After my divorce, I was on a tight budget. Shopping apps like Poshmark helped me rebuild my closet.

The wrap dress has become my go-to style. To me, it’s sophisticated, it makes me feel younger, and it’s not too showy. I feel comfortable in my skin and relax in the sway of the dress, focused on the new vision I’m creating for my life. When I wear a wrap dress, I think about striving for financial independence, accepting my flaws and mistakes, and I feel brave enough to go after all the things I will regret not accomplishing.

After a long failed marriage and divorce, I’m not only restarting my life as a mom of two, but I’m re-buying my closet, tossing memories from fabrics of my past life. I desire clothing that can shift from work meetings to the soccer field and basketball court to date night with my fiancé and short walks in the park.

I don’t have time to shop in an actual store these days, so for the past two years, I’ve shopped secondhand fashion on the resell app Poshmark.

I build a wishlist ahead of getting paid

After payday, I spend between $30 to $70 per item, but I build my wishlist and my likes throughout the prior month. I explore the app for brands I could never afford brand new, but carried on my shoulder can feel like new.

These items are bought from photos only, it’s another reason I aim to spend less than $70 per item. I have to analyze the item for blemishes and flaws, if the straps of a bag are fraying or the corners look worn out, it’s a no. Or if a dress I originally thought was cute has a small stain, missing button or claps, or looks like it shrunk in the wash and is marked a medium but may really fit more like a small, it’s removed from my list.

Shoes can be tricky, the bottoms of a coveted gold pair worn out only a couple of weeks after arriving, and a pair of brown heels didn’t fit, so I’ll try to resell those. Still, a black patent leather pair of Tory Burch shoes saw me through the first year after my divorce and are still on my feet, going strong and making new memories.

It’s not always a deal

Not every purchase is worth it, one handbag ended up looking worse than the photos showed and was more than “gently used” as it was described. One pink dress I purchased for $45 was originally bought for the work day, but when it arrived with the hem length much shorter than expected, it became a weekend go-to for going to the museums and zoo with my kids instead.

I like that I can scroll the app wherever I am, I can offer a lower price, and grow my closet with clothing that, to me, are fresh and vibrant. The app was also there for me when I accidentally dropped my makeup bag in the toilet at the office, and quickly bought a new replacement bag.

Through my budget-friendly purchases, I’m breathing new life into my wardrobe, walking into my new life happier, and feeling more like the person I want to become.

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