Luxury items. We all know them, chances are we LOVE them, and we all know they’re pricey. In a day and age where every girl has the same Marmont bag on Instagram (hi, Im basic, too) do we ever stop to wonder HOW they can have so many fabulous items consistently?
Ive always been a fan of high end fashion. From a young age, I would flip through Vogue and Elle, and I knew I had expensive taste. I knew I wanted to buy these things for myself one day. At the same time, Mom always taught me to hit the sale rack first. She came from a family with 6 kids total, so the need to save was deeply engrained in her from a young age. She passed that wise tip down to me. While I don’t ONLY shop sale racks, I can promise you I search for coupon codes and do my research to make sure I get the best cost for what I want.
Now just to pre empt objections here, I prefer to associate investments like these with big accomplishments. This could be anything from hitting personal or professional goals, completing a lengthy task or assignment you didn’t think you could, or anything similar. Its funny the things you can make happen when you really want something. In this case, it comes in the form of Chanel and Gucci.
The Real Real
I discovered The Real Real years back, and Ive always stalked their inventory since. For those of you that have not yet found them, they are a website dedicated to luxury consignment. Meaning, yes, they are often used. But also often VINTAGE! I personally love unique pieces, and while I may still sometimes invest in that hot item of the Season, The Real Real has so many good finds you don’t see on everyone these days. I’ve purchased 2 bags and 2 Missoni scarves from them (1 pictured above) and I couldn’t be more pleased with the product I received. They guarantee authenticity, come in a duster bag, and it includes this cute little card with quotes from different designers. They also allow you to consign, so if you want to sell some of your designer pieces, this is the place to do it. Typically the audience shopping here knows what they want and like, so this is your ideal audience for that.
Buy in Europe!
This tip comes from my fabulous Sister in Law, who has every dreamy Chanel and Gucci bag under the sun, and maybe every lust worthy pair of Chanel slides ever made. I understand that for some buying in Europe may not be practical, but if you ARE planning a trip here, or one of your close friends or relatives is, this is definitely worth considering! When you buy in Europe, you receive a certain percentage of the sales tax back when you’re a non resident of the EU. This means, the purchase is LESS than it would be if you were to buy it here in America. (or online)
Ebay & Poshmark
I polled my friends on Instagram to see which of these two you shop most frequently. The end result, y’all love both!!! I don’t blame you, so do I. While I’m newer to Poshmark, Ive always been an ebay lover, so I was somewhat surprised by the result. For that reason, I included both. My BEST tip when you are searching designer on either site; KNOW YOUR PRODUCTS! If you are going to buy through either site where authenticity isn’t guaranteed, there are tons of fakes floating around. You HAVE to know the ins and outs of what makes the item you are looking for authentic. Typically these items are investments, and take a good chunk of your cash. If you’re dropping that kind of money, I would hate for you to end up with a fake. Know the right questions to ask, and dont be scared to request additional photos if that will help to clarify. The nice thing about Poshmark too, is the ability to haggle. I get offers for items I like at less than asking all the time, and you all can make offers on items that you are comfortable spending. Im stalking these Fendi velvet slides right now, and I can tell you when I plan to buy them, I definitely plan to try and snag them for less!
At the end of the day, you have to do whats best for you and your budget, but these are MY tried and true most inexpensive ways to buy the items you want without breaking the bank.
Where do you guys buy designer? Do you have any tips and tricks? Don’t hold out on me, drop your comments below!
Happy Shopping, my little babes!
