I was recently introduced to the online thrift shop ThredUp. Studies have shown that often ordering online is more environmentally friendly since the shipping companies use efficient routes, whereas an individual ends up using more fuel per item when on shopping trips. This is why it’s important to combine as many trips into one as possible. This will also save you time and money! Be aware that the environmental benefits of online shopping don’t exist if you’re requesting a faster shipping time, impulse buying, or are still making your normal amount of trips to brick and mortar stores. The point is to change habits, not just add new ones!
My favorite part about ThredUp is the goody box; it includes 10 items that they pull directly from items you favorite on their site or they can be chosen by a personal stylist. You put down a $10 deposit that is put towards items you keep; if you don’t keep anything, you’ll lose that money. There are no hassle returns and the box comes with a prepaid shipping label. Just send back the items you don’t want within 7 days, or else get charged for everything! This service also cuts out time and gas spent on visiting brick and mortar stores, allows me to try on clothes in a no pressure comfortable place, and gives me more time to mull over whether I want to purchase an item.
I feel I’ve gone a bit overboard with my spending on clothes recently so I’m going to reinstate a ban. No clothing purchases until 2020! But before the ban is activated I had store credit to spend on ThredUp. Here are the items from my last goody box order; photos feature my adorable kitten Winnie.
I decided to keep this dress from Mango; it fits well, is in great condition, and I love stripes! It’s also versatile depending on how it’s styled; throw a large sweater on over top or throw on some fancy shoes and stockings to dress it up a bit.
I decided against this dress from H&M mainly because it doesn’t fit my style. I also feel like I’m wearing an oversized doll dress. I gotta say the pockets almost had me sold though!
I kept this turtleneck sweater from Mango, I’d been looking for a black turtleneck and was so glad they sent me one I favorited. The skirt from Boden while it fit nicely wasn’t really my style so I sent it back.
This dress shirt from M&S feels great and is in excellent condition. As mentioned before, I’m a sucker for stripes. I also don’t have any long sleeve dress shirts so it would be useful in my wardrobe.
The decision on this H&M dress shirt was a tough one! The fabric is so lightweight and soft it has that smooth as butter feeling people talk about. I ultimately decided to send it back because I feel the tie in the middle is awkward (so is my face in this pic).
This cardigan from Bebe is so beautiful, it has a unique style, but is still subtle. When choosing clothing I want things that are likely to last, so I don’t follow trends or choose clothing that is too loud. The longer you hold onto items the less their environmental impact is.
Even though I love stripes, I sent this dress from French Connection back; I already have enough spring/summer dresses in my closet. I practice minimalism so just another warm weather dress is impractical.
This dress from Silence and Noise was an instant no as there was no way the dress would fall on my body where my bra wasn’t out. Since the dress falls low and the fabric is too thin to go braless without getting unwanted stares, I sent it back.
This red skirt from Mango was something I was looking for…just because it was red. I have like zero red in my closet. I wasn’t sure if there was anything I already had that would go with it so I pulled out this embroidered top. This is another great thing about shopping at home; you can actually try on the outfits instead of just imagining them in your head. Can you spot Winnie in this one?
Even though ThredUp has a great mission of saving clothes from going to landfill and offering affordable clothes to their customers; they’re still a business. So watch out for some of their tricks! If you keep $75 or more from a goody box, they will give you a $10 credit to entice you to spend even more. They also will offer free shipping after so many purchases. If you make regular orders (not a goody box), returns on those items have a reshelving fee and you have to make your own label if you want it to go back to your credit card.
Remember that the option not to buy is out there and should always be in the back of one’s mind. Do your part in helping our environment and reduce the amount you buy first. Reusing other people’s throw aways is the next best option!