Why I Started Shopping Pre-Loved

The first designer item I begged my mother for was the Louis Vuitton Monogram Luck It Bracelet.

I was 15 at the time, scrolling down my dashboard when I came across the Luck It bracelet for the first time. I didn't regularly wear any jewelry, so I thought it'd be a cute bracelet to wear every day, and it would make me feel a little more "grown-up" at my internship. My mother complained it was too feminine, and as a compromise, she got me the Sign It bracelet for my 16th birthday. I wore it to school daily until I noticed a scratch on the ID plate and thought it'd be better to save it for special outfits and occasions. Eight years later, it still rests in the drawer of my jewelry box.

This bracelet was the first luxury good in my possession, aside from several pairs of Ray-Ban sunglasses I'd gotten throughout the years. I'm sure it was the most expensive thing in my wardrobe at the time.

I had never thought of luxury goods as something I could personally possess; they were to be admired on celebrities, models, and storefronts. The idea of saving a thousand dollars to walk into Louis Vuitton or Celine hadn't even crossed my mind in 2014, so discovering there were online stores that sold pre-loved luxury goods was magical. I was amazed to find the new-to-me market that is "Luxury Resale."

There are several reasons why I choose to shop through these online retailers instead of auction websites.

1. Authenticity: Most pre-loved retailers maintain a 100% authenticity guarantee or your money back. We live in the age of superfakes, so there is a slim possibility of receiving a counterfeit item.

2. Secure Transactions: While sites like Mercari, Poshmark, and Depop are great auction and listing websites, the idea of receiving a chocolate bar or being subject to a shipping scam and interacting with not-so-helpful customer service does not inspire me to purchase big-ticket items through these websites any longer.

3. Condition Standards: Alongside pictures of your potential purchase, many retailers will have a grading system for their pieces. Sometimes they start at "Giftable," meaning the item is in pristine condition with all packaging and retail tags, and go all the way down to "Poor" or "Flawed," denoting heavy wear and tear.

4. Out-of-Production Styles: I'm not one to need the season's newest bag or accessory, but there are times when I've caved (*cough* monogram mirror pocket organizer *cough). That being said, I like having bags that satiate some of today's current trends while incorporating older references and styles. Resale websites are a goldmine for finding older styles in excellent condition. My best examples of this are my Monogram Idylle Neverfull MM from 2012 and beloved Speedy 18 from 1988.

5. Savings: Depending on the condition you're willing to buy, you can often save 25-60% (sometimes more) off your selected style. Your savings will vary between styles and brands relative to current trends and popularity. The brands that typically hold or increase in value are Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermés.

   Below are my two favorite pre-loved resale websites to shop

   Fashionphile.com* - Mostly preloved + new items on resale (USA based)

   Pros: Wide selection of OOP styles; Very good condition; Excellent photos; Tiered salesCons: Higher prices; High benchmark for sales

   TheRealReal.com - Majorly preloved, a good place to look for preloved ready to wear (USA Based)

   Pros: SO MUCH ready-to-wear; lots of sales, coupons, and discounts; Cons: Photos aren't the best; Variable condition

Louis Vuitton Luck It Bracelet via Fashionphile

Louis Vuitton Sign It Bracelet via Fashionphile