Parents' Guide to

Resale Royalty

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Refreshingly real clan anchors mild fashion reality show.

TV Style Network Reality TV 2013
Resale Royalty Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

For decades, Sue McCarthy has run designer resale shop Women's Closet Exchange from St. Louis, building up a national reputation as a buyer and seller of exquisite designer duds. Now her two grown daughters, Diana and Laura, have joined her to help run the business, and together the crew is RESALE ROYALTY. Together the McCarthys and their staff of dozens of female employees plan events, visit client closets to pick them clean of dresses and handbags, help shoppers find what they're looking for, and dicker over the prices they'll offer to those who come in with something to sell.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

"We're not a consignment shop," Sue McCarthy says firmly. "We're a high-end designer retail store." The difference? We get to watch as customers paw through exquisite, expensive bags, scarves, shoes, and dresses, a feast for the eyes of fashion-lovers. Those same fashion-crazed viewers will appreciate the wealth of inside information on various brands, such as when the Louis Vuitton monogram pattern first appeared (1896!) and why the holograms used to authenticate Chanel bags often thwart identification.

Another treat: Though most fashion shows are populated only by model types, Women's Closet Exchange employs a group of very real-looking folks, many of whom could be your mom or grandma. Not only is it refreshingly fun to see people who don't look perfect onscreen, the diversity sends a powerful message that fashion and style are ageless and available to everyone. This plus the appeal of watching a family-run business, similar to Pawn Stars, and a bunch of nice people working hard to do a good job, makes Resale Royalty something more than a fashionable throwaway trifle.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's origin. Stylist Rachel Zoe is the executive producer of this show. How do you suppose she knows the McCarthys? Have you watched The Rachel Zoe Project? How is that show different from this one?

  • Watch a few other fashion-oriented shows, like Project Runway or Dukes of Melrose. How does Resale Royalty compare to these shows?

  • The store featured in Resale Royalty sells many designer brands. Does watching the show make you want to own anything by these brands? Do you think the show is designed to make you want to buy the brands mentioned?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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