It started out of necessity. I finally had a full-time position at a small college and needed to dress the part of a department chair. My wardrobe had suffered through years on a meager graduate student income, and ragged jeans and over-washed shirts were not going to pass muster. So, I headed to the Goodwill in the expensive part of town, the one known for high end clothes at low end prices. Sometimes I found treasures, sometimes the trip yielded nothing. My next stop was the middle of the price-road resale shop with a sale rack, where I would hunt for anything that might look professional and fit reasonably well.
As I climbed the career ladder, I moved up from low end resale to stores that carried higher-end brands, but still found dopamine hits in the odd places. Like the Escada wool blazer that was a perfect fit for $25 at a small mountain resale shop…SCORE! I have learned to look for resale shops on every trip, in every town. My best friend and I (another resale aficionado) explored consignment stores on our trip to London, and found clothing we would not find in the US and could not afford to buy any other way.
This is a wonderful form of recycling. I buy used clothing that eventually finds its way to Goodwill or some other donation site, so it can be used again. I also have a rule that I must donate an article of clothing for each item I bring home. This has resulted in a closet that continues to evolve over time with pieces I have seen nowhere else, representing my unique style. Which is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of resale shopping, that you will never see anyone dressed like you.
I have learned to try on items in many sizes and styles. Some pieces are in shops because the sizing is different, and a large might actually find a small person, or vis-a-versa. Styles that seem outlandish or odd on a hanger might be magnificent on a human body. Pieces that you would never consider might be your new go-to item, expressing a new element of your personality.
The best way to shop these stores is to mix-and-match in unique ways. Why not rock those jeans with that Elie Tahari party blazer? Look for individual pieces you love but might never think of even trying on. This is part of the fun. The best resale shops allow us to experiment with our style, to express our individuality, at affordable prices. Be sure to survey each store for their personality, labels and prices, as some stores do over charge, and each serves a different demographic.
Perhaps the most important lesson is that this type of shopping is addictive. You will find resale shops everywhere, build a wardrobe unique to you, find the joy in recycling fabrics, experience the rush of finding an amazing item, and wonder why anyone would pay full price.