Media Credit: Mia Lupo
By: Mia Lupo- Fashion Editor
It can be torture passing by the clothing stores on Thames Street, especially when you see the perfect outfit in the soft glow of a store’s window display. Unfortunately, it’s not just the glass that separates you from the beautiful clothes on the mannequin—living on a college budget makes it hard to buy quality, yet expensive, clothing.
Shopping in consignment shops can satisfy both your shopping impulse and your wallet.
Located on William St., near Newport Power Yoga and Genie’s Hookah Lounge, Wish Newport has offered customers high-end women’s clothing, shoes and accessories by selling designer consignment in town for almost four years. Designer-brands priced to the advantage of a college student budget are hard to find, but Wish Newport makes it possible to buy a cashmere Juicy Couture cardigan for a fraction of the retail price tag.
Consignment boutiques, also called thrift shops, sell gently-worn clothing given to them by consigners, the previous owners. Anyone can consign items, but it is at the discretion of the consignment boutique owner to select which items will be accepted into the store.
Burberry, Coach, BCBG Max Azria, J Brand, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, and Juicy Couture are examples of clothing brands Wish Newport accepts. J. Crew is the most popular label in the store, but it is the only mall retailer Wish Newport will carry, because they want to offer customers a level of exclusivity a commercial mall cannot buy.
Co-owners Courteney Sarro and Lisa Sarro Fitzpatrick also make sure items meet a certain level of quality and condition. Just because the Burberry label makes the item desirable, it does not mean that any small rips or defects will be overlooked. Fitzpatrick stresses that all of the clothes and accessories are in great condition and “well taken care of” for their next owners.
The consignment policy is based on a 90 day contract. Consigned items are priced by the owners and change depending on how long the item has been in the store. After the first month, the item is discounted 20%; after the second month, the item is discounted 30%; and after the third month, the item is discounted 50% off the original ticket price.
Although buying luxury brand clothing at a consignment store has its benefits, one disadvantage is that the inventory constantly moves. In other words, if you see an item you like and wait until the price reduction, it might not be there when you return, because someone else may have bought it. Fitzpatrick says if you really love something, though, Wish Newport always helps their customers get it.
Clearance sales are one of the best times to shop at Wish Newport, because items can be marked down drastically, sometimes as low as five or ten dollars. Wish Newport regularly posts on Facebook about any sales or events they will hold, as well as the “Wish Pick” item of the day. Fitzpatrick also points out that students can score great deals on the store’s sale rack at the back of the store year-round.
Fitzpatrick notes how “Salve girls are very into how they dress.” When a student is shopping at a mall or chain store, like Forever 21, it is more likely she will see another girl wear the same garment or accessory—wouldn’t you rather invest money on a tailored, well-structured sweater dress by a venerable fashion house than cheaper pieces by a fast-fashion outlet? The carefully selected items at Wish Newport provide an assortment clothes that are uniquely fashionable and still current, so you can look as put-together and fresh as a mannequin in a Thames Street boutique window without hurting your bank account.
To learn more about Wish Newport, please ‘like’ their Facebook page and ‘follow’ their Twitter page.
Wish Newport
106 William Street
Newport, RI 02840
