Sunday, August 15, 2010

ReFrock - Designer Clothing Sale



















On the topic of sustainable fashion, recycling and upcycling I recently participated in Refrock.

Have you heard of it?  

I hadn't... until my friend mentioned she was selling her clothes at them. 

It's basically a market type set up where people set-up a stall to sell their designer clothes. What a great idea right! I am please to announce that I sold a total of $400 worth of unloved and unwanted designer wear.  

Refrock is a great venue to sell garments that you happily want to get rid of.  Try not to sell anything you for more than $100.00 for as people only bring cash and they will always haggle you down.  For those amazing garments you want well over $100.00 for Ebay will be a better avenue. 

Just to give you and idea of my pricing I sold shoes for $10, jackets for $50, shirts/blouses anywhere between 10 - $30, dresses for anywhere between $20 -$60.  This time I will look at bringing along my more expensive items.

I also found that I priced a few garments higher the ones I wasn't quite ready to let go of.  If they sold they sold; and if I didn't I didn't care. Cause I secret still wanted to keep them; they were still garments that came out of my wardrobe and had a little spin from time to time.

The way I decided to cost my garments were on a keeping two things in mind.  What my cost per wear has been and what it would cost me to replace this garment again. On garments I had no desire to replace I sold extremely cheap and on the others that I knew I would need to replace with a newer fresher option I sold a little higher, still keeping in mind that I had loved and worn the garment so well I didn't have the stomach to give it another season to sit wastefully in my wardrobe.

Make sure you don't price your garments too cheap as you will get haggled.  People will find flaws to talk about. I had one lady complain to me about the smell of my jacket and that she would have to dry clean it.  It was vintage so it had a naturally funky vintage smell. As I had priced it quite reasonably I wasn't willing to haggle and basically told her that I still wore the jacket and if it didn't sell for that price on the jacket, I wouldn't sell it as I still loved it.  She spent a good 10 minutes complaining and haggling with me and eventually she got $10.00 off as I really just wanted her to leave.  Watch out for old ladies!! They are good!!! Maybe even price point things $10 dearer so you can knock that off to sweeten the deal.  A lot of people will ask for money off if they are buying more than one garment too.

Make sure you also don't price them too expensive especially if you really want it to go.  Just remember if you sell it it going to a good home, where someone is going to love it as much as you once did. I have to keep telling myself this with every transaction as the urge to re-neg is quite strong. 

Needless to say I was very impressed with the money I made on garments which were taking up way too much room in my wardrobe.  Most garments I sold were definitely ones that would make much on Ebay and would have turn out to be more hassle than there sale value.  Refrock is the perfect avenue to off-load in one day.  

You will require the following items for this event;
1.)  A float 
      We had a $400 float to give people change. Made up of mainly $5, $10 notes.

2.) A portable rack or two.
     Depending on how many garments you want to sell.

3.) A friend to do it with
     Friends are great for toilet breaks, discussing what discount to offer, 
     even just to help with the whole set up and back up.

4.) Cardboard, pens and paper
     For signage and swing tags.

5.) Food and Water
      While there was coffee available little snacks like cookies 
      are a great way to keep up your stamina.

6.) Clothes
      Most importantly go through you wardrobe a few nights before the event check them over for any spills that you might be able to get out before the event and go through and price them up.  (I was a little dissorganised and was stappling price tags to my garments as people were shopping.  I think a few people got an especially good bargain.)

The last Refrock held on the 15th of August (which so happened to be my very first) had an extremely disappointing turn out. So I was told by many other booth holders. The previous month was so phenomenally busy that you pretty much had to buy as soon as you saw something you liked or it was scooped up by the next person. You also had to fight the crowd just to walk through the venue. This time it was described to be like a ghost town which was due to the organizers moving the date and not re advertising the new one.  This time they have  promised to advertise better, which in turn should draw a bigger crowd. I can't wait! 

I did also find it really hard to not buy a few things for myself. I ended spending $100.00 and purchased 3 amazingly beauitful hats from a lady who calls herself GoGirl. 
Look out for her stall at the next Refrock.  She has so many beautiful vintage pieces from opera gown to crocodile clutches.  If I had more money I think I would have pruchased her entire stall.  but the ojbject was really to make money and not spend it.

Check out my cute purchases below!!

The next...
REFROCK
Sunday the 12th of September.  
10am-2pm 
at the Windsor Table Tennis Hall, 
86 Green Terrace, Windsor 

Admission only $5


Aren't my hats adorable!!  The first I call my Yogi Bear Hat.  It makes me smile everytime I look at it.  Today I tried wearing it to uni but felt like my outfit looked like I was wearing fancy dress.  Need to figure out what to team with it...



Yogi Bear Hat



Vintage choclate velvet bow fascinator




Addoreable 1950's hat!! 
I just need a race day to attend and I will be all sorted.

The find out more about Refrock go to their website.
www.refrock.com.au

So... there are plenty of avenues for all of us to contribute in our small way to being sustainable It doesn't just have to be buying organic cotton shirts or designing biodegradable clothing but perhaps smaller things can make a difference; like buying secondhand garments or holding a stall  at Refrock.  Not only will you find great things to buy at a fraction of there retail value you will also be helping to minimise landfill.  (although I would have to say none of the clothes at Refrock will end up there! Way too beautiful to be tossed!!!) LOL!!!

Make sure when you attend the next Refrock bring a bag! 

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