Dress Code

The recession is making it hard for students to stay fashionable but the emergence of consignment shops are helping.

Story and photos by Myasia Butler

During a recession, being a fashionista is challenging. Dress Code, a new consignment shop is helping teens and young adults stay fashionable while saving loads of money.  When business teacher Julie LaPier found out that she was losing her job she brushed the dust off of her business plan that she made several years ago and decided to make that dream a reality.

 “I told my sister I wanted we need to start a business that would benefit everyone is Plattsburgh, that hits the economy, something to do with the environment, and I have three teenage girls myself something that my kids can work at so I came up with the idea of like a Plato’s closet that’s  store in Burlington it’s a store where you bring your clothes and they buy them  but you don’t make a lot of money, so I thought it would be great to do a teen consignment shop” says LaPier on her store that opened a month ago.

Nestled between two novelty shops Dress Code stands out. A window with stylish hip clothes can be very rare in Plattsburgh. The selections of pretty, vintage bracelets and chain are reminiscent of the street vendors that are showcased in trendy streets of Soho.

Dress Code offers consumers a 50/50 consignment rate. Seven Jeans, Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, Dolce & Gabbana, A&G, Ed Hardy are some of the designers hanging up on the racks inDress Code. Consigners bring their old but in good condition clothing to exchange for more clothes or to cash in. Most people decide they want to take a store credit so they can rack up on the very unique clothing. From stylish sequins shirts to skinny Marc Jacob jeans for $10, Dress Code has the merchandise that will make any frugalista an “It” girl. Some consigners have gone in the store and made any where from $100 to $200 on clothes that they have worn several times and most likely was going to throw out.  Consumers can find anything in Dress Code unlike local consignment shop, Fashion Exchange which carries mostly conservative clothes. The target audience is high school students to college students but kids as young as 8 to consumers 66 and up can find anything in the store which adds to Dress Code open-minded style.

Liz Allen, Clinton Community College student is a regular consigner at Dress Code. She collects clothes that she has grown out of, never wore or that are old Halloween costumes and brings them in to cash in and get extramoney. Allen likes the relaxed atmosphere of Dress code. "The people who work here are super friendly, personable and they have a lot of cool stuff" says Allen.     

"Some consigners have gone in the store and made any where from $100 to $200 on clothes that they have worn several times and most likely were going to throw out."

Tyre Nobles was rummaging through the racks at Dress code. He shops there frequently because he can find clothes there that he would find in his native Brooklyn, NY."The clothes here are like shopping in the city but a lot cheaper. My friends would never know I am wearing second hand clothes, so I don’t mind.”  Nobles buys lots of button down shirts, vintage jeans and cool hoodies at incredible prices. “ My parents don’t send me a lot of money especially since we are in a recession, so I have to make best with what I have.” Like Nobles, many students are afraid to splurge on clothes in a time where you have to choose between necessities and luxuries. Consignments shops are making it easier for people to save money and be fashionable.  

Question Have you ever been to Dress Code? Sound off on your shopping experience.