Welcome to The Girl’s Guide! I’m glad you’re here! Every other Friday, I interview an interesting woman, share something I’ve been thinking about lately, and break down the latest news at the intersection of pop culture and politics. Read the most recent issue here if you missed it!
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Interview with Mary Wheeler
Today’s interview is with Mary Wheeler (Greco), the woman behind custom wedding stationery company Occasions by Mary! You can check out her beautiful work on Instagram.
What does your life look like right now?
My husband and 1-year-old son and I just moved to Alexandria from Capitol Hill! We loved city life, but were ready to enjoy the quiet (relatively speaking!) streets of Virginia. I work roughly 20 hours a week. My hours are flexible, so I basically work when my son is napping. We currently attend St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill where I sing in the choir and occasionally help out our amazing music director playing the organ!
What inspired you to start Occasions by Mary?
I was holding my son in our rocking chair last October when it hit me. I was thinking about ways I could bring in meaningful income, while working totally from home to be with our children. The idea really came out of the blue. I just thought: “I’m creative and I love all things stationery, so why not?” My family also owns a start-up wedding venue in upstate New York where my husband and I got married in 2023 (follow @beardsleehomestead on Instagram for gorgeous photos of Italian agritourism wedding aesthetics!). So it all just kind of came together in my mind that I could really make this work. I also think that there is a need and a niche for Christian wedding vendors.
What’s your top piece of wedding planning advice?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help or delegate tasks! Yes, you are planning your wedding and you want everything to reflect your vision, but if you communicate clearly, your mother, sister(s), maid of honor, and fiancé can and will want to support your ideas for your big day. My maid of honor (one of my sisters) was especially helpful during my engagement period!
What’s the biggest life lesson you’ve learned through motherhood?
Patience! Being a mother is, by far, the best and most undersold thing in this entire world, but it is hard work. The only way, for me, to get through sleepless nights, witching hours, food spills, and so much more of what these precious days bring, is by actively becoming more patient. I have learned so much about patience in the one year since my son was born that I never would have learned had I not become a mom. I really think people should start talking about how becoming a parent can make you a better person.
What’s your favorite or most useful clothing purchase of the last year?
Skirts! I recently discovered how beautiful I feel in long, flowy skirts — the ones where you twirl and feel like a princess. I have a pink one and a brown one and they have gotten me through all four seasons. You can mix and match with tops, cardigans, heels and flats, and so much more!
Riding the Consignment Carousel
For several years, I packed away my children’s clothes when they outgrew them. I sorted each t-shirt, onesie, and sock by size into marked plastic bags and squished those bags into big clear plastic tote bins, finding somewhere in my three-bedroom house to put them out of sight. Then I realized that in a few years, my home would be nothing more than a storage shed for too-small children’s clothes.
Thank goodness I have several options for easily consigning my kids’ clothing in my area. If you haven’t explored the consignment stores near you, either for shopping or selling, then you’re missing out. As my longtime Girl’s Guide readers know, I absolutely adore thrift shopping. So much so that I’ve written multiple posts about it (read one of them here). But, if anecdotal evidence is to be believed, thrift stores have really been raising their prices lately. However, I’ve found that the prices at my local consignment stores have pretty much stayed the same. Sometimes the prices at consignment stores are better than at the thrift store — my local kids’ consignment shop has a $1 rack with name-brand items, but nothing is cheaper than $2 at the thrift store! On the whole, consignment items are a little bit pricier than at the thrift store, but they’re also always in good condition. Which is not something the thrift store can guarantee!
The consignment cycle makes sense for kids’ clothes — after all, they outgrow an entire wardrobe every few months, it seems. It’s nice to be able to trade in the old for the new-to-you and save a few bucks in the process. Whether you’re on the hunt for kids’ clothes, adult apparel, furniture or anything else — check consignment before buying new. Not only will you be giving a second chance to an item that might otherwise end up in a landfill, but you’ll be supporting a local small business. In that spirit, here are a few tips I have picked up shopping and selling consignment in the past few years!
Build Up Consignor Credit
Before you say “Thanks, Captain Obvious!” let me lay out that there is a strategy to building up credit. If you shop every time you drop off, you are unlikely to ever build up your consignor credit, and you will miss out on the amazing high of walking out of the store with a bag of clothes you *technically* paid $0 for. But seriously, building up credit is harder than it seems. Since most stores will be giving you less than 50% of what an item sells for, it’s easy to think you’ll be raking in dollars when it’s actually dimes. My goal when I consign items is to make it feel like a trade-in. I want to build up credit as a seller and focus on discounted items as a buyer. As a result, I recently walked out of my daughter’s favorite kids’ consignment store recently with $48 worth of items after paying only $3 out of pocket (one of those items was a 50% off balance bike that Margot absolutely loves!).
Think Seasonally
Always do your research before you go sell. Many consignment stores are only buying items that are in season, so you’ll want to check Facebook or the store’s website to see whether they’re buying for the current season or looking ahead to next season. That said, try to stay on top of organizing your (and your kids’) closets. I shamelessly stole this idea from thrift-fluencer Dina, but keep a bag in the closet where you put clothes you’re tired of. When it’s full, consign or donate the items. I know I could likely make more money through other avenues. I could try to sell items as lots on Facebook Marketplace, or list them individually on Poshmark, but to me, consigning strikes the right balance between time-saving and money-making. I may not get top dollar for every item, but the process of consigning is such a breeze that it’s worth it to me. One last tip on thinking seasonally: I sell in season, buy out of season when I can. Since it’s summer now, I’ve got a big bin labeled “fall” where I keep all the clothes they’ll grow into by September or October.
Find Online Alternatives
Not everyone lives in a place where she has a lot of consignment shops to choose from. But there could be online alternatives you can use. Whether it’s checking Facebook’s Events tab to find a quarterly consignment sale near you, or getting in touch with an online-only consignment shop run by a local mom — you have options thanks to the world wide web! In fact, if you’re near Northern Virginia or Richmond, Va., I’ve got a recommendation for you. Mom of three Meghan Cupp loves quality children’s clothing, so she started Timeless Littles of VA. I love all of the classic options for babies, boys, and girls she has in stock! You can shop directly on Instagram by clicking here — her prices are great!
Use Consignment to Experiment with Fashion
There was a time that I thought I would “complete” my wardrobe. Now, I know it’s more fun to consider my closet a never-ending work in progress. I’m always trying to find an upgraded version of what I already have, whether that means better fabric, better fit, or both. I also love that thrift and consignment prices mean I’m not afraid to buy items that are a little bit out of my comfort zone. I’ve bought Edwardian-inspired dresses, black leather shorts, and uber-distressed jeans. Did any of those items last for very long in my closet? No, but they helped me learn more about my personal style along the way. Because of my love of thrifting and my not-quite-discriminate-enough taste, I’m constantly purging my closet, and I’ve probably lost out on a lot of money by donating perfectly good items that I could have consigned. But as of this year, I’ve been really motivated to clean out my wardrobe and make a little cash consigning — even if I can’t resist buying yet another cute linen top.
So there you have it, four tips for making consignment stores work for you! Let me know if you have your own tips to share by sending me a message with the button below!
Bulletin Board
ISO HOUSING: “I’m a mid-twenties Catholic female looking for housing in Old Town Alexandria or Capitol Hill. My price range is <$1,600. I’m looking to move-in by late August or early September. If your house or apartment has an opening, please get in touch!” Email girlygirlsguidetodc@gmail.com with subject line HOUSING to get connected.
The Haps
Trump Deploys National Guard to DC
Earlier this week, President Trump deployed National Guard members to DC to “reestablish law, order and public safety.” So was it a Justice Department employee throwing a sandwich at a law enforcement officer that influenced Trump’s decision? Or the violent assault on a DOGE employee known as “Big Balls?” Either way, people from cities facing high crime rates are asking Trump to send the National Guard their way next. We’ll see if this becomes a trend. Check out this story from CBS News for more about what deploying the National Guard to DC really means.
Here are more links to what I’m reading and writing lately:
The Think Tank Making America Healthy Again (The American Conservative): I interviewed MAHA Institute co-president Mark Gorton about why crunchy moms could become political kingmakers.
- takes on the fallout from Sweeney’s American Eagle ad.
Luke Healy Was Groomed to Transition. His Mom Refused to Play Along (IWFeatures): Andrea Mew’s new documentary follows Luke and his mom Michelle as they celebrate Luke’s freedom from gender ideology.
Town Tries To Seize 175-Year-Old Farm Land From Family For Affordable Housing (Daily Caller): Tayte Christensen tells the story of Andy Henry and his fight to save his family farm.
David Mamet: Back When We Gave a F*** (): The legendary playwright shares his thoughts on Colbert, Mamdani, and more.
Ask Evie
Have a question you want me to answer in the newsletter? Click this link to send your question anonymously, or use the button below! You can read my most recent Ask Evie column, about friendships and political differences, by clicking here.
Need to visit some local consignment stores STAT