Eric and I have bought lots of things secondhand over the past few years: furniture, textbooks, our car, my engagement ring. In the past couple of years I’ve bought more and more secondhand clothes, too. From talking with friends and family and observing their behavior with regards to clothes shopping, I’ve come to realize that there is a lot of mystery and some negative stereotypes associated with buying secondhand. I’d like to talk through them, based on my own experiences!
Why Buy Secondhand?
There are so many reasons to buy secondhand clothing. If you’re really curious about the fashion industry and it’s environmental impact (which is terrible–way worse than you probably think), watch “The Story of Stuff” and then “The True Cost” (on Netflix). The former is about 20 minutes long and isn’t just about clothing, but consumerism in general. The second is a longer documentary about how cheap clothing impacts people in third world countries and the environment.
Very briefly:
- Clothes can only be sold as cheaply as they are right now because of a big secret that the fashion industry is hiding. The people who make them (in sweatshops halfway around the world) aren’t paid a living wage and are exposed to dangerous and deadly working conditions on a daily basis.
- Toxic byproducts of the industry are released into the environment without regulation. They pollute water sources for millions of people and destroy the soil.
- Finally, the tons and tons of clothing that are purchased and discarded every year, for the most part don’t get “responsibly recycled” as we like to imagine. Thrift shops and charities are bursting at the seams as it is, and a lot of people’s unwanted stuff ends up in the landfill. As we buy a lot of synthetic fabrics nowadays, these clothes take centuries to decompose. And as they do, they release plastic microfibers that pollute our waterways and become part of the food chain (to the detriment of our health).
Starting to see why buying new clothes from your average store is a bad idea?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t always have the time to shop secondhand, either. I need a skirt to wear to a job interview in three days and I have about 30 minutes to buy one, so I run out to Macy’s. I’m a work in progress like everyone else.
And what about socially responsible clothing companies like PACT or People Tree? I do buy some products from them (especially underwear and sleepwear from PACT). However, as clothing really should be, their stuff is expensive.
Reducing the overall demand for clothing by not buying new–and thus reducing the overall amount that companies will produce, and their overall impact on people and the environment–is a pretty good reason to buy used, I think. And it’s easier on our wallets.
A Little Bit About Me & What I Wear
In order to understand my perspective on secondhand clothes, I’ll tell you a little bit about my style. I DON’T usually go for trendy clothes, not that there’s anything wrong with them! My closet doesn’t have any body con dresses, ruffly cold-shoulder tops, high waisted bikinis, mini skirts, etc, etc. It’s mostly plain, solid color pieces in my color palette, with some plaid (because I love my flannels) and floral designs thrown in.
I DO pay attention to brand labels simple because I value quality over quantity. My wardrobe overall is quite small–it fits into half of a closet and two flat boxes under the bed. I’ve learned which brands tend to hold up better for me over the years. I am willing to pay more for a used Nordstrom dress than a new Target dress because I know it will last longer. However, super high-end labels aren’t my thing. My favorite brands for basics are ones like Eddie Bauer, Gap, Boden, L.L.Bean, and The Limited.
My Favorite Places to Buy Secondhand & Tips
I generally dislike shopping. I dislike malls, loud music, pushy sales people and especially all of the advertising that promotes consumer culture. Which is why for most things, I shop online. My favorite places to buy used clothes online are:
- ThredUp: Far and away my top pick for online consignment, both selling and buying. I have found some incredible steals on here over the years (see below for more details). All of the product photos are taken by a professional and the descriptions of items are detailed and accurate with regards to their condition. You know exactly what you’re getting!
- My biggest tip for ThredUp is to filter your searches by both brand and size, and to know your size in every brand. You can easily find size charts online to do this. I say this because my size varies four sizes depending on the brand, and I definitely wouldn’t want to order a the smallest size in those brands that run smaller!
- Poshmark: I’ve recently started buying from sellers on Poshmark because they have a bigger selection than ThredUp. I think that the price per quality is generally pretty comparable. HOWEVER, Poshmark works much differently than ThredUp. Sellers make an account and post listings with pictures they take. Poshmark does not review these items for quality. The descriptions can be more vague and not always *completely* accurate (although if they are truly inaccurate you can file a complaint with Poshmark and get your money back).
- My tip: Read seller reviews before placing an order from their “closet.” It will help clue you in to the fairness of their pricing and accuracy of their product descriptions.
- Facebook Buy/Sell/Trade groups: When I was in college, I bought some clothes off of my school’s “Free & For Sale” page. Now I’m a member of my city’s “Buy/Sell/Trade” page (although I obviously haven’t bought anything yet as we moved in six days ago, haha). People tend to be pretty eager to get rid of their things, so prices are good.
- My tip: These kinds of pages tend to be best for “oh, I’ve been looking for that for a while (but it’s not urgent)!” purchases. I don’t think it’s worth the time and energy to try to find every piece for your spring wardrobe in these groups.
- Physical high-end consignment shops: For Twin Cities folks, Clothes Mentor has a great selection, especially for shoes and purses. You pay more than at thrift stores like Goodwill, but I don’t really recommend Goodwill if you’re a common size and looking for specific brands because chances are, you will not find it.
- My tip: When you visit a physical consignment store, plan to take a while. It takes more time to browse in person than online. Bring a water bottle and dress comfortably!
Myths About Secondhand Clothes & Some of My Best Finds
There are so many misconceptions that I had–and that many people still have–about secondhand shopping. Some that I’ve heard include:
- People only get rid of their oldest, frumpiest clothes at consignment shops.
- Used clothes are generally so worn out that they won’t last very long.
- Consignment store prices are a ripoff–the quality per price is lower than buying new.
- Shoppers who buy are so competitive. I have no chance at getting the most desirable items!
I could take you through each myth and tell you why it’s false, but I’d rather show you. So, without further ado, here are a few of my own favorite thrift store finds.
Boden Pink Turtleneck Sweater (originally $119, purchased for $31). My greatest steal ever! Not a color I would usually go for but it looked (and is) so cozy. It’s a wool/synthetic blend and it was in like-new condition when I bought it from ThredUp.
J. Crew Striped Boatneck Shirt (originally $34, purchased for $18). Again, in like-new condition from ThredUp!
Old Navy Shirt (originally $15, purchased for $3). I love old Old Navy tops. Their newer stuff hasn’t held up too well for me, but I bought several long sleeve tops six years ago for $10/shirt and they still look great. This was a steal at $3 and has held up for years!
Gap Chunky Cardigan (originally $55, purchased for $13). This was on final sale at ThredUp, I think, because it had one small (~1cm) hole along the seam in one shoulder. Easily fixable and it’s so warm!
Nordstrom Leith Dress (originally $80, purchased for $28). This was one of my first purchases from Poshmark. I fell in love with a similar dress on the Nordstrom website and was looking for an older used version. It is a tiny bit frayed along one shoulder seam in the back, but otherwise it’s spotless. I can hardly ever find things in this color either!
These are just some examples of things you can find at online consignment stores. They’re not ancient or frumpy (well, I like to think, lol). I haven’t had any issues with them falling apart–they’re high quality clothes just as if I’d bought them new. And I wasn’t slaving away, browsing through pages and pages of clothes every day to find these things. Stylish, high-quality, inexpensive and easy–that’s been my experience with consignment shopping thus far.
What other questions do you have about shopping for secondhand clothes? Do you like to buy from consignment stores?
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