‘Courtney Loves Couture’ but not as much as me.

Previously, the smell of desperation has lingered through the Z list who have found themselves cashing in on their heyday with costumes at extortionate rates on online auction sites a la Jordan, Lindsay Lohan, Tori Spelling, Oprah and Kim Kardashian. New to the mob is none other than Courtney Love.  Unabashed by her highly criticised style blog, ‘What Courtney Wore Today’, Love has created the slightly evasively named ‘Courtney Love Couture’ store on Ebay.  Alas, Love’s own creations are not up for bidding, but one lucky customer can expect a couture gown that the punk singer was once photographed in.

The auction features pieces from Vivienne Westwood, Anna Sui and Marc Jacobs amongst others with prices starting from $200 for Louboutin pumps and highest selling item peaked at $3000 for a Gucci gown.

The independent reported that ‘around a third of the shop’s items hadn’t been bid on at all after three days of hitting the web’. Ouch.

But don’t let this put you off, Ebay is a melting pot of vintage, retro and costume jewellery finds for purse friendly prices.  Often people find online shopping, and particularly auctions like Ebay, daunting- but it couldn’t be easier.  Once you have your account set up, start browsing the fashion categories, entering detailed descriptions of the items you want into the search bar. Found something you like? Check the price, including delivery, and hit ‘watch this item in my Ebay’.  Make note of when the auction is ending, and nearing to the final hours, enter the highest amount you can bear to part with for these one of a kind brogues/sapphire brooch/Broderie Anglaise blouse (delete as applicable.) Then it’s a case of letting the magic happen. On occasion you do lose out to a higher bidder, but the more you play around with Ebay the better you can master your auctioning techniques- the timing of your bid is essential.

 

One of the best things about Ebay is that it allows access to small independent shops worldwide, and as sellers do not have to fork out the funds necessary for running a normal store, they are able to maintain a buyer friendly retail price all year round. Incidentally, you can find a whole number of independent designers who are only able to sustain their creative hobby through Ebay, meaning you get a one off creation in exchange for fund maintenance of an artistic pursuit. Stylish and conscientious.

 

 

Even better, Ebay is the best way to make a quick buck, and it couldn’t be simpler.  It’s granted that readers of this article are not Hollywood wannabes, so any ridicule is spared if you plan to sell your wardrobe, sorry Courtney.  First, gather everything that just isn‘t being worn anymore, give it a sprucing with an iron, and find a well lit room to hang the items against a wall to take snapshots of. Take one shot from the front, the back and then zoom to highlight specific detailing on the item you are selling. Alternatively, get a friend drunk and convince them they’d make a great mannequin. Organization is key here, so ensure that you keep all items together and in the same sequence as the photos so you don’t get mixed up. Upload shots to Ebay, enter item description, and give it a fair price.  Insertion fees are tiny and occasionally non existent depending on the category the item fits into, so don’t be put off by them. Handy hint: start bidding low, as the price will be more likely to attract a number of bargain bidders who will have to wage a bid war against each other, raising the selling price for you.

With your winter wardrobe shipped out to the far seas, there is plenty of room for those one off Ebay treasures to bring in the Summer season. Delish.