Declutter & Consign with Covet Boston

Spring has sprung and it feels so good! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming. It’s the perfect time to start spring cleaning your home, garage, yard and yes…the closet too. It may seem a bit daunting at first but I am sure you can all agree with me, that it feels so refreshing. Decluttering can also be rewarding too because you can make $$$$ for that much deserved spring break vacay you’ve been thinking about.

Last weekend I found a chic way to go green. I was invited by Covet Boston to have a look around their adorable store. Covet Boston is a consignment store located in South Boston. It is a perfect way to consign your clothing and be environmentally responsible, while making room in your closet for more fabulous finds!

Did you know the average American throws out about 82 pounds of textile waste per year? That’s 11 million tons of waste produced every year by just the United States alone. People worldwide now consumes about 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year. Sadly, the average consumer prefers shopping new, versus consigned items.

Consignment stores like Covet Boston are trying to change that mindset. When you consign your pre-owned items, like this Self Portrait dress I am wearing below, you give someone (me) the opportunity to love it as well. In turn, this helps reduce your carbon footprint and puts some extra $$$$ in your wallet.

Here are 4  Questions to ask yourself when deciding to part with items in your closet:

  1. Does it fit? If it’s too small or doesn’t seem like it’ll fit again, kiss it goodbye.
  2. Is it your style? Trends seem to shift so fast these days, it seems we have closets full of last season trendy clothes that we do not wear anymore. If you are not wearing it, let it go.
  3. Worn or used it in the last year? Research shows, that most of us use only 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. If you have clothing that still has tags on it and you have not worn it in the last year, chances are you never will. So its safe to say “Let it go”.
  4. Does it have brand power? Top brands can earn you some extra cash. Here is a list of brand names at Covet that will get you a competitive 60% of the final selling price.

Do you shop at consignment stores? What do you do with clothing you no longer wear?  Looking forward to reading your comments.

Let’s Get Consigning!

Photo Credit:  Andrew Swaine

Ladies, please let me know if you have any fashion questions, tips, fave brands, or style that you would like to share or have me feature on my blog!

Working It!

It’s hot then it’s cold. Temps are down then it’s up. Nothing flip-flops more than the weather this time of year. The key to surviving the work week during this awkward transitional period is through light layering. My favorite layering combination right now has to be lightweight pants or jeans with a blazer. If the right fabrics are combined it makes for a very chic look.

I like to pair a heavier fabric with a simple t-shirt and a pair of heels.

For a more casual take, I love styling my suit with a graphic or plain white tee and sneakers. This really modernizes the classic pantsuit and still looks polished.

A blazer can drastically dress up jeans and a t-shirt, totally transforming the outfit. Add some heels and a fun clutch for a casual Friday look. Or you can mix and match by dressing up your distressed jeans with a blazer, and some cute booties for a weekend look.

What are your transitional go to favorites this time of year?

Photo Credit:  Andrew Swaine

Animal Instinct

It’s a zoo out there! From leopard and snake prints to zebra and tiger stripes, it seems like all the trendsetters are going wild over animal prints. Why? Because it is the secret wardrobe weapon that adds easy drama and glamour to almost any outfit.

To be honest I was not always a fan of animal print. I thought it was too loud and felt intimidated trying to tame animal prints. However, my mom is a bit of an animal print addict. She always makes it look so chic and effortless. So, I got some styling tips from her. Mom told me to start small and “Experiment until you find what works for you, there’s really no wrong way to wear animal print”. Experiment I did and found the winning combo for me.

I’ve learned that a little bit of animal print can go a long way. The simpler and more monochromatic the rest of your look, the more the touch of print will pop. Accessorize with a narrow belt to draw attention to your waist, or maybe a scarf to draw the eye up toward your face or my current favorite a pair of animal print booties that adds just the right amount of ferociousness to an outfit.

Scroll through the ensembles I’ve created and let me know how you like to pay tribute to this trend.

Photo Credit: Andrew Swaine