Secondhand bridal is trending as leading reseller sees significant increase in demand for USED wedding dresses, bridesmaid and guest attire By Pandora Amoratis For Dailymail.com Published: 21:03, 6 August 2024 | Updated: 21:18, 6 August 2024 e-mail View comments Summer is one of the busiest wedding seasons in the United States, with July to September being the peak months to say 'I do'. During this time every wedding-related event - from the shower to the bachelorette , nuptials and honeymoon - can cost you a pretty penny.
And chances are there are elements you have been dreaming about since you were a little girl that are a teensy bit over budget: A Vegas girl's trip; a 10-tier cake; or, a diamond tiara worthy of a princess (no shame!). To cut costs without sacrificing on style, many brides are turning to secondhand retailers for their looks. Leading social marketplace for new and used fashions, Poshmark, has seen a 12% increase in searches for ‘wedding dress’ on their site.
Summer is one of the busiest wedding seasons in the United States, with July to September being the peak months to say 'I do' According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding gown is $2,000. But individual spend varies based on budget and desire. More luxurious gowns can cost upwards of $5,000, with customized dresses reaching $10,000.
Many brides, however, do not want to spend an exorbitant amount on a dress they will only wear once. 'We’ve seen a rise in brides turning to resale to shop for their wedding dress,' Chloe Baffert, Head of Merchandising + Curation at Poshmark told Daily Mail. Adding, 'Shopping secondhand allows brides to purchase their dream dress that may have been out of budget, no longer in retailers from a designer's previous season, or even archival vintage - all without sacrificing their style and bank account.
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Share this article Share Poshmark has seen a 41% increase in searches for BHLDN dresses on their platform. BHLDN specializes in wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, bridal accessories, and wedding décor, and is the sister brand of Anthropologie. Poshmark has also seen +21% in searches for Lulu’s wedding or bridesmaid dresses and +22% in searches for Birdy Gray dresses.
And it's not just brides searching for deals. 'From outfits to flights to accommodation, the cost of being a wedding guest quickly adds up,' says Chloe Baffert. 'Resale allows wedding guests to shop for trendy and timeless styles from fan-favorites like Reformation, Lulu’s, and Show Me Your Mumu at a fraction of the cost.
'And if you’re the type who doesn’t like to wear the same dress to multiple events (no shame!), you can easily sell your pre-loved piece and reinvest your earnings into a new-to-you piece for your next event.' Bridesmaids and wedding guests can save more than 50% off retail price when shopping on Poshmark for popular bridal and wedding guest brands. 'Wedding festivities call for lots of fun and festive bridal fashion – but between their engagement party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and the big day itself, brides are left with a collection of pieces that may not be practical for their daily life, says Poshmark's Chloe Baffert.
Poshmark's Head of Merchandising + Curation also says, 'Bridesmaids can use Poshmark’s visual search feature, Posh Lens, to find the exact style their bride bestie is looking for. 'It’s as easy as uploading a screenshot of the requested dress – Posh Lens will surface results with the exact style (if available), or similar styles (if not).' 'I bought the following pieces for my wedding on Poshmark: evening gown for late-night dancing (Retrofete), bachelorette outfit (Outdoor Voices), engagement party dress (Self Portrait), dress shopping outfit (Antionio Melani) – my twin sister/MOH also wore this for my bridal shower,' said shopper Emily Evans Personal buying stories: Emily Evans, 27, Chicago Closet: @emilyevans171 'I got engaged in October 2022 and my wedding was in June 2024! 'I bought the following pieces for my wedding on Poshmark: evening gown for late-night dancing (Retrofete), bachelorette outfit (Outdoor Voices), engagement party dress (Self Portrait), dress shopping outfit (Antionio Melani) – my twin sister/MOH also wore this for my bridal shower!' Emily found the traditional bridal industry to be somewhat basic.
'One particular secondhand trend I love is when women wear or repurpose their mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress,' she said. 'A friend of mine turned her mom’s wedding dress into her rehearsal dinner dress—something old into something new! It is such a special and meaningful idea that taps into the secondhand world.' 'I bought the dress for my cousin's wedding in Santa Monica.
I was looking for a Show Me Your Mumu dress specifically in the champagne color, which is what the bride requested for all bridesmaids,' said Daniella Daniella Mohazab, 27, Los Angeles Closet: @daniella12345 'I bought the dress for my cousin's wedding in Santa Monica. I was looking for a Show Me Your Mumu dress specifically in the champagne color, which is what the bride requested for all bridesmaids. 'She suggested I check Poshmark because many people wear bridesmaids dresses once then sell them.
'I bought it, and it was already hemmed to my height. It was PERFECT!' Social media has influenced how many people shop. It's not unusual for an avid Instagrammer to hop on a trend quickly, photograph it, and then never wear it again.
'People's dresses get plastered over the internet, and I have seen many people want to wear different dresses to different weddings,' said Daniella. 'It makes things much more affordable to buy dresses secondhand because many times people just wear their dresses once. 'Then, the dresses can be resold again.
' When buying, Daniella recommends checking the site everyday to not miss out on new postings. Poshmark's Head of Merchandising + Curation says, 'Bridesmaids can use Poshmark’s visual search feature, Posh Lens, to find the exact style their bride bestie is looking for 'Wedding festivities call for lots of fun and festive bridal fashion – but between their engagement party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and the big day itself, brides are left with a collection of pieces that may not be practical for their daily life, says Poshmark's Chloe Baffert. 'Resale allows brides to recoup the value from one-time bridal wear that is all too likely to sit in storage post nuptials.
'Sentimental brides can find joy knowing that their wedding pieces will be cherished and enjoyed by another bride on her special day.' Personal selling story: 'I currently have the gorgeous Carolina Herrera pearl embellished heart mini dress that I wore at the end of my wedding reception available and two pairs of white bridal Jimmy Choo pumps listed for sale,' says Poshmark seller Victoria Victoria Santini, 28, New York Closet: @vicmarcant 'I just got married a little over a month ago. I have already had a lot of success selling items from my pre-wedding events (bachelorette, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, etc.
). 'I currently have the gorgeous Carolina Herrera pearl embellished heart mini dress that I wore at the end of my wedding reception available and two pairs of white bridal Jimmy Choo pumps listed for sale. 'I am selling most of the dresses that I wore for my wedding related events.
I love them all, but just don’t see myself having much use for these white bridal pieces going forward and don’t want them to rot in my closet. 'They are all in nearly perfect condition and I am excited for other brides to wear them for their special days!' According to Victoria, shopping secondhand is a cost effective way to stylishly get through all of life's many commitments. 'Resale allows us to wear high-end outfits to these events without having to pay the designer price tag,' she says.
'Renting can be a good option too, but everyone ends up using the same two or three rental services and you see the same clothing items over and over. 'You also have to worry about tight timeframes with renting and getting pieces that have been heavily worn/damaged. 'With Poshmark you see the exact item(s) you’re buying with a detailed description of the condition and can interact directly with the seller if you ever need more information.
' Victoria recommends shopping Self Portrait , V. Chapman , Zimmermann, Alexis, and Saloni. 'They have such great, unique options for wedding guest dresses and if you opt to resell the return on investment is always high.
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