Where to Shop for Stylish Used Wedding Guest Dresses

It's no secret that weddings are expensive. Between buying gifts, transportation and hotels, costs can add up fast, so the last thing you want is to spend a ton on your wedding guest dress. Shopping for used wedding guest dresses is the easiest way to find affordable wedding guest dresses that won't break the bank. "Attending a wedding gets expensive, especially when multiple events like welcome drinks and the ceremony each call for a different outfit," Chloe Baffert, head of merchandising and curation at Poshmark, tells us. "Shopping secondhand for your wedding guest dress is a simple way to cut costs without sacrificing style."

Rather than buy a brand new dress for every wedding, shopping for preloved wedding guest dresses is a great way to save money and offset the impact of tariffs—but that isn't the only benefit to shopping secondhand. Shopping for used designer dresses online is a great way to find a unique wedding guest dress. Fashion is cyclical, so many of today's top wedding guest dress trends can be emulated even in a used dress. Many used formal dresses are from previous seasons that are no longer produced, so the chances are slim that you'll show up in the same dress as another guest. Plus, you can find vintage one-of-a-kind dresses you'll treasure for years to come.

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Beyond the financial and style benefits of secondhand shopping, it's also great for the planet. Giving clothes a second life reduces the amount of waste in landfills and cuts back on the demand for new goods. "You're also helping the planet by shopping secondhand," Baffert explains. "Shopping on Poshmark supports a circular economy, where products are reused and recycled rather than tossed in a landfill, helping to extend the lifecycle of clothing and minimize waste."

If you're ready to start shopping, we've compiled all of our favorite online platforms where you can shop for used wedding guest dresses right now. Plus, Baffert shares her top tips for shopping secondhand.

In this article:

• Where to Buy Used Wedding Guest Dresses
• Dress Resale Shopping Tips From an Expert

Where to Buy Used Wedding Guest Dresses

Truly unique wedding guest dresses can be hard to come by, which is why we're turning to secondhand gowns for this wedding season. Knowing where to buy wedding guest dresses is half the battle, which is why we've outlined all of our favorite places to shop for preowned dresses to help you become the best-dressed guest at your next wedding.

Where to find used dresses for sale: Poshmark | ThredUp | Depop | Nuuly | eBay | Vestiaire Collective | TheRealReal | Rent the Runway | Brands That Sell Their Preloved Dresses

Poshmark

Poshmark is a popular social commerce platform where users can buy and sell both new and secondhand items. Poshmark is a particularly great platform for shopping for secondhand wedding guest dresses—and even used bridesmaid dresses—because there are so many options out there. Sellers will describe the condition of the item, and you can comment on their post if you have additional questions before purchasing. You can filter by brand, color and silhouette to find styles that you love. Once you've found a winner, you can either purchase the item directly or make the seller an offer and score an even better deal. "Brides, bridesmaids and wedding guests can save more than 50% off retail price when shopping on Poshmark for popular bridal and wedding guest brands like BHLDN, Birdy Gray, Lulu's, Reformation and Show Me Your Mumu," Baffert shares.

ThredUp

ThredUp is an online consignment store that sells clothing, shoes and accessories. Sellers order a "clean out kit" from ThredUp to send in their gently worn items, and ThredUp lists them on the site at a discounted rate. ThredUp emphasizes the importance of sustainability and aims to give items a second life to help create a circular fashion industry. From more affordable brands to designer ones, ThredUp carries a wide range of options for every style and budget. ThredUp uses innovative AI-powered tools, including an image search and style chat, to allow customers to easily find exactly what they are looking for.

Depop

Depop is a circular fashion marketplace where users can buy and sell secondhand fashion finds at an affordable price. This platform is especially useful for sourcing unique vintage and one-of-a-kind pieces—many celebrities and stylists have been known to use Depop. There are countless Y2K and nostalgic vintage pieces on Depop, making it the perfect place to find a unique wedding guest dress. Buyers can message sellers with any questions they may have before purchasing, which is helpful to ensure your pieces meet your expectations.

Nuuly

Nuuly is a rental clothing subscription service that allows subscribers to rent clothing from top brands at a discounted rate. For $98 a month, users get to pick out six items of clothing to rent from brands like Free People, Anthropologie, Damson Madder, Farm Rio and more. If you have a wedding coming up, add a few stylish wedding guest dress rentals to your Nuuly order for the month so you can try them on and pick a favorite. If you fall in love with an item, Nuuly will let you purchase it at a discounted rate.

eBay

eBay is a global online marketplace where businesses and individuals can buy and sell a wide range of items, including secondhand designer dresses. eBay operates with both fixed price sales and auctions, where buyers try to outbid each other for a coveted item. In recent years, eBay has become a leader in secondhand fashion by using initiatives like its Authenticity Guarantee and the Circular Fashion Fund to gain buyers' trust. The diverse selection of dresses on eBay ranges from unique vintage finds to popular designer brands like Free People and J. Crew.

Vestiaire Collective

Vestiaire Collective is an online marketplace specifically for buying and selling luxury and designer fashion. Their sustainability-conscious approach encourages users to "think first, buy second," in order to promote thoughtful shopping habits. Not only is buying secondhand designer a sustainable choice, it's also a great way to save money. Vestiaire Collective carries countless dresses from brands like Zimmermann, Missoni and Dôen that would make the perfect wedding guest dresses.

TheRealReal

TheRealReal is an authenticated luxury resale platform where buyers can shop designer brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Reformation, Staud and more at a steeply discounted rate. They even sell shoes, bags and accessories, so you can shop an entirely used wedding guest look from head to toe. TheRealReal is especially great for secondhand black-tie dresses and used cocktail dresses.

Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is an online platform where users can rent, subscribe to and buy designer fashion at a discounted rate. Memberships start at $47 per month and give subscribers access to a seemingly endless closet of designer fashion from brands like Tanya Taylor, LoveShackFancy and Katie May. You can also rent individual items for an event even without a subscription. This option in particular is great for wedding guest dresses because they even include a free backup size to ensure your outfit fits on the day of the event. Users can rent for any four or eight-day period, up to four months in advance. Rent the Runway also sells items that were once in the rental rotation at a special discounted rate.

Brands That Sell Their Preloved Dresses

Here are a few brands you can shop directly to snag a one of their preloved dresses.

Ulla Johnson: Ulla Johnson is best known for her artful, bohemian take on fashion. Now, you can buy her gorgeous designs at a discounted price when you shop Ulla Johnson Preloved. Ulla Johnson and her team design their pieces to be future heirlooms, so shopping their preloved collection is a great way to find coveted styles from past seasons.

Saylor: Woman-owned brand Saylor partners with Treet so customers can buy and sell their preloved Saylor items with the goal of reducing our collective carbon footprint. In the spirit of sustainability, the brand automatically offsets 100% of the carbon emissions from each online order and invites customers to double the impact at checkout to produce a net positive impact. Their gorgeous dresses would make the perfect wedding guest dress for a variety of dress codes and occasions.

Rachel Comey: The Rachel Comey Archive is a place where fans of the brand can buy and sell preworn clothing, shoes and accessories for a fraction of retail price. Her thoughtfully designed pieces are best known for their innovative textiles and unique silhouettes.

Dress Resale Shopping Tips From an Expert

Before you start shopping, we have a few important tips that will help guide your search for used formal dresses.

Get Specific

Shopping dress resale platforms online can be tricky since you don't have the luxury of physically looking through racks. The more specific you can get with your search, the better results you'll have. Some platforms, like ThredUp, even utilize reverse image search features that make it easy to find exactly what you're looking for. "Be specific with your searches and use search filters," Baffert advises. "You can sort through categories, price ranges, sizes and more, which helps curate your search to help you find exactly what you're looking for."

Work With a Tailor

The one downfall of shopping for resale evening dresses online is that you don't get to try them on before purchasing—and many sites are final sale. If something you order doesn't fit exactly how you envisioned, don't be afraid to work with a tailor to achieve a bespoke fit. Many off-the-rack dresses need some tailoring to fit their best, and secondhand dresses are no different. Whether it's a simple hem or a total redesign, a trusted tailor can give you a completely custom wedding guest look. That being said, make sure you read the return policy before purchasing if you aren't open to working with a tailor.

Make an Offer

Many resale sites, like Poshmark and eBay, allow shoppers to make an offer on an item rather than paying the full listing price. While there's no guarantee the seller will accept, we recommend you try sending an offer before purchasing if you want to save money. "Don't be afraid to make an offer," Baffert encourages. "If you like an item but not the price, send a reasonable offer. Many sellers are open to negotiation, and you might get a great deal that works for both of you."

Sell Your Preloved Dresses

If you have old wedding guest dresses collecting dust in your closet, give them a new life by selling them on a resale platform. You'll earn some money that can go toward another purchase and make room in your closet. Many websites make it easy to resell used items you've previously purchased from them. "If you no longer need it after the wedding, you can easily use the Reposh feature to relist it and earn some of your money back," Baffert shares.