A FASHION designer has revealed the inner workings of restyling second-hand clothes after she quit her 9-5 corporate job and turned her hobby of upcycling thrifted items into a career.
Sarah Pruitt is the owner of a vintage shop called Selcouth Wares. She turns people’s trash into her customers’ treasure and is able to double her money on every sale.
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Pruitt exclusively told The U.S. Sun that “profit depends on the piece,” as she shopped around the New York City thrift shop Beacon’s closet for her next project.
“Generally, the base price is between $15-$25. Then the cost comes when I add the individual crochet pieces,” she said.
Pruitt found a blazer for $25 and added five crochet pieces at $20 each to the garment.
“So it’s gonna cost $125. I try and double that to make a profit, to $250,” she said.
Pruitt explained: “If I’m up-cycling more of a shirt, the perceived value is different.
“People will pay less for a shirt than a blazer. So it’s feeling it out for each item.”
Pruitt studied fashion in college and was working in corporate wholesale with a restaurant job on the side.
She left her corporate job to “focus on her passion,” Pruitt said.
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“Leaving a stable job; it’s scary and a risk but sometimes have to go for it and know you will make it happen,” she said.
“I’m glad I did. Trust the process,” she told others who want to follow their dreams.
Pruitt recalled: “I began thrifting with my mom and then I found my own style. I got more creative with it.
“I realized this is therapeutic.”
GIVING CLOTHES A ‘NEW LIFE’
Pruitt bought a red flannel for $35 and said she would sell it for $150.
“I like the clean lines and bold impact of the print,” she said.
Pruitt added four large doilies for $6 each and pieces of quilt that total $15, so she ended up spending $75 in total for the upcycled jacket.
“I will think about materials I have at home and how to upcycle them. Even if I don’t have a plan, I can wait weeks, or months until I come across the right materials,” she said.
“If I think it has potential, I’ll go for it.”
Pruitt is “giving a new life to forgotten textiles” when she upcycles and resells thrifted pieces.
The idea behind her brand is to “stand out,” she said.
“It’s an opportunity to dress for yourself and be authentic.”
THRIFTING TIPS
Pruitt said when shopping second-hand, “focus on your true inspiration and vision.”
She said that “it’s easy to see […] when you start to sell things, what people are buying and looking for.”
However, Pruitt said to ” stay true” to yourself.
Pruitt revealed the secret to upcycling and reselling – “finding your target market.”
“I look for texture, color, and pattern. A lot of times, it’s very eccentric and over the top,” she said.
“Maybe only one in ten will buy it. But I’d rather make a truly authentic piece and find that right person to style it and take it on.”
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