RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Welcome to the glamorous world of flipping fashion—where your closet’s trash can become someone else’s treasure, and you can earn a few bucks while wondering why you ever thought that polka-dotted shirt was a good idea. It’s not just clothes; even your old furniture could be lying in wait for a second chance at life—or at least to fund your coffee habit. As the holidays loom, why not take a crack at this lucrative hoarding method?
Enter Mode Consignment, a posh boutique in Raleigh that seems to be a fashion-forward rabbit hole, where only the regularly initiated know that “used” is the new black. If you’re a newbie, the first question that’ll pop into your mind is, “Resale or consignment?” Spoiler: It’s both, and yes, the clothes are used—vintage chic, darling!
This is becoming a side hustle for the masses.
– Mac McGroden, business extraordinaire
Think Rodeo Drive but with prices that won’t make you weep into your wallet. Elmore, the store owner, claims it’s all about recycling and the circular economy. Frankly, it’s just a fancy way of saying you’re trading clothes like Pokémon cards but without the charm.
“Recycling. Reuse. Circular economy,” Elmore states, as she gestures to her legion of label-hungry shoppers scouring through last season’s trends, because let’s face it, what’s old is new, and what’s loved is stored under a pile of unsold items in your closet.
It’s not just about clearing out your wardrobe; it’s about getting rid of that overstuffed jacket you’ve kept since college while snagging a vintage piece that your future self will mock you for. Economic uncertainty? More like economic creativity—flipping fashion has never looked so appealing!
Mac McGroden started her empire online and quickly turned her obsession with vintage into a thriving business at Cheshire Cat Gallery. She reports, “I honestly love vintage clothing and didn’t know how it would pan out. But here I am, building my kingdom out of thrift store finds!” A true rags-to-riches story—or at least rags to slightly less ragged.
Now Elmore has not one but two stores in Raleigh and Durham, proving that people will line up for good deals on luxury items. Some customers search for discounts, while others seek their fortune in the form of selling those hideous shoes their mother gifted them. It’s a win-win—or a win-lose if you’re on the losing end of the selling game.
If you want to dabble in the world of secondhand shopping or consigning, here are some tips: Dive into the vast online marketplace or let a consignment store do the lifting (because your back said “no more”). Give your closet a good look—anything not worn since your last existential crisis is probably fair game. Lastly, patience is key; those items won’t sell themselves, much like your promises to exercise.
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