Are you ready to contribute to a circular fashion economy? Great! Here are VIDA STYLE’s best practices for being successful at selling your clothes with the help of a consignment shop in Alexandria, VA.

1. Go through your closet and select the best items! What is meant by the best? Think clean, gently used, like-new pieces that are “different & delightful.” By using that lens to go through your closet, consider those pieces that make your heart flutter or recall a piece that got you a lot of compliments. Note: Customers like designer and high-end (of course!), but they also love WELL-MADE, quality clothing that is unique.

True story: Our shop received a gorgeous, well-made and unique jacket from a relatively unheard of designer in New Orleans. We posted the jacket on our Instagram account and the coat sold in 5 minutes. That is the power of a “different and delightful” quality piece.

2. Staff will go through your items and select the best pieces that they know will sell well. All consignment shops like nicely folded, clean clothing & shoes, and accessories that are typically delivered in bags.

3. Staff will research and price your items, based on style, brand, and demand.

4. You will sign an agreement with the shop. This is just a formal step that spells out the arrangements you’ve made with the store, from price to the duration of your consignment, to what happens when your clothes sell and what happens after the selling period ends.

4. Staff will provide you with a list of your items. Depending on how busy a store can be, the processing step can take anywhere between 1 - 14 business days. Rest assured every shop wants to get a consignor’s clothes on the floor as soon as possible. But, please be patient.

6. Most consignment shops will give you access to a portal you can log into to track your sales and balance.

Before consigning your clothes, there are a few things you should keep in mind: Choose quality over quantity: It's better to bring in a smaller number of higher-quality items than a large number of lower-quality items. Consignment shops are looking for gently worn, brand-name clothing, and on-trend. Some vintage pieces are welcome!

Be flexible on price: If the consignment store staff prices an item lower than your expectation, consider that they use a price that they know from experience will “move” the item. Remember that you're more likely to sell an item if it's priced competitively. Be patient: Your items can take weeks or even months to sell, so don't expect to get rich quickly. Consignment shops are a great way to make extra money, but they're not a get-rich-quick scheme. Selling your clothes at a consignment store is a great way to give your clothes a second life. It helps to understand the consignment process before bringing in your items, so check with each consignment store on their process, as it will vary from shop to shop.