Just like any other nineteen-year-old girl on a slow Monday afternoon, I opened Instagram for the tenth time that day. But instead of seeing a friend’s post, I saw Sadie Robertson posing smugly in a cherry red sweater. Her post invited me to, “Swipe through to see (her) favs from online resale shop @thredup.” Intrigued, I scrolled through her collection of pictures and was in awe of the amount of name brand clothing she was promoting. I decided to check out this fashion resale shop for myself.
As a (somewhat) broke college student, I especially appreciated the discounted prices thredUp offered. Their filters were extremely effective in narrowing my search to “petite,” “xs,” “dresses,” or anything else I wanted to browse. I could also narrow my search to look at items that were labeled “new with tags,” or I could settle for “like-new” purchases. I was hesitant to expand my search to “gently used” or “signs of wear,” because some descriptions of the items indicated that the fabric was fading or fraying.
After scrolling through a few pages of clothing that fit into all of the categories I was interested in, I decided to purchase a black Ann Taylor dress sized for petites. It was priced at $23.99 with the tags still attached, but I knew I still had to apply the promotional code Sadie Robertson had advertised. I also ordered a casual floral printed dress that was priced at $9.99 and was said to be “in excellent condition… you might even mistake it for brand new!”
After applying the promotion code, I received a whopping 40% off my order. My total for two elegant dresses (to include a BRAND NEW ANN TAYLOR DRESS) rang up at $28.03 (what a steal), including tax and a flat rate of $5.99 for shipping and handling. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on these two pieces! As a bonus, thredUp asked for my friends’ emails addresses so that they could receive $10 off their first purchase, a deal my friend Jordan has already enjoyed.
About two to three weeks later, my orders arrived in cute brown and teal polka dot packages. Each dress was wrapped delicately in colorful tissue paper. I unwrapped the black Ann Taylor dress first and it looked exactly as the picture had shown, tags and all. It fit quite well, but the sleeves were cut at seemingly arbitrary angles. They were proportionate to each other and to the dress but made it appear boxy. Nevertheless, I plan to wear this dress to church and formal outings.
The second, floral dress was sadly too big for my small frame. However, two of my best friends, Emily Jane and Gracie, fit into it. Gracie even wore this piece to a country concert she attended the next day! This dress has now found its new home in her closet.
All in all, I was completely satisfied with both of my purchases. I realize that I have to be particularly selective when finding clothes to fit me because I am petite. This is why I wholeheartedly commend thredUp for full disclosure of each item’s condition as well as information about the material, measurements, and description of each article of clothing. Plus, if I had wanted to return any of the items, I would have received store credit for my returned purchases.
The only downside to thredUp is the “seller” aspect of this company. I warn you against selling your clothes to this site because I have read multiple complaints that this company will not give you a fair payout for your clothes, even if they are name brand pieces.
So go ahead and give thredUp a chance, especially if you’re a half-broke college student in search of cute clothes to add to your wardrobe. Just look carefully at each item’s description first and be sure to insert a promotion code! You can even email me the free $10 if you feel so inclined! :)
