Despite popular belief, even editors can succumb to one of the most common closet mistakes: lack of discernment. Though our jobs are about being able to sift through everything to find the best staples to add to our (and our dear readers) closets, it can, at times, be overwhelming. After all, we live to find things, so sometimes we go a little overboard—whether that means investing in far too many trends, not shopping as wisely as we can, or owning multiple versions of the same piece because they’re slightly “different.” Of course, this problem doesn’t solely plague editors; anyone can reach a point where they wake up one day, stare at their overstuffed closet, and profess, I have nothing to wear.
In those moments, it’s more important than ever to not only do a closet clean-out but also have an internal check-in about your shopping habits. Deciding to ditch that once-viral trend after wearing it once for TikTok may seem harmless, but textile waste (and production) is one of the second biggest polluters in the world. The average American throws away 81.5 pounds of clothes yearly, and while you may be thinking, No, I donate it, what many don’t know is that most clothing that’s “donated” ends up being exported to impoverished countries where they’ll eventually be left in landfills and impact local agriculture and water supplies for those communities.
All of this is to say that it’s imperative to do everything we possibly can as consumers to shift to a circular economy, and the easiest way to do just that is through the secondhand resale market. We know that there are so many benefits to shopping secondhand, but reselling can feel a bit more challenging for many. So to make that process more accessible, we spoke with three experts from some of the biggest luxury resell platforms to have them share their wisdom.
Ahead, you’ll hear from them about how they got into the luxury resale industry, why it’s imperative to shop (and sell) clothing secondhand, and what pieces you should be parting with and purchasing right now.