It looked fab, you bought it, you took it home. You put it on to take it out for its public debut and felt… blah. For some reason, that thing you loved is now leaving you cold.

Or, you love it but it doesn’t love you. It didn’t stretch like it was supposed to… the ankle straps cut into your feet… it doesn’t work with anything else in your wardrobe.

It’s a Fashion Mistake.

Don’t feel bad about it — we all make them sometimes. The sooner you let go of the item, the more likely you are to get your money back so you can move on to something you’ll really love.

Here’s your options:

Return it to the store

If your fashion mistake hasn’t been worn (or doesn’t look like it’s been worn), you might be able to take it back to the store and have your money refunded. It helps if you also have your receipt and the store tags, preferably still attached to the garment.

Some stores put a time limit on returns or offer a partial refund if the item’s been marked down since you bought it; others offer store credit instead of a refund if you change your mind.

Money recovered: up to 100%

Take it to a consignment store

If it’s a little too worn to return to the store (or you just missed their time limit), a consignment store is you’re next stop. They’ll sell you item for anything up to 70% of retail value, then pay you half of the sale price.
Generally, consignment stores are most interested in recent fashions in near-perfect condition. Some stores like The Frock Exchange specialise in high-end merchandise, so make sure you’re offering something they might be interested in.

Money recovered: 25-35% of retail price

eBay it

You can sell almost anything on eBay, but you won’t necessarily get a lot for it. Still, for items like slightly-worn chain store pieces, it’s often your best hope of getting your money back.

Money recovered: usually 10-25% of retail price; higher for items that are still ‘in’

Donate it

Donating clothing to charity doesn’t give you any money back immediately, but you can claim a tax deduction for the value of the item.

Last time I checked, Australian tax law allowed you to claim the purchase price of goods donated to charity, so long as they were less than a year old when you gave them away.

Money recovered: tax deduction

Good luck in ridding your wardrobe of fashion mistakes. Remember, the faster they’re gone, the sooner you get to replace them with things you’ll actually love!

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