In which I give Secondsies a try (and pretend to be a fashion blogger. Sort of.)
What's Secondsies?
Well, it's a little like Stitch Fix-meets-thrifting. Secondsies is a new company that goes thrift shopping for you.
You sign up, fill out a style and sizing profile, add money to your account, and the Secondsies stylists head out to scour the thrift stores for items that you might like.
When they find something for you, they text you a photo and price, and you give a thumbs up or thumbs down.
There's never any obligation to purchase the items they text you, although honestly, at first I felt a little nervous about saying no to so many items.
They're super nice about it, though, because they want to make sure that you get items that you actually will love and wear.
After a number of texting conversations back and forth, I ended up with a box of three items, which cost me a total of $30.
I know you don't just want to see clothes in a box, so even though I'm not a fashion blogger and am sort of dreadful at modeling, I had Joshua take some photos of me in the clothes.
This comfy Gap dress is up first.
I tried to be sort of serious.
But I can't keep that up for very long.
I think this next dress was probably meant for someone a little bit shorter than me, and I'm wondering if some leggings might help a bit. Or would that look weird? Should I embrace the short skirt thing?
Can you tell that I am not a fashionista?
The top looks a bit like a cropped style, but it's actually a blousy style.
The dress has a fun crossover back that we didn't manage to photograph, and I think it does fit right except for the length (or lack thereof. Ha.)
The third item from my box is this stripey tank top.
(Please see what I said above about being serious...)
It has some interesting back zipper detail, but the only problem with that is that the zipper bunches a bit, and I haven't decided how I feel about that.
Love the navy and white strpes, though!
Thus endeth the modeling part of the post. Phew.
Who would like Secondsies?
If you love thrifting on your own, then you probably don't need Secondsies.
But if you like the idea of thrift store shopping and/or buying secondhand, and you hate the actual process, I think you'd enjoy Secondsies.
Also, if you live in an area where the thrift scene is a little lacking, Secondsies would be a great way to build a secondhand wardrobe.
Can you return Secondsies items?
Secondsies' default option does not allow for returns, but if you pay an extra $10, you can return 3 items in your order.
I didn't pay for the return option, but in the future, I think I'd do it, just because it is so hard to tell whether something will fit properly by looking at a picture. And I think that's especially true when you're talking about adult clothing, which seems to have a more particular fit than children's clothing.
So, I'd recommend waiting until you have a somewhat large order with Secondsies, paying for the return option, and then having your items shipped to you. That way the return fee isn't a large percentage of what you're paying, and you'll have multiple items to try out.
How do I get started? Any sign-up bonuses?
Well, yes! Yes, there are. If you'd like to try Secondsies, click here to make an account and fill out a quick fashion profile.
As a special offer for Frugal Girl readers, Secondsies is offering a free $5 credit when you load your account with at least $20.
All you have to do is sign up through any links in this post, and your $5 credit will be added automatically.
If you have any questions or run into any problems, let me know, and I or my friends at Secondsies will help you out!
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Disclosure: I paid for all of my Secondsies items, and this post is not sponsored. It does contain affiliate links.
So many people out there with interesting ideas. I would have never thought to start a long distance thrift shopping business.
Wow this looks awesome. I will be giving it a shot once my No-Spend Summer is over. Thanks for sharing, including the cute pics! (I know what you mean. I've thought of doing a Daily Outfit post for years to show how you can dress chic on a tight budget, but just can't bring myself to do it!)
Those are some great finds! I think you pull off the short skirt very well! Looks very classy. 🙂
Can you specify that you're looking for certain brands while thrifting? I'm trying to go more towards higher quality pieces so my wardrobe won't have to be replaced as often.
I tend to prefer shopping in person; it's so hard to find clothes that fit me right and look good! I've also started sewing my own clothes, which has been quiiiiiiite the adventure. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it someday.
Yep, you can chat with your stylist and let them know specifically what you're looking for!
This seems expensive to me. $30 for three used pieces is pretty high, especially considering that you don't seem happy with two of them.
Oh yes, thrifting in person is definitely going to be cheaper, considering that you have no middleman and you don't have to pay shipping. But this is still far cheaper than buying new clothes (even at Kohl's, one dress is usually $30 or so), so if someone doesn't have the time or inclination to go to thrift stores, or doesn't have any decent thrift stores around, this could be a handy service.
I agree. too expensive. Around here you can get NEW clothing on clearance for cheaper than that. I recently got a top for $5 on clearance. And yard sale finds around here are generally from .50 - $2 for most clothing.
You are probably getting more expensive brands with Secondsies. In our area, we have thrift shops (cheap but they take any brand/style of clothing) and pricier second-hand clothing stores (higher-end used clothing--they only accept like-new clothing from "better" stores)--I think it boils down to what is important to you--quality clothing, brand of clothing, or price of clothing.
For what it's worth--I think leggings would look weird with dress #2. You have a slender figure and legs and can pull that look off with bare legs (enjoy it--no matter how hard I work out, I am "sturdy"). 🙂
Are they hiring? Because I would love to work as one of their shoppers, lol!
Seriously, though, I don't think that the return policy would work for me. That's a lot of risk, and you now have at least two items that you aren't completely sure about. For $10 each! Here's my thing. The short skirt thing is technically your fault, because you knew it was short when you bought it (and I actually think it works for you). The lumpy zipper, however, isn't your fault. It's not like you got it and decided the color didn't work for you, or that you didn't actually want a tank top. Their shopper picked out an item that was flawed. And then sold it to you. And the company policy is "oh well, you can't return it because you didn't pay an extra 10 buckaroos up front." ?!?!?!?!
Yay! Thanks for modeling 🙂 Now I want to figure out how I can go work for Secondsies, because I LOOOOOOVE thrifting and would love to do it for other people!
Did you try ironing the zipper? It probably won't smooth it out much, but it's worth a try. For the record, I would not have noticed it if you hadn't pointed it out.
the zipper is bumpy because the zipper tape didn't shrink as much as the garment fabric. Ironing might help but won't solve the problem. That is why as a seamstress I wash both fabric and notions before I start construction.
That wouldn't work for me. The thrill of the hunt is almost better than subsequently owning the bargain I found. But I have access to second-hand stores; if I didn't, I might be going for something like this. I have to agree with some others, though, that no returns without an upfront charge puts me off a bit.
I think those prices are very high for used clothing. I usually buy from Gap for example end of season clearance and don't pay too much more than that for brand new clothes, that I can return for free if they don't work. It's a neat idea but it seems cumbersome and not very frugal when you consider the waste of clothes sitting in your closet that you don't absolutely love.
Ooops! I meant to add that you do look really adorable in your selections 🙂
Thank you!
Looks kinda like a chancy thing. The times are mostly what you want, but two have issues.I'd probably just go replenish my wardrobe at local consignment stores every once in a while vs. doing this by mail. We do have nice shops here, reasonable prices, and I don't need all that much. I like to see and feel and try on clothes before purchasing. I do love that first dress! But the other two items don't really seem like a good fit for what you really want ...
The return policies make this a no-go for me.
The so-called too short skirt looks good on you. It comes down to your comfort level, in the end. If you do get leggings, try something in an absolutely wild color or even a wild pattern. My nibling's girlfriend is a LuLaRoe seller - take a look at those patterns for ideas.
I love the "too short" skirt. It is summer so shorter is ok to me. You could put a thicker lace or line of fabric around the bottom if you would like it longer. I don't know what it is called but a lot of the boutiques in my area have basic pieces with that thick neat looking crochet type lace around the bottom or the sleeves. Just a thought.
You are adorable and look great in everything. I'm not comfy in short skirts either, but you rock this one. It might be a good casual date night outfit.
Heh, Mr. FG said yes to the second dress. Because of COURSE. 😉 And I did wear it on a date night.
Kristen, you are rockin' that second dress! It looks amazing on you!
I agree with some other commenters that yes, while this may be pricier than just thrift shopping yourself, it's helpful for people who may not live in a location with good stores or have the time and energy to devote to scouring clothes racks. And personally I would rather pay $10 to buy a nice-quality item secondhand rather than something new at a store like Target or Old Navy. It will probably last longer and you're giving something a new life. The concept is really intriguing - off to check out Secondsies!
What a great idea! I love thrifting for all the obvious reasons, but I have no time to put in the work. Seems like it would be tough to make a profit. But I'm willing to give it a go.
my mom is the creator!