Shopping & Consignment
MIDNIGHT MADNESS! STA 70% off sale!
Aug 24th
FashioniSTAs! Our biggest sale of the year kicks off tomorrow and you don’t want to miss it!
Here are the details!
70% off all summer merchandise
10% off all fall merchandise
10% off all fall merchandise
This Wednesday, August 25th and Thursday, August 26th
Most stores are open until midnight!
See below for store sale dates and complete details!
Wednesday, August 25th
Harvard Square, MA
Atrium Mall**, MA
Needham*, MA
Newton*, MA
Wellesley*, MA
Westport*, CT
Thursday, August 26th
176 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
219 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
324 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
Charles Street*, Boston, MA
Burlington Mall**, MA
Thayer Street, Providence, RI
Portsmouth, NH
Portland*, ME
Burlington, VT
Greenwich*, CT
Georgetown, DC
Mott Street, NYC
Lexington Avenue, NYC
Thompson St, NYC
Chicago*, IL
Philadelphia, PA
*Store Open Until 10pm
**Store open mall hours only
SEE YOU THERE!!
~Jeanne, Director of Marketing, Second Time Around
How to Shop Your Own Closet – Volume IV
Aug 11th
4. Stay focused.
Do you have a piece of clothing or an accessory that you rarely (or never) wear, but don’t quite have the heart to give it up yet? Yes? Well, don’t worry, we all do…
Here’s my trick: Hang the item of clothing off of the end of one of your hangers so that it is facing you when you enter the closet. Leave it hanging there for as long as it takes.
Most of us think that we need to buy something else to “go” with the frustrating item in order to make it work. As a result, it hangs hidden between other clothes and goes unused. Inevitably, you forget about the item that you need to buy to “go” with it, or you can’t find it this mystery coordinating item, or you decide that your money is better spent on a different item….and so on and so forth. And, because of this, you actually forget about the offending item itself.
I have discovered that if it hangs in front of your face so that you can’t ignore it or forget about it, you will eventually find something to wear it within your own closet. As you grab outfits and pull other items out of your closet – nine times out of ten – you will find yourself with a coordinating piece in your hand.
I hope that this set of blogs has inspired you to shop your own closet and discover outfits that you didn’t even know were there! And remember, if you find yourself with stuff to consign or if you find that you do have some gaps in your wardrobe that need to be filled, Second Time Around is the one-stop shop to help you out with both!
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
How To Shop Your Own Closet – Volume III
Aug 9th
3. Stay organized.
If your closet is a mess, it will be hard to find things and to create outfits. Keep all like items together. For example, all the shoes should be on shoe racks so that you can view them all at one, all the belts should be hung together and all the scarves should be folded together on a shelf or in a drawer, etc.
When hanging clothes, live by the same rules. I organize my closet just like we organize the racks at STA. My rack looks like this from left to right: tops and sweaters/sweatshirts (the few that are hung instead of folded), skirts/shorts, pants/jeans and finally, dresses. Within each category, I color-code from white to black. That way, I know where everything is and I can stand in front of the necessary section when I needed to add a top, bottom or accessory to an outfit in order to make a more informed decision.
Don’t forget to check back for the final installment! Volume IV is just around the corner…
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
How to Shop Your Own Closet – Volume II
Aug 2nd
2. Build a photo library.
Lay outfits out on a neutral surface – a solid-colored bedspread works best – and photograph them. Be sure to include every accessory, right down to the smallest detail! Store all of the photos in their own folder on your computer’s desktop for easy access on those days that you feel less-than-inspired.
I think you will find – as I often do with my clients – that once you have everything laid out and you are actively engaged in the project, different outfit combinations come to mind both easily and quickly. It is much easier to be creative and thoughtful when you have the time than when you are standing, wrapped in a towel, fresh out of the shower, staring at your closet and wishing that you hadn’t hit the snooze button so many times…
Stay tuned for Volumes III and IV coming soon…
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
How to Shop Your Own Closet: Volume I
Jul 30th
As a stylist, I am elbow-deep in clients’ closets on a regular basis. I help clients edit their wardrobes, educate them about the fits and cuts of clothes that work best for them and I build outfits that help the client utilize their attire and accessories to the fullest extent. Often, this closet analysis is followed by a shopping trip to help fill the gaps, but sometimes it is just enough to jumpstart the clients’ new fashion life. Since I know how successful this can be, I have put together a four-part blog with some tips for doing it yourself. Here’s the first installment:
1. Get rid of anything that you haven’t worn in 1 year.
If it’s gross, trash it. If it is a really basic or a really casual piece (i.e. extra t-shirts) but still in good condition, donate it. If it is a more valuable piece, consign it. For information on consigning at Second Time Around, please click here!
Addenudum: If there is an item of clothing or an accessory that you do not use, but which holds sentimental value, you may keep it. However, please remove it from your closet and store it elsewhere.
Staring at a closet full of clothing and accessories that you don’t use can cause confusion and can cause you to overlook items and outfits that you may actually want to wear. If the offending items are removed – or, at least, relocated – the confusion will be kept at a minimum and outfits will more easily appear.
Keep an eye out for the next edition….there are three more on the way!
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Spotlight On: Dharma Imports
Jul 26th
Oh, summer! We never thought it was possible to have such a love / hate relationship with anything other than pop music or ridiculously high heels … but year after year you prove us wrong. Hidden scenic colors are highlighted by an otherwise scorching sun; the joy of discarding our layers becomes trumped by blankets of humidity. This season may well be the most difficult time of year, fashionably speaking. How on earth is a gal supposed to feel fresh yet remain fashionable?
Portrait 1
Lucky for us all, Second Time Around houses a unique and independent summer fashion line — Dharma Imports! Dresses, tanks, skirts… you name it, Dharma Imports provides it, and it can be found exclusively at select Second Time Around locations!
Ralph Davis, the man behind Dharma Imports, visits India and Thailand annually to scout new designs and textiles for use each season. Beginning in 1987, Davis’ team of tailors worked out of their homes, using their own sewing machines, to create the showcased designs. As the years passed and demand for Dharma Imports grew, the seamstress operation evolved into a series of small factories that now employ up to fifty people per location!
Based out of Portland, ME, Dharma Imports first appeared on the racks of Second Time Around in 2005 after Davis staked a vending tent at one of Harvard Square’s May Fair block parties. A chance purchase by a staff member of Cambridge’s Second Time Around led to a consignment relationship that has since blossomed to encompass ten stores across the East Coast! Each summer, Dharma Imports can be found at our locations in Burlington (VT), Burlington Mall (Burlington, MA), 219 & 324 Newbury St. (Boston, MA), Harvard Square (Cambridge, MA), Georgetown (Washington DC), Portsmouth (NH), Providence (RI), Portland (ME), and Philadelphia (PA).
If you’re in need of a fabulous frock this summer to help you stay cool (both in temperature and in tailoring!), look no further. Help yourself to a little style for your soul, while you’re at it — by shopping both STA and Dharma Imports, you’re supporting local fashion and independent international economy!
Check out the looks created by the fashioniSTAs over at the shop where it all began, Harvard Square!
~Kim, Manager, Harvard Square
Portrait #1: Strapless Dharma Imports Dress — $36 / Sofia Tartufoli Sandals — $42 / Oscar de la Renta Sunglasses — $78
Portrait #2: Embroidered Dharma Imports Tank — $18 / Theory Skirt — $38 / Kenneth Cole Reaction Sandal — $24 / Cole Haan Sunglasses — $40 / Hattie Carnegie Vintage Bag — $52
Portrait #3: Halter Dharma Imports Dress — $38 / Cole Haan Sandals — $42 / HOBO International Bag — $52 / Jade Necklace — $12
Portrait 2
Portrait 3
The Most Stylish Bag is a Reusable One
Jul 21st
Anya Hindmarch's Reusable Tote
Re-usable bags are everywhere – as they should be! In fact, their use has become so prevalent that even high-end designers are creating them.
The first high-end reusable bag came from London-based designer Anya Hindmarch. The canvas totes that she created, emblazoned with the words “I’m not a plastic bag” in 3-D appliqué script, sold out at participating grocery stores in mere seconds and re-sold on Ebay for upwards of $200 in some cases. The buzz created by these bags most certainly helped to start the re-usable bag trend.
Marc Jacobs sells numerous reusable bag options ranging from nylon to canvas in a variety of price points. All are colorful and useful and even showcase some of the famous tongue-in-cheek Marc Jacobs humor. A few read “Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs in collaboration with Marc Jacobs for Marc by Marc Jacobs,” poking fun at their designer status and others showcase Marc’s loveable cartoon mascot “Miss Marc.”
Prada recently came out with their take on a reusable tote. The bags are simple, useful and come in their trademark, easy-to-wash, lightweight, foldable nylon. And the prints are to-die-for. My favorites are the sunshine yellow bag with cartoon boat and the kaleidoscope orange floral on purple background. Gorg!
Shop in style with Hermes
Finally, no conversation about high-end merchandise would be complete without talking about Hermes. Eternally stylish and well…expensive, Hermes does not disappoint even when reusable bags are concerned. Their “Silky Pop” bags are made of a silk-like fabric, resemble the fashion house’s famous scarves and fold down into their own pebbled leather case. Truly fab, but I doubt you won’t see too many at the grocery store since they go for roughly a $1000 a pop. Yikes!
Stay tuned for STA’s own reusable bag! We hope to debut them shortly along with some great bag-related discount and bonuses… 
See you soon!
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Alexander McQueen Resort 2011
Jul 19th
Sarah Burton showed her first autonomous collection as creative director for Alexander McQueen on Monday, June 21st and – in the words of Tim Blanks, contributing writer for Style.com – “proved she’s the only choice to expand on Lee McQueen’s legacy.”
Burton drew from the rich history of the McQueen archives, but introduced a feminine touch to the collection that informed it with a more delicate sensibility. Lee McQueen’s calling cards were still there – brocades, heavily detailed embroidery, a fascination with the morbid, the juxtaposition of hard and soft and the allure of high-wattage glamour – but she also incorporated a calling card of her own; the fusing of two fabrics into one which the fashion world first saw in the Fall 2010 collection that she completed following McQueen’s untimely death.
All in all, the collection was a success – a true “best-case scenario.” Not only did it show reverence to the history of the label and to its creator, but it also displayed the personality of its new designer. A nod to the past and a glimpse of the future and – I dare say – reason enough for a deep sigh of relief from the fashion world.
Congratulations Sarah Burton!
~ Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Splurge Now, Save Later
Jul 15th
Greetings fashioniSTAs! Do you want to get paid to shop? Today through July 25, when you spend $50 at any Second Time Around location, you will receive $10 in STA cash for use in August.* How great is that? It’s simple – shop with us in July, and at the end of the month, we will be email you $10 in STA CASH. So don’t miss out – come visit us today and see what fabulous finds you’ll discover!
Happy shopping.
~Jeanne, Director of Marketing, Second Time Around
*Coupon will be emailed July 31st to email address provided by customer during check-out. Customer must provide valid email address to participate. $10 STA CASH valid on the purchase of a single item over $20. Coupon good for 50% off the purchase of a single item under $20. Expires 8/31/2010.
Forget the Fashion Rules! Volume IV
Jul 7th
I sort of already addressed this topic in the blog entitled “Prints Charming” because breaking this fashion rule is a big trend this season. But, let’s touch upon it again, just to drive the point home.
Fashion Rule #4: An outfit should have only one pattern. The rest of the pieces should be solid colors or neutrals.
In addition to the louder juxtaposition of bold patterns like those discussed in the “Prints Charming” blog, one can also use a subtler combination of patterns to create a pleasing and interesting ensemble.
For example, in an office setting, either a man or a woman can easily mix a pinstripe suit with a striped or patterned shirt or a classic argyle sweater or vest with a striped or patterned shirt. Simply make sure that the two elements of the outfit have a color or colors in common in order to maintain cohesion.
Accessories and outerwear can also be a great way to add and mix patterns. If you aren’t comfortable mixing patterns all day long, the addition of a patterned bag or coat to an otherwise pattern-mixing-free ensemble can be a pleasantly unexpected addition to your outfit during both your commute and your lunch hour.
I hope that you have enjoyed breaking fashion rules with us! Resisting authority is always fun, and this time it even earned you some more fashion options! And who doesn’t love that?? Lord knows that I certainly do!
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around