Something Old, Something New. The Insiders Perspective on Shopping at Consignment Shops

This article was written by Jennifer Siopongco

Being fashionable and keeping up with fashion trends doesn’t mean having to purchase expensive clothes, accessories, bags, or shoes at the mall. Some of the best places to shop around for in-style clothing are vintage shops and trading companies. The Sacramento county has many shops like in the quaint area of downtown Roseville, 15 minutes away from downtown Sacramento. Jewels like these are the best places to get clothes that you could easily revamp just by fixing them up yourself or adding them to new articles of clothing. These shops are also great if you have some selling and trading to do. Boho Boutique is a consignment shop where you can purchase used or vintage clothing, bags, shoes, and jewelry. You can even bring in your own items and receive store credit or cash when your items sell. The wonderful thing about consignment and trading companies is that people are always trading something, which means that trendy clothes are always circulating around and for more of a bargain price. Another great consignment store is Nice Twice in downtown Roseville. They have a wide collection of jewelry from bracelets to earrings, and beautiful necklaces.

Consignment stores are usually more friendly to shop at than trading companies because they tend to be more organized. The downside about consignments is that they usually don’t have as much clothing as trading companies. Teenagers and young adults usually like to sell their clothes at trading companies rather than vintage consignments because they’re easier to find. Two popular trading companies are Crossroads Trading Co. and Buffalo Exchange. Crossroads Trading Co. has their own website where people can easily buy, trade, or sell items online. It also has tips for selling your clothes, what they look for when you’re trading or selling clothes , and even a video on how to sell your items. They also have many locations which include the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley, Chicago, LA, Orange County, Sacramento, Seattle, and Portland. Buffalo exchange is also popular with its own website and has multiple locations such as California, New York, and Louisiana just to name a few.

If you’re thinking of selling or trading clothes, the best thing to do is to call-up the trading company and see what items they’re looking for in the fashion season that they’re in. It will save you a lot of time if you know before-hand what they’re looking for. People who shop at these trading companies usually go there more so to buy bargain items than to sell them because they usually pay you around $20 for your items unless they are an extremely expensive designer and even so, they don’t offer you too much money.

When shopping for clothes at consignments, vintage shops, and trading companies, the first thing you want to do is figure out what it is you’re looking for. If you’re looking for jewelry, it’s usually best to go to consignment or vintage shops since they usually get the most jewelry and are actually vintage from eras like the ‘60s. If you’re looking to buy inexpensive Nikes or Urbanoutfitters clothing, it’s best to go to a trading company since they carry more trendy and modern clothes.

If you’ve never been to a consignment shop, vintage store, or trading company, there’s a mental checklist you should keep in your head. When looking at items, specifically clothing like shirts and dresses, check to see if there are stains. Look at the underarm area first because those tend to yellow with older clothing that isn’t washed properly. The next thing you should look for in items are damages. Is it an easy fix-up? Can you sew it, or get a new button or zipper for the item? You probably won’t have these types of problems at trading companies as much as smaller vintage boutiques. If an item has some kind of damage, it also never hurts to ask for an extra discount. Chances are stores like these are more willing to give a discount if an item hasn’t been bought for a while.

Are you looking for designer items? Crossroads Trading Co. usually has items like Marc by Marc Jacobs blouses, vintage Coach purses, and clothing from expensive stores like Free People. Most items are around or under $20. If you are looking to score shoes like Nikes or Steve Maddens, there’s a few things you should look out for before deciding to purchase. Always look at the soles of the shoes and check for wearing-out inside and for wears at the bottom. Then think about whether the shoes, if they are sneakers, can be cleaned. Some shoes are a little dirty, but can be cleaned by bleaching. Others can’t if the scuffs are terrible. If they are ladies’ shoes like heels, think about whether you can repair a strap or buckle.

Trading companies are usually also the best places to get designer bags, clutches, and wallets. If you just want something that’s vintage-looking without any labels, then consignments and vintage shops are good for the admirable antique look. Trading companies will occasionally sell bags from designers like Coach, Fendi, or something from Gucci or Guess. The thing you want to look out for is authenticity. Sometimes people can sell really good fakes at these places. To make sure that you’re not purchasing a fake, look at the inside lining of the bags. Usually designers will have signature tags or some kind of labeling in the inside. When spotting out fakes, also look to see if any part of the item is flimsy or if the leather is cheap.

For general advice, if you’re looking to stay trendy, trading companies are the best places for up-to-date fashion, since they get new items more frequently than consignments and vintage shops. If you’re looking for classical looks from different eras, that’s where vintage stores and consignments step-in. They usually have nice, classic dresses and blouses in silk or chiffon material. Stay away from cottons if you want to keep the authenticity of the vintage look. Cotton doesn’t look too great after awhile, especially if it’s already been washed so many times. The color doesn’t stay as well if it’s not taken care of properly. And whether you’re shopping, selling, or trading any item, always ask yourself if it’s worth it.

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