Blog: Crossroads Style

Pleating makes so many fashion pieces better! You may immediately think of pleated skirts, but what about dresses, pants, and tops?

They’re sometimes wide and sometimes mini. They’re sometimes loose and sometimes crisp. And while they admittedly may be tricky to iron (or an absolute favorite for those who love to iron), pleats can’t help but add visual interest with a touch of volume.

We had to include pleating when creating our latest selling guide.  With spring officially here and summer just weeks away, we’re adding them to our store racks in all kinds of versions.

Scroll through and get inspired by different ways to style them.

If you happen to be one of those people who tried them but don’t love them, do you have any pieces in your closet you might want to sell? We buy your preloved pieces for cash or store credit, so you can get your hands on new-to-you pieces that you’ll truly love. Learn about how to earn 30% in cash or 50% in trade by selling in one of our many store locations. We buy all day every day, and no appointment is necessary!

Babydoll dresses have made their spring return, finding their way into our current selling guide as one of the silhouettes we’re loving right now.

These dresses are short and loose-fitting, making them ideal pieces for warm weather days and summer vacations. We like to collect them in gingham, tropical prints, and bright colors.

Sandals, heels, and ankle booties all make a good match, and it wouldn’t be a spring or summer look without a straw accessory. A French market basket or wide-brim straw hat usually make top choices.

Keep scrolling to see some of the babydoll dresses we’d love to see in our closets this season. Love the look too? Then it’s time to stop into one of our store locations to find one for your closet. And don’t forget to bring your preloved fashion along to sell for cash or store credit.

You could refresh your closet without any expense! It’s like magic.

Stop into Crossroads to sell your gently used clothing this season. Our stores buy all day every day, and no appointment is necessary. Consignment is offered for high-end items, and many stores offer drop-off selling. We even offer Sell by Mail!

As part of our Staff Style Spotlight series, meet Sofia, a Sales Associate at Crossroads. We asked San Jose and Santa Cruz employees to bring their style and star in our latest photoshoot wearing their best secondhand finds. Read about Sofia’s personal style, favorite Crossroads finds, and favorite thing about working at Crossroads.

Describe your all-time favorite Crossroads find.

A beautiful vintage Italian leather purse with a red interior… It has become my favorite go-to purse.

Which clothing brand(s) do you get excited to see at Crossroads?

I love seeing Selkie dresses; they are so stunning and unique and bring such joy to the wearer.

Describe your personal style in 5 words or less.

Vintage diva!

What is your go-to spring uniform?

For spring, you’ll always see me in florals. They’re a classic and just bring that special spring energy!

What tips do you have for selling at Crossroads?

Checking our Selling Guide and asking our buyers questions about what we are looking for at the moment!

What is your favorite part about working at Crossroads?

Thanks for the Staff Style Spotlight, Sofia! As a Sales Associate, Sofia assists customers on the sales floor, monitors the fitting rooms, and processes new merchandise for the floor all while providing great customer service. Does this sound like something you would be interested in? Join our team! Check out our Careers page to learn more about working at Crossroads.

“Gently used clothing” is a term you’ll hear us use often. It’s our catchall phrase for clothes that meet our quality standards for purchasing an item. It’s an important assessment measure for our fashion buyers, who buy clothing all day, every day from the public.

So what exactly does gently used clothing look like? Next time you’re cleaning out your closet and considering whether to sell an item to us, check for these 3 things.

1. Minimal Wear

You know the pieces that you wear infrequently. They’re the ones you fell in love with on the rack but not when you took them home. Maybe you tried wearing the piece a few times only to decide it didn’t fit quite right. Or maybe you could never figure out exactly what to pair it with. This fashion piece has been passed over by you multiple times. It shows minimal signs of wear because you just don’t love wearing it.

2. No Signs of Damage

In a perfect world, we’d have an in-house team of tailors to sew on missing buttons or replace broken zippers, but alas, that’s not the case. Our buyers only buy in pieces that are ready to wear by their new owner. No extra work involved!

3. Freshly Laundered

Clothes that are freshly laundered are much more likely to find a new home! So while a name brand coat may be vintage in age, giving it some special attention like a dry clean could revive it to selling quality.

Now go spring clean your closets and get ready to sell your gently used clothing to Crossroads!

Metallic fashion pieces may seem daring, but we like to think of them as an elevated neutral.

When done well, fashion items in silver, gold, bronze, and copper add a dash of shine against your basic pieces. Even a full suit in a metallic hue can look well-composed and stunning when paired with a simple tank or sweater.

We personally like to look for metallic skirts, pants, and shorts for our closet, and we never forget to seek out metallic accessories like handbags, sunglasses, and shoes!

We’re so fond of this trend that is made our latest selling guide. Want to see the look in action? Here are some of the inspirational styling photos we found on social.

Whether you’re looking to buy or sell metallic fashion, Crossroads is the place to visit. We’re currently on the hunt for metallic pieces so we can stock our store racks for shoppers who love the trend. We pay 30% in cash or 50% in trade credit for what we price your item for. Stop in to learn more!

We’re also curious how you’re styling these pieces this season. Tag us on Instagram and you may find yourself featured on our brand feed: @crossroadstrading.