7 Tastemakers On Why They Sell With The RealReal

Words by Jody Hume | 1.21.21

Most of us have sought out the thrill of buying something we’re obsessed with. But there’s a much more underrated frisson in fashion: the rush of letting something go. Maybe it’s the resulting closet space (paging people in tiny apartments!). Or knowing there’s a payout coming your way (cue said thrill of buying your latest obsession). It could be the purge of painful memories or pieces that are just not you anymore. Beyond that, selling unwanted pieces can bring the comfort of knowing that even though you’re done with something special, someone else will get the chance to love it as much as you once did. It’s the promise of sartorial freedom without the guilt — the chance to play the fashion field instead of settling down forever. Plus, we all know it’s better for the planet to resell rather than landfill. The truth is, there are as many reasons to sell as there are closets and the people who curate them. Here, we asked seven in-the-know sellers from stylists to podcasters to let us into theirs and spill all the reasons they sell with TRR. Get ready, you’re going to want to book an appointment ASAP.

 

For Accessories Director Julia Gall, Selling is the Greenest Way to Shop

 

Marie Claire Accessories Director Julia Gall wears a striped sweater, neck scarf and watch

 

“As an editor, you see so many designers and things and seasons. It gets to be a little overwhelming. There’s something about it that always makes me feel like you can’t just shop for a season or ‘this is of-the-moment so I need to have this thing right now.’ You should always be shopping for what kind of woman you are, what kind of person you want to be. And consigning is an amazing way to do that because you’re not committing to the idea of buying something that, okay it’s full price, I’m putting a huge investment in there. Consigning is the greenest way you can shop fashion for sure.”

 

Podcaster James Harris Can Only Sit on So Much Heat

 

Podcaster James Harris wears a graphic sweater seated on a couch

 

The more you can share with the rest of the world, the more you give, the more you get, right? Just because an item isn’t for me, it doesn’t mean that it’s dead and gone. I mean, obviously it has a second life, third life, fourth life. If it doesn’t work out with my current aesthetic or the other stuff that’s in heavy rotation, I know that it’s time to go. And if it’s something that the homies don’t want, then I know that maybe I can get some cold, hard cash out of it.”

 

Stylist Beverly Nguyen Sells Because Garments Should be Shared

 

Stylist Beverly Nguyen wears pearl earrings, a gold necklace and rings

 

“I sell because having worked in fashion and grown up shopping vintage and deals and flea markets, and also working with samples and reselling clothes, it’s just sort of always been part of my life. It’s very natural to me. I’m constantly working with clothes that are being shared with tons of people and the lifespan of a garment can go a really long way. So it’s super important for me to practice those behaviors in my personal life. I think about The RealReal almost every day, and I think it’s actually a really healthy practice — it’s recycling and reusing and reducing our carbon footprint so that we’re shopping in a healthy way and not in a fast fashion way.”

 

For Stylist Ian Bradley, Selling is the Circle of Life

 

Stylist Ian Bradley holds up a grey tote bag

 

“I sell because I want clothes to have a new life.  I will go like, ‘Wow, I got rid of so much stuff. I can get one crazy good thing.’ And I put it back into the consigning circle. I’m very into vintage. So, usually when I do a big selloff, I will go to the sites and pieces I’ve been eyeing, and then I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ve sold this much. I can invest that into one of those vintage pieces. It’s the circle of life.’”

 

Fashion Blogger Summer Albarcha Loves Giving Pieces a Second Life

 

Fashion Blogger Summer Albarcha wears a scarf and long sleeved shirt, holding up a brown Chloé bag

 

“I think consigning is good for the planet because it gives pieces a second life and allows someone else to give that piece just as much as love as you did. I sell at The RealReal because there’s such a diverse community of clients and products.

 

Designer Mateo Berry Sells to Refresh His Closet

 

Designer Mateo Berry wears a hoodie and beanie holding up a sneaker with tags

 

“Sometimes I get bored with certain pieces. Maybe it’s a piece that’s just been sitting there, and I’m like, ‘You know what? Someone will wear this.’ If it’s going to sit in my closet, I can at least sell it and pass it on, and I can use that money for something else. When I get that money, nine times out of 10, I have this thought process where it’s like, if I’m going to get rid of something, I want to be able to replace it with something new in my closet.”

 

Fashion Blogger Sonia Lovett Wants Her Energy to Move Forward

 

Fashion Blogger Sonia Lovett wears a sheer leopard-print blouse seated in her closet

 

I think that our things have our personal energy in them. I can’t just get rid of stuff to somebody that wouldn’t appreciate it. It’s been living in my space. It has my energy. I want somebody that’s going to appreciate, love it, care for it, nurture it to take over for me. Because as I say, for me it’s not disposable. I want my things to be appreciated by somebody that can really do something with what I have already done my best with.”

 

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