Food, Home and Style

At the End of Your Robe: Cashing in Your Cast-Offs

Stylist Julie Greene offers expert advice on looking fierce in a financial crisis.

You’ve tried them on, mulled it over, considered repairs, and still can’t make certain clothes work for you. So they’ve been voted out of your closet, have been bid “Auf Wiedersehen.” Or, maybe you’ve decided to let go of some beloved pieces in order to put some money in your pocket.

Fortunately, one Fashionista’s trash is a Recessionista’s treasure (this goes for guys, too). As a former vintage clothing store-owner and power Ebay seller, I am all too familiar with the second-hand clothing market and how to get the most out of what you no longer need. Here are five ways to say farewell to your unwanted clothes with no regret or guilt—only gain.

Online Stores and Auctions
Ebay is a great way to sell your cast-offs, and can help you reap the most rewards, since the fees are relatively low. But because it can be time consuming, it’s really only worthwhile if you think you can get at least $20 for an item. You’ll have to sign up for an eBay account, and probably want a PayPal account to make payments easier. Listings are pretty simple, but you’ll want to take plenty of good pictures, be accurate in your descriptions, include measurements, and highlight the brand name or designer label. Do a search for similar items to get a sense of how to price.

Insider’s Tip: If some of your goodies are brand new, Ebay is your best choice—“NWT” (new with tag) listings are always a hit.

If you have a lot of decent clothing, consider selling a “ lot” on Craigslist or in your local classifieds. Once when I was moving, I sold two racks of clothing to a woman who was opening a store. I got rid of everything in one shot and had enough money to pay for my move.

Consignment and Vintage Stores
It pays (in both time and money) to know what you have and who’s looking for what before you start hauling bags of clothing around town. Call around or check out the shops in person.

Consignment shops are usually looking for high quality, brand name, classic styles—and many have men’s sections or locations. As the name implies, they take clothes on consignment—you hand them over, they sell them and send you a check. That means less work for you, but there are some downsides: Consignment stores can be picky, it’s often a 50-50 split, and the longer an item goes unsold, the lower the price goes. Be sure to ask about percentages and what happens if items don’t sell.

Online consignment sites like Christabelle’s Closet work in a similar way, though you ship them your clothes, and they sell them online (usually for 90 days).

Second hand stores usually carry current, stylish clothes at all price points; vintage stores usually buy unique items that are at least 20 years old. There is a lot of variety between stores, so make sure you understand each store’s style and policies. Both usually offer cash or check on the spot.

Insider’s Tips: Call ahead for an appointment, since there may be only one person working the shop. Make sure everything is clean, pressed and hanging or folded neatly. And don’t forget to get a written receipt of each item consigned.

Flea Markets and Garage Sales
Flea markets are great if you have a lot of clothing to sell or you want to team up with a friend. You get a steady flow of people and you get to keep all of your profits (minus booth charge) Garage/stoop sales are even better for this reason—you keep all the profits and it’s fun! Sign up now for a booth at your summer flea market. Gather friends, neighbors and colleagues for a group sale at someone’s home, front yard or stoop. Advertise in the local paper and pass out flyers to local businesses.

Insider’s Tip: Get creative. My assistant and a friend rolled a rack full of their unwanted clothing around a trendy neighborhood during brunch hours. They each got about $200 and had a lot of fun doing it.

Swap Parties
Ask a bunch of friends (in similar sizes, if possible) to bring over all their cast-offs. Pop open some wine, turn up the music and let the trading begin! If two people covet the same thing, put it to a group vote. You won’t make any money, but you might find some new favorites, do some dishing, and maybe even network into your next job.

Insider’s Tips: Have a full-length mirrors on hand (buy and return one if you have to!) and have your friends bring friends. Give everything left over to charity.

Donations
Organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries are obvious places to give unwanted clothing (and get a tax break), but there are plenty of other worthy causes out there, many of whom have have drop-off locations or free pick-up service. My personal favorites are Soles4Souls that take unwanted shoes for the needy and Dress for Success, which provides professional attire to low-income women.

Insider’s Tip: Keep a list of what you donated; larger organizations often just hand you a blank receipt for you to fill in.

If you have a good eye for bargains and a seller’s savvy attitude, you might even be able to turn this into a little side business to get you through a slow period. What’s better than that?

Julie Greene is an independent fashion stylist, wardrobe consultant and writer. She lives in New York City. Have a style question? Send it to us.

Tags: At the End of Your Robe, Food, Home and Style, shopping, spending, Spending and Saving, style