Name:
Emily

Age:
37

Location:
Washington, D.C.

How long have you been shopping and/or selling resale?
Since I was a teenager!

What are your favorite places (physical and/or digital) to shop fashion resale?
Here in D.C., my fave local spots are Current Boutique and Secondi, and while I was pregnant, I found fantastic maternity lewks at Bellies & Babies in Arlington. But in reality, there is pretty much a great secondhand shop in every neighborhood in this city, and in every city in the country, so try to spend local when you can! My tip is just swing by your shop regularly and see what’s new. I always like to pop into secondhand stores anywhere I travel. I have some wild, asymmetrical paper-bag jeans that I bought vintage in Japan, for example.

As far as online: The RealReal, ride or die. It has a reputation for being expensive, but that’s not entirely earned: there is a vast ocean of great pieces in the $50 range, if you know how to look.

What are your favorite places (physical and/or digital) to sell fashion resale or consign?
The RealReal! I’ve really found this is my favorite for ease of use and fair payouts. I gave Poshmark a try, but I found I didn’t have the time between parenting and working full-time to make it work for me.

What is your favorite piece you’ve ever purchased resale?
At this point, almost all of my closet is vintage, resale, or secondhand. My current favorite pieces are my Ralph Lauren Ricky bag (from The RealReal) and a really loud, black and white checkerboard raincoat from Kate Spade that I found in a secondhand shop here in D.C.

What makes you feel confident?
A good sunscreen, a high-quality bag, comfortable shoes, and a lot of caffeine. These four things make me unstoppable.

What’s something you’re proud of?
Myself!

What is one of your current ambitions?
To get back to climbing. I used to climb fanatically, but it’s fallen by the wayside because of my busy schedule. I miss it, so I need to figure out how to carve out time to get back into a routine.

What makes you laugh?
My kid. He’s 2-and-a-half and absolutely hilarious. Not always intentionally.

What’s your go-to resale shopping or selling tip/advice:
My biggest one is: invest in a session with a personal stylist! For me, that meant a color analysis and styling with a House of Colour consultant (shoutout to Melany Carlos in Arlington!), but you do you. If you find yourself only buying things in neutrals or black, or only buying “wardrobe staples” online because you’re not sure what’s going to work in person, getting your colors and/or style analyzed is going to completely change the resale/secondhand game for you. The process gave me a good sense of what colors, silhouettes, fabrics, etc. look great on me, so when I spot pieces in the wild, I can snap them up, knowing they will fit into my wardrobe and suit my personality.

All of my clothes are from the same color season, so it all harmonizes. I end up buying fewer pieces, but investing in stand-out items, and my closet remains fairly streamlined but somehow still exciting. I’ve become a lot more adventurous with my style, as well. I can’t recommend enough that you do this for yourself, especially if you feel you need to try on “statement” pieces in person to know whether it works for you. And shoutout to my fellow Jewel Winter Dramatic Gamines, I see you out there!