Secondi Gives Clothes Second Round of Love

There are plenty of women in Washington who can afford to wear something once and never give it another thought. Fortunately for the rest of us, it seems they’re all bringing their hand-me-downs to Secondi, an upscale consignment shop in Dupont Circle.

Unlike some secondhand shopping experiences, a visit to Secondi won’t leave you smelling like mothballs and reminiscing about 80s fashion. Discerning shoppers can thank the store’s almost snooty consignment policies for the merchandise’s quality and stylishness. Secondi doesn’t take anything over two years old or anything with the slightest imperfection -– even a renegade wrinkle could mean the difference between an item being offered for sale or donated to charity.

They also don’t take anything that isn’t fashionable. Secondi maintains an extensive set of guidelines for brands they generally do and don’t accept. Some do’s: Banana Republic, Bebe, Seven, Laundry, Chanel, Marc Jacobs. This selectiveness translates to good deals on brands that would normally be prohibitively expensive to many a fashionista.

Prepsters and hipsters alike can find something here. Funky belts, gold leather jackets, and screen-printed T-shirts hang alongside what seems like every J. Crew and Gap sweater or shirt from last year’s line. Great finds include Citizens of Humanity jeans in the $60-70 range, Kate Spade bags for about $80, and cashmere sweaters for around $40.

The selection is different on any given day and styles are always rotated out seasonally, so Secondi gets a lot of repeat visitors. The pricing scheme also entices regular customers –- all items see 20 and 40 percent price reductions after one and two months on the racks, respectively.

The end result of all this? You’re likely to walk away from Secondi with a heap of designer clothes, and without the buyer’s remorse induced by designer prices.

Secondi Consigners

1702 Connecticut Ave. NW, Second Floor

202-667-1122

www.secondi.com

Mon. & Tues. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wed., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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