.jpg)
Since so many people encouraged a bargain shopping post, I decided to do a 2-part installment. First, my rules and tips. Second installment, my favorite stores!
Bargain Hunting Rules
#1- Keep an open mind!
If you are setting out to find a perfect pair of jeans that makes your butt look oh-so-cute and legs long and lean and you would like to find them at less than 20% of their set retail price - your living in a dream land. Are those jeans out there? Probably. Are you going to find them on the one trip you NEED to find them? Probably not. You never know what your are going to find on the clearance racks!
Another factor about shopping the clearance racks is that sometimes clothes don't look good on hangers. They just hang there, lifeless. But once you try it on, you can see the potential. I think this is especially true of clearance rack clothes. Obviously there are shirts that are just bad. BAD bad bad. But there are lots of times that people just didn't have the vision or the patience to try it on! Think about it with an accessory, or perhaps a $5 tailor job.
#2- Shop off-season
This is probably the single most important rule, if nothing else, remember this! No it isn't fun to shop for sweaters in July, nor to think about my pasty white shoulders in strapless dress in January, but it IS cost effective. This summer I've purchased 4 long sleeved tops that I won't be able to wear until December or January (damn Texas heat), but I would never be able to buy them during the winter at such a great price. (Shirts that were regularly $50+, and I found them for less than $10.) It was in searching through those clearance racks and keeping an open mind (rule #1) that helped me to find them.
#3 - Don't be a snob
I've had more than one person turn up their nose to shopping at some of the stores I go to. But I've found some great, quality clothes in those places too. Sure you may have to shift through a lot of crap, but when you find a pair of Hale Bob velour pants for $8 in the clearance racks or a Lilly Pulitzer swim suit for $45, you might just change your mind. Also, the more you go to these places the better you'll start to know what brands they carry and who to keep an eye out for. I've also noticed that during this economic recession, one of the stores has started carrying some amazing stuff!
#4 - Know your stuff, do some research!
Lets say you're headed to the outlet mall this weekend. You know that this outlet mall has a GAP, Banana Rep., Crate & Barrel and Last Call Neiman Marcus you want to poke around in. Instead of just hitting the stores to see what's available, check out the online retailers to see what their major styles are and how they are priced. Knowledge is power!
I can't tell you how many times I've seen an outlet store advertise "a great price" when I know that the price in their real store is only a dollar or two more. And honestly, if I'm only going to save a dollar or two it isn't worth the effort.
Now some outlet stores don't sell the exact same stuff. Banana Rep. for instance. However their shoes, jewelry and most of their purses are the same as the full service retailers. Earlier this summer I purchased a $200 cream leather bag for $32 on clearance at the outlet. It is gorgeous! It has one itty bitty blue mark on the very bottom of the purse, but that is the only problem. And the blue mark is about the size of a pen tip. I knew that I had seen that exact same purse in the full Banana store just a few weeks prior so I snatched it up. I've received tons of compliments on it all summer!
#5 - Don't settle for cheap!
'Cheap' and 'bargain' are two very different things. At least when it comes to clothes...
I can buy cheap clothes at a multitude of places. I don't want cheap. What's the point in spending $10 on a shirt that I'm going to have to replace with another $10 shirt in 4 washes? If all you're looking for is cheap then I am not the right person to be talking to. Do I own "cheap" items? Yes. I think there is a time and a reason to buy cheap stuff. Halloween, super trendy stuff, things you aren't so sure about want to give it a try. But that's not what I'm really interested in. I want to find good, quality, cute clothes that will last.
This is why rule #4 is so important. I am not a fashionista AT ALL. In fact I'm mostly a jeans and t-shirt girl. But I do try to stay *somewhat* abreft of current trends, popular brand names, and what retailer is selling those brands. For instance at the Off Saks store I was at this weekend I fell in love with (and purchased) an super cute button down shirt. The brand was something I had never heard of before, but because I was in Saks, I trusted that it was quality. Had I found that exact same shirt at more discount retailer I may not even have tried it on because I didn't know if the brand is quality or not.
Now when I'm talking about household staples, cheap is usually good enough for me. My favorite thing to save on? Cleaning supplies. Yes, I know it's sad that I have a 'favorite' item to save money on, but I do. Seriously, it's just ridiculous how much they charge for a bottle of watered down bleach at Target. And cleaning supplies are basically all the same.
So remember; know the quality of brands, know the brands you like and don't settle for cheap!
------------------------
Bargain Hunting Rules
#1- Keep an open mind!
If you are setting out to find a perfect pair of jeans that makes your butt look oh-so-cute and legs long and lean and you would like to find them at less than 20% of their set retail price - your living in a dream land. Are those jeans out there? Probably. Are you going to find them on the one trip you NEED to find them? Probably not. You never know what your are going to find on the clearance racks!
Another factor about shopping the clearance racks is that sometimes clothes don't look good on hangers. They just hang there, lifeless. But once you try it on, you can see the potential. I think this is especially true of clearance rack clothes. Obviously there are shirts that are just bad. BAD bad bad. But there are lots of times that people just didn't have the vision or the patience to try it on! Think about it with an accessory, or perhaps a $5 tailor job.
#2- Shop off-season
This is probably the single most important rule, if nothing else, remember this! No it isn't fun to shop for sweaters in July, nor to think about my pasty white shoulders in strapless dress in January, but it IS cost effective. This summer I've purchased 4 long sleeved tops that I won't be able to wear until December or January (damn Texas heat), but I would never be able to buy them during the winter at such a great price. (Shirts that were regularly $50+, and I found them for less than $10.) It was in searching through those clearance racks and keeping an open mind (rule #1) that helped me to find them.
#3 - Don't be a snob
I've had more than one person turn up their nose to shopping at some of the stores I go to. But I've found some great, quality clothes in those places too. Sure you may have to shift through a lot of crap, but when you find a pair of Hale Bob velour pants for $8 in the clearance racks or a Lilly Pulitzer swim suit for $45, you might just change your mind. Also, the more you go to these places the better you'll start to know what brands they carry and who to keep an eye out for. I've also noticed that during this economic recession, one of the stores has started carrying some amazing stuff!
#4 - Know your stuff, do some research!
Lets say you're headed to the outlet mall this weekend. You know that this outlet mall has a GAP, Banana Rep., Crate & Barrel and Last Call Neiman Marcus you want to poke around in. Instead of just hitting the stores to see what's available, check out the online retailers to see what their major styles are and how they are priced. Knowledge is power!
I can't tell you how many times I've seen an outlet store advertise "a great price" when I know that the price in their real store is only a dollar or two more. And honestly, if I'm only going to save a dollar or two it isn't worth the effort.
Now some outlet stores don't sell the exact same stuff. Banana Rep. for instance. However their shoes, jewelry and most of their purses are the same as the full service retailers. Earlier this summer I purchased a $200 cream leather bag for $32 on clearance at the outlet. It is gorgeous! It has one itty bitty blue mark on the very bottom of the purse, but that is the only problem. And the blue mark is about the size of a pen tip. I knew that I had seen that exact same purse in the full Banana store just a few weeks prior so I snatched it up. I've received tons of compliments on it all summer!
#5 - Don't settle for cheap!
'Cheap' and 'bargain' are two very different things. At least when it comes to clothes...
I can buy cheap clothes at a multitude of places. I don't want cheap. What's the point in spending $10 on a shirt that I'm going to have to replace with another $10 shirt in 4 washes? If all you're looking for is cheap then I am not the right person to be talking to. Do I own "cheap" items? Yes. I think there is a time and a reason to buy cheap stuff. Halloween, super trendy stuff, things you aren't so sure about want to give it a try. But that's not what I'm really interested in. I want to find good, quality, cute clothes that will last.
This is why rule #4 is so important. I am not a fashionista AT ALL. In fact I'm mostly a jeans and t-shirt girl. But I do try to stay *somewhat* abreft of current trends, popular brand names, and what retailer is selling those brands. For instance at the Off Saks store I was at this weekend I fell in love with (and purchased) an super cute button down shirt. The brand was something I had never heard of before, but because I was in Saks, I trusted that it was quality. Had I found that exact same shirt at more discount retailer I may not even have tried it on because I didn't know if the brand is quality or not.
Now when I'm talking about household staples, cheap is usually good enough for me. My favorite thing to save on? Cleaning supplies. Yes, I know it's sad that I have a 'favorite' item to save money on, but I do. Seriously, it's just ridiculous how much they charge for a bottle of watered down bleach at Target. And cleaning supplies are basically all the same.
So remember; know the quality of brands, know the brands you like and don't settle for cheap!
------------------------
I know that a lot of this is basic knowledge. But in keeping with these rules, and shopping at some of the places I will talk about next time, I've scored some really great deals!
