Want quality, designer clothing at affordable prices?
Like to shop from the convenience of your computer at any time of day or night?
Do you want access to different colors, styles, and sizes in one place?
Would you like to view clothing from all four seasons at the same time?
Prefer shopping online, rather than fighting the crowds?
Do you love the thrill of the hunt?
If you said yes to just one of the questions above, you’re a good candidate for online thrift shopping.
I’ve been buying second hand for over 20 years. I took advantage of the deep discounts online sellers were offering during the pandemic. I also found some great bargains in retail stores, like the black patent leather strapy sandals from J. Crew for $19.99 (originally $89.00). The good news is the prices are still very reasonable online and bargains are still to be found (think “new with tags”)!
THE ONLINE OUTFIT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
When I moved from an “outfit driven” mindset to a “mix and match” approach to dressing, it was a big win for my wardrobe and budget. I curated this outfit online for just under $100. I’ve worn each of these items MANY times (remember, cost per wear!) and the slacks have served me well from meetings at the office when I was still working in corporate, to dinners and parties with friends as a retiree.
10 TIPS TO ONLINE THRIFTING AND IN-PERSON RESALE SHOPPING
- Know the color(s) you need.
- Know your exact size.
- Know your body shape and the best silhouette for it.
- Know your style.
- Know your fabric preference(s).
- Know what’s on your shopping list (store on your iPhone in Notes or Google Keep).
- Know the best online sites that carry your favorite designers, clothing lines and any special needs (petite, plus size).
- Know your budget and don’t exceed it.
- Keep photos and notes of your wardrobe in your cell phone.
- Sign up for notifications ONLY WITH retailers that carry garments that you know work for your colors, style, fit, lifestyle, energy and personality. Unsubscribe to all others.
KNOW WHAT YOU LOVE
Love deserves its own category.
When working with clients, I often hear, “I love that!” I ask them why. I make a note of all the reasons they list for future shopping reference.
Here is a Love Your Wardrobe exercise:
Pull 3 items from your wardrobe that you LOVE. List all the reasons you love it, including how it makes you feel. Is there anything you would change about it?
Then pull 3 items from your wardrobe that you DON’T LOVE. List all the reasons you don’t love it, including how it makes you feel. Is there anything that you would change to make it love worthy? If so, that’s a clue about what you need in a garment to LOVE it.
Knowing what you love can save you time, money, decision fatigue and confusion.
When you know your why, it influences your buy.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE THRIFT SITES
The Real Real (they have physical locations too)
If you “like” items you see on Poshmark, Ebay, and ThredUp, the sellers will notify you if they reduce the price.
RECOMMENDED IN-PERSON RESALE STORES IN LOS ANGELES:
*Note, the first 3 stores listed below carry high-end designer items and although less expensive than original garments, they can be expensive to very expensive.
And when it comes to purging your closet, you can refer to the above online sites and resale stores to sell your items.
GIVE YOURSELF TIME
Give yourself a generous timeline, especially when searching for special occasion garments (start NOW for the holidays), as it takes time to find just the right piece. Same for resale store shopping. And give yourself time to curate the wardrobe you want. I had a casual-wear wardrobe gap that gave me fits every time I was invited to informal events — hiking, day at the beach, etc. It took me 3 years to build a wardrobe that filled my casual dress requirements and covered all my lifestyle needs. It’s a patient process.
NEED HELP?
I recommend the course Joan Kosmachuk and I created — ”Secrets of Finding Designer Clothing at a Discount: The Art of Online Thrift Shopping.” Take advantage of the mistakes I made and curate your ideal wardrobe at discount prices. You will have lifetime access to this course and I will provide a Private Facebook Group for discussion and support, for a limited time. Register HERE. (Click All Courses at the top, this course is the very first on the left).
And if you have a particular item you need for an upcoming event, you can book a session and we will dive into online thrift shopping together via zoom or make our way to the resale store of your choice, with your specific garment in mind. Simply reply to this email.
$10 GIFT FROM THREDUP
Get started with online thrift shopping using ThredUp! I’m happy to share my link for $10 off your first purchase. Reply to this email and I will send you the link.
Online or in-person, it’s always a grand feeling when we find just the right garment, –at a discount– for our body shape, in our size, our style, our color, for our lifestyle, and personality. That’s a tall order for one garment, but it’s possible. And when you find it, grab it because that will be a treasure in your wardrobe.
Link to Course: https://color-and-style-academy.thinkific.com/
Know what you love and loves you back, then go find it at a great price.