The Clothes off YOUR Back….

It wasn’t that long ago that I was at a playdate and we were talking consignment stores. I’m the first to admit it – 90% of my kids’ clothes are hand-me-downs (thanks Jen!) or come from consignment shops. I became aware of this whole consignment shopping thing a little late in the game with Graham, but now that I’ve been let in on the secret, there ain’t no going back. I get amazing brand-name and sometimes kiddie “designer” clothes, often with the tags still on. Fo ‘real. And that adorable Janie and Jack jumper Will was in yesterday? Four dollars. Beat that.

Now, the conversation took a slightly different turn when one of the moms fessed up to purchasing her own clothes consignment. No thanks, I thought. I’ll just keep going to Marshall’s. Discounted name-brands, but never worn by someone else. However , she had a good point – designer jeans, already broken in, at a fraction of the cost. I snubbed my nose at the idea until I started shopping for some new jeans and saw the price tags of a few of my fave pairs. Guess I’m hitting up some consignment shops for myself.

So, I made the rounds….

Consign by Design

Website: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Consign-By-Design/112119708816311

Setting: Initial thought when walking in…. Get me outta here. It was exactly what I had feared consignment shopping would be – clothes jam-packed into a cluttered mess, with dark and depressing lighting.

Quality of Clothes: Many of the clothes looked worn, had holes, and needed to be thoroughly scrutinized. The selection was also hit-or-miss. They had some designer clothes mixed in with lesser known and more “commercial” brands.

Pricing: Most items seemed a little pricey for consignment, but off-season sales seemed good.

Maternity: Yes, in fact this was the highlight of the store (or would have been if I was pregnant).

Purchases: I really needed a dress for a wedding the next day, so I persevered through the racks even though I really just wanted to back-track the heck out of there. What I ended up with was nothing short of a miracle, but to be honest, I don’t plan to go back.

French Connection Dress, $58

Christian Dior Stilettos, $25

J.T. Posh

Website: http://jtposh.com/

Setting: This is what I’m talking about. Bright lights, white walls, and racks organized by style and season. A boutique vibe. Just what I was hoping for.

Quality of Clothes: This store has a strict policy of items they’ll accept. Boutique and designer labels are accepted and the items are in perfect or nearly perfect condition.

Pricing: Compared to other consignment stores, I was impressed. Most items seemed right on target with what you would expect to pay.

Maternity: Limited. I think they are selling through their collection and are not taking new items.

Purchases: Well, I must also confess… I now buy my jeans consignment! Why not??? It was actually really fun to shop for denim at J.T. Posh. I hit the racks in my size and got to try on every brand – Rock and Republic, Citizens, J Brand, Hudson, True Religion, and AG, to name a few. I also picked up a few coordinating tops. This (in addition to Nordstrom Rack and Marshall’s!) is my new hangout.

True Religion and Hudson Jeans, $55 each

Gibson Top(a Nordstrom brand), $29

Sweater, Falling on Snow (from Anthropologie), $39

Sweet Repeats

Website: http://www.sweetrepeatsboutique.com/

Setting: Set behind 300 East, Sweet Repeats is a good find, especially for career women. The store is conveniently divided into casual and career/evening. Had I gone here before Consign by Design, this would have been the place to go dress shopping.

Quality of Clothes: Everything seemed in excellent condition, but overpriced. Despite carrying mall-brands like Banana Republic, I couldn’t find a single item under $59. I’m obviously not beyond buying consignment, but I am beyond paying the same amount as I would if I were actually buying it in the mall!

Maternity: No

Purchases: If I needed a suit or dress, we would have hit the jackpot, but being that I was looking for playground attire, I just didn’t find what I was looking for. Perhaps you’ll have better luck.

Happy Shopping!