I mentioned in a previous post that I had tried a new resale website thredUp, which is an online resale/consignment shop.  My buying experience was great, so I decided to sell some of my own things on thredUP.  (I considered just updating my last post with my selling experience, but decided to just create a whole new post instead.)

I really didn't have any expectations because most of the prices on thredUP are pretty reasonable so I wasn't expecting to make a lot of money.  Plus, I've worked resale long enough to know better than to expect $100's in profit from resale.  They are used clothes after all.

I requested my clean out bag and it arrived about a week later.  It arrived with instructions and a prepaid return label on the bag, which I filled with items, sealed up, and set out for my mailman to pick up.  Easy as that.  It was so much better than hauling items to a store "neatly" on hangers.


I opted out of the "Return Assurance," because honestly I had already had a yard sale and wasn't interested in getting anything back.  Out of sight, out of mind.  But, just know that there is that option for a small fee.  

I will say, if you're in a hurry to receive your payout, you may want to skip this process.  They were apparently experiencing an extremely high volume of clean out bags, so my original payout date of October 13 was eventually pushed back to October 18, even though they received my bag on September 23.

In the end, they accepted a lot of my items and the payout is about what I had expected, around $2 per item.  So, all in all it was an easy process.  It just took a while to get the payout and it wasn't a huge amount of money, but I wasn't expecting a lot anyway.  I'll probably sell to them again when I get ready to clean out closets again.

If you would like to try thredUP to buy or sell, go here.

It's a fair assumption that I have fallen into a fashion slump since becoming a stay-at-home mother.  I would even go as far as to say that I'm a self-described frumpy mom some days.

I swore this would never happen to me, but here I sit wearing the mom uniform: sweatpants and t-shirt.

I was a fashion (double) major in college and worked retail for years following graduation, so I lived and breathed fashion for years and years.  I used to study fashion magazines and I could tell you what the trend would be for the upcoming season (or beyond).  Somewhere along the way, I've fallen into a rut of wearing whatever is most comfortable.  I don't have time to read fashion magazines anymore, and I can't remember the last time I went shopping.

Which brings me to the point of this post finally, getting out of the fashion rut that I seem to have fallen into.

I love resale shopping, and while St. Louis has a plethora of resales shops, I never find the time to go to them.  Plus, lately Katherine is a nightmare to try to shop with.  So you can imagine my excitement when I came across thredUP.  I'd read other bloggers' posts about thredUP and decided to give it a try.  It's basically an online consignment store (resale shopping from the comfort of my own home? yes please).

ThredUP carries womens (and maternity!) and childrens clothing at decent resale prices.  I got 15% off of my first order so I loaded up my virtual cart with all kinds of new-to-me items.  I even read up on current trends for fall (I know right?!).  In the end, I opted out of being extra trendy and stayed in my comfort zone.  But, at least I have some "new" things in my closet.

My order arrived promptly and in super cute packaging.  It's hard to believe the package came from a "resale" store and not a fancy online boutique.  My items were in great condition and exactly as they were described online.  With fall coming up, I'll probably shop for Katherine some cute new fall/winter clothes next.




You can also send them your items to sell, which I haven't done yet because I'm planning a yard sale and thought I'd just try to sell some things on my own first.  Plus based on the low prices of the items listed on thredUP, I doubt I'd get that much money (if any) for my items anyway.

While I still may dress a little more casual than I did before, I'm making progress in not dressing like a bum every single day.  My wardrobe may change now that I can resale shop from home.

Get $10 off of YOUR first and second orders from thredUP by clicking here: http://www.thredup.com/r/2R3EPR



UPDATE:  I had every intention of taking photos of me actually wearing the outfits from thredUP, but, like they say ain't nobody got time for that.  I did finally take some selfies of my new thredUP pieces.  Please excuse the dirty playroom mirror.

{J.Crew tank, Band of Gypsies floral top}

{Forever 21 tunic}

{J.Crew zip-up hoodie}

{GapFit capri pants}

{Loft dress}

It's no secret that I love shopping resale.  It's an affordable way to add to your wardrobe, and I love the "thrill of the hunt" because you never know what you're going to find.

One place I frequent is Goodwill.  I'm lucky enough to live in a city that has multiple locations, and over the years I've learned which locations have the best selections.  If you go to the right Goodwill store, you can stock up on never worn, top brands for way less than retail.

I've put together a few outfits that are head-to-toe Goodwill purchases:

{Shirt: Old Navy, Jeans (not pictured): AE, Scarf (not Goodwill): cristin rae}

{Dress: J. Crew, Blazer: The Limited, Necklace (not Goodwill): similar here, Booties: Christian Siriano}

{Dress: Express, Necklace (not Goodwill), Booties: Christian Siriano}

I normally don't buy shoes at Goodwill, but I found these Christian Siriano booties that had never been worn.  I couldn't pass them up since they were my size.  It was meant to be.

Each piece pictured was $10 or less.

I recently put together a list of my favorite resale shops (to read click here).  Do you resale shop?  What are your favorite things to shop resale for?  

When I worked in resale, we had one fabulous consignor who traveled the world and always brought in her finds to consign with us.  One day, she brought in this green jacket/dress that she had bought in Italy.  My co-worker insisted I buy it as soon as it hit the sales floor, so I did.

This dress or jacket (I'm not sure what to call it) has no label and no size, which actually makes it perfect.  I'll have to admit, it looks a little hideous on a hanger.  You just have to see the potential.  

This one item stays in my closet all year.  It works for all seasons.  It can be a dress or a jacket.  It can be worn alone or layered.  Belted or not.  Here are my three favorite ways to wear it:  

{Warm weather dress}

{Cool weather jacket}

{Cold weather dress}

It just goes to show, you never know what you'll find at a resale shop or how it will work in your wardrobe.  You just have to see the potential.

My love of resale began years ago.  I remember my mom taking me to consignment shops where I would find the name brands of clothing that everyone at my school wore.  My mom would buy them for me and I'd keep it a secret where I bought them.  I didn't want to be labeled for shopping resale.

When I got to college, I discovered thrift shops.  I would shop at Goodwill and the Salvation Army for random things that you couldn't find just anywhere.  I even dabbled in vintage shops.  My interest in resale didn't go much farther than that. 

It wasn't until I moved to St. Louis that my interest became something more.  I was looking for a job after college and randomly answered a job posting for a consignment shop (learn more about that here).  It wasn't until I started working there, that I realized what a big industry the resale business actually is.  I learned from my boss and co-workers about other resale shops in St. Louis.  Before too long I was visiting them all on a regular basis.  I could honestly say I had visited a vast majority of the resale shops in St. Louis.  I was able to go to a NARTS (Association of Resale Professionals...I know right?) workshop, where I learned even more about this bumming industry.  Before too long, I was on to bigger and better things (read about that here), and found myself working for a non for profit resale shop.  I feel like I became a real "resale professional" at this job.  I even got to attend a NARTS conference, where I spent three days learning about the resale/consignment/NFP business.  I really saw this as my career and I feel like it could've been, but that's another story for another time.

One of the things I love about resale (besides it's affordability) is that you can find very nice things at very low prices.  I especially love NFP (non for profit) stores.  When you spend money at these shops, the money goes to help a certain organization or cause.

St. Louis has so many resale shops, that I can't even count them or visit all of them (although that is a tempting challenge).  If you live in St. Louis or are planning to visit, here are some awesome resale shops to visit (I'll link each shop with their website):

Children's Resale
Kangaroo Kids Favorite! You can also find breastfeeding support groups here!
Purple Cow You can get lots of designer and higher end items here!
Sprung Favorite! This is a non-profit store full of awesomeness.

Women's Resale
Rung Favorite! This is a non-profit connected to Sprung.  Perfect for mother-daughter/son shopping!
Upscale Resale Higher end items with a higher price tag.
Women's Closet Exchange Get your designer items here!

Teen's Resale
Dos Favorite! Love this little gem in the heart of Clayton! Great prices too!
Clique Find higher end and designer brands here.
Refresh  Another awesome non-profit.

Furniture Resale
Second Sitting If you see it here, buy it!  It may not be there tomorrow.
Consign and Design Favorite! If Pinterest had a store, this would be it!
Garvey Decor Allow plenty of time to shop this store!  They've got lots of stuff!

A Little Bit of Everything
The Scholar Shop Favorite! And this shop has TWO locations! Also a non-profit.
Ditto This non-profit has everything!  Women's, men's, children's, teen's furniture, home decor!
The Resale Shop Another non-profit!


Here are some national chain stores that are also full of great finds:

Goodwill Everything!
Plato's Closet Teen's
Once Upon a Child Kid's
Avalon Exchange Teen's, Women's, Men's, Vintage
Hut No. 8 Teen's
Red Racks Everything!

Again, there are so many resale shops in St. Louis that there are lots of awesome shops that I haven't even visited yet.  This list doesn't even cover all of the great vintage shops in St. Louis.  I'll save that list for another day....

What are your favorite resale shops?

I get asked occasionally about how and where to resell items that people have cleaned out of their house.  This is probably because I've worked in resale for the past four years. 

I've worked in resale since 2009; for a for profit store then for a non for profit.  I was always amazed at what people would bring in to resell and the way they would bring it in. 

I was also surprised to know how many people didn't know what the word "consignment" actually meant.  They would haul in all of their stuff without even knowing what they were doing, what could be resold, or how much it could be resold for. 

Because I would get asked about resale a lot, I decided to compile a list of guidelines every consignor should know before they haul in their stuff.

First, know the difference between consignment and cash buyouts. 

Consignment is when you receive a portion of the sale price after the item has sold.  Consignment stores will put your items on the sales floor for a specified time frame and pay you a percentage only after the item has sold.  (Store policies differ on what happens to unsold merchandise.  Check your local store's policy.)  The store has the right to price your items accordingly and even mark them down on sale. 

A cash buyout is when a store offers you money up front when you bring items in.  Typically stores will offer you 30-50% of what they will sell it for and they will price items on a similar percentage from what the original retail price was.  (Again check your local store's policies.)  Once you take the buyout, the item belongs to the store.  This can be convenient  if you want money fast and don't want to have to wait 30-60 days for a consignment check.     

Now that you know the difference between consignment and buyout, it's time to sell your stuff!

1.  Do your homework!  Research stores in your area and see what they sell and how they sell.  What items do they accept?  Do they only accept seasonal items?  Do the items need to be less than two years old?  Do they consign or pay cash?  Do they take appointments or can you walk in?  Sometimes its even better to call and talk to someone about what you want to bring in before actually hauling everything you own into a store.  Almost all consignment stores will only accept current season merchandise so plan accordingly.  No one wants to buy a wool sweater in June.   

2.  Make your items presentable.  Now that you've done your research, time to get some things together.  Some stores require you to bring your items in a certain way.  First always, always, clean your items before you take them anywhere.  (This may seem like a no brainer, but you'd be surprised.)  Make sure everything is clean, spot free, and pressed.  ("I only wore this once."  Well it looks like the one time you wore it, you spilled mustard down the front and left it waded up in your car for a month.)   Some stores will charge you a fee if they have to press or clean your items, leaving your profits smaller.  I can tell you from experience, bringing things in either on hangers or neatly folded is best.  It makes going through and processing your items super fast, meaning your items hit the sales floor faster and they sell faster!  Never, never, NEVER bring your stuff into a store in a trash bag.  It looks trashy (ha!) and makes it look like you're bringing in trash.  Why would you put your nice things in a nasty trash bag?  If you must put it in a bag, put it in a shopping bag, a box, a laundry basket, anything but a trash bag. 

True story:  When I worked for a non profit, someone actually donated a bag of trash.


3.  Know your worth.  Too many times when I was working in consignment, a consignor would come in with a shirt they paid $20 for and expected to get $18 back in resell value.  It just doesn't happen.  A used item is a used item.  People don't want to pay close to full price for a used item. 

The brands you have can also affect the resell value.  The resale value of an Old Navy shirt is a lot lower than a Marc Jacobs top. 

You should also pay attention to how much "love" the item has received.  If the item has any wear and tear, it may not be able to be resold. 

Another helpful hint:  Items without a size often resell for a higher price.  Examples:  handbags, jewelry, sunglasses  Anyone at any size can buy these items. 

How old is the item?  This can also affect the resale value.  (Keep this in mind also when hosting a yard sale!)    



{This is just an example.}

4.  Donations.  Instead of selling, you may want to just donate to your favorite local charity.  (This category is my favorite.)  Sometime it makes more sense to donate.  You can claim the amount of your donation on your taxes.  You want to help those in need.  Whatever your reason, never overlook donating.  You  may want to donate the items that couldn't be sold on consignment. 

As with consignment and buyouts, there are guidelines for donating.  You should also do your homework before donating.  Some charities don't accept certain items.  Make sure your charity accepts the items you are wanting to bring them.

Another important thing to remember is to donate usable items.  As someone who worked in a nonprofit resale store, I can say it is very much appreciated if you donate items that are clean.  No one can use a pair of pants that you mud wrestled in or a couch that your cat gave birth on.  Before you donate something, think to yourself, "If I was in need, would I want this?" 

True story:  We were running a special where if you donated items, you received a 20% coupon to use in the store.  A customer brought in a  bag of donations and got her coupon.  When I opened the bag of donations, it contained a sock and a broken light bulb.

There are a few things on the "no donate" list:  used underwear, used socks, and dirty items.  I still have nightmares from opening garbage bags of "miscellaneous" items. 


I hope this helps you resell (or donate) your stuff!  Following these guidelines will make your life easier in the long run and will definitely help the store or charity you're bringing your things to.

I've been looking for a buffet style cabinet for our living room.  I needed a space to store my Christmas dishes; something that looks chic, but is also practical.  I found this buffet at Potentials.  It was the perfect size and style.

{Buffet before.}

After some paint and new drawer knobs, its absolutely perfect.  I think it turned out great.

{Buffet after.}

That's one more home decor project done!  On to the next.

This past Saturday was the fall St. Charles County Garage Sale.  I was of course in attendance, but I didn't find as many decorative items as I did jewelry.  While I was originally scouting out unique items for my new house, I instead was drawn to the vintage jewelry tables. 

I ended up coming home with some cool jewelry, a candy dish, a Grecian-looking vase, and a pair of brand new shoes.




While some people think it's odd to look through and possibly buy other people's old crap, I find it facinating.  It's interesting to see what kind of stuff people have in their own house. 

I have developed a strategy for this bi-annual event.  The first thing is pack light.  I only bring a small wallet with cash only and a big empty tote to fill with my finds.

The important thing is to examine each booth carefully.  Sometimes the best things are hidden under something you wouldn't take a second glance at. 
While there were items I couldn't resist buying, there were also items I couldn't help but photograph because they were so....interesting.

{Abso-friggin-lutely!!}

{I wish I still had a land line for this dandy item!} {If I had record player I would totally have bought this.}

I've have started the process of pulling my fall clothes out of storage where they've been hibernating all summer.  My fall shoes are some of my favorites.  I bought these shoes at an antique shop a few years ago.  They are vintage pumps made in Italy.  The navy blue pair is by Yves Saint Laurent.  They've got the chunky heel, which is coming back this fall.  I love the white detail on the black pair. 

I love finding cool things to put around the house or accessorize with.  I've been doing my usual Etsy shopping plus my brother just returned from Rwanda and brought me some really cool things.  Here are some of my new favorite finds for summer.

{Pillow from Potentials}

{Unique wall accessory from Potentials}  {My brother brought these back for me from Africa} {Ice cream bowls from Target.  They were in the $1 section!} {I love this new necklace I got on etsy!} {This is another etsy find.  This is my second purchase from this etsy shop.}

{ Forever 21 top, kensie pants }

{ Etcetera top, Vince tank, William Rast jeans }

Pieces of these outfits came from Arnold's Walk-In Closet, Plato's Closet Kirkwood, Potentials, and Rung.

Several weeks ago I had an epiphany.  While I liked my job and what I did, I felt like I could do more.  I wanted to help people and not just "make money."

The fashion industry can be a selfish business.  I watched The September Issue  one weekend and while I loved this documentary, the concept bothered me.  I watched as Anna Wintour and the staff at Vogue Magazine spent day and night preparing for the "September issue."  Their lives were devoted to fashion.  It was fascinating.  Although I love fashion and I love Vogue, I wondered what would happen if these people spent the same time, effort, and money on actually helping real someone.

One day at work I decided enough was enough.  I was tired of working in such a self-satisfying environment.  I started looking for non-profit organizations online.  One day I found a job posted on Craig's List.  I applied and a couple of weeks later I was employed with Youth In Need. 

Youth In Need is a family services agency.  I now work for Potentials, a social enterprise of Youth In Need.  Potentials is a non-profit resale store benefiting Youth In Need.  On March 28, Potentials was featured on Show Me St. Louis (see video below).  The official Ribbon Cutting and VIP Reception was held on March 30.  On April 2 was the "Friends and Family Event" and the doors officially open to the public on April 5.

If you are in the St. Louis area please come by and donate or shop for a good cause.  Every donation and purchase helps a child! 

{VIP Reception and Ribbon Cutting}

{Friends and Family Event}

{Working hard at my new job.}

My absolute favorite pair of shoes that I own are these very tall platform Chloe Mary Jane style shoes.  They orignally retailed for over $700.  I got them for almost 90% off the original price at Back On The Rack in Brentwood. 

The previous owner said she would be impressed with anyone who could wear them for more than an hour at a time.  I can wear them for a good 3 hours. 

{Chloe shoes}

I also got this Anthropologie dress at Back On The Rack.  This dress can be worn year round; with tights and a cardigan in the winter or by its self in the warmer months.

{Anthropologie dress, cardigan from Target, Gala tights, Chloe shoes}

While I love resale shops, I love non profit resale the most.  Everyone wins with non profits.  The customer gets a fabulous piece of clothing and the profit benefits the organization connected with the shop.  I recently went to Rung (one of my favs) and got this awesome Alice + Olivia bag.  At Rung, all inventory is donated and profits benefit the Women's Foundation of Greater St. Louis.  This organization raises awareness about women's issues and provide funding for women's initiatives in the region. 

Alice + Olivia tote.