Second Time Around - Consign Me Up!

Shopping bags going out instead of coming into my apartment.

After months of procrastinating (okay, it’s been over a year) I finally put a few dozen items up for consignment. Dresses, bags, shoes, and separates, if they weren't my style (regardless of how good of a deal I got on them or whether or not they might someday make a great Halloween costume) out they went.

There are two consignment shops in my town, but one has so much inventory that you can't even see what they have and the other only takes appointments from 10AM-4PM on weekdays and, since I'm not a socialite, those hours don't work for me.

Instead I wound up bringing my items to the Huntington location of Second Time Around consignment. I found them one evening when I was early to meet a friend for dinner (When does that ever happen? Obviously this was fate intervening) and as I browsed I heard the sales girl very politely inform a young woman that they would not be taking the Louis Vuitton bag she had brought in because it was fake. This can be a touchy subject, but the salesgirl handled it in a kind, yet firm manner and I knew this was the kind of place I wanted to deal with.

In addition to their stellar customer service, which they've been providing for 40 years, they have 45 locations in 12 states, tons of press clippings and positive reviews online (for most locations, sorry, Forest Hills) so I feel like they are a reputable company. Plus, they were also featured on Bravo TV's Fashion Hunters. Sure, it was a 1-season-wonder, but it was on Bravo and I take that sh*t seriously.

This is how it works:

You'll need at least three pieces to start an account. STA allows you to either set up an appointment or drop your items off to be reviewed (you can also consign online, here's how, but be forewarned that the unwanted items are donated, not returned to the consignor).

Once they decide what they're going to take they research the items and mark them at approximately 30-40% of the original retail value and if the item sells the profit is a 60/40 split ("luxury" handbags are a 50/50 split). You can keep your earnings as a store credit (which entitles you to an additional 10% off) or request a check (checks under $100 must be picked up, but checks over $100 can be mailed to you) which is available on the 1st of the following month. If your items don't sell in 3 months you have 1 week to pick them up or they will be donated to charity.

Not content to just collect, I felt compelled to create a spreadsheet that would take what I originally paid for the item (because I'm crazy and I keep records of everything) and subtract what I make back to see if I can get out of the red and back in the black. While I’m not taking into account the old shopaholic Price Per Wear equation (cost of item/times worn), some items were gifts and others were sample sale finds, so I'm optimistic. Either way the items are doing more for me at STA than they were piled up in the corner of my apartment.

So far I've sold one item, a fringed black leather Kooba bracelet bag, and made $38. Five of the 36 items are AllSaints and the salesgirl informed me that they have a customer who comes in on the regular asking for the brand, so I'm just hoping that she and I are the same size. All in all I feel like I'm off to a strong start, but I'll still keep my fingers crossed that it keeps trending that way.

Outfit Post: Last Call for White Y'all

Friday night we were heading out for a simple dinner at a rooftop restaurant in town. I've been seriously neglecting my heels lately and with just one weekend left in summer I decided it was time to bust out the white pants.

Here's the outfit breakdown:

Pants: Free People - Found these at a sample sale ages ago. Wide leg pants have come in and out of style, but in my later years I've become a believer that, regardless of what's 'in,' you should wear whatever style works for you.

Shirt: Gap - V-necks are my weakness. While I typically prefer Old Navy to The Gap, you just can't beat a Favorite Tee.

Belt: J. Crew Factory - It's hard to tell from this pic, but this is a gold fabric braided belt (which I cannot say without thinking of Cappie from ABC Family's Greek saying, "And also shame on guys who wear braided belts, they just give me the willies," but I digress). Metallic belts really are essential (here's a silver option in a similar style) and this one has completed more looks than I can count.

Bag: Kate Spade - This bag is from the outlets ages ago. It's small, but it fits the necessities: iPhone, "going out wallet" (which, in my case, is the Coach Wallet my sisters bought be for 8th grade graduation), keys and a lip gloss. Perfect for a night out.

Shoes: Marc Jacobs - Ah, my very first pair of designer shoes. I cannot speak to the quality of Marc Jacobs shoes in recent years, as this is the only pair that I own, but if this pair is any indication I say they're worth every penny. My amazing mother bought them for me at Century 21 almost ten years ago.  They've held up remarkably well and they've never even seen the inside of Augie's Shoe Service (if you don't have a skilled shoe repair shop on speed dial, get on it).

Necklace: Gorjana - Layering necklaces has been in for awhile now and the Gorjana website is one stop shopping for these sort of pieces. They host a decent amount of sales as well as offering deals through their facebook page and you can find their pieces on flash sale sites like Gilt and RueLaLa too.

Outfit Post: Brunch, My Favorite Meal of the Weekend

So this post is a bit delayed, but a few weeks ago I went to brunch in NYC. I was long overdue to catch up with one of my favorite friends and we finally pinned down a day and time. On a sunny Sunday there are few things I would rather do than meet a friend for brunch in the city. We found a great deal for a bottomless brunch on UrbanDaddy at a cute little Spanish place on the Upper West Side called Andanada. The Yelp reviews are mixed, but we were pleased with our experience. I highly recommend the Tortilla de Patatas (translation: Spanish omelet) and the white sangria. The staff was lovely and the garden in the back allows for beautiful natural light to drift into the space (although I don't think I'd want to sit directly in the sun as I'd imagine it gets pretty hot).

Anyways, I went for a roughed up preppy look. I'm basically a fan of all things J. Crew and Jenna Lyons and on a Sunday I just don't think there's a better way to dress. Here's the outfit breakdown:

Jeans: AG Adriano Goldschmied "Ex-Boyfriend Crop" cut - they are my go-to denim from the moment it's warm enough to bare my super-pale ankles.
Shirt: J. Crew - No one makes a better button-down for my tiny frame. No one. It's hard to tell my from terrible selfies, but the shirt is actually pink and white striped.
Belt: Hermes
Jacket: Black Gap moto jacket that I scored on sale ages ago.
Scarf: H&M.
Bag: Deux Luxe from a Gilt sale. They're bags are quality, lightweight and vegan to boot! I highly recommend.
Shoes: Matt Bernson black snake print leather 'Skimma' wedges - this was only the second time that I wore them and they're a tad small, so I wound up hobbling my way back to Penn Station; they are definitely going to need a trip to the shoe-maker to get stretched before I can wear them comfortably. They also have a low, slim wood wedge, which you can see better here.

Out, Damn Spot(s)!

Several years ago my sisters gave me a fierce Marc Jacobs clutch. Just barely 21, I did not have many nice designer bags (come to think of it, my only other designer bag was a small black Coach shoulder bag, also from my sisters) and I cherished this stylish gift.

The fall after I graduated college I attended my first function as an alumni. As anyone who has ever attended an alumni event (or seen a movie about people going to one) knows, it is imperative that you look your best. After a great deal of deliberation I decided on a black, off-the-shoulder Nicole Miller dress, black boots and my awesome MJ clutch for a pop of color (see right, but do not judge the hair, seriously, I only mastered the blowout a few months ago).

Besides judging, the other major thing that goes on at these functions is the consumption of food and (alcoholic) beverages. The next morning I awoke to find stains on the front and left side of the bag (inside, outside, and on the back, not really sure how I managed this). I can only assume that these had something to do with what I ate/drank (Captain Morgan strikes again?). Upon returning home I stuck the clutch in it's dust bag and planned to take it to the dry cleaners to see what they could do.

That never happened. But a few months ago I was couch shopping (I swear, there's a connection here) and the saleswoman was telling me how I could get the small dark spot out of the back of a cream linen couch I was interested in (will I never learn with these light fabrics?) with a baby wipe. Honestly, I only brought up the mark on the couch to see if I could get an additional discount, but her remark got me thinking of the Marc Jacobs clutch. Tonight (over 8 years after the spill) I figured I'd give the baby wipe stain remover test a shot and guess what - IT WORKED!

So here's a Pic Stitch collage of the bag throughout the process. The top left is while I was wiping the back of the bag with the baby wipe (I only though to do a before and after once I'd already started, I blame the excitement), the top right is the inside left while it was drying and the bottom pic is the front after it had totally dried.

All I did was wipe at the stains with the baby wipe. I wiped with the grain of the fabric and against it (the woman at the furniture store didn't mention anything about technique) and really saturated the area and then just watched in amazement as the stains disappeared. Full disclosure: I have NO idea why this worked and I do not care, but I felt that I had to share this incredible stain remover with whoever stumbles upon my blog.

Also, Wahoo!!! I cannot wait to wear this bag again (and drink clear beverages)!