I've started enjoying this new challenge recently where I try to see how low in price of an outfit I can make out of my current wardrobe! Its a walk down memory lane of my past conquests and makes me even more thrifty when shopping now. And I have really outdone myself with this one, where I literally only paid $1 for the top+jeans+shoes+bag! (Ok sorry this doesn't include the Gucci sunnies, but it was so bright outside) Keep scrolling to see all the details!
Banana Republic Tie Front Blouse [new, $0] Banana Republic Raw Hem High Rise Jeans [new, $0] Banana Republic Navy Block Heel Sandals [new, $0] Ralph Lauren Leather Tan Crossbody [secondhand, $1]
So how did I get all that Banana Republic loot for $0?? Rewards my friends, beautiful rewards <3 Those bad boys NEVER expire in my possession! The top, jeans, and shoes were all completely free when I applied the rewards I had received from the purchases I made with their credit card. It's important to remember that in order to get the better end of these store credit cards you have to pay it off every month in order to avoid crazy high interest rates. Otherwise you are paying so much more than you are getting back!
Unfortunately the top is over a year old but I found a nearly identical one from H&M for under $12! It's so classic and preppy, it is definitely a wardrobe staple!
The most flattering jean in the world is a dark high rise skinny jean. Don't @ me on this. Another thing I look for in a jean is a cotton/spandex/elastane blend because they are stretchy but don't stretch out. These are my most recent BR reward purchase and I love that they are so versatile but have the fun raw hem bottoms. I've linked a very similar pair from Banana Republic below, currently over 30% off + free shipping!
Navy just happens to be my favorite clothing color and my most recent shoe obsession is a nice, retro block heel... so when I pulled these shoes off the clearance shelf, last pair AND in my size I was so freaking excited! There thick heel + ankle strap makes them so easy to walk in and the color goes with everything. Sadly they aren't making these anymore to link but I have found a few similar pairs on sale below! (those Calvin Kleins are on serious clearance!!)
And lastly, something that wasn't bought at Banana Republic. This Ralph Lauren leather crossbody was actually a Goodwill find! In the LA area, many goodwills participate in a Thursday tag color day where the tag color of the week is $1. And somehow this bag managed it's way all the way to Thursday and I snagged it! Couldn't find any good sales on a Ralph Lauren piece like this (they retail from $200-300) but linked a couple similar, classic brown crossbodys below.
Thanks for following along! I'm loving this series because it really pushes me to be an even smarter shopper and find more classic, versatile bargains (and steals!) Let me know what you think of these types of posts below in the comments. :)
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I would definitely consider myself the queen of the sale rack (trademark pending ;)) so I've had my share of good and bad sales purchases. It can be really tempting to make a quick purchase just because the price is so low! But when you do this enough it can really add up price wise, and if you are making purchases that you aren't totally in love with it can contribute to the negative effect our shopping habits are having on the environment. I've tried to be smarter when shopping clearance items, and have shared a few questions you should think about to avoid any regret!
Why Is This On Sale?
Yeah the price is low, but WHY is this particular item on sale? Is there an irregularity? Are there many like this on the sale rack? Is the fit off (ie try it on!)? If none of these apply, maybe the style was just not very popular with the masses, or it is an off return.
Is there Damage?
I've found a lot of one off items on the sale rack have some sort of damage (usually stain or a hole) Don't let this scare you off! Story time: I found a beautiful, classic, silk button down Theory shirt for $10 at Marshalls on clearance! However, I noticed it had a 1/2 inch pen mark along the side. But luckily I knew that hairspray magically erases ink from silk! I often see makeup also on sale items. These can also be easily cleaned out of clothing!
Would I Pick This Off The Rack If It Wasn't On Sale?
This is something I constantly have to ask myself. What do I like better, the price or the item? Would I even pick this up if it wasn't on the sale rack? This takes a lot of honesty on your own part.
What Are Three Different Ways To Wear This Item?
Something very important to me currently is creating a versatile wardrobe. So when shopping the sale rack I want to make sure this is a valuable addition to my closet, not just a purchase to make because it is cheap. If I can imagine three outfits with completely different items from the pieces I already own, I am more interested in purchasing.
Will I want To Wear This Item 1,5,10 years from Now?
As I expand my reselling business and learn more about how we shop and get rid of our clothing, I'm looking more at my own purchases when it comes to the longevity of the item in the my closet. Is this a trend item (ie only "in" for a short amount of time) or is it a classic wardrobe builder? There is no shame when it comes to buying trendy items, but it is worth the time to consider whether the trend is at the beginning or end of its trajectory. If this trend has been around for a while, is the price of the item worth it? On a side note, when you are ready to get rid of those trendy items, always donate instead of throwing in the trash. :)
Happy Friday and start to the long holiday weekend! Last week I shared a blog post rounding up and sharing all the deets on my IG outfits and I briefly mentioned the new Burberry red t-shirt that I had thrifted (which was my first time ever finding Burberry out in the wild!) For this blog post I thought I would share more up close pics of the top and some tips for how I was able to authenticate it to make sure I was getting the real deal! Keep scrolling for more! Burberry V-Neck Nova Check T-Shirt [secondhand, $6] Banana Republic Mini Skirt [new, $15] Nordstrom Block Heel Flats [new, $50] Burberry Nova Check Scarf [secondhand, $30] Chanel Cat Eye Sunnies [secondhand, $30] So I actually found this top while I was away from home visiting my family in Northern California. I wanted to hit up a few thrift stores in the area that I knew were in close donating proximity of nice areas (helloooo wine country). The Napa goodwill did not disappoint! Not only did I find this perfect Burberry piece that fit me perfectly, but a few other great pieces to resell (like St. John :D) I have definitely come across a number of counterfeits at thrift stores so I did a few quick checks while still in the aisle to make sure I was not wasting money on something fake. 1. Look At The DetailsI've found that when finding designer items at the thrift, either the items are super gaudy, over kill on the details, and just overall very fake looking or they go the other direction and are so lacking of any typical brand detail it is also a red flag. From experience with Burberry t-shrits I know they typically have their knight logo, which I found on the bottom hem of the top. 2. Check the Inner TagsWhen buying a high end item not from a traditional store, I always inspect the inside tag because it will be very detailed, consistent, and include an item number that you should always google to ensure similar items pop up. From my experience with designer items, the designer name will be on the tag and they are typically made up of a more higher end material than other lower end brands, like more silky. On a side note, Burberry items not made in England is not a red flag! Burberry has factories in a number of countries depending on the line they are producing, and as you can see my top was made in Portugal. 3. Look At Overall QualityBecause these are higher end brands, the quality levels are much higher than you would find in low and even mid end brands. Stitching will be straight and consistent, and materials should feel sturdy and high quality. Look over the seams around the neck, arms, and down the sides, and ensure any sewn on items or accessories are straight and adjoined well. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope some of these tips will help you authenticate your own great finds! If you have your own tips for authenticating designer items or thrifting in general, leave a comment to help a girl out!
Hi there! With my reselling business I have found myself in thrift stores 1000x more than I ever used to shop them! As you guys have probably seen, most of my super cheap items have come from eBay, but now that I scour every rack in a thrift store every other day I have been finding a lot more awesome items for my own wardrobe! Ralph Lauren Wool Cashmere Sweater [secondhand, $1] Banana Republic Scallop Shorts [new, $15] Tory Burch Red Flats [new, $140] Louis Vuitton Cross Body [secondhand, $100] Banana Republic Bangle [new, $6] Rayban Aviators [new, $90] Outfit Total: $356 I pulled this classic Ralph Lauren wool cashmere sweater off the racks at Goodwill and knew it was going straight into my closet and would never see eBay! GOODWILL TIP: Ask your local Goodwill if they have any special sales or dollar days on a specified day during the week! I scored this Ralph Lauren goodness on a Thursday, when my local Goodwill has a color tag $1 sale. Most Goodwill stores tag their items with a certain color tag, and then every week is a specified tag color for 50% off that color tag for the whole week. My local Goodwill down the street will have the weekly color tags for $1 on Thursdays and you know when I show up! That was how I was able to snag this *once super expensive* sweater for practically nothing! You might think I'm crazy for wearing a sweater in California during June but it actually gets quite chilly during the night time! Aside from being colorfully patriotic, I like this sweater + shorts combo for Independence Day because we usually head to the coast for fireworks and by the time the sunsets the temperature can really drop! It's the perfect combo from beachy day to night. Thanks so much for visiting my site! I would love to hear about your own Goodwill tips and/or exciting + cheap thrift finds! You can comment below, or tag me @fancyfreeblog on Instagram or Twitter!
Happy Saturday! I've spent a lot of time on different buying platforms in search of high end at cheap prices. It's what I do! The two spots I most consistently find the best merchandise are Poshmark and eBay. I've kinda gotten a feel for both platforms and am quicker at finding what I want because I understand the strengths of both. If you are new to one or both I've created a little cheat sheet of what to expect from both and how to get the very best deals! If you are new to Poshmark, it is essentially a little eBay that specializes in clothing, shoes, accessories, and makeup. It is a big community of sellers which is fun because it is more like social media of sharing closets, following sellers and buyers, and offering styling tips. Poshmark Pros: - You can find a lot of mid-end items in great condition in the $15-$30 range - You can make offers on ALL items - I consider Poshmark a "cuter" platform with fun flat lay photos of the items and pretty gift wrapped items in your mailbox - If you "like" (save) an item on Poshmark, the seller has the opportunity to send you an offer that includes discounted shipping costs - All shipping is priority mail so you get your items quickly - You can save your shoe and clothing sizes to your profile, so when you search for a particular item it will only show the items that are YOUR size Poshmark Cons: - Items are ONLY buy it now/offer, so no chance of snagging a sleeper auction item at the end of its listing - Every item has a shipping cost of $6.49, no matter the item or weight - While growing, Poshmark is still significantly smaller than eBay so you are less likely to find rarer or more specific items - You are given only a 3 day period once the item has been delivered to "accept" the item and release the funds to the seller // if you don't let poshmark know of any issues within this 3 day window you are no longer eligible to return the item - Sellers are given a 7 day "handling" time so your items could take a whole week to be shipped out before the seller is docked - If you want to get in touch with a seller, you have to comment on the item because there is currently no private messaging system I think everyone is familiar with eBay! You can sell everything from clothes to car parts and even homes with just a few clicks, which is one of the reasons it's the very most popular platform for selling!
eBay Pros: - You can find practically ANYTHING your little heart wants to buy! - Auction style listings offer the ability to snag expensive items for cheap - It is becoming very popular for sellers to offer free shipping on most items - eBay is currently pushing 60 day free returns on the sellers, so there is less risk to buy - eBay sellers are expected to have no longer than 3 days of "handling" time, so your items get shipped out quicker - You can private message sellers your questions eBay Cons: - Not all items allow buyers to make offers, and if they do you are limited in the number of offers you can make - The shipping method depends on the seller, so there is really no guarantee you will be receiving your item in a quick manner - Because there are so many more users and items, the time in which your issues get addressed with eBay is longer - The platform is flooded with millions of items, so searching through for the particular item you want can be daunting Thanks so much for reading! Next week I will be sharing my "Poshmark vs. eBay: Seller Edition" for anyone looking to become a reseller or just make some space in their closet for more cute clothes. Make sure to check it out! And of course if you have any questions for me about Poshmark or eBay make sure to leave them in the comments section below! |
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