The sun is shining, and what better way to celebrate than detoxing your wardrobe, says Sophie Dawson
If raking through your closet on a morning makes you think “I’ve never worn that”, “I won’t fit in that” or the classic, “what was I thinking?”, then you definitely need a wardrobe detox. We’re all guilty of hoarding items - especially when we’ve spent our hard-earned cash on them - but getting rid of pre-loved designer items doesn’t need to mean you’re out of pocket.
The web is chocker with sites and designer specialists such as HEWI London, Depop and Vestiaire Collective, all willing to give you a hand selling your items. Upload some snaps of your garments, write a description, set a price and wait for the money to roll in. Sounds simple? It is for the most part, but online selling can get messy if you’re faced with a surly customer or a buyer who’s looking to take you for a ride. If selling online is your method of choice, always make sure you do it by the book. Give an honest description of your item and any imperfections it may have, pay extra for postal tracking, follow up with customers and use the website or app’s payment method of choice. Otherwise you leave yourself open to being exempt from their protection regulations.
If the online option isn’t for you, there are local retailers who deal specially with re-homing your unwanted designer goods, such as the long-established Coco Designer Dress Agency in Darlington. The shop is situated Grange Road, the town’s high-end designer district, and is run by friends Kath Gilroy and Cathy Brockley, who took over the business when they retired early from jobs in education. “People are happy to sell their items through the shop because it is easy and convenient,” they say. “Many of our customers have had bad experiences while selling on eBay, with items being returned and problems with payments. They also have to invest time and effort taking pictures, loading the items online and then posting sold items.”
The service Coco provides means you can have a good old clear-out, while making some pocket money from your designer items at the same time. The ladies do have strict criteria for taking in pre-loved garments – “items must be clean without any signs of damage, and we will only sell clothes, shoes and bags that are in excellent condition” – and vintage items are not accepted. Coco Designer Dress Agency, and similar outlets, are the place to bring designer goods that are going to waste sitting in your cupboard to turn them into extra cash to treat yourself to something new. “There are many designer items which sell well,” says Cathy. “And many people who sell items through us use the money to refresh their wardrobe.”
So what’s not to love? Dig out your unwanted goods, pass them on to someone who will love them as much as you once did and reap the rewards.
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