As Labor Day BBQs flame out, picnic baskets migrate to top shelves, and open-toed shoes march towards final sale racks, the signals are clear: it's time to start planning your fall wardrobe.  A prerequisite to this endeavor, however, is purging your closet to make room for some choice fall arrivals.  Not always an easy task.   What's even more unpleasant is lugging all of your "okay maybe I can part with this"  items to your local buy/sell shop, only to have them tossed in the "reject" pile before even unfolding.  Kinda humiliating.  So, here are some Cliff's Notes to bear in mind before you start stuffing that Trader Joes bag for your next selling trip. 


Wasteland
1660 Haight St
(415) 863-3150
thewasteland.com



What they're taking:  '70s and earlier vintage.  To be more specific, "non-heavy, non-polyester, non-disco '70s," says Gabe, a Sales Associate.  Big sellers are skinny jeans, fitted cotton pattern shirts, and '60s mod dresses and boots (boots, in fact, are their number-one seller).   The "money shirts," according to Gabe, are "small rocker tees and old concert t-shirts." 

What they're not taking: "Mall brands."  To qualify:  "Nothing GAP, Old Navy or J. Crew."  They'll consider "current season" H&M and Urban Outfitters. (They can tell by the labels.  But don't try to get tricky, they're experts at spotting the real thing).

The best time to sell: "Weekends are good for selling, and Mondays seem to be the busiest."

And if you wanna shop..."We buy every day, and put merchandise out on the floor immediately, so there's never a bad time to come."

Crossroads Trading Co.
crossroadstrading.com
1901 Fillmore St.         1519 Haight St.         2123 Market St.         555 Irving St.
(415) 755-8885            (415) 355-0555         (415) 522-8740         (415) 681-0100



What they're taking:  "We look for current, fashionable clothing from the last few years, with a focus on brand names," says Julie Brown, District Manager.  Designer jeans are always big sellers, and they just started buying for fall - so bring in your light jackets and scarves.  "We snatch up Marc Jacobs and Diane Von Furstenbergs," says Brown.  So if you've got any of those lying around, bring 'em in.   If not, they also take "a lot of Banana Republic."

What they're not taking:  "We steer away from vintage or retro and go more towards current and fashionable," says Brown.  Brands to leave behind are Target, JC Penny and Old Navy.  "People just figure they can get that stuff for cheap anyways, so they're not going to buy it second hand," says Brown.   

The best time to sell:  Go early in the day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays to avoid selling lines.

And if you wanna shop...  Head to the Fillmore Street location to score on some designer and high end apparel.  "Fillmore gets amazing designer shoes and handbags, probably because Marc Jacobs and Betsy Johnson are up the street," says Brown.  For a great men's selection, head to Market Street, for funky, to Haight, and for "basics and career," to the Sunset store. 


Static
1764 Haight St
(415) 422-0046
staticvintage.com



What they're taking:  "Small vintage t-shirts, jackets with fur trim collars, pirate and riding boots, guy's track jackets, any kind of denim, bright neon shirts and 'Members Only' jackets are flying off the racks," says Christina Ruiz, store manager. 

The best time to sell:  Tuesdays and Saturdays are the days that the owners are in the shop, so it's best to sell then.

And if you wanna shop... "We're sort of a hidden gem on Haight Street," says Ruiz.  "You can always find what you want.  A guy will come in here and say 'I just ripped my favorite corduroy pants,' and will be able to find the same exact pair here."

Ver Unica
437 Hayes St #B
(415) 431-0688




What they're taking:  "We're selling a lot of '50s style cocktail dresses - full skirts and pencil skirts," says Sales Associate Ally Barlow.  "Definitely the Mad Men style - lots of '60s-style coats, boots and accessories. Bright colors are also really big for the fall." 

The best time to sell:  Selling is by appointment only.

And if you wanna shop... They carry Judi Rosen and She-Bible jeans, as well as jewelry by Sonja B. and Jim Kobrin, which you can't find many places.