Shopping Pre-Loved for the First Time? Read This Guide First

Why Shopping on the Resale Market Makes Sense

There are many reasons to shop on the resale market. From procuring rare vintage pieces to helping fight unnecessary waste, shopping on the resale market is a no-brainer. Perhaps the most pressing issue in the world of fashion is the impact it has on the environment. The Earth Org reported that 92 million tons of textile waste, from both fast fashion companies and those who buy from them, is produced annually due to discarded products. These discarded products end up in landfills and the oceans, negatively impacting wildlife.

Buying pre-loved also helps reduce the number of resources used during production, as well as reduces the overall amount of pollution that is typically emitted. According to the Global Efficiency Intel, 50% of the energy used to produce textiles and clothing is lost onsite during production. When reducing the amount of fast fashion consumption, we’re helping to negate the release of pesticides, toxic chemicals, and carbon emissions.

More than anything, however, it’s simply an ethical way to shop. We’re giving these items a second chance at ownership and creating cyclical fashion consumption so everyone can safely and ethically enjoy vintage fashion.

Shopping pre-loved means vintage pieces remain in the marketplace and continuously reach new owners. Investing in rare and vintage fashion pieces, like an iconic vintage Dior handbag, elevates your wardrobe and closet, leading you to stand out from the crowd and be proud of what you’re wearing and how you procured it. There is no more sustainable way of shopping than buying vintage. At What Goes Around Comes Around, we’ve elevated the experience to a new level of sustainable luxury, allowing items to be repurposed without creating additional waste in the world.

2. Understanding Pre-loved and Vintage Conditions

At What Goes Around Comes Around, we use a meticulously detailed grading system, so you know exactly what you’re receiving when you purchase. Each item goes through a comprehensive review where it is assigned a condition level, and then reviewed again to provide the customer with condition details. Let’s breakdown what all of this means.

Pristine: When you find an item on our website with a grading of “Pristine”, this means the item is in like-new condition, with absolutely no signs of wear, and is in unused condition.

Excellent: An item in “Excellent” condition will be the most common level you come across when shopping with What Goes Around Comes Around. Our buyers shop for only the best of the best vintage and pre-loved and try to procure items in pristine or excellent condition. Because of age and minor use from over the years, items may obtain faint or minor wear, such as even patina to Louis Vuitton’s Vachetta leather or barely noticeable faint scratches to hardware.

Very Good: As many of our items are vintage and from the 80s, 90s, and 00s, they may obtain more minor and moderate wear from use throughout the years. Minor pilling to canvas or scuffing to leather is a common occurrence with vintage bags. You may come across bags with a few condition call-outs that that land them in the “Very Good” category.

Good: On rare occasions, we source bags that show significant wear, with the hope they’ll find a new home. Though well-loved, these pieces remain beautifully wearable and perfectly suited for everyday use. Deep patina and moderate discoloration to leather is common with this grade, as well as interior discoloration and marks. Depending on the amount of wear, these items can see lower price points compared to their new and like-new counterparts, as we hope to get these well-worn bags into the hands of vintage shoppers everywhere.

Tips for First-Time Buyers

All of this might sound daunting - but it doesn’t have to be! We’re here to help and ensure that your vintage and pre-loved shopping experience moves seamlessly and that you leave 100% satisfied! Here are some tips if you're looking for a shortcut to the resale market:

1. Stick to Timeless and Core Styles

If you’re not ready to venture outside of your comfort zone just yet, sticking to a core style from legacy brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Goyard is the way to go! These iconic fashion houses are renowned for their logomania-obsessed tote bags! Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull, Gucci’s Ophidia Tote, and Goyard’s Saint-Louis are the perfect starter bags for anyone interested in beginning their pre-loved or vintage journey!

2. Don’t be Afraid to Ask!

What Goes Around Comes Around is here to help. If you ever have any inquiries or questions, we are more than happy to help in any way we can! You can reach out to us through email or phone, message us on social media, or stop into one of our three retail locations!

We’ve been the top pre-loved and vintage fashion purveyor for the last three decades. Celebrities and tastemakers from around the world have flocked to our stores and website to curate their style and lead the way in the vintage and cyclical fashion movement. From Carolyn Bessette in the 90s to Kendall Jenner in the 2020s, What Goes Around Comes Around has been on the forefront of fashion trends and we’re not going anywhere!