Love Your Labels? How to Get Designer Names for Less

Especially when living in NYC, it’s easy for a girl to get caught up in wanting designer gear. Some may call it being something that rhymes with a schlabel shore – but I understand the desire to treat yourself to a high quality designer piece every now and then. The trick to indulging and not going broke is to get designer names for less than those crazy people still paying retail. Ready?

Discount designer websites:

• Sites like The Outnet and Bluefly carry designer goods for less, but since they generally do not get high quantities of each style, you need to check in often since your size may sell out quickly.
• Gilt Group offers limited time sales on everything from luggage to accessories to house wares.
• Beyond the Rack offers limited time/limited quantity sales beginning at 9am and 5pm daily, plus perks for their members.

Get alerted for sales 

• Set up sale alerts on ShopStyle or ShopItToMe for brands you love to get notified when they show up marked down.
• Sign up for your favorite stores newsletter to get emailed private sale invites and loyalty perks like coupons.

eBay

• Always check eBay before paying full price for something. I did an entire post on this: Check eBay First on how to use eBay to get all of your designer goods for less. You can also save big money if you’re willing to purchase lightly used items. It’s not uncommon to find $760 Christian Louboutin pumps that have been worn once or twice on ebay for about $250.
• StuffAlert is a great service that allows you to be notified when something that you’re looking for gets posted on eBay. If you have a little patience, you can usually find what you want within a few weeks.

Discount stores

• Sometimes you want to just get out of the house and shop – so don’t forget to check out stores like Loehmann’s my favorite – they also now sell online), Marshalls and in NYC, Century 21 for high-end brands marked way down.

Now you have no excuse to pay full price for a designer item ever again! No one will ever know you paid less – but if I were you, I would be annoying and brag about it.