“I like to educate people about recycling and shopping second hand,” says Mandy Delaronde, manager of Better on You, a consignment clothing store specializing in second hand men’s and women’s designer clothes. The lessons she imparts to customers are: a) how to match clothes to create cool outfits; b) how to make sure clothes fit properly and c) you can buy used clothes and walk away looking stylish.
Better on You may be a bit compact compared to other consignment stores, but it has racks full of clothes that stress quality over quantity. All items feature designer labels and are less than two years old. Whether a customer seeks an outfit for the office, a party dress or funky everyday threads, Mandy is confident she can provide.
With a background in fashion design, art and floral arrangement, she has a refined sense of esthetics. Matching colours and clothing items comes naturally to her. “I will pull clothes for people at times when they don’t know what they are looking for,” she says matter-of-factly. “Or, when someone is looking for a specific item, I can find it because I know the inventory by size and colour.” Because customers often solicit her opinion on the look of the clothes and the fit, she is more than happy to impart advice on how to match or fit in clothes to look your best.