Best Brands to look for at Consignment Sale

[SammyeGail]

I am looking for suggestions on what are the best brands to look for on clothing at a consignment sale, and ones to avoid. I know the standards, Gymboree, TCP, Gap, etc, but what are some that you have found to really hold together? And ones that fall apart?

Thanks for any recommendations!

Samantha
(New here)

[jerzeygirl]

It's tricky, because stores like Gymboree, Janie & Jack, and Hanna Andersson all have their names on their labels. Stuff from Old Navy says Old Navy *everywhere*. But stuff from TCP will sometimes say PLC or other brands on the label that might confuse you. A lot of the boys clothes from Nordstrom are Pine Peak Blues. Osh Kosh and The Gap have changed the look of their logos within the past 10 years, because i always come across older items with logos that i don't recognize at first. So i guess that's helpful in gauging the age of some pieces. Although i think Osh Kosh makes clothing for their own stores as well as for Target, that may be different qualities. I don't know how you'd tell those apart. Most of the other high-end brands i've found are pretty identifiable from the quality of the clothes and the prices.

The good thing about buying previously worn clothing is that the stuff that falls apart, shrinks, or fades has already done so. There are countless cheap brands, and it's usually pretty obvious from the shape of the shirt on the hanger, etc.

[dules]

My local consignment store has to be the worst ever. It has tons of Childrens Place and Circo (Target), and vintage, old, stained Gymboree priced higher than brand new Children's Place or Target stuff in the store. They had a NWT Hanna outfit in an 80 last year and it was about $20 more than it had clearanced for the year before and only about $10 off of retail. When I asked about it the SA told me that I must not know anything about Hanna quality - so DD and I left the store chuckling and have not been back. ;)

The one in my parents' hometown has better stuff, Hannas and vintage but nice condition Gymboree, etc. The Hanna snowsuits that my sister consigned from her girls *years ago* still show up down there each Fall and they still look good considering they've been in nonstop rotation for about 6 years.

Another Nordstrom brand to look for is N Kids - they often have nice basics and playsets and they seem to hold up well.

Good luck!

Best,
Mary

[BaileyBea]

I keep a look out for Mulberribush, Flapadoodles, and Keedo. Brands that are great for play clothes for MDO that I won't care about too much if they get stains. Especially if I bought them fr a great price.

I also go to a high-end consignment sale in Austin and I look for the best name brand stuff there such as Sweet Potatoes, Le Top, and other European brands that are great for special occassion outfits.

[Melanie]

Do you live near me? LOL. You described our consignment and thrift stores to a T.

[SammyeGail]

The one I am going to is the Birmingham, AL twins club sale. I looked more at the details yesterday afternoon and IMO, the hours are screwy. Fri 4PM pregnant moms, 4:30 members only (me!) and 6-9 special invite only. Whats bad is anyone can print the spec invitations directly from their website, high security there, lol! And then 730 AM to noon Saturday. Thats it. Members have to pick their stuff by 4PM or it goes to chairty.

I went to a big consignment sale this past February and was very dissapointed in the stuff there. But then I found out the volunteers get first dibs at stuff. Hopefully me being a member I will be able to find some good things. And I really hope my things sell!! Its hard to price this stuff, but my little bit of clothing is in excellent shape, I washed it all and even pressed it, lol!

I am working tonight 4-9 to help with set-up. I guess that will give me an idea of what all will be for sale.

If anyone wants to offer pricing suggestions, I am very open to them :).

Thanks so much for the responses!

Samantha

[Tracey]

A big consignment sale just finished up here. They have this twice a year and I took some stuff this past spring to sell. It was mainly things that I did not think would sell well on ebay or that had a slight flaw. What I saw going on there was a bit of a racket. The owners or people collecting the clothes were going through it first and taking out anything that was a boutique brand and selling it on ebay (I heard them talking and saw one person had marked a dress for $20 that I know would go for $40 on ebay). Anyway, all that actually made it to the rack were very worn things and brands from JCPennys, Sears, Kmart, etc. Not that there is anything wrong with those brands, but I can't see spending $10 for something worn out that was only $14 full retail. This has just been my experience. I hear people who find some good deals, so you maybe you will get lucky.


As far as brands that you will see, they will be mostly ones you recognize or from low-end department stores. Probably a little bit of Dillard's brand thrown in. Just look for things that are 100% cotton with no pilling and a fair amout of thickness and softness to the material. Keep in mind what the orignial retail would have been and how much you would pay now and on sale for something similar.

[colleenfs]

I sometimes get lucky and see Baby Lulu, Pumpkin Patch, Oilily, Lilly Pulitzer. But they are priced pretty high still for used clothes. I try to go to the CS in the really affluent town so I can get the rich people's rejects! ;)

~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

[colleenfs]

sorry -- double post!

~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

[SammyeGail]

Well, I attempted to check out the clothing, but everything was so crammed together you couldn't even get a look at most of it. I did spot some toys I have been wanting that seemed to be in great shape and decent price. I couldn't beleive the condition of some of the things there (while helping people put their stuff out). Sleepers that looked about 10 years old and like they had been thru 10 kids. Stuff fraying, covered in fuzzballs, very outdated, etc. I did see a few twin outfits from Gap/Old Navy that I'll go check on after I get the toys.

Your right about some of the prices, used TCP cords for $6, when they are $10 each new with 15% off, I'd just rather buy new ones.

I'll see how it goes tomorrow night.....then try checking out consignment stores in the nice areas of town.

Do most people sell their nicer stuff on ebay? I wouldn't mind buying a 'lot' of clothing there, I've just never done it.

I can't wait till I hit 100 post and get to join the yahoo swap, sell trade group :)

Thanks for all your input

Samantha

[ageorge911]

I do almost all of my shopping at the consignments sales that we have here in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area. I almost always volunteer so I can get the good stuff.

If you are getting pyjamas, stay away from Health-Tex. I also don't get Little Tykes or Carter's pjs because my daughter is HUGE for her age.

People often have lofty ideas about how much their clothes will sell for. I don't know how old your child(ren) is/are, but my daugher is in 3T and gap jeans shouldn't sell for more than $4-5 dollars, in my opinion. Gap shirts, no more that $4. Gymbo outfits, depending on the newness of the line and how many pieces included shouldn't be more than $4-$6 a piece. I did see a 4-in-1 Gymbo coat go for $23. I always buy bags of socks and regret it. But $2 for 12 pair of socks is a great deal. Try to make sure that the socks are clean though. I try not to buy socks that are balled up.

It is unfortunate that your sales only last a day. Around here, they usually last at least 5 days and the prices are marked down on the last or second to last day.

Oops. I have to get to the first day of school. I could write forever about consignment sale advice!

[DrSally]

I was just at a consignment sale the other day and a lot of stuff was very worn, but the prices were good. I have many outfits my DS has hardly worn b/c they grow so fast when they're little, so I would think others would have the same. I am going to take the recommendation of the pp and look at wealthy neighborhoods for consignment shops.

p.s. love the tagline “When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

[colleenfs]

Thanks! That's from Peter Pan, but I couldn't fit the acknowledgement in my sig. ;) My older dd is very into fairies, particularly Tinker Bell right now!

~Colleen
Julia, 1-10-02
Emma, 7-27-05

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

[tigeratty]

I have found that I can do better shopping on sale than consigment stores. Our Children's Orchard had the most faded out stuff you've ever seen and charge $9 for a pair of used, faded out jeans.

Now I sign up on the websites of stores I like so I get advance notice of the good sales. Just cleaned up at Dillards . . .

FWIW

Shari

[funda62]

I agree. I only go to our thrift/consignment stores to look for books, craft supplies, and the occasional toy (these seem to be getting harder to find in decent condition and I don't buy second hand plastic toys).

Lately I have really been finding some fantastic books. Beautiful hardback of Wizard of Oz (in the 2nd reading now DD loved it so much), plus lots of Caldecott and Newberry award winners.

Heather

[atlcombs]

I went to a consignment sale last year at the Riverchase United Methodist church over off Lorna Rd. and had great luck there. I got lots of Baby Gap and Gymbo. I also got some nice maternity clothes because at the time I was pregnant with DD#2. I am going to go again this September because I had such good luck last year. It all depends on the sale and how people price things. Me, I only go on the 1/2 price days and then try not to buy things that cost more than $8. What can I say, I am a cheapskate =)

~gina