Buying Designer On A Budget

Buying designer shouldn’t be expensive! Here’s how to do it on a budget:

Online

Shopping for designer pieces online isn’t a challenge if you know where to look.The RealReal, Vestiaire, Ssense, Net-a-Porter, and Depop are all great options to start with. Note: if a site is very curated it could be on the pricer side.

If you’re scrolling through multiple pages on the website you know you’re on the right track. For instance, when shopping on The RealReal, I modify the filter from lowest to highest price and can end up as far as page 50—or even further. At the end I’ll have multiple items in my cart for $15 or less and they’re typically nice brands like Missoni or Sonia Rykiel. If you’re looking for luxury designers, The RealReal has a great assortment for fair prices. You can find Chanel and Gucci for under $500.

Vestiaire is very similar to The RealReal, but instead of it all being based out of the US, you are able to buy items from all around the world. Items are reasonably priced as well—I recently scored Prada knee-high boots for less than $200. But you have to commit to dedicating time in order to find these hidden treasures.

On Ssense you are able to find newer and trendier designers, but I strongly recommend looking at their sale section first. They sometimes cut pieces in half making it more affordable. Typically you can find great items on most luxury online retailer’s sales sections. I once bought a $600 Alexa Chung dress for $200 on Net-a-Porter.

Depop may be a trickier app to navigate when it comes to luxury, but they do have a fantastic vintage selection. You can find good deals on mid-tier designers and the one added benefit is that you can make an offer on an item. If you’re lucky and the seller will accept and you’ll be able to keep a few extra dollars in your pocket.

To review: 1. Dedicate time to scroll through countless of pages in order to find items you like. 2. Adjust filters to show you items in your price range. 3. The sale section is your new best friend. 4. Make offers on items if you are able to in order to save money.

In-Store

The best way to shop in-store is through second hand stores such as vintage stores, consignment boutiques or thrift stores. Choosing to shop this way can be more time consuming than browsing online, but the benefit is, especially if its a lower scale thrift store, a lot of the time they don’t know what they’re selling. This is to your advantage. I once found a Dior peacoat for $12 at Goodwill. Another added benefit is if the item isn’t necessarily your size you can see if it has the possibility to be tailored to fit your frame.

Another great option is to go to estate and garage sales in upscale neighborhoods. Depending on where you live you may be able to find designer at these sales, but if you believe it’s unlikely you still may be able to score quality leather goods for a good price. One of the best ways of finding these is picking a beautiful summer day and just going for a drive. You would be surprised how many you’ll be able to discover.

If you are one of those people who like to have a plan instead of letting fate lead you, then I suggest going on Facebook and looking for estate/garage sale fourms. You can even do a simple Google search for these sales and you’ll have ample options to choose from.

To review: 1: Buying second-hand is the best way to ensure prices are lower—it’s also better for the environment. 2: Go to smaller thrift stores because you never know what you’ll find and a lot of the time they themselves don’t know the value of what they’re selling. 3: Commit time to looking for items. Go through every rack and every section (Men’s, Women’s, and Kids). 4: Go to upscale neighborhoods for good finds. 5: Estate and garage sales are a fantastic place for bargains.