for my women’s Icebreaker or Smartwool (merino wool base layers) in medium! :wink:

16

Absolutely agree it could become an obsession - but I suppose any shopping, new or used can be. Clearance racks at TJ Maxx can be a danger zone!

You have to know yourself. Your style AND your boundaries in needs/wants. My closet consists of my work “uniform” - casual/athleisure dresses/skirts and cardigans over a few basic tops. And my out of work “uniform” - casual athleisure short/skorts/leggings/quarter zips or loose short tops over a tee. Throw in two pair of jeans for when I need them and one or two dresses that are nicer and I hope to not have to wear (I hate formal wear!) - and that’s it. I no longer keep dress pants I don’t want to wear, uncomfortable clothing, clothes that are not me.

17

my D16 as a fun project wore a dress to school every day her senior year. We did tons of thrift shopping to find dresses for her. They were almost always in good condition - dresses don’t get as much use as blouses/pants/sweaters/leggings. She’d buy a few at $4 or 5 – wear them a few times and then give them back and buy new ones. It was so much fun!

That’s when I started looking at thrift stores for items that are in good condition and haven’t been used much. (eg: youth boys dress shoes and pants!) The thrill of the hunt, and finding quality items for so little is just fun. If i’m ever on my own, i like to look at thrift/consignment stores in new locations.

18

We love thrift shopping for reasons 1 and 2. We even regularly find brand new 1-2 season old items for a few bucks.

19

I also use online consigners as my “wayback machine” of shopping. OMG, how did I miss that beautiful spring collection?! OMG, those limited edition bags sold out so fast! No worries, some of that will appear on RealReal or Yoogi’s or Fashionphile soon… at a good discount. :slight_smile: Again, those are quality, durable items that last more than a couple of seasons.

20

Things besides clothing…for DDs wedding, we got five beautiful vases, a white pitcher that held flowers, a large white bowl that was used for toiletries in the ladies bathroom…and well over 100 votive candle holders (the candle holders were $4 for all of them).

We kept the large white bowl and pitcher…and re donated the rest. Win win.