Have a
Gently Used Christmas Shop Resale and Consignment to Help Santa and the Planet by Lee Walker H
ow can fashionistas assuage their green conscience, quench
their appetite for luxury labels, dress stylishly, help lower the planet’s car- bon footprint and save money while Christmas shopping, all in one fell swoop? The answer: consignment and resale shops, where anyone who feels unsettled by the nation’s economy and soaring prices of clothing, accessories, furniture and toys, can shop smart without putting a big dent in the check- ing account or adding too much to the credit card bill.
This year’s Trashion-ista Fashion Show, a headline event at the 10/10/10 Eco Extravaganza at The Mercato, suc- cessfully demonstrated the beauty and benefits of resale chic. The show not only wowed an audience of style-con- scious women with the economic ben- efits and fashion potential of shopping for gently used clothing and accesso- ries, it also awakened them to the art of environmentally correct shopping. Susan Swanson, one of the women who modeled the gently worn fashions for ladies lunching at Bravo! Cucina, didn’t need to be introduced to con-
signment clothing. The co-owner of Aldecor, a custom framing shop in Naples, was already an avid resale shopper. “My resale roots go way back to my days of Saturday morning garage sales in Ohio, where I bought most of my children’s clothing and toys,” reflects Swanson.
Excited to find an abundance of resale shops in Naples, Swanson continued her preference for bargains after relocating here more than five years ago. When asked to model in the show, she knew she wanted to partner up with her favorite resale shop, New to You, who fitted her from head-to- toe with two beautifully accessorized outfits, complete with a pricey Coach handbag. Swanson enthuses, “I bought the more causal one, because it was in my favorite colors of navy and white, looked great on me, and cost me less than half the retail price. But more im- portantly, I believe it is the right thing to reuse whenever possible.” Gerry Nichols, owner of New to You, also recalls the days of outfitting herself and her children at the nation’s first resale store, in Minneapolis. “I loved going there, not necessarily
Gerry Nichols, owner of New to You consignment shop
because of the prices, but for the thrill of the hunt, which I think is one of the reasons that most women enjoy shop- ping at our store,” advises Nichols, who enjoys seeing smiles on the faces of women who are excited to find unex- pected treasures.
In Minneapolis, Nichols was an executive receptionist for the Target corporation. She met people from all walks of life—governors, presidents of companies and celebrities—who always complimented her on what she was wearing. “I just smiled, because everything came from a resale or thrift shop or a garage sale,” says Nichols, who notes that New to You regulars are known to her by name and the store is more than just a place to shop. “We all feel good when we brighten the day of someone who just comes to browse and find respite because they have problems in their life and need a place to escape for an hour or so.” Suzanne Savage, another Trash- ion-ista model, likes to hunt for resale treasures at Options Thrift Shoppe, owned and operated by The Shelter for Abused Women & Children. What she appreciates most is being free of any
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