Why People Pay a Fortune for Celebrity Second-Hand Clothing

The Desire for Transformation
There is a subconscious desire to transform oneself by owning a piece of a celebrity's life. By putting on a dress worn by a famous actress, a person may feel a fleeting sense of her confidence, her beauty, or her power. The clothing becomes a vessel for a desired identity. While this might be a form of wishful thinking, the emotional and psychological fulfillment it provides is very real. It’s an act of stepping into someone else’s shoes—quite literally—and experiencing a moment of their magic.