fall is coming! here’s how to find affordable professional clothes by Alison Green on August 13, 2019 And now a word from a sponsor… It can be expensive to build a high-quality professional wardrobe – but it doesn’t have to be. You can put together a pretty amazing set of work clothes at affordable prices – or just have fun buying new clothes for fall – if you know about thredUP. thredUP is the largest online consignment and thrift store – full of clothes in really high-quality condition, some even with the tags still on. And the discounts there are INSANE — you can buy on-trend, like-new fashion from top name brands and designers for up to 90% off estimated retail, which is an incredible savings. You can search by your favorite brands (like Anthropologie, Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Banana Republic, DKNY, Cole Haan, Theory, and more) and filter by size, color, price, and style to easily find what you’re looking for. Instead of digging through racks, thredUP gives you the convenience of shopping online with the insane deals of thrifting. If you’re hesitant about consignment shopping, know that thredUP triple-inspects each item by hand to ensure all clothes are like new. I also love that they offer easy returns and free shipping on qualified orders. (Plus, buying secondhand is good for the planet!) In my most recent order, I got pants from Theory ($22 marked down from estimated retail of $275), a blouse from Anthropologie, a dress from Banana Republic, tops from Trina Turk and Splendid, pants from Marc by Marc Jacobs, and much more. In total, I got 10 items for $200.90, saving over $1,270 off estimated retail price. If you want to check out thredUP yourself, they are offering you up to 50% off your first order, on top of their already low prices. Click here to shop and use code MANAGER at checkout.(Applies to new U.S. and Canadian customers only, select items under $150. Expires 8/31/19. See site for full terms.) I got this Anthropologie blouse for $20.99 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $71. I got this Ann Taylor LOFT dress for $10.99 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $80. I got this Trina Turk top for $17.99 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $198. I got this Banana Republic dress for $26.99 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $138. I got these Marc by Marc Jacobs pants for $29.99 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $238. I got this Theory skirt for $22.00 on thredUP vs. estimated retail of $275. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by thredUP. All thoughts and opinions are my own. You may also like:is it okay to wear designer clothes to a job interview?is it weird to start dressing like my boss?are people judging me for looking scruffy at work? { 82 comments }
New Job So Much Better* August 13, 2019 at 9:14 am So who has bought or sold here? Looks interesting!
Environmental Compliance* August 13, 2019 at 10:18 am I have. I really like it. I’ve gotten a lot of the athletic-no-sweat-material polos from them, and jeans. As a short petite woman with a longer torso, I like that they include the shirt length & inseam on most of the items, because I can tell immediately if I’ll have highwaters or need to further hem the pants. I’ve never had an item come in damaged. I will say that sometimes you can tell the photographers have no idea what they’re photographing, because they’ll manage to put the shirt on the mannequin backwards, which is entertaining. I do wish that they required on-mannequin shots, because I like to check see-thru-ness & shaping, which is easier on a mannequin than flat on a surface.
DataGirl* August 13, 2019 at 8:35 pm Is there a way to search by Petite? I’m on now and the brands I know carry a petite line but if I search for example ‘Talbots Petite’ I get zero returns.
Rose's angel* August 13, 2019 at 10:20 am I have sent them items to sell. Out of an entire box (maybe 30 or 40 items) they took 10 items. And I got less then $10. I dont have expensive clothes so thats a factor as well.
KnowsNothing* August 13, 2019 at 10:21 am I have done both. My experience buying is much better than selling. My first sell, I was surprised by how much I earned, but the subsequent two sales were abysmal. I think most people overvalue their things, but I purposefully held onto more “luxury” items until the second sale to see first how the first fared. I don’t know if their buying algorithm changed in between the first and second sale, but I’ve decided not to sell through them anymore. My experience buying has always been great! The one thing that I’d caution people to watch out for, though, is when buying black items, it’s sometimes hard to see detailing. I once purchased what I thought was a solid black dress only to discover it was ruffled when it arrived. This may or may not have been a result of shopping on my phone vs. a computer, though.
Paige* August 13, 2019 at 10:58 am I’ve had this exact same experience, made a lot of money the first time but pennies on subsequent bags. For the meantime I’ve moved to Poshmark for sales, although it’s way more effort. Buying however has been really easy and affordable.
HRTripp* August 13, 2019 at 7:36 pm I’ve had the same experience selling with ThredUp. I’ve also tried Poshmark and think it’s way too much effort and too many people trying to low ball you. I’ve found Mercari to be A LOT easier
Fortitude Jones* August 13, 2019 at 1:21 pm I agree with all of your points. I’ve had way better luck buying than selling on this site. thredUP just doesn’t offer enough money for what they accept. I sent them a pair of nearly perfect Manolo Blahnik ankle booties, and they didn’t even select them! It was so odd. Still, most of the stuff I send them is stuff I would have just tossed anyway, so I don’t make a point to ask for Return Assurance on the bags I send in – I don’t want that stuff coming back and clogging up my closets. Anyway, I get most of my designer bags from this site because their authentication is much better than other luxury online consigners (many of whom have sold known fakes), so that’s a big part of the draw for me.
Evil HR Person* August 13, 2019 at 10:24 am I have. Sometimes they throw coupons your way, which makes it even more affordable! Right now I’m wearing a shrug I got for less than $10. I bought my daughter 4 workout capri pants (very specific, I know) for less than $20, and they were all brand name. If you look through, you’ll find some really good bargains! I’m not being paid/sponsored by ThredUp – I just really like it!
NotAnotherManager!* August 13, 2019 at 10:35 am I have bought for me and for my kids. I have had good luck with tops, dresses, and kids’ clothing, less so with my pants (I’m short-legged and short-waisted and kind of a nightmare to fit). My favorite ThredUp thing is work accessories – I am loathe to pay $50 for a trendy statement necklace, but I have a small collection of them from ThredUp that set me back $5-10 each. The coupons are also good. I spent $100 over I think it was Memorial Day(?) and, with the coupon, got about 15 items. I got a particular Lands End fit and flare dress I’d tried to buy from Lands End about a thousand times (always out of my size or more than I wanted to pay) for $20 and it looks brand new.
You can call me flower* August 13, 2019 at 10:41 am I sell stuff to them all of the time. It’s all stuff I was going to donate anyway, so this way I get a little bit of $, and they recycle the stuff that doesn’t sell for me. I think I’ve sold about $80 worth, and I’ve sent like 5 bags in? They make it really easy, and if you were going to get rid of clothes that don’t fit or something anyway, you might as well. You don’t get much for them, but it’s better than nothing.
vanillacookies* August 13, 2019 at 10:47 am I have! As a seller you get very little money out of it. That was fine with me personally since it’s basically the same amount of work as just donating your clothes for free, but if you’re someone who is already in the habit of selling things online or at brick and mortar thrift stores, then selling to thredup may not appeal to you. Buying has always been a good experience. There’s lots of ways to filter your searches and some items (but not all) include exact measurements in the description, which I find helpful. I’m always able to find pretty nice stuff for good prices, but it does sometimes take *a lot* of searching. I also like their “Goody Box” option where you can pick a bunch of things to try on and only pay for what you keep (similar to Stitch Fix’s process).
cheese please* August 13, 2019 at 10:50 am I love it! I have a pair of J Crew black cotton chinos in a style they longer carry and found the SAME PANTS on ThredUp for $15 so I now happily own two pairs of my favorite pants haha. It’s really great for brands / stores where you know your sizing. It takes a while to sort through items in large categories (ie: blouses) but if you’re looking for something specific (ie: wool navy cardigan) it can be great. I buy most of my work clothes through ThredUp, for two reasons. 1) I work in manufacturing (as an engineer) and don’t want to accidentally ruin something I spent over $50 on and 2) for environmental purposes, thrifting clothing can be more eco-friendly than buying new, especially for more “fast fashion” type items
Sadie Doyle* August 13, 2019 at 11:38 am I’ve done the GoodyBox twice and have had underwhelming experiences – the first time, I was amazed at how they managed to find so many things I hated (despite giving feedback on the types of things I like). I kept one okay necklace just so I wouldn’t be out the fee. Because the first one went so badly, they offered to send me another one without a fee. This time I narrowed down what I was looking for (in terms of clothing type) and was very, very specific about dislikes, based on my last box. It was a little bit better (I kept two things) but still, not great. Just not for me, I guess.
periwinkle* August 13, 2019 at 1:23 pm You’re not going to make a lot of money selling, but then again, ordinarily I would have just donated the clothes to Goodwill and gotten zero money. They’re selective about what they’ll accept for consignment, so I carefully inspected everything in the donation pile and only sent in the items I thought would pass muster. They all did! Everything was name brand (mostly Talbots) and in-season/season-free, and had been worn only a couple times. It was my conference wardrobe, purchased when I was scheduled to attend five or six conferences last year. Then our budget was slashed and I only made it to one! I’ve lost almost 50 pounds since then so off the clothes went… But the earnings for each item are definitely not great. I had a pair of NWT Talbots jeans that sold for $37.99; I earned $4.56. My problem as a buyer at ThredUp is that the photos aren’t always clear about pockets. I need pockets, real pockets, not those useless fake ones or even worse, the shallow ones that won’t fit my car keys let alone my iPhone8. Nevertheless, I like ThredUp as a buyer because the clothes are indeed in great condition.
CJ* August 13, 2019 at 1:32 pm I placed my first orders this past week. I really like the stuff I got, it most of it fit. When I read the reviews, it looked like the buying experience is great but the selling experience is not. From what I read here, people have gotten more the first time they sell stuff. I’m going to make sure to send everything I want to get rid of in case that’s part of their algorithm. I’ve got to box up some stuff to send back so we’ll see how the return process goes.
zora* August 13, 2019 at 1:43 pm I’ve sent back a few boxes of stuff, and gotten a total of about $20. It was easy and fine, but I make enough that $20 isn’t even worth my time anymore, so I’m not going to bother next time. I’ll drop my old stuff at Goodwill which is a lot faster. But I’ve been buying a lot and upgrading my wardrobe with ThredUp and I’m loving it! It’s definitely hit or miss, I pick out about $200 worth of stuff, and usually send about half back, but the things that do fit are great and I love that I’m not supporting the fast fashion industry.
CMF* August 13, 2019 at 4:01 pm I’ve sold to them. The thing is that you only get a small percentage of the sale price, so if you’ve got the time and something that’s worth a bit more, eBay might be the better way to go.
The Jones* August 18, 2019 at 1:11 pm Also, every summer Men’s Wearhouse collects donated suits to give to local charities to help those who can’t afford professional clothes (which can be pricey). The drive is over as of now, but you can probably still check with your local store to find out the name of the local charity they donated to. They do also give a discount for donating your old professional clothes as well.
pleaset* August 13, 2019 at 9:30 am “Instead of digging through racks, thredUP gives you the convenience of shopping online with the insane deals of thrifting.” This is a really well-crafted sentence.
Daisychain* August 13, 2019 at 9:37 am Thank you Alison, this came at a perfect time for me. I spent last night going through my fall work wardrobe and realized much of it is starting to look worn out and needs replacing. I was stressing because my go to -Dress Barn -is closing, and I need affordable work clothes. I will definitely check this out!
Parcae* August 13, 2019 at 9:55 am That LOFT dress looks just like one I sold on ThredUP a while back! So, uh, thanks Alison? Also this is a good reminder that I need to use my credit.
Jules Verne* August 13, 2019 at 9:57 am I’m browsing the site right now! It would be really nice to get some “new” clothes :) I have a question though: I work in a casual dress office right now. Also, I seem to have the woeful curse of always being 5-10 years behind current styles. I don’t really like skinny jeans / pants. Does it still look professional to wear straight-legged slacks? What’s trendy *besides* skinny pants?
boredatwork* August 13, 2019 at 10:24 am Funny story, bootcut/straight leg is actually coming back into fashion.
Seeking Second Childhood* August 14, 2019 at 10:11 am If my 12yo is any indicator, high-rise pants are about to make a comeback.
GirlGendry* August 13, 2019 at 10:25 am Right now, all pants-widths are perfectly fine! Wide-legged trousers are having A Moment, so straight-leg silhouettes look totally normal.
Justme, The OG* August 13, 2019 at 10:49 am I love wide leg trousers. I’m so happy they’re “in” so that I can find them.
Rose* August 13, 2019 at 9:57 am I am a plus-sized woman and have had really good luck with nice clothes on thredUP. Not many resale shops carry my size, so I appreciate that thredUP does.
No Tribble At All* August 13, 2019 at 10:21 am Hooray that they have plus sizes! Thanks for saying this — I was about to ask. :)
periwinkle* August 13, 2019 at 1:27 pm I’m plus-sized and yes, ThredUp has plenty! When I first checked out the site a couple years ago, selection was sparse. I think they’ve been more aggressive about promoting the clean-out bags to plus-sized customers – I almost always get an alert when I log in about selling clothes to them – thus the much improved availability. Heck, I didn’t even know that Loft carried plus sizes until I saw them on ThredUp.
CherryGirl* August 14, 2019 at 12:06 pm Interesting, because when I requested a clean-out bag and started looking at what I was getting rid of, most of the clothes that I would have sent – very nice, professional pieces from Macy’s, Avenue, etc. – they flat-out said they wouldn’t take. I was not willing to send a bunch of items just to have them toss them, so I’ve avoided them ever since. Left a very bad impression.
Glitsy Gus* August 19, 2019 at 3:41 pm I’m also plus sized and my experience with them has been pretty hit or miss. I’ve found a couple of really cute things on there, for really good prices too. At the same time, I had to wade through a whole lot of frump to find them. It was doubly frustrating when after seeing what they do have on there, when I sent them really nice stuff in really good condition they didn’t take most of it. So the weird snowman Christmas sweater is good, but my basically brand new Ann Taylor pencil skirt isn’t? OK, guys, whatever. Basically, I give it a browse when I need to freshen up my wardrobe, but it hasn’t been life changing or anything; at least not for me.
Qwerty123* August 13, 2019 at 10:55 am Stitch Fix now does men’s clothes. But it’s not pick and choose like it sounds like Thred Up is.
Localflighteast* August 13, 2019 at 10:13 am Awesome to see that they ship to Canada now, last time you mentioned them they didn’t.
The dude* August 13, 2019 at 10:17 am I was really excited about this, but it looks like they aren’t for men? Which is fine, but if you also wanted to throw a reference to a site that has male clothes, that would be appreciated.
Deja Vu* August 13, 2019 at 10:17 am I love thredUP! I have bought from them several times for myself as well as my children.
Mary* August 13, 2019 at 10:20 am Don’t think we have thredUP in the UK, but this is how I use ebay. I have ongoing searches on my favourite posh brands (Whistles, Reiss, FCUK, Hobbs, etc) and kinda use it as another form of social media!
MayLou* August 13, 2019 at 12:49 pm I’d be interested if there’s an equivalent in the UK. It’s not the same but I went to Debenhams and had a personal shopper appointment a few years ago – free, no obligation to buy anything although I did end up spending £200 because she was so good and I needed an entire professional wardrobe. I still wear some of the items six years later. Which suggests I might need to do it again soon, actually.
IT But I Can't Fix Your Printer* August 13, 2019 at 10:24 am Unpaid opinion: ThredUp is great. Started using them with an AAM code and now I get most of my work clothes (plus other stuff, including a formal dress WITH POCKETS) there. It’s great if you’re one of those people who frequently oscillates between pants sizes depending on the season and, like, the phase of the moon. Also I feel like I’m fighting against the fast fashion industry/throwaway culture by buying secondhand.
867-5309* August 13, 2019 at 11:29 am All sites that sell dresses should offer a filter option for pockets.
RUKiddingMe* August 13, 2019 at 10:28 am Thank you so much for this. I am desperately in need of replacing *everything.* And…soon. All my clothes literally hang on/fall off of me now so much that I’m down to like two changes of clothes, but I don’t want to spend 50K to replace stuff… ::eyeroll emoji:;
Confused* August 13, 2019 at 10:43 am Unpopular opinion — I hate Thredup. I find their site challenging to sort and navigate and their prices insane for the clothes they sell. The thrift stores in my area have a much better selection and actual THRIFT prices. Sorry Thredup but no H&M dress should sell for $20 USED, that’s what it costs new. A lot of people like Thredup and I can’t begrudge Allison for getting her coins, but every time I hear someone bring up Thredup, I can’t help but be irritated.
FaintlyMacabre* August 13, 2019 at 10:52 am Yeah, I used to like it but the prices went up, the quality control went down, and I no longer shop there.
Environmental Compliance* August 13, 2019 at 11:09 am To be fair, I only buy on ThredUp what I can’t thrift easily. I don’t see a lot in my size for athletic-fabric polo shirts locally. Things like sweaters & dress pants, I do thrift instead.
periwinkle* August 13, 2019 at 1:39 pm Same here. Since I started losing weight, I’ve been sifting through the local thrift stores to replace my wardrobe. The problem with thrifting is that it’s so random so I’ll often come away empty-handed. If I want “jeans”, yeah, I’m off to Goodwill (and am in fact wearing NYDJ jeans right now, $4.98 on a half-price day at Goodwill). If I want something specific, ThredUp and eBay are much better options. I am selective about brands for pants and my local thrifts tend to be full of lower-end stuff while I’m looking for mid-range brands. To my annoyance, I discovered that while the local Goodwill stores have a separate plus-size section, it only goes down to 20W. They mix up the smaller plus sizes with the regular sizes, even though 18W is different from 18. This was fine with me until I lost enough weight to fit into 18W. Now, ThredUp is going to be the far less frustrating option despite the higher prices…
Red Reader the Adulting Fairy* August 13, 2019 at 11:10 am Kind of annoying that I can’t shop without giving them my email address.
Jill March* August 13, 2019 at 1:47 pm I hate that too. I don’t mind providing it when I buy something, but I’d love to be able to just browse without clicking through a bunch of windows first. I even have a shop-only burner email I use, but the principle bugs me enough that if I’m not in a great mood, I’ll just leave the site. Let me opt in to email marketing *after* I see what’s in your store. To be fair, this is a pet peeve with all shopping websites, not just ThredUP.
DataGirl* August 13, 2019 at 11:26 am It’s good to have a different opinion. I might try again given the discount code, but every time I’ve looked at ThreadUp or Poshmark I found the sites really, really overwhelming. Too many choices for the same thing makes it too much of an effort to figure out what I really want.
sofar* August 13, 2019 at 11:33 am Yeah, it is very overwhelming. I shop there only when I have a very specific need and use a ton of search queries and filters. Like, it’s not ideal if you’re browsing for “a dress.” But if I’m looking for a “white tunic top”, or something from a specific brand or store, I’ve had a much less stressful experience.
WellRed* August 13, 2019 at 11:49 am Yeah, I found the website to be too much work (can’t put my finger on why). Also, with things like pants, I prefer to try them on.
Fortitude Jones* August 13, 2019 at 1:26 pm I mainly use thredUP for consignment shopping purposes because you’re totally right – their “thrift” items are actually not that cheap.
Parenthetically* August 13, 2019 at 1:33 pm Yes, I agree with this. I JUST looked at some of the prices for H&M and Old Navy stuff, and was cracking up — there is no universe in which a jersey dress from Old Navy originally cost $78.
Clisby* August 13, 2019 at 2:03 pm I wouldn’t say I hate it, but after looking it over I wouldn’t use it unless I was looking for something VERY specific (like the exact type of Lee’s jeans I’m about to wear out). That being said, I’m fortunate to (a) live in an area with really good thrift stores, where you can try on clothes before buying them; and (b) having enough clothes to last me for at least the next 5 years unless I change sizes, so I have plenty of time to look around.
Clisby* August 13, 2019 at 2:28 pm Also, the website is SOOOOO. SLOOOOW. I’ve several times just given up browsing because of this.
Chocoholic* August 13, 2019 at 10:44 am I have had good luck with ThredUP. I have a great thrift boutique near my home so I don’t shop ThredUP as much as I used to, but if I am looking for a specific item, it is my go-to. They also have workout clothes!
TheWonderGinger* August 13, 2019 at 10:56 am I like ThredUp for specific athletic brands, i.e. cycling brands like Bontrager or Specialized. Those items aren’t ones I easily find at my local thrift store and are WAY cheaper than buying new!
867-5309* August 13, 2019 at 11:31 am That’s a great idea! I was just thinking that I need to refresh my cycling wear,
chocolate lover* August 13, 2019 at 11:10 am Thank you for posting this! I’m in the process of losing weight, and will need to go down a size soon. I need some new work pants, but didn’t want to spend a lot because I’m shifting sizes. Just ordered a few pairs and keeping my fingers crossed for them fitting ok!
DataGirl* August 13, 2019 at 11:39 am I’m in the same spot. I feel like I need to go to some stores though to try stuff on as I have no idea what size I am currently and every store/designer seems to have different sizing.
chocolate lover* August 13, 2019 at 2:09 pm As inexpensive as some of the pants were, I thought it was worth giving it a shot. Depending on how this goes, I may or may not order again. It really can be hit or miss without trying it, since there is so much variability in sizing! Even within the same store (example: dressbarn. I wear one size if the shirt was made in Vietnam, another size if it was made in China, etc. since they aren’t sized the same.) Some of the ones I ordered were brands I’ve never worn before, so we shall see.
Frequent reader infrequent commenter* August 13, 2019 at 11:49 am I lost a ton of weight in the last few years and thredup has been how I replaced like a third of my work wardrobe. I haven’t had good luck with pants (I lift weights and my quads are unusually big now) but for shirts, I stick with certain brands that I know what size I wear in and I’ve been happy.
DataGirl* August 13, 2019 at 3:07 pm I dance so I have that problem with my calves. Skinny cut pants that come close to fitting my waist are crazy tight on my calves. I am hoping wide leg or curvy fit styles will fit, once I start shopping. Currently I just wear my old pants with belts to bring the waist in.
Red Reader the Adulting Fairy* August 13, 2019 at 4:30 pm In my experience, “curvy fit” is more likely to reference hips/thighs than calves. That said, speaking as a midwestern farm girl with thick and sturdy legs all the way down, including calves that have never found zip-up tall boots they can zip into, I’ve found that Old Navy’s curvy style skinny jeans are actually fairly accommodating in the calves as well as the hips and thighs. (I can’t speak to their non-jeans, I prefer straight or boot cuts there.)
BrightLights* August 13, 2019 at 8:04 pm May I suggest the Denizen line of jeans for Target in the straight leg cut, and Everlane’s high rise skinny jeans? – rides horses, runs, has enormous calves
Elitist Semicolon* August 13, 2019 at 10:39 pm I love you all, my fellow calves-havers! I got my legs stuck in a pair of jeans once and had to call my friend into the dressing room to help me wrestle them back over my calves.
DataGirl* August 14, 2019 at 10:24 am Love it! I have several pairs of wool dress pants that were fine before a year en pointe, now if I try to put them on they get stuck on my calves and are so uncomfortable. It’s such a bummer because one is part of a very nice suit. Maybe I should sell them on ThreadUp! @BrightLights- I love Target jeans (actually, Target everything. Tops and sweaters so cute). I also find Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans are super comfy.
sofar* August 13, 2019 at 11:42 am I will always sing ThredUp’s praises. I’ve loved ThredUp for years because it makes it so much easier to own nice things and not pay full price. They used to have a boutique in my city, which I really miss. Yes, I’ve noticed prices have ticked up on low-quality items over the years. However, for me, the environmental impact is part of the appeal. I’ve always shopped thrift because I despise the clothing industry’s practices. I can count on one hand the number of new clothing items I’ve bought from stores in the past two years. The rest have come from thrift stores, and I love that ThredUp lets me thrift but ALSO try on stuff at home and return items. I’m wearing a jean dress from ThredUp this moment at work and I’m going to wear a maxi dress to a wedding soon (a dress I saw on the racks at Nordstrom for $500, stalked for a year on Poshmark, and bought on ThredUp for $75). I have also had fantastic luck on high-end leather purses that last. I’ll never pay hundreds of dollars for a decent purse and I also refuse to buy a cheapo purse from Target that falls apart in a few months. And thanks to ThredUp I don’t have to do either.
BrightLights* August 13, 2019 at 8:12 pm Like you, most of my clothes are secondhand for environmental reasons. (Although Fair Indigo has the best T-shirts EVAH, fair trade and made of organic materials.) I like ThredUp for returns (although that restocking fee is an annoyance) but have found their photography and descriptions seriously lacking. I’ve gotten a couple of work tops, a lot of workout gear, and I have a box coming at some point next week with what I hope will be a new black blazer. I’ve done better on Poshmark if I am looking for This Specific Item- a particular floral blazer from Zara, a particular pair of boots from Cole Haan, and my favorite secondhand purchase, a particular Michael Kors bag for $150 less than retail.
Lobbyist* August 13, 2019 at 11:49 am I think I learned about ThredUP from this site a while ago and I have bought (never sold) a bunch from them. Today I am wearing a Diane VonFurstenberg dress I got there. I love it. I return maybe 1/3 of what I buy there because not everything works, but I must admit I have spent many a boring conference call searching for navy blue v neck dresss, or looking by the brand and size that I know I am.
Another JD* August 13, 2019 at 11:52 am I find ThredUp to be overpriced, especially for kids clothes. They sometimes charge more than the full price at the store. I picked up a cute romper for my toddler $4.99 new. ThredUp has the same one “on sale” used for $6.99. Kids leggings are $0.65 at the thrift store, $6 new, and $10 on ThredUp.
Mid* August 13, 2019 at 12:01 pm 80% related- I’ve been making a spreadsheet on my phone of what brands fit me, in what size, etc. And it’s been very helpful, because women’s clothing sizes appear to be created by a random number generator. I figured I’d share to see if it helps anyone else! So my chart has [Brand Name] [Clothing Item] [Size] [Notes] [Clothing Item] [Size] [Notes] [Clothing Item] [Size] [Notes] Eg: Old Navy Work Pants | 2 | Pixie-style only Jeans. | NO | Button downs | S | whites are v sheer Blouses. | S | Blazers | NO | Ann Taylor Work Pants. | ? | haven’t found any Work skirts. | 2p | fitted styles only Blouses. | 0, 2p | P for sleeveless only Dresses. | 0 | Blazers. | 0 | Banana Republic Work pants. | NO | Button down | S, 2| best white
DataGirl* August 13, 2019 at 8:34 pm This is smart. In general I find that the more expensive the clothes, the smaller the size I fit in to. So for example at Forever 21 I’m an XL but Talbots an S.
restingbutchface* August 13, 2019 at 12:05 pm Whyyyy is there not a UK version of ThredUp? Can someone please like, do that and let me know who to send all my money to? Thanks in advance…
Desdemona* August 13, 2019 at 12:38 pm I used to sing ThredUp’s praises to everyone, but they keep raising their prices to the point where a lot of the used clothes cost as much as you could get them for new. I still buy from there once in a while — they can have some pretty good deals, especially when there’s a coupon — but I’ve never once found the items Alison lists here for the prices she has them at (most of the LOFT dresses I find are $22, not $11. Banana Republic dresses are $36-$40, not $28. *shrug*). It’s still a good price compared to new, but not really thrift store prices.
Ask a Manager* Post authorAugust 13, 2019 at 12:45 pm I’m shopping the exact same way as everyone else — they’re not giving me access to special deals or anything like that! So these are all actual prices I paid for actual items listed on the site.
CMF* August 13, 2019 at 4:02 pm They’re not great at labeling stuff either – I had a handbag on there that they listed as a wallet. I’ve seen other errors as well.
Alison* August 13, 2019 at 4:15 pm Well I ordered 24 items, I’m curious to see how it all looks and fits. I don’t feel like I got a tremendous savings as I am pretty much a bargain shopper anyway but it was fairly pain-free. I purchased mainly Banana Republic dresses and spent an average of ~$19 per piece. If the quality is good I will be happy.
Leaving for Paris* August 13, 2019 at 5:05 pm I have used thread up and really like it. I had to take a step back because it was a little to easy to find deals. Just a FYI the shipping takes for ever i assume thats part of how the keep costs down. Also you can set up alerts for styles, brands ect which I have found is the best was to get really good deals.
CJ* August 13, 2019 at 5:13 pm STYLE15 is a current promo code to get 15 % off. THRIFTY20 might still work for 20% off. New customers get even better discounts.
The answer is (probably) 42* August 14, 2019 at 8:51 am Anyone in the comments have recommendations for similar services that ship worldwide? I’m on the wrong side of the Atlantic for thredUP :(