Keep or resell? $20 Frye Melissa Lace-Ups - ETA decision at bottom

I scored these Frye boots at the flea market for $20 ages ago, but it's been too hot to wear them - not 100% sure, but I believe they are the Melissa style. But in the interest of keeping a good eye on my closet and not letting it grow too large, I thought I should think about whether they will earn their keep. Picture #2 is my other pair of flat, brown, lace-up boots.

Arguments to keep:
- They are a different vibe (very RATE and distressed compared to my other ones)
- They are a warmer, lighter brown (more like chestnut vs. dark chocolate)
- They *perfectly* match my steampunk leather jacket
- Boots that fit my calves and ankles don't come around every day
- Used is used... I can always resell them later if I have to - and right now I don't *have* to.
- Obviously did not break the bank.

Arguments to resell:
- They're still a second pair of brown, knee-high, flat, lace-up boots
- The profit margin would be nice
- Extra space in closet

What would YOU do?

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

13 years ago

fern

Veteran

I would only keep one pair. Why is #2 better than #1?
However, I love all your steampunk outfits. Maybe you really do need 2 pairs.

Scarlet

Wow those look amazing, but it seems easy for you to part with them, so it seems that is telling you something.

Caro in Oz

I think you should keep them - at least through winter to see how much use you get out of them. Also they are part of your style & replacing them at a later date would be expensive.

jayne

Oh this is easy, resell to me...

I see the dilemma, I think you only need 1 pair

rae

(website)

Fern, #2 is the definite keep because I bought them new. No profit to be had there, and I chose them before I thrifted #1.

Scarlet, I wouldn't say it's easy for me. I am trying to be cold-hearted because of all the purge talk around the forum. If I didn't love them both, I'd have re-sold the cheaper ones months ago.

Caro, that may be a good solution. As I said up top, they will be used whether I try them out for a while or not. I can always sell them later.

Sylvie

Keep them until you find something you desperately want to buy. Then resell them to fund that other splurge.

lyn*

Would it depend on how much you could sell them for?

Suz

I am with Sylvie. If you have room to store them, keep them for now, see how much you wear them. If not much, and something comes along that you need pennies for, sell then. OTOH, if you wear them lots, you have your answer.

MNsara

If it were me, I'd keep them through fall and see if I wear them, or if when I do wear them I would have been just as happy in the original pair.

By December or so, you might have a clearer picture.

I also like the thought Sylvie had about using them to help fund it something else comes along and catches your heart. . .

Preppy Pear

I love unloading things, and I firmly believe fewer options are better - but the Fryes are such high quality at any price and you make great arguments for their place in your wardrobe. Unless you are sure you don't want them or really need the closet space, I'd hang on to them a little longer and see!

Also, if you wear a size 11, you can sell them to me for 20 bucks!

Transcona Shannon

I think I'd keep them for a while and see how often you reach for them to wear. They are a slightly different brown and if they match your jacket perfectly, you may want to wear them often. But only if you have room.

Anonymous

All of the purge talk on the forum is for things that we no longer love or don't suit our style. These hardly fit into that category! I would keep through F/W and then decide, or sell them when you need to fund something else. They are gorgeous and so obviously Rae---and they fit. Wow. To bad you can't return the full price ones!

Sara L.

I'm a shoe hound so I would keep them if you think you'll get some use out of them. If it turns out you don't wear them all winter, then you could get rid of them in the spring.

JAileen

Unless you're packing a suitcase and leaving town, why can't you wait until you know for sure if they work for you? If you choosing the other pair time after time, then you'll have your answer.

Thanks, everyone! I think in my heart I knew what to do, but it's good to hear it "out loud." The try-and-see approach is of course the most practical and sure way to evaluate...

...which got me to thinking about the rest of my boots. These ones in #1 below were a swap meet DIY project. One of my first dye experiments. But I hardly ever reached for them, even at the office. Now that I don't plan on going back to an office, they're even less like my current style. So these will be leaving me, which helps out on the space issue, even though I can't resell them.

I will also try to resell #2 below - while they are an amazing taupe color and have a perfect height heel, I now have to admit they are too small for me after my feet swell up for a day of walking. Plus they are less my style than the Fryes and I don't own anything else in taupe. So that takes care of the selling end of it.

So there you have it: still making room and hopefully a little money, but the Fryes stay for now. THANK YOU, forum sisters, for putting me in the right frame of mind!

san

I'm so glad you chose to keep the Frye's because they look so good on you and are different enough from your other pair of brown boots!!

I am glad you are keeping. If I had Fryes that looked that good on me you would have to pry them out of my hands

ElleH

I love the boots & boots in general, as do you it seems, & I'm glad you kept them, unless they were my size:)

I love Frye's. They were a great deal. I have a tiny closet but own 5 pairs of frye boots. 3 of them in brown, 2 in black so I would vote keep hands down. Given that you are a big boot wearer I think you did the right thing keeping them.

ETA: I don't think one brown shade fits all either. Even though matching isn't "in" sometimes a certain brown doesn't work as well as another.

Beth

Glad you're keeping the Fryes:) They belong with you!

Thistle

So glad you are keeping the Fryes. The others you showed are way better purge choices!

Category