herstyle
UpscaleResale Recycling has never been so fashionable
By LORI WYNNE
N
orth Fulton boasts a sublime array of shopping – unique clothing and décor boutiques, nationwide “big box” stores and some wonderful women’s resale clothing stores. If you are new to resale or consignment shopping, you need not fear. Most boutiques in our area are very selective about the items they accept – if it is overly worn, outdated or not in line with today’s trends, it won’t be on the racks, making resale shops a great place for budget-conscious women to enhance their seasonal wardrobes with high quality, upscale brands without breaking the bank. Keep in mind that top brands such as Cole Haan will
not be dirt cheap, even in a resale boutique, but the price will be dramatically lower than if you purchased the item new. To illustrate my point, I recently invited Milton resident Lara Wright to join me at three local resale boutiques where we had fun putting together several “head to toe” outfits. While many consignment and thrift shops sell sample sizes (size 2 dresses and size 6 shoes) garnered from various sources, we found a plethora of items in sizes for “real” women, too. A final word from the expert: It doesn’t matter how inexpensive an item is. If it doesn’t fit you well, don’t
buy it. Secondly, before purchasing an impulse item, make sure you can create at least three outfits with it in your current wardrobe. Have fun shopping the local deals! If you see me in the local boutiques, ask me for fashion advice. I love to help! ■ As a personal wardrobe consultant and owner of Alpharetta-based Fashion With Flair, Lori Wynne helps people look their best. Contact her at fashionwithflair.com.
Designer Consigner Boutique
670 North Main St., Alpharetta Owner Vicki Naso is passionate about providing good quality designer pieces from brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Tory Burch, Cole Haan, and Isabella Fiore. She encourages her consigners to dry clean their items before bringing them in to sell. They look over every item very thoroughly before it ever hits the floor. Naso recommends getting your second-hand designer handbags authenticated. “If you paid an extremely low price for it, it probably isn’t real,” she said. With so many choices, we couldn’t help ourselves and created two designer outfits. Designer Consigner outfit 1: Necklace .............................. $8.49 Tory Burch top............... $69.99 Citizens of Humanity jeans $59.99 Donald Pliner handbag $79.99 Michael Kors sandals $29.49 TOTAL: $247.95
Twisted Thread
12660 Crabapple Road, Alpharetta Manager Colby Davis advises shoppers, “Be willing to hunt. You can’t just breeze through.” She worked in couture clothing for 10 years and won’t shop anywhere else. You will find slightly used designer items for $200-$300 less than retail. Items move quickly here. “If you love it, grab it,” Davis said. “This is also a great place to shop for one-of-a-kind prom gowns and formals for college rush.” Twisted Thread semi-formal outfit: Necklace and bracelets ................ $44.99 Next Black clutch................................ $8.00 Banana Republic pumps.............. $19.99 ECI dress................................................$62.00 TOTAL: $134.98
The Drake Closet
Designer Consigner outfit 2: Chico’s necklace............ $69.99 ECI top................................ $26.99 Isabella Fiore handbag $69.99 Lafayette pink ankle pants $25.49 Cole Haan wedge.......... $89.99 TOTAL: $282.45
28 | northsidewoman.com | june2014
26 Old Roswell St., Alpharetta The Drake Closet has two locations, one on Mimosa Street in historic Roswell, and a second, newer shop on Old Roswell Street, behind SmokeJack in downtown Alpharetta. “You can feel good about shopping here,” said Kimberly Jackson. “One hundred percent of the proceeds fund the Drake House, which supports women and children in crisis in North Fulton County.” Many corporate and church organizations have annual clothing drives for the Drake House and the donated clothing comes to the Drake Closet. We were pleased to find such brands as Franco Sarto, Eli Tahari and White House Black Market at rock bottom prices. You will also find re-purposed vintage jewelry and new one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces at very modest prices. The Drake Closet outfit: White House Black Market blazer...... $12.00 The Loft rouched shell................................. $8.00 Eli Tahari skirt................................................... $8.00 Franco Sarto wedges .................................. $15.00 Pearl Drop necklace..................................... $10.95 TOTAL: $53.95