Buying Guide to Designer Clothes and Accessories Cheap

For some people, fashion is a large part of identity-a pivotal ingredient in presenting themselves to the world. Like a nice car, an expensive house or flashy jewelry, the right clothes can speak volumes. But what if you’re intent on making a certain statement, while your wallet is intent on promptly shutting you up? Do you fantasize about the Vera Wang wedding dress while dolefully accepting your sister’s hand-me-down gown?

Well there’s no need to despair. It is possible to appease both your keen fashion sense and your bank account. With a little bit of patience, determination and good luck, you can have all those designer clothes and fashion accessories at the smallest fraction of retail cost. Following these few simple tips will have your closet full of Prada bags, Dior sunglasses, Blahnik heels and Armani tops before you can say “Dolce and Gabbana.”

The trick to buying cheap is simple-know where to look and then look there often. There are four places I would suggest you begin your quest.

1. Thrift stores-If you don’t mind sifting through a lot of unorganized clothing and a lot of uninspired fashion, thrift stores are a great place to start. I suggest Goodwill, Value

   Village and/or local thrift stores. (If you’re not careful, consignment shops can be deviously expensive.) These bargain Meccas usually share two things in common. One, they are stuffed with mounds of cheap and hideous clothing. But more important is similarity number two. Between that sequined Mickey Mouse cap and that lime green sweater vest lies really great clothes. Some of my personal thrift store finds: red Club

   capri pants (tags still on, never been worn) $4; black A-line French Connection skirt (maybe worn once) $3; Steve Madden black wedge shoes $3; orange Abercrombie and Fitch sweater $2; the list goes on. The point is, if you have the time and the patience, thrift stores can pay off big. I’ve never personally come across any truly “designer” clothing at these places, but you can and will find very expensive, well made clothes for what you’d normally spend on a Starbucks Tazo tea.

3. Amazon Marketplace-Amazon itself has some good deals. It seems almost everything is at least 50% off. But when a pair of Manolo Blahnik sandals runs $500, that’s not going to help too much. The place to luck out is their Marketplace. Amazon Marketplace is a huge network of individual sellers. Anyone can sell anything there, including their designer clothes at give away prices. All you have to do is type in what you’re looking for on the main Amazon page, and then click on the “used” link. It should be right beneath the price you would pay for the product new. The Marketplace is really best for books, CDs, and DVDs, and it can be slim pickings for clothing. But if you’re persistent, people are bound to sell.
5. Craigslist-This website is pretty expansive. You can search by location, so stay local or venture out into other state’s listings. Some sellers are willing to arrange shipping (for a nominal fee). As with any bargain website, look around before you buy. What seems like a good deal might seem a rip-off in the face of another person’s offer. This site, more than any, awards timeliness. If you see something you like at an undeniably good deal, jump on it. Chances are if you dawdle, it will be sold out from underneath you.
7. Ebay-If it’s ever been created by any manufacturer anywhere, somebody is selling it on Ebay at this very moment. It’s mind-boggling what you can find on this site. However, this site also takes a little finesse and skill. You need the time to sit at your auction and bid until the product is yours. You also need a paypal account if you want to navigate the site with the highest ease. The only word of warning I have about Ebay is that you should find your product, and then before it gets to the frenzied bidding, set a price limit in your mind. While you’re thinking rationally and clearly, what are you willing to spend on this item? I guarantee you, once bidding starts, and you start seeing that timer tick down, you’re going to want to just bid, bid, bid. Keep your head, stick to your budget, and remember, if you lose your auction, somebody else will be selling the exact same thing tomorrow.

Some parting advice before you begin your bargain hunting:

Beware the “knockoff”-When you’re out there stalking the illusive deal, you’ve got to be aware that sellers are out there stalking the (not so) illusive sucker. If you buy a bag from Craigslist or Ebay, and you find a Made in tag, you’ve been suckered. If you receive your new leather wallet in the mail, and a “Pradu” label is staring you in the face, you’ve been suckered. But don’t sweat it-it happens. People misrepresent their products all the time in order to secure the sell. Just make sure you can always return your product to the seller if you’re not 100% happy.

Make sure your bargain is actually a bargain-Sometimes, when you’re in a consignment shop or a thrift store, you lose your sense of perspective. You figure just because you’re in a cheap store, everything there is a great deal. But beware, don’t buy something that’s falling apart just because it’s designer and cheap. Sure, you’re only out two dollars, but designer broken junk is still broken junk. It’s been my experience that if you’re not sure about it in the store, you’re not going to wear it at home. Buying all those iffy purchases will just leave you with a cluttered closet, and the phrase “I have nothing to wear” still poised on your pouting lips.

Buy classic-The clothes at thrift stores, etc. are necessarily at least one season out of style. The original owner had to buy the item, let it sit in their closet until they couldn’t stand to look at it anymore, and then ship it off to the Salvation Army. That’s why you see so many ponchos crowding the thrift stores now. They were briefly popular about two years ago, and through the law of trickle down, they’re just now making it to these stores. So, as a conscientious bargain hunter, you need to learn to buy classic. You must spot the great clothes that were great at the time of purchased, are great now and will be great next year. One tip: when possible, buy neutral colors or black. They’ll never go out of style, which can’t be said of all colors that have graced the fashion scene. Don’t allow everything in your closet to sink into tans and blacks and white, but be aware that the “little black dress” concept has been around forever for a reason.

No go forth with your new found knowledge. Buy all the Prada you want. Buy those Manolos. Buy the Gucci bag and matching sunglasses. And wear them proudly with no guilt. After all, you got a great deal on them�