Here's What $50 Can Get You at Plato's Closet, Even if You're Not the Right Age

Yes, yes. I am aware that is for teens and twenty-somethings.

Their website states it quite clearly.

And no, neither I nor my friends are anywhere near those age brackets anymore.

And yet, one recent morning, that's where the three of us found ourselves. We each had a specific goal in mind.

1. Kathy had $50 burning a hole in her pocket and wanted to see just how much summer wear she could get with it.
2. Sherry was looking for something cute and trendy (and cheap) for a Girls Night Out birthday celebration.
3. I was in search of something to wear with the fabulous teal cowboy boots I got on sale at .

With our specific targets in mind, we hit the floor. And that's when I learned my first valuable lesson of how to shop at Plato's Closet.

Lesson Learned: Plato's Closet sorts by color and by size, making it super handy if you are looking for something in a specific hue — like teal.

With a dozen items teal-themed items in hand, I hit the dressing room. Because we're not exactly Plato's Closet's regular demographic, it's a good thing to bring an honest friend or two. , just because it fits doesn't mean you should wear it. With the guidance of the dressing room mirror and my friends, my pile of 12 was quickly whittled down to one.

Lesson Learned: Honesty counts when shopping at Plato's Closet. Just because that cute dress is only $8 doesn't mean you should buy it. Try to keep it real and don't get sucked into those crazy bargain prices. 

My girlfriends were having a bit more luck than me. Kathy, in search of a summer wardrobe boost, ended up with two pairs of shorts, three T-shirts and two sweaters for $49 and some change!  

Sherry got the perfect shiny, ruffled top for a Girls Night Out, and she didn't stop there. She also picked up a couple skirts and a couple more tops. Her grand total was $62.

Like any devoted friends, my girls were not letting me walk out of there with only one thing. They started tossing things into my dressing room. 

I started the shopping trip by telling Kathy "I don't really wear orange" when she pointed out some cute citrus-hued wedges. So naturally I ended up with two new orange tops. They were $4 each and will look smashing with my cowboy boots.

Lesson Learned: Plato's Closet also sells gently-used shoes, jewelry, purses, bags, DVDs and books. Footwear sales are final.

All our missions accomplished, we headed for the checkout and learned our last valuable lesson.

Lesson Learned: Plato's Closet takes cash, Master Card and Visa. They do not take checks, American Express or Discover.

We're not the only ones

Perhaps it was the time of day, but we weren't the only shoppers there outside Plato's Closet's typical demographic. So I had to ask the store manager, Jackie Cooks, if they get a lot of "older" customers.

"We get quite a bit of middle-aged shoppers," Cook told me. "Sometimes they come in shopping for their kids but end up walking out with something for themselves. Others come in just for themselves. We carry Banana Republic and JCrew, too, and some styles sell to anyone."

That anyone could be you.

Plato's Closet is located at 3104 Walton Blvd. in the Trader Joe's plaza. In addition to selling gently-used brand name clothing, they also buy it. They are looking for stylish clothes in ready-to-wear condition. Call 248-375-8838 with questions. From now until the end of May they are offering $5 in Plato Bucks for four denim items.