cheap vintage – Little Eye Designs

The Ultimate Stockpilers: SWAP Maine.

Ok, ok. I go through these cycles where I stockpile then liquidate. Until very recently I was in stockpile mode… here are some details about the ebb and flow of stockpile and liquidate. Does it sound familiar to you? Creative people are crazy.

Stockpile.

I go in to stockpile mode when I’m well in funds, successful in business (2 Etsy sales? Time for a Goodwill shopping spree!!) or when the opportunities arise (SWAPMaine, anyone?) It usually starts with a theme in mind (“Ooh, I really need to stock up on kitchen utensils”) and inevitably ends up with a series of purchases of shoes and dresses, mostly not in my size, that I think are ‘awesome’ and ‘can totally be resold on Etsy or Ebay.’ As a result I end up with one or two gorgeous dresses and pairs of shoes for me (Yay!) and a pile of shoes in a box collecting dust or a section of dresses on hangers in my closet making it tricky to get to the more functional, less profitable clothes. Hrm. Enter: liquidation mode.

Liquidate.

Once I’ve stockpiled enough things that don’t make any sense for me to keep in my apartment I seek outlets that are fitting for the items’ trajectory. Items that I got for free or nearly free that are longer calling my fancy are either re-donated to Goodwill or a clothing swap. Jeans, shorts and other hardy fabrics are collecting in a bag for Malaika at Hand Me Down Designs. T-shirts and knit tops that are not for resale are collected for Laura from Sweeter Salt and her t-shirt necklaces. Items I purchased with the intent of wearing but er… didn’t really fit *cough* toomuchpadthai *cough cough*… are slated for Ebay or Etsy. Items that I bought specifically because they were awesome and ‘might sell online’ join them. Great! Now I gotta photograph these things. Wait two months and then… ta-da! It finally happens.

Ta-da!

So, I’ve been listing vintage dresses in my Etsy shop and newer, Banana Republic Goodwill finds on Ebay and would love to share them with you all. It should also be said that I don’t jive with the trend on Etsy in charging exorbitant prices for vintage – ok, people, we do deserve $$ for finding and curating a line of vintage clothing — but if you got it for $2.50 because you had the right color barb on the Goodwill racks you should pass the savings on to your customers a little! My Etsy dresses are in the $20 range and the Ebay items start at $0.99. Start ogling!