Cute as a "Button": Reuse #11

I'm visiting a dear friend in Portland this weekend, and begged her to take me shopping. I desperately need work tops, and Portland had the cutest boutiques.

Our first stop was a cute consignment shop named Button.

If you aren't familiar with consignment shops or know the difference between them and thrift shops, the basic premise is this: the clothes are being sold by their previous owners through the shop for commission. Because the shop wants everyone to make money, they tend to be more curated (higher quality and trendier) than donation-based stores. There are plenty of brick and morter consignment stores, as well as online versions like ThredUp.

I walked out with a cute ruffle-sleeved top from J Crew, in like-new condition. The cool thing about Button's tags, is they list the normal retail price, so you know what a great deal you're getting.

Bottom line: if you are interested second-hand clothes, and want to minimize effort digging through racks of various quality clothing, consignment could be for you. Selling through these stores is also a great way to recoup some costs while cleaning out your closet.

Retail price: $49.50
Button price: $16.95
My savings:  $32.55 (66%)

The previous owner will make $8.47.