Impulse buys and the quest for a put-together style
My style may have evolved over the years—not that I really have one—but impulse buys remain a constant. Most recently, I fell for a pair of pleather pants. Their olive-green smoothness drew me in as I imagined wearing them while drinking espresso martinis with my friends on a Friday night. When they arrived a few days later, I felt the surge of dopamine hit. And they fit perfectly.
I never wore them. (Espresso martini nights with my girlfriends are few and far between.)
Refreshing your wardrobe on a budget with consignment finds
I guess I’m never ready to give up on my idea of looking more put together. Despite the fact that I reach for athletic leisure wear more often than not, I’m always on a quest to revamp my style on a budget. Like many, I yearn to refresh my wardrobe with every change of season. Fortunately for my bank account—and my humble closet of hopes and dreams—I’ve discovered the abundance of the Comox Valley consignment scene.
Consignment stores offer something for everyone. And because the stock is always changing, your style options are unlimited on any given day. Any consignment store crawl requires creative vision and flexibility. You may head out in search of something specific, but you must be ready to grab something compelling that’s completely different from what you actually need.
How a consignment shopping day turned into a style discovery
The day I headed out to turn those pleather pants into something more sensible, I had them folded on my front seat, like a GPS guiding me to each location.
On the hunt for winter pieces—something trendy, yet practical—I marched towards Selkie Sisters at the bottom of 6th Street. Soon I was swimming in potential, and the sounds of the store faded away as I flicked through racks of garments. I found linen pants and a long-sleeved top that will be perfect for a warm-weather trip I’m about to take. At consignment store prices, I can afford to shop outside my intended list.
Finding the perfect consignment jacket and the thrill of discovery
At Isla Consignment on Cliffe, my pants found their new temporary home. I envisioned them bringing joy to the next person who buys them—hopefully, someone with a better sense of style than me! A more winter-friendly piece caught my eye in the window: a quilted jacket, cute, yet functional for cool days. The decision was easy. The baby-blue jacket was heading home with me.
I met my mom for coffee, and then she and I headed into Sweet Salvage on 5th Street, undeterred by our completely different styles. A range of colours and fabric types popped out at us, while different textures slipped luxuriously beneath our fingertips. My mom found a cozy sweater, a practical purchase, and I couldn’t help but to be drawn to a beautiful cream-coloured trench coat. Très chic! Suddenly, there was an irresistibly sophisticated version of myself in the mirror. (“Add to cart” can induce even more dopamine when performed in person).
The sustainable cycle of fashion and the joy of consignment shopping
Some call it consumerism, but I call a good consignment crawl part of the life cycle of cyclical fashion. After all, we shoppers give each piece of clothing a new life. I may have not lived up to the pleather pants, but someone out there will.
I know my closet will always have several pieces that are wins, along with a few that just aren’t for me and that will eventually end up back on a consignment rack. In the meantime, it sure is fun thinking about wearing them.
Each piece isn’t only clothing; it represents who you want to become and how you want to be perceived. Or maybe it just looks darn cute—regardless of whether you wear it or not.
Be part of the circular economy and look good while doing it! Upcycle your style at Comox Valley consignment stores. All the fashions mentioned here came from the seven fabulous consignment retailers listed below:
Isla Consignment · Courtenay
Repeat Boutique · Courtenay
Selkie Sisters · Courtenay
Sweet Salvage · Comox & Courtenay
VV Boutique · Courtenay
West & Co · Cumberland
Wolf Shed · Comox
