Consigning Clothes
We have all done it. Held onto clothes we never wear, fancy dresses worn at one event, that amazing shirt you got sale which was one size too big or small, admit it, you have these items in your closet right now.
I have 3 weddings I am attending this summer and I really don’t want to drop a couple hundred dollars on a dress I will most likely spill a few drinks on and possibly wear to one other party. Last year I went the consignment root and it really paid off!
I took a hard look in my closet. I was honest with myself about the items I no longer wore. I put them all into a bag and went to a consignment store. A few weeks later I had $50 in my account. I then purchased a consignment dress from Front & Co for $35 (new with tags) and I still had $15 to purchase a few fun accessories! It made buying a dress fun and stress free, I was using clothes I no longer wore to get a new item I really wanted.
Ok here are a few rules I like to follow when consigning.
1) Know what clothing/season they are accepting. Go online to the stores website or call. This is important, if you go in with a bag full of summer dresses but they are looking for spring coats and clothing, they won’t accept your items.
2) Check to see if the store requires an appointment or if you are simply able to drop in.
3) Make sure all items are washed and in good condition. Definitely no stains or rips. I once had a great jacket that had a small red mark the size of a very small blade of grass and they found it. I didn’t even see it! Make sure you go over every item twice!
4) Know your stores, this will take a few consignment trips. If a store doesn’t take any of your clothes, ask why. I always do, then you know the style of the store and what they would look for in the future. Also make sure to look through the consignment clothes they carry, and you get a feel for the stores vibe and style.
5) Consign at a few stores. I start at one store that will look through my items on the spot, then take what’s left to another store that will look at my items on the spot and the last place will let me know within a week if they’ll take any items. When I get the phone call in a week if I don’t miss any of the items that could possibly be in the bag, I tell them to donate the left over items! It’s win win!
6) Know what you want to do with clothes that do not sell. Consignment stores don’t keep clothes in stock forever, there is a time limit, each store is different, so find out when you go in with your clothes. They may ask you what you want to do with items that are not sold, donate or pick them up, think about which option is right for you.
7) If you don’t want to consign, you also get a table at the Eastside Flea where you could split the table with a friend and have a clothing sale!
A couple Vancouver consignment stores
Here is my wedding outfit I was able to buy with my consignment money last year. Dress: $35 (new with tags from Front & Co), Braided Belt: $4 (H&M), Costume Jewelry: $5 (Forever 21), Marc Jacobs Sunglasses: $10 (thrifted), Steve Madden Shoes: Free (already owned these gold wedges!) TOTAL COST: $54
Happy selling!
Clothes Clothing Consignment Consignment money saving Money Saving Monday OOTD Style
All of your consignment advice is accurate! Economists say one of the biggest monetary wastes to the American consumer is brand new clothing.
Thanks so much! Why buy new when you can get something slightly used for a fraction of the cost!