Raspberry Beret is a boutique that specializes in new and consigned women’s fashion—a go to for modern style, classic vintage, and luxury clothing and accessories. We love labels, and aim to bring high quality fashion to our customers at a fraction of the cost. All of our items are in excellent condition and have a unique quality and style.
We have helped women update their wardrobe, find an outfit for a special event, and keep style thriving in the greater Boston area since 2005. Items featured in each store are chosen from both consigners and dealers. With two locations, each boutique has its own style, personality, and personalized shopping experience in a welcoming atmosphere. Located in Cambridge and Maynard, Massachusetts, Raspberry Beret makes it easy to buy and consign high end and vintage fashions locally.
Raspberry Beret is owned and operated by Rachael Bankey, whose distinctive eye for style shapes each store’s character and design.
Philosophy
We at Raspberry Beret believe that consumers have a social responsibility to balance fashion, economics, and the environment. Americans throw away 13 million tons of textiles each year, accounting for 9% of total non-recycled garbage. This wasted clothing, often in excellent condition, clogs landfills. Shopping at stores like Raspberry Beret reduces the stress the fashion industry places on the environment. Textile recycling is easy, and beneficial to both the environment and your wallet. Many high end labels will charge thousands for pieces that you can find in our store in perfect condition at economical prices.
Consignment Information
Consigning with Raspberry Beret can be a fun and rewarding experience! It does involve some effort on our consignors’ part to ensure that we are consigning only the best items to maintain the Raspberry Beret brand that you know and love. Keep reading to learn how to become a valued consignor —
STEP 1 Familiarize yourself with our consignment policies STEP 2 Book your appointment STEP 3 Prepare your items for consignment, following our guidelines carefully STEP 4 Bring in your items STEP 5 Capitalize on your consignment with a check or store credit!
OUR POLICIES Please read the following information carefully to maximize your consignment experience with Raspberry Beret.
All consignment is taken by appointment only. Appointments are easy to make, and are the backbone of Raspberry Beret’s consignment process. Call, click, or come on in to book yours today.
Both locations operate on different consignment schedules. Reach out to your local Beret to learn more about appointment availability.
It’s a good idea to get an appointment on the books in advance. During our peak seasons (April-May, October-November), appointments may book 3-8 weeks out.
Appointments typically last 10-15 minutes. Your items will be inspected by a staff member while you wait. Not sure about an item(s)? Feel free to e-mail us some photos! We are here to help.
Consignors may bring up to 25 items to an appointment. New consignors must present at least 5 strong acceptable items.
Consignors are allowed one (1) appointment per consignment season.
Each consignor is required to sign a Raspberry Beret consignment agreement at their first appointment. You’ll find links to download the document(s) at the bottom of this page. Read, print, sign at home if you like!
All items must be in excellent condition. Raspberry Beret does not consign items with holes/runs, stains/discoloration, odors, pilling, broken or missing closures, or any other signs of damage.
Take the time to clean, organize, and inspect any potential consignment items for damage at home. This includes shoes, jewelry, and handbags. The better the condition of an item, the more likely it will sell. (And you’ll get paid, cha-ching!) Raspberry Beret does not offer a cleaning service for our inventory.
Items that need to be steamed or rid of pet hair or lint may not be accepted on these grounds.
Items are priced at about 1/3 to 1/2 of their retail value.* Condition, seasonal needs, brand/trend research, and supply and demand are all taken into consideration when pricing each piece. Prices are determined by Raspberry Beret and are non-negotiable. We do not offer pricing on the spot at appointments. *Items with no current retail value (i.e., vintage) are researched using the same guidelines as contemporary items. Brand recognition, condition, market price, and any previous Raspberry Beret sales of similar items are all factors. Our knowledgeable staff will determine an item’s best selling price based on this research.
All items should be brought to the store in a reusable bag, box, or suitcase. Items brought in trash bags will not be considered. We prefer items to be folded neatly in bags over items on hangers and/or in garment bags.
Raspberry Beret reserves the right to refuse any item no matter the label or condition. Please respect our process and choices. Though an item may be near and dear to your heart, it may not be what our customers are looking for.
The consignment period is 60 days. We’ll give your items two months on our racks to find a new home.
Items are consigned on a seasonal basis. See our Consignment Seasons overview for more information on acceptable styles for each season.
Consignors earn 40% of the sale price of each item during the 60 days.
Items are reduced in price by 20% after 30 days on consignment and are subject to further mark downs (i.e., special events, end of season sales, holidays, etc.) at the discretion of the store.
After 60 days, unsold merchandise is considered expired and becomes property of Raspberry Beret. Expired items will be sold as such or donated to MassAppeal Int’l at the discretion of the store. Unless you are certain that an item meets the below guideline for high end pricing, if you are not comfortable with an item being donated, please reconsider consigning it.
Only items priced by Raspberry Beret at $50 or more are eligible to be returned to the consignor. These items will typically have a retail price of $200 or more within the last 5 years.
A minimum of 24 hours notice is required for high end item returns, but at least 3 days notice is preferred. We will locate and pull your expiring items, storing them safely for you. Consignors are not permitted to pull their items from the sales floor.
Payment is available by check or as store credit. Don’t worry, there is no difference in your earnings, but:
You’ll get a 15% discount when you use your store credit! You get to stretch your dollar a little farther this way. Store credit is valid for 18 months after accrual.
Checks are written for account balances of $20 or more. Balances of less than $20 can be used as store credit or rolled into your next consignment check.
Consignors who opt for a check are put on a payout list concurrent with their 60 day expiration date. Checks can be mailed (for a .50 fee) or kept at the store for you to pick up. Checks must be picked up within 6 months of issue date. All unclaimed checks after 6 months become property of Raspberry Beret and are no longer payable. Consignors are not notified when a check is issued, however you can check your account status and balance through our Consignor Portal, and can contact us at any time to ensure you are on the list.
Checks are written on the 1st of the month in Maynard, and the 15th of the month in Cambridge. Checks are available to be picked up on the 5th and 16th respectively, and are mailed on the 6th and 20th, respectively. Raspberry Beret does not do early payouts.
Raspberry Beret is a high-end consignment boutique. Both locations have their own personality. Certain brands and styles may sell better or worse depending on location. Maynard is a hot spot for preppy brands like Lululemon, Boden, and Kate Spade. Cambridge caters to a more urban, outside-the-box shopper, selling a higher volume of vintage and brands like Marimekko, John Fluevog, and Free People. Get to know each store by visiting in person, or having a nice long, moonlit scroll through our Instagram(s). Some brands are not accepted, period. Please refer to our Brand & Style Guidelines below for more information about acceptable labels.
BRAND & STYLE GUIDELINES Raspberry Beret consigns and sells women’s better and designer clothing and accessories in an array of labels and styles from size 00 to 24.
CLOTHING SHOES HANDBAGS JEWELRY HATS BELTS
Some across the board no-no’s include
Biz-formal attire. Pleated slacks, basic blazers and pencil skirts, and starchy button down blouses can be left at home. Conservative office wear is not part of Raspberry Beret’s signature flair.
Lightening fast fashion. Labels from outfitters like Old Navy, Forever 21, H&M, Target, Walmart, and Charlotte Russe are not accepted.
Bridal. We don’t sell traditional wedding dresses. Bridesmaid dresses may be considered, but are typically tough to sell, especially if they have been custom tailored.
Children’s/junior’s clothing, underwear, swimwear, and housewares.
BRANDS WE LOVE include but are not limited to
J Crew Anthropologie (all 974,683 labels) Free People Christian Dior Eileen Fisher Rebecca Minkoff Alice & Olivia Habitat Levi’s LL Bean Coach Fendi Dansko Rag & Bone Marimekko Missoni Gucci Fly London BCBG Frye Diane Von Furstenberg Betsey Johnson Ferragamo Lululemon Madewell Boden Kate Spade Burberry Vintage (best sellers are 1940s-1970s)
LESS-LOVED BRANDS include but are not limited to
Ann Taylor/LOFT Banana Republic H&M Forever 21 Old Navy Talbots Chico’s Coldwater Creek White House/Black Market Wild Fable/A New Day/Who What Wear (Target)
CONSIGNMENT SEASONS Use the following information as a guide to help you organize your unwanted, gently used clothing and accessories for consignment.
SPRING (March thru April) — pastels, light sweaters, rain coats and boots, florals, t-shirts and jeans, denim jackets, sunglasses, sneakers, graduation attire, white jeans, natural fibers (cotton, linen, flax), open toed shoes, prom
SUMMER (May thru July) — shorts, tees and tanks, sun dresses, sunglasses, sun hats, sandals, skirts, natural fibers, beach cover ups, bright, bold colors, white jeans
FALL (September thru October) — jeans, denim and leather jackets, scarves, hats and gloves, boots and booties, wool and cashmere sweaters, turtlenecks, spooky fashions, plaid, rain boots, fleece, earth tones, blazers
WINTER (Nov thru Jan) — coats (down, fur, and dress. Coats are taken late October through Christmas), sweaters, sweater dresses, snow boots, gloves, hats, and scarves, cashmere, wool, dark neutral tones, jewel tones, polyester
TRANSITIONAL — occurs between each season. February is a Transitional Spring month.
SEASONAL OCCASIONS — Back to School (August-September), Winter Holiday season (October-mid December), Prom (March-April)
Not mentioned but accepted in all seasons: handbags, belts, jewelry. Tops and dresses are always our best sellers, regardless of season. Shoes, handbags, and pants do not perform as well, so we are more selective.
CASH BUYOUTS Cash buyouts are a great way to get paid for cleaning your room. If you’re looking for quick cash (or store credit) or only have a few items to sell, cash buyouts are for you. Buyout prices may be lower than the 40% you could earn when consigning, and typically do not exceed $10-12 per item. Items purchased at buyouts are based on necessity. We do ask that items with considerable price points be left at home, and brought in for consignment. Sellers at each buyout are served on a first come first serve basis, with no appointment needed.
Cambridge buyouts are held on the first Sunday of each month, from 12-4pm. Cambridge will NOT be hosting a cash buyout for January or February 2020. The next buyout will be on Sunday, March 1. We will be looking for transitional spring items. Maynard — email us if you are interested in a buyout option.
Clothing condition, brands, and quantity are the same as our consignment requirements. Please be aware that there may be a 10-30 minute wait time.
NEW! Personal Organization Service
Overwhelmed by your cluttered closet? We can help you with that. Learn more here.
