I wouldn’t assume that about the organizations that help women. They may have a clever way to update them a bit or even have a client that they’d work for as is. It can never hurt to ask anyways.

I saw several on eBay.

I think St. John knits have a classic appeal, especially if you mix them with more on-trend pieces, so I wouldn't rule out donating them to a working wardrobe type of charity.

Checked out eBay and I was surprised to see that things were selling! Good points, Fun and lukki

St John is also selling on Poshmark, but I’ve never bought or sold on Poshmark.

My daughter's friends are in their mid 20s and wearing 80s style clothing. Things like Mom jeans and jump suits. So, your suits may not be as out of style as you think. I will say, IMO, retro styles are easiest to pull off when you're young. When you're middle aged I think retro styles can look like you discovered something in the back of your closet.

I've never tried Poshmark but I know many people who use it.

If you like them and they fit well, consider keeping some of them. You never know what the future will bring, who knows you might join some sort of mentoring club and want to wear something like these suits.

I read once that if you were old enough to have worn a style the first time it came around, then you are too old to wear it the second time! HA! Your daughters’ friends will look hip and stylish; I’ll just look out-of-date.

I’ve had surprisingly good results selling better clothing on Poshmark.

Poshmark

Boy! did I fall down an internet rabbit hole last night trying to figure out how to use Poshmark. There are about 10,000 You Tube videos on how to sell, how to market, how to package, etc. Of course, those are people who are making a living buying clothes at estate sales and thrift shops and re-selling on Poshmark. I’m just trying to get stuff out of my house!

maddielee, do you have any particular tips on selling on Poshmark?

A question for the group - how old is “vintage”?

I went to the post office and picked up a bunch of Priority Mail Envelopes so I was ready when something sold. I printed the labels using regular printer paper, cut the paper down to size and use good tape to adhere the shipping label to the envelope. I did wrap the item in tissue paper and then a thin plastic bag before placing it in the envelope.

I was careful to put lots of info (size, waist measurements, length etc.) in the listings. I wasn’t too concerned about pricing, but I did get an idea of the amount to ask for by searching like items.

I mostly wanted to get rid of stuff, my daughter suggested Poshmark with the earnings going into a special account.

Things that didn’t sell after a couple weeks were removed from Poshmark and donated to an organization We support.

I think it may be an advantage to not look too professional? I took clear photos, but did not stage items by using a mannequin or accessorizing. Try it with an item or 2, it can be fun and really is not too time consuming.

Good luck!

I think the definition of vintage depends on your age. For the Millennials, vintage is probably the 1980's.

Just texted my stylish millennial niece. She said her group thinks of the 90s as vintage but she believes to actually be called vintage, the item should bve 30 years old - so, things from the 80s.

I would definitely donate.

Maddielee, thanks for your info in selling on Poshmark. I have been thinking about selling a Burberry raincoat on there. Even went far enough to take all the photos but haven’t done so yet. I think they even have an ‘authentication’ service but wasn’t sure how that worked.

I’ve just googled the question, Outside, and usually a reasonable answer comes up. Watch out falling down the rabbit hole of You Tube videos. Here is the answer to your authentication question:

Posh Authenticate is a premium service where Poshmark provides extra verification and authentication on luxury handbags and other premium designer items. The service's full retail value is $39 per item, however it is offered free of charge for all items sold on Poshmark at a price of $500 or higher.

Each eligible item is first shipped to Poshmark where our team of luxury experts verify and authenticate the item, package it with love and care, and ship it to the buyer. The processing of a Posh Authenticate order is typically completed in 24-48 hours once received by Poshmark.

FWIW, those suits are still languishing in a cedar box in the closet.

I think my DD would like them! You should try to sell them or donate them.

Bbstx, maybe we should start a retro-trend? My mother relied on St John, and St John Sport, for much of her wardrobe needs. I don’t know what to do with them. Or her size 6.5W Ferragamos.

We donated my mom’s things.

Tina, where did you donate them to?

Anybody else scoot over to the St John website to see what they look like now? Pretty much the same and maybe I am super old, but it all looked pretty good to me still. I know, I know, maybe we'll never have the occasions any more. No more dress up luncheons, not as many fancy evenings. Boo.

Zal, I never thought to look at the SJ website. Below is a screenshot of the banner. I own that suit!! Guess I just need some cream knee high boots and a new silk shirt to make it au courant. Who knew???

I also found a knit bra top. Photo below is a skirt and top, not a slip and bra!! Definitely not your momma’s St John

I have a St. John suit that I bought in 2005. While the skirt is a tad tight (how could that have happened??) the jacket, which is a combination of knit and leather, still fits well. At the time it was the most expensive outfit I'd ever bought, but because it's so well made it still looks good and I've gotten a lot of use out of it. I now pair the jacket with black pants.

I found one on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/374274601083

@bpath in my parent's area (they lived in a city very near me), there happened to be a "home" where women lived and were prepared for a new life. I'm not sure if it was a shelter for abused women or rehab for women with addiction issues. It was a lovely, LARGE house on acreage. When I was growing up and lived at home, it was a boy's home (orphans). Some of the boys rode the school bus with us. My mom evidently had some contact with the home for women and my dad drove down one day to ask about donating. Mom had some beautiful clothes, some dressy type items, more casual items and lots of shoes and purses (LOL). They accepted all those type items. I do believe in their help to women in "starting over", the did interview preparation, etc. It made my dad so happy to have mom's things go there. : )

When my grandmother died a few years later at 99, my sister and I were cleaning out her things. Both my mom and my grandmother were quite stylish, but my grandmother's collection of shoes really was the prize! She had beautiful shoes, all stored in shoe boxes, some quite old. I remember my sister and I and my husband cleaning out one of "her" closets that day and my sister and I were trying on many of the shoes! LOL My sister was able to find an organization that took vintage items and most of the shoes went there. We even donated a fur coat and a fur stole. I remember that little mink head!!!

@bbstx i’m spending a lot of time with eBay right now and would live to do some lookups to help you decide. Just post some pics and I can get back by Friday.

I've donated to Dress for Success in OKC the past. I assumed it was nationwide-but maybe not? I bet there is something similar in most big cities. Sadly, OKC location was burned and vandalized after the protest in 2020-so they had to rebuild and replenish everything.

Spanish, thank you so much for the offer to help me. Regretfully, I’m out of town right now. I won’t be back home until early next week. I’ll try to remember then to post some pix.

Bookwoman, St John knits can be blocked up or down several sizes. Take the skirt to any store that sells St John and get them to block it for you. If I needed something blocked or re-blocked, I generally took it to Neiman Marcus. It doesn’t matter if you bought it there or not, they will block it for a fee.

Thanks bbstx, I had no idea. I did buy the suit at NM, and the skirt only needs to go up one size. If I can steel myself to go to the giant mall where NM is, I'll do it.

What size are they? I am in need of a few. Feel free to send me a message. If they dont fit me, I know a LOT of people who would wear them. Maybe I can help you sell them.

Had to look it up - those 90s suits look totally classic to me.

There used to be a thrift store here that offered free work clothes, etc. to people in need.

I was going to suggest eBay as well - super easy to sell through that site - you can even buy and print USPS mailing labels and insurance there, if you have the means to weigh your packages, for less $ than directly through USPS.

Bbstx - You are not alone, I think I have around 25 SJ suits from my mom. I plan to list on eBay and/or Poshmark; fairly easy process I used to sell things regularly. Work got too busy, but chances are I will be retiring very soon.

Keep one of your absolute favorites, then donate the rest to charity, like a job interview type place you mentioned. Or a consignment store. If those places won't take it, then I wouldn't even bother trying to sell it online. Goodwill is fine. It's way better than the landfill!

How does this thread keep coming back up? It’s a Lazarus thread. When you think it is dead, it rises back up!

I’m interested in any size 6. They are timeless ❤️

@bbstx OMG, I hate it when that happens! I hate it even more when I fall for it!

It does appear that after posting the original post 4 years ago, you came back and commented 4 months ago that the garments were still in your cedar chest. Which in turn, makes people, and apparen even google, think you are still interested in selling them. I googled gently used St John knits and voila…. here I am.

@Seattle, it doesnt work that way anymore. The thrifts and charities are taking the name brand items and listing them for almost new prices in some cases. She would be better to sell them herself then give the money to a cause she believes in, or go hand them out to the homeless or someone she knows in need in the community herself. thats the only way they would actually get them. Of course if she says shes no longer interested in selling the garments, thats fine. But I could always use them myself, if my size, because I cannot afford them new. I spend my money on health and genetics in my dog program, not clothing.

The thrifts and charities are taking the name brand items and listing them for almost new prices in some cases.

That's not really a concern for me though. My main goal is getting items reused rather than thrown in the landfill. Personally I don't have the patience to sell my stuff, the small amount of money I'd get from it is not worth it. I'd rather just give it away to anyone who will happily take it.

As far as charities go, it completely depends on what your priorities are. I don't donate to Salvation Army because I don't like their politics, and Value Village is for-profit (but I might give stuff to these places if Goodwill rejects it, which happens when they're too full).

Goodwill had some bad press lately, but they are not all the same. They operate independently and have their own territories. The Seattle ones are really good-- I just bought an Eileen Fisher cashmere sweater there last week. I also love our local goodwills because they send unsalvageable items to the proper recyclers (textile recycling, computer equipment, etc). They partnered up with the city to keep that stuff out of the landfill.