Dallas Fashion Consultant, Julie Thurburn, encourages clients to resell trend pieces

Dallas Fashion Consultant, Julie Thurburn, encourages clients to resell trend pieces.

Okay, so “it’s a recession.”  Everyone is feeling the pinch, right? We’re turning off unneeded lights, staying closer to home and may even be neglecting our health. Been for a dental checkup lately?  One area that can save money, but you may not be taking advantage of, is the resale of your clothing.

Resale, or consignment shops became popular in the 70’s but today have grown into a major industry selling clothing and apparel at greatly reduced prices from new articles. These shops will sell your clothing for you while allowing you to retain ownership of them. The question many ask is, “When is the best time to do this?”

In her book, “Looking Terrific”, designer Emily Cho advises us to weed out the closet whenever a life-change occurs. “If it isn’t right for you today don’t leave it in the closet hoping some day to wear it again. Thinking that it may fit better is no reason to grant an article of clothing a place in your wardrobe.  Ms Cho states “Opening your closet each morning and being confronted with masses of style or fitting mistakes is not good for the soul”.

We’ve touched on when to evict clothing items from the closet that shouldn’t be there because of fit, or it may be wrong for who you are but what about a time-line.  What length of time should our clothing be allowed to “hang around”?  This is a question of the life span of today’s styles. It’s true some items may not become dated long past it’s usable lifespan: i.e. A great bikini or a fabulous pair of heels.  But the sad truth is, styles today change quickly and sometimes unexpectedly.  Certain prints, cuts and materials may come into and then fall out of favor.

A good rule of fashion and style can be called the Five to Seven Rule. What this means is, most trends have a lifespan of about five years.  Designers tend to move on, change and re-invent.  After all, they’re designers. What this means to you is, five years is a maximum length of time to have a favorite gown taking up space. Haven’t worn it but once?  This takes us back to what we spoke of earlier.  If you aren’t wearing it, get rid of it.

If you keep an item past 7 years the value it once had is probably gone because of fading, fabric breakdown and loss of shape. Remember, the bottom line is looking great and regaining some of your investment. Reselling those unneeded articles allows you to reinvest back into your wardrobe by recovering some of your original investment.

Listed below are just a few of the resale shops in the Dallas area. Making yourself familiar with the many options these and others offer will help you save money and make room in your closet for a better fitting and more stylish wardrobe.

Clotheshorse Anonymous
11661 Preston Rd.  Dallas

ReThreads
12835 Preston Rd.  Dallas

As your Dallas Personal Shopper and Fashion Consultant, it is my mission to help my clients always look fabulous, without being a slave to the whimsical ways of fashion trends.  I am passionately committed to making sure my clients always look their very best in order to help them achieve their personal and business goals.  If you have any questions or are interested in a personal consultation, please give me a call at 214-223-2200.