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As a long-time beauty and fashion editor, I sometimes find it hard to resist a great bargain or special pair of shoes. But recently, I’ve tried to become a more conscious consumer and developed a basic rule: if I buy something, something else has to go. So, I was psyched to try thredUP, a site that makes selling your old clothes incredibly easy. Here’s how it works…
STEP ONE: CLOSET CLEAR-OUT
I rounded up 12 items from my closet to sell on thredUP — pieces I’ve enjoyed that no longer fit or weren’t being worn often enough to justify precious closet space.
The items I’ll be selling, clockwise: Proenza Schouler pants, a Theory top and cherry red suede heels; a pink top from COS, a denim skirt and a Coach purse that goes with everything; a whimsical Tory Burch shirt, a J. Crew faux leather skirt and Everlane oxfords; and a summery Madewell dress, a straw clutch and fringey flats that will make any outfit more fun.
STEP TWO: SEND OFF THE CLOTHES
ThredUP sends you pre-paid shipping bags for packing up your clothes, which you can drop off at the Post Office.
Compared to lugging your clothes to a secondhand store or selling them online yourself, this part of the process is totally hassle-free. ThredUP photographs everything and lists it online for you. All they ask is that your clothes are in great condition. (I love their motto: “Send us your clothes. We’ll handle the rest.”)
As soon as soon your clothes are listed, you get paid for them, minus $10 for the shipping bags. If thredUP thinks certain pieces will take extra time to sell (because they’re out-of-season or more unique), they’ll be featured for 84 days on consignment, after which you’ll be paid or reunited with anything you’d like to have back. You can use your proceeds for a thredUP shopping credit, cash back or to donate to a charity.
STEP 3: GO SHOPPING!
Last but not least, I went shopping for spring clothes! Because thredUP adds 15,000 items every day — it’s the largest online secondhand clothing store for women and kids — their inventory is vast and the prices are often 90% off retail. I picked out these three looks.
A dress (from & Other Stories) that’s perfect for work or family events, like my father-in-law’s birthday. Instead of $140 new, it was $26.
Boiler suits are so fun and on trend, but you can’t wear them all the time, so it’s not something I’ve wanted to splurge on. This Citizens of Humanity jumpsuit was originally $328, but I got it on thredUp for $66.
A silk button-up shirt is a Cup of Jo wardrobe stable, and this Equipment version that normally retails for $214 is the best of them all. I snagged it on thredUP for only $48.
Would you try thredUP? The average American throws away about 70 pounds of clothing a year, and ThredUP estimates that if we all recycled we could save 6 million pieces of clothing from ending up in landfills every year. For me, this is the best incentive to responsibly declutter my closet and shop secondhand.
Bonus for all readers: Today thredUP is giving the first 100 Cup of Jo readers who use the code CUPOFJO40 40% off a first order. You can see all their clothes here. (Please note: Their offer is for U.S. customers only and the total discount amount won’t exceed $50.) Thank you, thredUP!
(Photos by Veronica Olson for Cup of Jo. This post is sponsored by thredUP, the easiest way we’ve found to sell secondhand clothing. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Cup of Jo.)
