Image is everything. You can’t go anywhere without somewhere judging what you are wearing or how you present yourself. However, staying on top of your style does not have to be expensive. Yes, I will admit that the brands such as Burberry, Gucci, and Prada will dig a huge hole in your pocket…but there are other ways to stay on top of your game without spending a lot of money.
1. Consignment Shops – A lot of times people do not want to shop at consignment stores because they don’t want to wear other peoples clothing. However, you can find the best deals! Consignment stores only buy the best products from consumers which means they have to be in great condition. They can then turn a profit by selling it to you for a little bit above what they bought it for. But honestly, the quality of the clothes is great and you can find some amazing brands. I suggest taking whatever you purchase to the dry cleaner. Although this will cost you a little bit extra money, if it is for something such as a winter coat it is definitely worth it. Maybe you could even sell off some of your old things that you no longer want and purchase some new!
2. Off Price Retailers – Stores such as Burlington Coat Factory, TJMaxx, and Loehmann’s offer great deals on brand name products. I love shopping at these stores because often times they still have the original tag on them from the brand which will state the full price that was charged in their stores. You then compare it to the tag of the store you are in and you realize how much of a great deal you are actually getting. The clearance section at these stores is also amazing! Take the already discount price and usually slash that price by about 50% and you get your clearance item. Nothing is wrong with these items but typically these types of stores will rotate through their inventory fairly quickly and older merchandise will get moved to the clearance section. Often times the products in these stores are still on the floors of Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, etc. but you are getting the product for much cheaper!
3. Shop Online – There are so many great websites that will give you brand names for cheap, all you have to do is search. Sometimes even your favorite stores at the mall will offer promotional deals online that they aren’t offering through the store. If you don’t have time to go out after work to shop, looking/buying online makes your life much easier. Our partners at MainStreet.com found 2 great websites that offer virtual sample sales to consumers. These websites are gilt.com and hautelook.com. With most sample sales you aren’t able to return your items, but MainStreet.com explains that these websites allow you to return your purchases if they don’t fit you. The sample sales are set for certain times and will last for a few days only. The worst part is that with any great sale involving big brand names, the best items are gone first (and fast)! With gilt.com you do have to be invited by someone to shop their website so hautelook.com is probably your best bet for this type of shopping.
In these tough economic times everyone wants to save money where they can. This doesn’t mean that you have to cut shopping out of your life (although that route will save you the most)…it just means that you have to be more frugal with your money and look in the right places. The above 3 places offer you great deals for much cheaper. If you are into brand names and want to keep up with the latest trends (and just plain love to shop) definitely check out the above to see what you can get yourself. If you don’t find anything the first time, continually pop back in to see what you can get for a steal.
Photo: Carolina Jimenez-Garcia
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