Shirt, purse, and shoes are all consignment finds!
As someone who has always enjoyed shopping (I think that I looked forward to back-to-school shopping all summer as a kid) and who worked at clothing stores in the past, I have a long-standing love for fashion. However, I also understand that the fashion industry is one of the biggest polluters – it’s to blame for ten percent of humanity’s carbon emissions. Not to mention, the water use/pollution and the accumulation of textiles in landfills (every second one garbage-truck-sized amount of clothing is burned or dumped in a landfill). We have a long way to go to clean up fashion and prioritize our environment. I’m not even close to perfect with some of the shopping decisions that I make, but I am striving to make better choices. Luckily, one of the “greener” ways to shop has always been an easy (and preferred) choice for me: consignment shopping. I’ll outline my tips and the places that I frequently shop within this post.
There are so many reasons why I love to visit consignment shops. From saving money, to finding unique items, to buying something that is already made instead of needing to create something new – the pros are endless. I have found numerous treasures from incredible furniture pieces to designer accessories over the years. When I do home or closet cleanouts, I also take my items to consignment shops to sell. I’m thrilled at the prospect of someone else giving new life and love to my past items. Plus, I enjoy supporting sustainable businesses and making some extra money/store credit to spend!
Again, my shopping habits are not flawless. Over the years, I have tried different ways of shopping (i.e. only buying made-in-the-USA items or from sustainable companies), but I have found that the best way for me to shop is to buy what I actually need and adore. I am strict with myself about not purchasing items that are “okay” or “a really good deal” or that I’ll “maybe wear” for some event one day. Even if it’s a brand that I know and love, I no longer purchase anything online that’s final sale (I’ve been burned too many times). Buying something made-in-America is awesome, but not if you’re never going to wear it. Adding something to your cart because it’s an unbelievable price doesn’t mean it’s still worth it (plus, workers or the environment are usually footing the bill). Purchasing an item that was sustainably made that you “sort of like” still isn’t ideal.
What I strive to do now is to shop items that I am obsessed with. I have fast fashion pieces that I have worn for years that are closet staples, and I also own designer items that are timeless and will hold their value. My closet is a mix of high and low-end fashion and that’s totally fine with me. I shop from consignment stores, sustainable brands, big retailers, online, and local boutiques – what it comes down to for me is the mindfulness to not accumulate more unneeded items or outfits that I won’t rewear/ fad fashion. With consignment, it’s the idea of using what’s already out there instead of constantly using resources to produce more.
I have other tips that I use regularly too. For example, keep a trash bag in your closet, and when something doesn’t fit right or no longer excites you, throw it in the bag. Do not hang it back up in your closet! Completing this simple step has made closet cleanouts so much easier for me. My other advice is to shop off-season when you can. I know that it seems counterintuitive, but if you know you’re going to want new boots for the winter season, check out sales and season-changeover times (i.e., I recently consignment shopped for booties in the summer). You may have to wait a little bit to wear some of these finds, but you’ll be glad to have them when the time comes!
Local Consignment:
The Closet Trading Company: Hands down my favorite place to shop in town for previously loved clothing and accessories. Over the years, I have found so many cute items here. Before my Hawaii trip, I purchased a packable rain jacket, and I recently bought a classic chambray shirt (see photo). I try to complete a few closet cleanouts a year, so The Closet has also received many of my items to sell.
Renaissance Fine Consignment: This is a beautiful and spacious store that is always nice to visit. For my birthday last year, I bought myself a gorgeous pair of designer shoes from Renaissance (happy birthday to me!). They have a wonderful selection of luxury items that are in excellent condition. Like the name suggests, this store is definitely on the higher end for consignment shopping/selling.
Crossroads Trading: You can discover great deals here, and there is a lot of inventory. While most of the items are pre-owned, Crossroads also carries some brand new items too. I’ve found everything from dresses to designer shoes here at really reasonable prices. I also have sold clothes here as well.
Online Consignment:
The RealReal: This is where I do most of my secondhand shopping. I have scored Dior bags to Chanel boots to Louis Vuitton scarves. They also have other brands like Reformation that I love too (i.e., it’s not all super luxury designers). It’s really easy to sell with them – you create a list using their accepted designers and print a label and send the items (at no cost) off for them to approve. Clothing or accessories that they don’t accept are shipped back to you. The RealReal has great end-of-the-month sales too, and I will try to shop off-season (like I mentioned above) to get even better deals.
Tradesy*: I have found some great items through Tradesy as well. Shopping isn’t as uniform (in my opinion) because I think the sellers take their own photos as opposed to The RealReal which handles everything. I have made purchases, but I haven’t sold through this site before. I do recommend cross-checking prices between these two sites though. (*This link gets you $20 off $50+)
Poshmark*: I recently started shopping on Poshmark. I purchased a pair of jeans from this website (I am familiar with the brand and know my size). I have not sold items on this site personally, but I know that many people do (including a lot of fashion influencers). Unlike some of the sites listed above, I think you can potentially make more money selling your items (i.e., you don’t give up as much money), but you also have to manage your account/virtual closet too. (*Use “thebetslife” when you sign up for a $10 credit).
There are other preowned shopping sites (like Ebay) and there are additional consignment stores in Santa Barbara, but I wanted to list the companies that I shop or sell with consistently. It brings me so much joy to find vintage items and quality pieces that still have so much life left to give. It’s also wonderful to know that my no-longer-needed clothing will hang happily in someone else’s closet. Every item that we can keep out of landfills helps, so let’s be more “green” with our shopping (and keep some green in our wallets while we’re at it)!
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*With these links we both benefit, at no extra cost to you!