Consignment Shopping: A Field Trip to the Divine Rock, Paper, Scissors

Here’s another steal:

Obviously, this is a Coach purse, sold in stores for just under $200, and here at Rock, Paper, Scissors for around $64. Its condition: perfection. Even though my handbag (picture to come) is the steal of the century (more in a minute), I was tempted to stray from my thrifty biscuit ways and own two designer bags. Silly Rabbit!

Coach bags go fast, speaking of rabbits, so the key here, as with any consignment boutique, is to act fast and drop in often. In November, upon spotting a R,P,S facebook update, featuring a candy apple red Dolce and Gabbana bag, I asked them to hold it. I raced in, and saw a truly beautiful bag that appeared to be brand new. According to the boutique, they had done their due diligence, and the bag appeared to be real (and worth up to $1,200). Now, I would never spend that on a bag, not even if my next book were optioned for a movie. But $44.95? That I would spend, especially since I was in actual need of a new bag. I bought it and went home to search the internet for ways to ensure it was real. The bag met every single bit of criteria I could find, and then purse-y pals of mine double and triple authenticated it. The upshot? My bag is worth more than our minivan. I wish I was joking.

The frugalistas among you may still be reeling. $54? $64? for clothing??? I know, sounds crazy. But if you love fashion, and I do, the cool thing about consignment is that these wacky-priced items one drools over in magazines and such can actually be yours, for WAY, WAY less. According to the front desk clerk at R, P, S, they get all kinds of fabulous brands. “One time we even got in a pair of (Christian) Louboutins in,” she said, starry eyed. The store ended up selling the shoes for $90 on the internet. They were worth probably five times that amount.

Needless to say, Rock, Paper, Scissors is a favorite shop. It’s gorgeous inside and out, and the offerings feed the inner fashion rock star for a coffeehouse performer’s prices.

The prices are quite a bit higher than thrift, so it’s still more frugal, of course, to try your chances at the thrift stores to see if you can snag a Banana top for $3 (in which case you can keep it or resell it to R, P, S, for a nice profit.) As I gushed at length in MSOTA, my brand new mint green Talbots ballet flats were discovered at a local Goodwill for $3. But it’s always a crapshoot, whereas a consignment boutique like Rock, Paper, Scissors, or Zany in Traverse City, MI, are so beautifully curated you know you’ll find something special and beautiful, like a $1,200 purse for $44? Hey, it happened to me, it could happen to you!

Here’s a few more pictures from my field trip:

I love the jewelry–very Anthropologie-esque!

Even the front counter is a work of art!

More bags!

Now, what rapturous stories are you dying to tell me about consignment stores? What are your favorite haunts? Doesn’t have to be in Michigan. I’d love to hear about stellar stores in other parts of creation, too. Tell!