As a Gen-Xer, I hold fond memories of shopping for clothes and hanging with friends all while strolling through Southdale Mall. We Minnesotans can boast about having the first indoor mall of the nation, enabling consumers to avoid inclement weather as they fraternized shops under one roof.
Decades later, millennials have recreated the shopping experience, shuttering store fronts and obliterating malls by shifting the trend to online shopping instead. Oh how the cranky side of me resisted this! What can I say? I’m a proud mall rat. Plain and simple.
I’ve complained and whined on more than one occasion that the online shopper can receive meals, meds, and more in a box. A box! Those memories of coming home with multiple bags pixelate into the past as parcels with a smile replace them. I vowed I would never, ever partake, save a book or two from Amazon.
Now, here we are, 2019, and most of my clothes come from nearby thrift or consignment stores. I firmly believe in green revolution: I don’t need brand new when a local thrift store sells precisely what I need at a fraction of the cost.
According to Savers Thrift Superstore website, “Every year, North Americans send 12 million tons of textiles into the landfills. 95% of which could be reused or recycled.” See? And what’s more, I’m keeping my local employees on a payroll or volunteers brimming with activity.
So, while scrolling through Facebook, I came upon a website called ThredUp. It highlights clothes, handbags, and jewelry as consignment items, made available to consumers with a simple click of a mouse. ThredUp offers something called Goody Boxes; consumers fill out a form that asks for size, color, and style preferences. And guess what, each month, ThredUp sends consumers 10 items, neatly folded and wrapped in their branded polka dot paper, inside a…. box. The down payment is 10 dollars: buy the items you want to keep, send back what you don’t want, using a prepaid shipping label.
What’s that saying? If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?
On a recent weeknight, I pulled in the Goody Box from the autumn rain. Even though it was damp, the box looked cute and perky, ready to wow me with the contents inside. Even I, the mall rat, got a little swept away.
I opened the box and marveled at the beautiful polka-dot wrap and carefully folded clothes. I pulled out each item, noting its color and style. The company sent me many items I’ve NEVER considered trying on. I tend to favor classic, simple styles, and the clothes I received were exactly that. But the comfort and sleek look of some of the jeans were surprises I wasn’t expecting.
I tried on everything: my little fashion show barely gets the attention of my screen-loving family. I had a ball doing it anyway!
I decide to keep about half of the items based on look, feel, and style. Women of all walks of life know the trick of lying down to get the zipper up and snap fastened, right? Thanks to home delivery, I stretched out on my own bed as I wrestled (ever-so-gently) with pulling on the jeans.
I’m keeping two pairs of pants, as they are a dream come true in size and comfort. I’m also keeping a lovely tan jacket that will grace any upper side of casual outfit, making me college classroom ready.
I am sending back two sweaters that didn’t fit nor feel right, and I’ll return a zip up blouse that failed to hide the muffin-top middle I’ve acquired. Another benefit of shopping at home: I’m honest with myself with the options I have, and no high-pressure sales that will dampen my decision-making.
Another thing I enjoyed about this experience is the “voice” of ThredUp. It is fun, positive, and welcoming. For example, when the shipment landed at my doorstep, the company sent an enthusiastic email, alerting me that my Goody Box had arrived. The writer offered tips, suggesting that I play around with the outfits, leave feedback on the clothes for future selections, and send back anything I wasn’t keeping.
Look, I still don’t want malls to close, because they serve an important service to our communities in large and small ways. But, I’m not gonna lie: My ThredUp experience provided proof that I should “mox the box” more often. And the best part is that I’m a part of the green revolution by purchasing consignment clothing.
Even if you’re a mall enthusiast like me, you oughta give ThredUp a try. You might just discover a new brand or style while in the comfort of your own home. Hard to beat that!