Getting the Look for Less: Scouting Affordable Designer Duds

If you’re anything like us, you probably have a bit of a soft spot when it comes to finding designer goods. While you might like the way they look, we have a sneaking suspicion that you don’t love the price tag that comes along with them. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a world where someone is going to pass you on the street and hand you your next pair of Louboutins. However, there are some strategies that you can employ to get those designer goods for yourself (and yes, we’re talking legally).

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The Pre-Owned Solutions

Once of the most tried and true solutions to gunning for apparel and jewelry that might be a little bit beyond a budget that you’re comfortable with is to go pre-owned and vintage. While that’s certainly not a new concept, there is a lot of question around the veracity of the items on sale. For many antique dealers and small boutiques specializing in pre-owned designer goods, it’s not necessarily a sure bet that you’re getting what you’re paying for. On the contrary, the preponderance of fraudulent designer goods is enough to put anyone off the hunt.

But there are ways to find pre-owned clothes and jewelry that give you a greater degree of assurance that your purchases are authentic. Sites like TrueFacet give you a guarantee on items such as used Cartier watches that is 100% authenticated by a professional, you can rest assured that it’s exactly the one you wanted.

Designer Membership Sites

If you’d prefer to get your designer items on the first go-around, there are other options like designer membership sites. There is no shortage of sites from which to choose for this route, whether its Net-A-Porter.com, Bluefly, or Gilt, you can always find great deals on designer duds that are heavily marked down from their original pricing in most cases. While you’re not going to get quite as much of a discount as you would had you gone with a pre-owned garment, it’s still a significant difference from the price tags you see on the rack in the designers’ retail locations.

Sharing and Rental Options

In addition to pre-owned and designer membership sites, there are also sharing and rental options. The growth of businesses like RentTheRunway have skyrocketed in recent years, as people become more familiar with the sharing economy as it applies to everything from our transportation, to our lodging, and in this case, even our clothing. Renting your designer apparel is a cost effective solution for when you want something stunning for a special occasion, but of course, the downside is that the garment needs to be shipped back when you’re done wearing it. As they say, easy come easy go.

At the end of the day, you’re only going to be as effective as your eye for fashion. Spotting a good deal boils down to identifying value in an item that others have overlooked. When you see a gorgeous Chanel bag, you just have to be ready to spring for it, because someone else will if you don’t.