The accepted wisdom is that you need to spend more to get hold of good quality, fashionable clothes, and accessories. It makes sense; after all, if you want the best, you have to pay for it, whatever you’re buying. It’s not always easy to find the extra cash to afford quality clothing, especially if you’re fresh out of college, or raising a young family. That doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to cheaply made bargain basement garments though, as there are ways to get your hands on quality clothing for much less than its original price.
Coupons and vouchers
Finding money-off coupons and discount vouchers could take up a ridiculous amount of time that you probably don’t have if you were to hunt them all down yourself. Luckily, there are some extremely useful websites on the Internet that do all the hard work for you, like Mojo Savings Coupons. These services find all the best deals on new items of all kinds, including clothing, shoes, and accessories. You just browse the site for coupons related to what you’re shopping for and use the codes supplied when you order. You can also still find vouchers in printed publications, so check your magazines and don’t forget to flick through any free publications. Even if the content doesn’t interest you, there might be a useful voucher inside. There are also apps like Pouch that you can add to your Internet browser’s toolbar that will alert you to any special offers that are available on websites you’re visiting.
Instore sales and reductions
If you’re concerned that you’ll only find out of date styles in the sales, think again! Yes, there will be a proportion of items that are last season’s looks, or fashions that flopped; but there could also be some real gems tucked away on the sale rails. Many clothing styles are perennially fashionable, and finding an end of line little black dress will feel like unearthing treasure. When there is a big sale on, the racks of clothes can look a bit daunting, but you should find they are in size order if nothing else, which will make your search much easier than you might have imagined. If you’re lucky, you might be close to an end of line fashion outlet, where designer brands send all their surplus stocks to be sold at reduced prices. Again, you’ll be mining for gold amongst the rocks, but the hunt can be a lot of fun and very rewarding when you find your nuggets of gold.
Online auctions
Some of the most stylish women in the world wear clothes from second-hand stores, and it is an excellent way of buying designer fashions and high-quality brands at lower prices. The largest range of items will be found on online auction and resale sites such as eBay. You have access to clothing from the whole country, and even overseas if you wish, much of it barely if ever worn. You could easily pay just a fraction of the original price for some items, and with such an extensive choice you could find a whole new wardrobe for the cost of one brand new designer outfit. When you’re browsing the items that catch your eye, make sure there are clear photos, including evidence of the item being by a particular designer or store if such a claim is made. The only disadvantage of buying online is that you can’t try the clothes before you buy, so check the sizing very carefully and consider how you will look in the garment rather than just getting something because it looks good in the photos. Some sellers will let you return items, but if they don’t, and the clothes don’t look right on you, you could always resell them yourself.
Markets, local sales, and charities
Markets can have a reputation of being more of a source of cheap clothes and designer rip-offs than quality clothing. What you might find is a local designer or a seller who specializes in selling garments made by local craftspeople. You can find some unusual, very well-made items that because they have a limited production will enable you to have something almost exclusive. It’s worth checking out any local stores, fairs, and sales for local producers – some may be very expensive precisely because they are selling handmade designs in limited numbers, but many will have excellent clothes at very reasonable prices.
Social media
There’s been a big increase in sales of goods by individuals on social media platforms, and there could be all sorts of quality items being advertised. The advantage is that unlike with online auction services, you can often swing round to the seller’s home and try things on before you pay for them. Most towns have a local selling group you can join on Facebook for example, where locals can post details of anything they wish to sell. You can keep an eye on the group’s feed to pick out anything that sounds interesting, and visit the seller to make sure you like what they’re selling.
Being selective
It’s much better to have a smaller collection of quality clothes than a wardrobe packed with cheap garments. Make sure you have the key pieces that will provide a base for all sorts of different looks, then you’ll be able to mix and match with different tops, shoes, and accessories for different occasions. For example, a quality pair of jeans could be teamed with sneakers and a casual top for a shopping trip, or matched with heels, a smart purse, designer blouse and jacket for a meet-up with friends. It’s worth spending money on quality items that will last and look fabulous, and if you have the right, high-end basics like skirts and pants, you can team them with cheaper casual tops and still look classy.
There’s a great feeling of satisfaction to be had from finding beautiful, desirable clothes and accessories in alternative outlets, and you will feel much more chic in your designer bargains than you would in clothes you maybe don’t feel as comfortable in.
