Janet J.

Bought several hundreds of dollars of clothes here a year and a half or so ago. Probably in four or five separate orders. I wanted to like this store so badly! A great online consignment store! A dream come true.

Unfortunately, you know how friends always remind you of why you and your ex broke up when he's texting you and calling you late and telling you how he's watching tv and looking at the models and, maybe it's just him, but you are more beautiful than almost all of them... and, God, he really wants to give it another try -- whatever you want, he'll do. He'll change his hair, his clothes, his house, his car, his entire personality if you just give him one more chance -- one more teeny weeny little chance. And then, if you've got good friends they start reminding you of all the things you fought about. And, if it were just one or two issues, well, maybe you'd try it again, but you start thinking about how impossible it was to agree about ANYTHING, and so you sadly turn him down.

Well, these clothes are here because there is a reason that someone else had to break up with them :) They look so good online, and they even look good in the box, and at least half the time, they look good the first time you put them on. But... you can tell yourself that the former owner just grew out of them although you'll have a hard time believing it after a while. LOL. Some of the clothing even appeared to be taken back a couple times before they were well and truly through. And those clothes shouldn't be at an upscale consignment store, they should be at6 Good will. I'm talking about a pilled sweater that hangs oddly because someone has pulled at it so long. Even with a brand name, you should never get pilled sweaters with uneven droopy hems for $40. I wear it to clean house in when it's cold. Many of the clothes are like that. They've been loved, or someone tried so hard to love them, but... they hung oddly off the body or the fit was weird. I mean I purchased a dress for a funeral and it was perfect. It looked like it hadn't been worn at all it was in such good shape. And... I suspect that it really had never been worn. Because it fit in the hips, in the waist, and then I was completely unable to to zip if over my chest. Now, believe me when I tell you that if the dress fits my hips and waist, it should darn well fit over my chest. I suspect the former owner felt the same way. Just thought it cool to have a dress that was actually too small in the bust and hung onto it until it was too late to return it.

I didn't do that. It's just a waste of money to pay to return it if you've decided you're not shopping there anymore, because they only let you have store credit back. Yep. And I could go on. Like about the yellow summer dress they sent to me with a broken zipper, It was from Banana Republic or The Limited or something and by the time I got the zipper replaced I could have bought a new dress. Or the gorgeous red Guess sweater dress I got that cost $20 more than the gorgeous black Guess sweater dress I bought new at Macy's. Or the silk overalls I LOVED that, for the life of me, just would never hang right. Or the black spaghetti strapped evening gown that was designed beautifully, fit beautifully, but is made of some kind of nylon parachute-like material. Not silk-parachute material mind you, a stiff, nylon type material that pretty much stands up on its own. NOT a good look for an evening gown. I'll never wear it.

Oh yeah, and the size medium gray Banana Republic sweater that was a little pricey for second hand Banana Republic (that's another thing -- the relatively high pricing of not-designer names. You could throw another $10 in and buy a lot of the stuff new. And that is my suggestion, Because my pricey, dry clean only sweater had clearly gone through the dryer at some point and the only medium it would fit is a medium sized 8-10 year old girl, So, great idea. And I did get one dress I absolutely love. It cost three figures, but it is lovely. And I have a lovely pair of reasonably priced clothes. Those are the only items out of about 5 orders, approximately $750-$800 and 15-20 pieces I received that I would actually buy again.

I would simply suggest that if this store is not to be crushed by a consignment store that takes its customers and merchandise a bit more seriously, it do a few things differently, First off, get the heck out of San Francisco! I grew up people watching in San Francisco cause everyone dressed so beautifully, even just going to work. Not anymore, Yuck. San Francisco is NOT a style mecca any longer. I realize you get a lot of your goods from people around the country and not just from The City, still you buy a lot of your own merchandize, and, like everything else you're paying $25 more than you would for the same, the exact same brand name and style in Sacramento. Plus, the overhead must be killing you! Maybe you think that San Francisco's name still holds some cachet, and maybe it does elsewhere, but not anywhere in California I've been. And I've been everywhere in California. Even Yuba & Crescent City girls are wearing H&M they bought online -- for less than you charge for H&M products -- at least those I saw. So, move to Oakland and cut your overhead by 50 percent. That will allow you to charge what used clothes should be charged, and, for god's sake! Check the clothes! Paying to get a dress with the zipper broken should never happen in an elegant consignment store, And finally, it'd be helpful if staff could try the clothes on to make sure they are not cut oddly or hang weirdly. Those are my sincere suggestions. Cause I've started shopping Revolve, which is pricey --although NOT that much more pricey than you are, considering they sell new clothes, and I am thrilled with everything I've gotten there.

I'd offer however much you had to in order to hire away their marketing director because he/she is the BOMB. And I'd like to get some stylish used clothes for a decent price at some point since you all are wiping thrift stores out of all their good stuff! So good luck with all that, Seriously, there is a need for your services out there -- girls starting their careers, going to grad school and working, single moms looking for a state job -- if you could follow through on your original vision? I'd be back in a flash (although now that I'm addicted to Revolve, my wallet would take a double hit!)