Where's a good place to get rid of formal dresses?

[Karenj2]

DH and I are trying to clean out our future baby's room, and I've come across various formal dresses - some bridesmaids, some I bought for DH's Christmas parties, etc. 99% of them have been worn only once (one or two were bridesmaid dresses that were never worn!)

I'd love to sell them - I don't completely care how much I get for them, but it'd be nice to get a lot!!

Any tips?

 

[meriface11]

you could try a consignment shop or ebay. if you don't have any luck, there is a non-profit called the glass slipper project that accepts formal dresses for underprivileged youth to wear for proms and the like. i have donated a lot of old bridesmaid dresses.

 

[tpettie]

I all else fails and you can't sell them. If you know someone who sews I have seen them made into bedding and a liner for baby basinets. My mom did that with her wedding dress for my sister it was lovley.

 

[Ava]

Try eBay. I just bought a bridesmaid's dress for my cousin's wedding off of eBay - I paid less than 50% of the retail price for it, so you may not get a lot for them, but something is better than nothing.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Plato's Closet is a consignment shop that a co-worker takes her stuff too.

 

[travlnman1]

FYI...Plato's closet doesn't take prom/bridesmaid dresses.

 

[toledo13]

FYI...Plato's closet doesn't take prom/bridesmaid dresses.

Oh shoot, they used to! I'm looking to sell some, too.

 

[McKelly]

I donated mine to my local high school's drama department. No, I didn't get any money, but they were very grateful. Just an idea in case you can't find a route to sell them.

 

[Karenj2]

Thank you for the ideas - I might check out an ebay auction house near me, to see if they could sell them... If that doesn't work, I'm more than happy to donate them even though I won't be able to get credit on my taxes for them because we just donated a HUGE amount of clothes (work clothes, suits & sweaters) to a local charity, and I think there's a max you can claim before you need to show proof of cost...

 

[vsimeone]

Becca's Closet

It's not the same as selling them but it's a REALLY good cause and you can write off the donation on your taxes.

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

Glass Slipper Project or something similar is GREAT...we did something similar at the school I taught at last year for our 8th grade dance...so nice to see the girls looking beautiful!

 

[Stacerita]

If they are appropriate for high schoolers, I would see about donating to a Children's Hospital or Children's Home. In my area, the children's hospital holds a prom for the cancer children who are staying onsite receiving treatment. Almost all the dresses are donated.

Also, there is a local children's home for children awaiting placement, or having that be their temp home. They still go to the local high schools, so proms and formals are still held including them. Since they are in the home and have no gaurdian but the county, its nice for them to have dresses to be able to attend those functions.

You won't be able to get $$ for either of those options, but they are both great causes. And you can take pics of the dresses, find out what the average cost to re sell would be, and have them as tax deductions.

 

[ckoncurat]

If you are having a girl- consider hanging on to some of them! I have five daughters, and I regret getting rid of my formals- it would be so fun for them to try on now, if only to laugh at!

 

[KirstenB]

This Glass Slipper project sounds like what our local Y does every spring. They have a collection rack for you to donate the gowns in the lobby.

 

[hmdavid]

What types of dresses do you have? If you have any old, ugly formals or 80's prom dresses, sell them on Ebay with 80's in the auction title (even if it only looks like it is from the 80's). I bought an 80's prom dress at Goodwill for $4 last year to wear to an 80's prom-themed charity event. When I was done with it I sold it on ebay for $50!