Melany Perez
Looking Expensive … for Cheap
“If I can’t feel good, at least I can look good.”
I’ve let this statement guide me towards a fashion obsession.
During the winter of my junior year of college, I began to have a lot of difficulties with my health and stress, making getting out of bed and starting my day anxiety-inducing and overwhelming. Getting out of bed meant confronting a day full of pain and distress that all felt out of my control.
Each morning my table-side mirror reflected an exhausted, drained and weary face. One morning, staring into my own teary eyes, I finally laughed to myself, professing: “If I can’t feel good, at least I can look good.” This felt light — a moment of happiness in the middle of a crisis. Although I could not control most aspects of my long taxing day, the process of getting ready became the one part of my day that I could control.
With this new change in style came a new attitude of positivity and ownership over aspects of my life that I could control. This was my new form of therapy … pardon me, retail therapy.
Although my new affinity for floral dresses was unlimited, my budget was limited. I ended up looking into a lot of online thrifting options, which is a great way to get into new styles and get access to high-quality clothing at more affordable prices. And now, most of my clothing is second-hand. Not only is investing in second-hand options financially beneficial, but it also is sustainable to continue reusing items. And, there is no greater adrenaline rush than buying your favorite clothing article at 80 percent off.
- TheRealReal
TheRealReal is an online thrifting website for designed clothing and items. TheRealReal was my favorite obsession for over a year, supplying me with stellar deals on high-end dresses. For the longest time, I have wanted a dress from my all-time favorite brand Reformation: a high-end sustainable women’s clothing brand. The dresses highlight femininity, floral patterns and flattering silhouettes. Although all of the patterns are my ideal style wrapped into one, these dresses are all around $275, which is steep for any sundress.
This is where TheRealReal takes the spotlight; It sells second hand clothing at a huge discount, depending on the sales. I have bought numerous highly discounted Reformation dresses through TheRealReal by waiting for 75 percent off sales. The only downside is you have to pay for shipping and tax. Shipping is about $12.95, and with tax, the additional pay is about $20.
On TheRealReal, there are a lot of clothing and accessory options, so it can be hard to just browse. I recommend searching for clothing from specific brands to narrow the search queue. You can also filter your search based on color, size, sale and pricing. I typically put my search range on prices “low to high” and for items that are on sale. Items will go up to 75 percent to 80 percent off, which is a steal for any designer clothing that is often incredibly inaccessible with its absorbent pricing.
Buying from TheRealReal can be a bit of a gamble because you cannot try on the items. There are some TheRealReal locations, but they are not close to New Haven. So, my shopping is completely online, meaning I have to guess the fit. I highly suggest getting a tape measure to know your sizing.
Overall, TheRealReal is a great option to access designer clothing that is still in great wearable condition. I highly recommend this if there are specific high-end brands you like.
- Facebook Groups
Be sure to join the Yale Facebook groups where people sell their items. You can ask another Yalie to add you to the Facebook group or you can request to join. The only parameter with joining is that you must be a Yale student or affiliate. The Yale “Free and for Sale” and “Yale Clothing Swap” are both Facebook groups that I have gotten a lot of my clothes from. Both undergraduates and graduate students can post on these Facebook groups. Many people sell their items with a massive discount because they are moving or just trying to clean out their closets. To buy an item, you just message the seller. Be sure to try negotiating the price because a lot of times the prices are not fixed and the seller is flexible.
The “Free and for Sale” group sells a multitude of miscellaneous items, not just clothing.
If you are looking for something specific, you can create a discussion post in the group. Facebook is no guarantee to find specific types of clothing, but from time to time, there can be great deals.
Some of the best items I have bought are trench coats. I bought my winter wool trench coats from another student off of Facebook. I have bought quite a few name-brand items that I continue to wear even now! I have also bought quite a few pants, including name-brand jeans and professional pants. The pants and shirts that I bought were all around $5-15. Usually, I try to buy or negotiate everything to be under $20. And, the trench coats and outerwear I bought were around $40.
Although I have bought quite a few items that I am satisfied with, I also have my fair share of regretted purchases. When I first started buying clothing on Facebook, I was too shy to negotiate and I would struggle to say no. I learned that it never hurts to ask! And, I learned how to walk away from items that I did not need, would not use frequently, or did not like.
A lot of the finding clothing on Facebook groups is luck as well as hit or miss, depending on what people are selling. With buying things on Facebook, you have to remember to check often to see if there are any new listings. I often do a very quick scroll through these groups to see what kind of clothes people are selling. I highly recommend checking the groups at the end of the semester when everyone is moving out.
- Depop
Depop is an online thrifting site where you can buy clothes from other sellers and you can sell clothes as well. I have not been able to find as many deals on Depop as compared to Facebook and TheRealReal.
I usually only buy name-brand items from Depop or very specific items, such as vintage Yale merch.
A lot of people sell used clothing that is still quite close to the retail price. You can get a lot of items 25 percent-50percent off the original price tag, but it is much harder to get a steep discount like 80 percent off. To buy on Depop, you can message the seller, and you can make an offer to the seller. When you make an offer, you can take a maximum of 45 percent off the price listed by the seller. You can still get pretty decent deals on Depop, and it just depends on what you are getting. A lot of the pricing is about messaging and negotiating with the seller. I think Depop is the best place to find niche and specific items.
Clothing is not only a part of our literal outward appearance, but it also is a part of how we feel about ourselves. Second-hand clothing is a wonderful option with accessible prices and options.
While I still have overwhelming and difficult mornings, I know I can still take that time in the morning to wear one of my favorite dresses. And, hopefully, I will feel as good as I look.