Wear What When

New: Sell Your Soul

A new Belltown consignment shop wants your designer goods.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Mar 08, 2012 at 08:00AM 1 Comments

Photo: Erica Sciarretta of Sorella Photos

Natalia Biner is looking for new consigners with great gear on the level of this Stella McCartney blouse.

When I asked Natalia Biner what message she’d like to pass on to the readers of Seattle Met, she said, ‘Bring me your leather pants.’

The Ukraine–born, Arizona–raised Seattle transplant is just crazy about consignment shopping. It’s a model that works well for everyone involved, so when she made the decision to throw herself into the world of fashion and style there was really only one way to go, and eventually Sell Your Sole became real.

Well, it’s almost real. Biner’s boutique, tucked inside a warmly industrial corner of a historic building near the Gary Manuel salon on First Ave (hint: it’s behind Cherry Street Coffee), will be selling gently worn Marc Jacobs, Elizabeth and James, Helmut Lang, and Michael Kors beginning May 1.

Biner has stock and consigners ready to go, but as of March 10 she’ll be accepting even more of both—all the better for a grand grand opening. So bring her the silk maxi dress that worked for your cousin’s wedding, but probably won’t every work (for you) again. Bring her one of those cashmere cardigans you bought at the Neiman Marcus sale because the prices were right (never mind that you don’t need sweaters in black, gray, and red). Bring her your leather pants.

You’ll find the small–but–vivacious business owner waiting for you in her supercool loft–like urban/industrial setting from 10–6 Monday through Thursday and 10–7 on Fridays and Saturdays. Introductory terms are: 50/50, based on a third of the item’s original retail price (with some exceptions). Consigners may also choose to donate the proceeds of their goods to any charity they’d like to support; Biner’s happy to make that happen on your behalf.

We’ll check back later with Biner and her shop before her grand opening this spring. In the meantime, what? You’re waiting for a better reason to do your spring cleaning?

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Tags: Belltown, Seattle Consignment

Shop It: Baby and Co.’s Closet Sale

Save the date for a warehouse sale and consignment store-like pop-up from some of the most stylish and worldly women in Seattle.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 02, 2011 at 09:15AM 1 Comments

A recent look from the French line Lilith gives you an idea of the directional, well-cut, easy-to-wear, earthy but urban aesthetic on offer at the Baby and Co. Closet Sale. August 11–14.

Where: 2004 First Ave, Seattle, 98101. (Bonus points if you can tell us what Japanese-inspired ‘80s-errific women’s shop used to be in this space.)

What: There are a number of shop owners around town who will come to your home and help you clean out your closet (all the better to help you fill it back up), but Baby and Co.’s Jill Donnelly takes it one step further.

This is the third year that Donnelly has hosted a pop-up shop based, more or less, on a consignment model. She’s visited the well-stocked (over-stocked?) closets of some of her best clients, and taken neatly packaged offerings from those who do their own wardrobe editing, and names like Lanvin, Marni, and Comme des Garcons are being used to describe the booty.

I’m not too shy to say that I blew my month’s shopping budget and more at last year’s sale, and as much of a boon as it was to encounter those favorite and exclusive lines, I also loved discovering pieces by small Parisian lines and Italian-made shoes. Donnelly’s crew are world travelers, and the sale reflects that in literal and figurative ways.

In addition to the excellent new-to-you items, you’ll find past season merchandise from the French line Lilith, one of Donnelly’s favorites. So, add to the consignment vibe a warehouse sale kind of thing, and start socking aside some spending money now.

When: The sale kicks off on Thursday, August 11 from 11 to 6 and continues until Sunday, August 14.
CASH ONLY
Park at the Macy’s garage at 3rd and Stewart and bring your ticket to the sale to receive a voucher for $3 parking for two hours.

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Tags: Seattle Consignment, Sales and Discounts, End of Summer Discounts, Downtown Seattle Shopping, Baby and Co.

Sale: Alexandra’s

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Jul 29, 2011 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

Where: Alexandra’s Designer Consignment

What: The semi-annual storewide sale. Folks looking for pre-loved Marc Jacobs jackets, gently walked-in Chie Miharas, and great scores on Italian knitwear (ask me about the Missoni v-neck I snatched this spring) can take an additional 50 percent off already marked down spring and summer items as well as 10 percent off new-to-you fall merchandise.

When: Today (Friday, July 29) through Saturday, August 6

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Tags: Seattle Consignment, Sales and Discounts, End of Summer Discounts, Spring/Summer Collections 2011, Alexandra's

What’s Your Take On … Gentlemen’s Consignment?

The Madison Park men’s shop has shuttered. Do Seattle men need good consignment options?

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Jul 11, 2011 at 09:50AM 2 Comments

Photo: Yelp.com

Gentlemen’s Consignment in Madison Park is no more.

On a recent trip through Madison Park, I noticed that Gentlemen’s Consignment had closed.

Not a huge surprise. The store kept interesting hours and, while often stocked with perfectly broken-in Ralph Lauren linen suits and random assortments of repurpose-able Brooks Brothers sweaters and cordovan loafers, I never saw a body going in or coming out. I spoke to a few business owners in the neighborhood who noticed the same thing, although two mentioned that it was their understanding that owner Sally Dietrich was just ready to hang up her hat on that particular business model. Fair enough.

What I’m wondering is: Will another style- and fashion-minded businessperson fill the void? Is there a void to fill? Do men want to shop consignment? Do they know how?

In recent years, a number of really smart women’s consignment shops joined already established resale posts to create useful, fun, relevant in-and-out opportunities for women who like to see a bit of return on their investments and score good deals. In the best case scenarios, these boutiques are presided over by shopkeepers with keen and discerning taste. The best consignment shops don’t take garden variety big-box pill-covered sweaters. They look for special pieces—just like you do. They’re interested in finding new homes for gently used designer items and high quality basics from the best department stores and quality manufacturers. They’re on top of trends, they know their individual customers as well as the Seattle market, and curate their racks in approximation of ready-to-wear seasonal cycles.

Le Frock on Capitol Hill offers, more or less, that kind of environment for men. Remember Ben and his vintage Jil Sander vest? On Phinney Ridge, Armadillo also includes men’s items in its department store-like resale environment, but GQ readers will most like feel a bit underwhelmed. All is not completely lost for guys now that Gentlemen’s Consignment is gone, but I’d love to see the male equivalent of My Dressing Room. Where’s the Driftwood for Blackbird shoppers?

Here’s a good place to say that I may be married to someone who has a few Steven Alan button-downs and a pair or two of Clark’s desert boots that he isn’t interested in any more, but he can’t be the only one. A woman I spoke to about all this last week says men wear their clothes differently—her tone meant they wear through them so that no one else oughtta touch them. I don’t know. I know more than a couple of fickle-enough clothes horses. And with the exciting and vibrant emphasis on menswear in the wake of the recession stirring up interest in all kinds of Y chromosomes, I think we all the shop the same these days—meaning some of us shop alot and often, regardless of gender. Another friend says men would have to be taught to shop resale stores, but I wondered: were women taught? I don’t remember my lesson… don’t we all just figure it out?

What’s your take on men’s consignment? Does Seattle need more of it?

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Tags: Seattle Consignment, Seattle Menswear, What's Your Take On...

Shopping Map: Consignment Stores

Tis the season: Purge, purchase, and repeat.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Mar 25, 2011 at 07:00AM 0 Comments

A Lanvin top awaiting reassignment at My Dressing Room on Queen Anne.

Spring cleaning and new spring wardrobe pieces go hand in hand; out with the old and in with the new.

I think it’s both the old and the new that have inspired so many questions about consignment lately. Everywhere I’ve been, no matter the group I’m talking with, it tends to come up.

Which of Seattle’s buy-and-sell boutiques is right for you? Here are a couple of suggestions that ought to steer you in the right direction.

-If you’ve got a stack of past season Lauren Moffat pieces from Les Amis that you’re just not wearing anymore, head to Driftwood Consignment, but be prepared to be tempted by cast-offs from Betty Lin and ’80s dresses some savvy girl scored at her neighborhood vintage shop.

-Ladies, if that Escada jacket served its purpose and hasn’t seen the outside of your closet since, bring it to Alexandria’s where you’ll probably find a Theory blazer, boxy Eileen Fisher cover-up, or luxe cashmere cape to replace it.

-It happens to the best of us. If you’re sure you’re never going to fit into that slinky Chanel dress from S/S ‘08. Take it to Bea at My Dressing Room where many, many very high end dresses and separates await reassignment. It wouldn’t surprise me if you found a hot little Stella McCartney number to replace it.

-You just cleaned out her closet and then she cleaned out yours. It brought you closer together, and you’ve never been more in love. Bring your Barneys-bought splurges and Banana Republic basics to Le Frock where the co-ed consignment is ultra cozy (yes, that means the small store is packed with merchandise).

-Those who like to remain in control of things even when you’ve ostensibly ceded power will like Between Friends, where you can track your goods via an online program and know the instant someone else has scored your chic yet lawyerly power suit.

-You’re a consigner with a heart of gold. You don’t care so much about making a little dough back on your investment as you do, say, the environment. Donate to Karen’s Vintage Couture and feel darn good about it.

Ready to clean up and renew? The second part, at least, is a snap. We’ve plotted the above shops and a few more on this Consignment Shopping Map.

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Tags: Seattle Consignment

New: My Dressing Room

A new designer consignment store in Queen Anne comes complete with a very discerning friend.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Nov 18, 2010 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

Slideshow; Take a look at the designer goods at My Dressing Room, new on Queen Anne.

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Slideshow; Take a look at the designer goods at My Dressing Room, new on Queen Anne.

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Chanel!

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A Chanel sweater dress priced at $1,000. Hard to call it a bargain, but a certain class of women know it’s a very, very good deal.

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A great Cucinelli piece, very reasonable price point.

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Lanvin top! Current season!

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Loeffler Randall knit dress – wonderfully priced in the mid-range, and so darn wearable.

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Hard to believe that there are women who buy Marni dresses and only wear them once, for like, four hours, but apparently it happens.

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A friend who’s a Marni collector went in after I told her about McCammon’s plentiful stock of the Italian brand. There are now five or six fewer pieces than there were the day I was there, but McCammon says she’s got another Marni collector who keeps her flush with the gorgeously modern stuff.

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Perfect little cropped Miu Miu parka.

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Perfect little Miu Miu leather jacket.

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An Oscar de la Renta motorcycle-style cashmere sweater. Never worn.

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I kept wanting this amazing Ports cape/coat to be a dress…

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Vince cape, representing the lower end price points that McCammon is adamant about keeping in the shop. (She even had a Forever 21 dress in there.)

Someone asked me the other day what I think it takes to be a great salesperson within the framework of fashion. At that moment, on the proverbial spot, my mouth opened and all of nothing brilliant came out. And then, weirdly, almost exactly 24 hours later, I walked into My Dressing Room, a new consignment store on Queen Anne, and found the answer.

Bea McCammon used to work at Mario’s in their Hugo Boss store, and while I can’t speak to her ability to put a man in a suit (I always deal with Luke, who’s The Guy to See when it comes to men in Hugo Boss suits), I can tell you now quite confidently that if you’re looking for a never-been-worn Chanel sweater dress from two seasons ago, McCammon will let you know, no bones about it, whether or not the one she has in her store is a good match for you.

When I walked into her then three-day-old, closet-sized shop last Friday, she was mid-sentence with a brand new client, basically talking her out of two or three items (’it’s not the season for this jeans jacket,’ she explained in her rich Hungarian accent, ’I can find you a better one in the spring.’ and ‘This will be one of those pieces that you put on in the morning and then take off again. Too hard – doesn’t work right for you.’). You just don’t hear that very often, right?.

What I do know of McCammon from her days at Mario’s is how sweet and approachable she is. Down-to-earth. A stranger you meet while buying a latte only to spend all day thinking about how you’d like to be friends with her. And now I see that her kind and friendly way is, in the framework of fashion, rounded out by a sharp, Eastern European ability to tell you that that Lanvin top, while yes, a great temptation at that price, doesn’t do any special favors for your forearms.

‘I tell people that I speak a little differently because of where I’m from, so please understand that I am a little bit more honest,’ McCammon told me. Smiling serenely all the while.

And consignment affords a special distance, too. There’s not as much pressure to sell through a current collection and move on to the next.

Here’s the other thing: McCammon does closet clean-outs. That’s how she found herself in the perfect place to open My Dressing Room. She consults with women — the kind who shop at places like Mario’s and have closets that many of us dream of — about their overstuffed dressing rooms and helps them figure out why they feel they have nothing to wear. The first hour-long session is free, after that it’s $55 per 60 minutes. After meeting with and helping a whole group of women who needed someone to tell them that the Marni jacket they bought and hadn’t worn probably would never see the light of day, or that the orange-red Oscar de la Renta sheath is gorgeous, yes, but not their color, she decided to open a shop to help them liquidate the pieces they didn’t need, and get a little back (40 percent, to be precise) from the errant purchase.

See: That woman who was getting talked out of the denim jacket? She was interested in having McCammon come over and clean her closet, too. It’s in our shopkeeper’s best interest to both sell and refrain from selling because she’s also selling herself as a discerning eye.

So there we are. And there you are. Or you should be. It’s astonishing, really. Numbered YSL and Prada — items so special that they are treated like art. And Stella McCartney dresses. And Lanvin. Lots of it. And Miu Miu. And Celine. And, on the lower end, little knit capes an brands like Vince, Lauren Moffet, J Crew, and the Gap. And Bea McCammon, your new very discerning, honest, and kind friend.

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Tags: Seattle Consignment

Sale: Designer Discounts

Score good deals, and feel good about them

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Aug 02, 2010 at 07:15AM 0 Comments

Karen Mayers Gamoran contemplates a vintage Ungaro two-piece at her West Edge vintage and designer boutique.

Where: Karen’s Vintage Couture and Alexandra’s Consignment

What: Feel good and take up to 70 percent off at West Edge’s nonprofit-fueling house of vintage Ungaro. Fashion-savvy fundraising pro Karen Mayers Gamoran shares revenue from her donated designer and exclusive goods with organizations such as the Humane Society, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Seattle Guild, Eastside Domestic Violence Program, and University of Washington Foundation for the benefit of breast cancer research.

And/or, save an additional 50 percent on already marked down spring and summer consigned designer and premium label apparel at Alexandra’s. Gently used top-dollar fall clothing is 10 percent off.

When: Both sales begin Thursday Aug 5; Karen’s runs through August 7, Alexandra’s continues through August 14.

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Tags: Seattle Vintage, Seattle Consignment, End of Summer Discounts

New, Used, Open, and Closed

Retail changes, and changes and changes

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Jan 28, 2010 at 08:00AM 2 Comments

This Lanvin pump is 40% on Posh on Main’s website

I want to pass on word of a couple retail changes, but since we all hate bad news, let’s start with some details from the brighter side.

Alexandra’s, Downtown’s biggest designer consignment shop, hits its fall/winter sale today. All past season pieces (think chunky knits, wrap sweaters, wool slacks) are 50% off their lowest price, and spring merchandise is 10% off.

While you’re in the neighborhood, with new-to-you bargains on your mind, you should check Driftwood Consignment as well. As mentioned in this post about a heavy linen batwing dress/tunic from A Small Collection that I scored there, Natalie Anderson and Adam Peart’s two shops (there’s one in Madrona, too) buy and sell to and from the kind of girl who shops small, neighborhood boutiques and scores up and coming, small batch designers.

Consignment shopping does require patience and the hunter/gatherer spirit. Driftwood is small enough to navigate without much of a strategy, but at Alexandra’s, where pieces are well-organized by color and style but the sheer volume can be overwhelming, you’ll do well to enter with a target or focus, even if that means just concentrating on a color, or patterns versus solids. The shop gets bonus points for using those little triangularly round size indicators on the top of their hangers that make browsing that much easier.

And now, for the bummers.

+Some changes on Main Street in Bellevue: Posh on Main’s storefront has been shuttered; the remaining inventory is online. Having made big markdowns, owner Angela Self plans to sell through her stock of Valentino flats and Miu Miu booties before taking down her site.

Christi’s on Main, just down the way, is also on its way out. A closeout sale is in full effect.

+In the world of plants and greenery: UrbanWeeds in Fremont is selling its remaining botanicals and accessories for 90% off; the store will close at the end of the month.

When one door shuts … another often opens. You might try the brand new Midnight Blossom in Ballard if you’re need of an organic, in-house oxygen generator, and see our Diggable Plants from last spring for more shops that’ll grow on you.

+Speaking of growing: Plum Children’s Shoes in Madison Valley is closing; check their site for great deals on European kids’ kicks, and on Queen Anne, Urban Kids Play has reconsidered their format. They’ll continue offering safe, smart toys online, but the retail location is transitioning to a drop-in childcare center.

+Cartier at Pacific Place? Gone. Across the street and down a block: Coldwater Creek is hanging it up as well.

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Tags: Weddings, new, Seattle Vintage, sale, Fall/Winter Sale, Eastside, Seattle Consignment, floral, closing

Where to Find It: Soho in Seattle

Fifth Avenue, too. Only with better prices. Introducing Karen’s Vintage.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Dec 22, 2009 at 09:00AM 6 Comments

Slideshow: Karen’s Vintage, where your vintage and designer habits fund a better world

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Slideshow: Karen’s Vintage, where your vintage and designer habits fund a better world

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Supporters of Karen’s causes donate their well-cared for vintage, retro, and, in some cases, relatively new designer pieces like this Halston dress, YSL fur, and Gucci bag.

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… and then you come along to score this absolutely amazing Ungaro mini. By the way, if you needed some ideas for interpreting these looks for the current century, you’d have a lovely time chatting with Ben, Karen’s in-house stylist. A former Nordstrom designer and all-around thoughtful, stylish guy, he knows his way around the old-to-new aesthetic.

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Proceeds are funneled to social services and environmental non-profits.

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Karen is passionate about not just the non-profits, but the tax credits for patrons and great deals on bold, timeless prints and silhouettes like that of this Ungaro two-piece.

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Personally, I’m drawn to relics from the Studio 54 era, but lawyers, prim traditionalists, and lovers of classic designer cuts will find the most scores. (I loved that on my way out of the store, a gentleman came in asking for “Yohji and Miyake,” and Karen mentioned a friend whose Marni stocks she needs to raid … bring it on!)

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This velvet batwing Escada jacket is so NYE 2010. Ouch. It hurt to leave it behind.

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And check out the print on this great Lanvin shirtdress.

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Hmm.. the Chanel Mary Janes or the Valentino leopard print? Probably both; because sometimes you feel like an angel, and sometimes you don’t.

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Some of the furnishings in the lounge area outside the dressing rooms are from LIMN, the gorgeous home and lifestyle shop that would have been just a few doors down if it hadn’t gone out of business a few months ago.

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Another of Karen’s passions: Resurrecting the West Edge neighborhood with a high-end, industrial-chic fashion- and nightlife-angled vibe. So far, so good.

Remember when someone found Brooklyn out in Burien? There are those that say if you take a stroll down Western Ave around Yesler and Columbia, you may find Soho — or is that Fifth Avenue? — at Karen’s Vintage Couture.

Not that I necessarily advocate looking for New York in Seattle (you’re better off looking for Seattle in Seattle), but there are worse things, and really, when you consider the gorgeous historic buildings and lofty art spaces and the wave that’s brought shops like Goods, Jack Straw, Totokaelo, and Neodandi to join Far 4, A Mano, and all the great European design showrooms and create a compelling shopping district southwest of Downtown and north of Pio Square, well, the inclination is understandable.

And really, every retailer that’s come into the nabe known – at least in the eyes of the city – as West Edge has proclaimed it the new [insert name of cool, NYC shopping area here]. But if anyone can make it so, it’s Karen Mayers Gamoran.

Karen’s Vintage Couture is no regular vintage shop and no regular resale shop either. I doubt there’s anything like it even in Soho. Gamoran curates tax deductible donations of fine designer goods — most are vintage or retro — and retails them to benefit social service and environmental non-profits. So, it’s not a consignment shop, and it’s not exactly a high-end thrift shop, but something rarely if ever seen before that fits right in the middle.

Now, even a forward-thinking and innovative concept such as that can’t transform a neighborhood, but when she’s not coaxing Chanel jackets out of the closets of Seattle’s society doyennes, Gamoran is whispering in the ears of Senator Maria Cantwell, Howard Schultz, and Bill Gates. Allow me to refer you to her Linked In profile for more on her giant money-raising adventures and city- and state-focused great deeds.

What’s more, Gamoran’s the daughter of a hugely successful West Edge pioneer (her father started Ace Novelty inside the very building, the Polson, where she now runs her shop; he later moved the company to Bellevue and then sold it to a Texas corporation for enough scratch to keep you, me, and all of our friends in Chanel for some time to come) and a huge champion of the entrepreneurial stripe.

But don’t just sit back and wait Gamoran to change the world.

The whole Elliott Bay Books thing is a reminder that our favorite shops don’t operate in a vacuum. Especially in destination neighborhoods.

So, browse through my favorite finds in the slideshow here, remember the 3/50 initiative and, as you ready for holiday and New Year’s Eve celebrations, make yourself available to the brilliant scores waiting for you down in West Edge.

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Tags: Seattle Vintage, Seattle Consignment, West Edge, Where to Find It, Liave

Score: Driftwood

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Sep 01, 2009 at 07:00AM 1 Comments

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It’s true that sometimes you do “have to see that on” … not everything looks great on a hanger.

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I hardly recognize myself when I’m not wearing these three things.

At Driftwood, designer consignment doesn’t mean bland blazers or bad, seasons-old cast-offs that were probably poor decisions to begin with. The women who consign with owners Natalie Anderson and Adam Peart at their Madrona and Downtown storefronts shop at Mario’s and small, indie-minded boutiques, and they love Chloe wedges and the occasional Anthropologie layering piece. I found this out for myself not long ago when I dropped by with some pay-day cash burning a hole in my pocket.

I immediately recognized the bat-wing, heavy linen, perfect-pocketed sac dress/tunic here as a piece from A Small Collection, a sustainably built line from Austin, TX carried at the now defunct Last Waltz. I also immediately recognized it as just the thing to take me outta summer and into fall. Sold.

Too bad about those pointy-toed Jil Sander oxfords that were too small for me, and the red leather purse from Italy that was just, upon contemplation … too … red.

But as Adam got to work ringing up my purchase, I noticed something else in the accessory case. I’d had cloisonne on the brain and was really picturing a bangle to mix in with my other bracelets, and there it was. Sold.

Dress: $49 (on sale from $69)
Bracelet: $22
Total cost of moving from summer into fall: $71

^{^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^}^^

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Tags: Seattle Consignment, Score