Looking for designer duds at deep discounts? A local Dallasite may have the Web site for you.
Megan Masoner, 33, just launched www.reFINEstyle.com, a site that connects fashionistas by allowing them sell clothes they are no longer wearing on an auction-style site similar to eBay.
Masoner said her site is different from others because the consumer doesn't have to dig for the clothes they crave.
"There's not a great hunt involved," she said. "You can come to the site, (and) it knows your preferences and sizes."
Annie Salem is purging items out of her closet that she hopes to make some money on.
"This I wore for New Year's two years ago, and I really don't think I'll wear it again, but it's still in style, so I could probably get some money for it," she said.
She took a picture of the skirt by designer Tibi, uploaded it to the Web site and priced it. A tool on the site that allows sellers to crop their items, giving them the best shot at selling
The site only accepts high-end brands in good condition.
Salem's skirt sold, making her $40 richer.
"If this is an easy thing that I can do from my home, make a few extra bucks, why not?" she said.
Masoner, a fashionista with a business background, said she wanted to create a business model that made sense in a down economy. After getting her master's in business adminstration from Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, she worked for Electronic Data Systems.
"I saw an opportunity between the economy and girls like myself," she said. "I love great fashion, but I have to be budget conscious, so I took a multiplatform approach to dealing with that."
ReFINEstyle.com is an auction site, but buyers can also choose to "buy it now."
To shop the site, sign up as a member for free and enter your size and brand preferences. The system then acts as a virtual personal shopper.
