En Femme Fashionista

Find the Cream of the Crop When You Sissy Shop

While some couture consignment stores have the elegant ambience of fashion finery in the heart of your local cities, and historical districts, sometimes the ones boasting the best buys are hidden gems in the rough. Don’t be dismayed by a seemingly modest appearance of shop fronts. I have found some of the my all time fave wardrobe pieces like authentic, brand new Prada pumps, 1920s art deco necklaces with embellished settings, bakelite earrings, and Betsey Johnson dresses from rather humble no-frills on the outside places that turned out to be pure delish nougat on the inside.

 Local designers that are up-and-coming as well as straight from the  runway  gowns are not uncommon if you know where and how to look so keep an open mind. Handmade glass fused beads, kiln and torch fired dichroic glass pendants, antique lace chokers, repurposed and restrung chandelier showstopper jewelry are all some of the wonderful pieces of wearable, interactive art you can find amid the aisles and racks.

When You Are Popping the Tags

-Do your research. Online search engines can help. One thing to keep in mind is bigger franchise companies can afford to pay and skew the reviews that claim to list “consumer sourced” opinion but they end up picking and choosing which get featured by companies willing to pay for incognito advertising. Instead, when you search check the actual store websites themselves to get a feel for each shop’s atmosphere and style.

One lady’s Fashion No-nos

May Be Another’s New Pair of Manolos

-Best time to go hunting for fashion forwad finds: right afer the winter holiday season which keeps the sheves brimming with goodies that ladies bought in that either didn’t quite fit or just didn’t match their personal style. In fact  most reputable upscale consignment stores of the will include orginal tags, receipts and boxes as well as require worn garments to be professional cleaned before selling. Hermes, Coach, Balenciaga, Chloe, Tracy Reese, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Jimmy Choos look even better deeply discounted and are not uncommon anytime of year.

-Not everything is preowned some are surplus, mixed in with one or bought out from other stores

Spring Clean Your Closet

&

Get In The Green Both Economically + Environmentally:

-Lightly worn dresses, that cute top that didn’t quite suit your style, or that necklace you never found a reason to wear are all potential items you could sell. Think of it as recycling with benefits while supporting local merchants.  You may just end up getting more dough to fund your next shopping trip! Some places offer store credit or $$$.

-Always be friendly to the sales gals. These boutique babes tend to be quite knowledgeable and can share tips about what looks good on ya, get to know your personal style preferences over time and guide you to the best buys by helping select the right feminine look.

 Keep A watchful Eye:

Regardless of if you are shopping retail or resale always, always check the garment for stains even brand new merchandise can and most likely has been tried on and may have make-up like foundation and lipstick from being put on and off in haste. Wash before wearing after purchase if in doubt and make sure there no signs of wear and tear before investing. Shoes should be immaculate with very little if any wear on the bottom soles and no marks inside or scuffs outside

Make everyday a sissy soiree!

Next time a mistress gives you a femme assignment involving buying something girly try consignment.