Funny how this is a blog devoted to the pursuit of fashion bargains, and yet I have never asked you, my dear readers, about your most amazing deal ever. Where ARE my manners? So for today's hot topic, I'd love to hear about the absolute best deal you ever scored. Dish all in the comments!
Oh, and in case you want to hear mine, it was for two pairs of Chanel boots previously owned by Oprah Winfrey that I got for $20ish a pair (and I say $20ish because as all my close friends know, I have a really bad memory, even for super important facts such as this), but I know for certain that they were ridiculously cheap. How did I get them? During my time at Harpo, Oprah held a sale with items from her closet for employees to shop, with all proceeds going to benefit Oprah's Angel Network, a philanthropic organization. I keep the boots safely stowed in my closet, though, cuz I'm too scared to wear them and potentially ruin them! The coolest part is that me and Oprah apparently wear the same size Chanel shoe (40 1/2). Who knew.
So what's your best fashion bargain of all time?
i'm cheap by nature and i'm terrible at looking at brands, but probably the best deals have been a pristine j crew strapless dress for $8, a perfectly-worn-in leather jacket for $15, a brand new salmon colored trench for $10... i could go on.
Same thrift, 2 different days:
Chanel short-sleeved cashmere sweater:$1.75
Hermes scarf (the large kind): $1.00
Sold them both on eBay because I felt they were too "nice" for me to wear.
~a
I found a silk BCBG dress (no flaws, no tears) for $10 at Marshall's. Got an Emilio Pucci scarf for $.50 and a Missoni scarf for $1.50, both with tags, at a local Salvation Army.
I guess my favorite bargains are my Frye campus boots, brand new, that I got a couple of weeks ago for $15 at Salvation Army.
Although they all had minor defects, it was nothing a little sewing good old Mama couldn't oh so kindly fix for me
Oscar De La Renta vintage knit dress for $5 (thrift find).
Prada skirt for $10 with orginal price tag of $450 (TJ Maxx).
Peter Som cardigan sweater for $30 with the original Bergdorf tag on it for $989 (TJ Maxx; This one might be my best!!!)
And a Marc Jacobs (not Marc by Marc by Marc Jacobs) dress for $90 with the orginal price of $1,600.00 (TJ again!!)
Thanks for asking ... I love reading about this type of stuff!!!
http://www.notlostintranslationar.blogspot.com/
Most recent buys:
1) Vera Wang Cashmere Black Coat -originally
$800 for $30
2) Betsey Johnson Bright Pink dress -was $450
for $40
3) Chetta B -Gorgeous silk dress -was $400
for $20
4)Coach Heart Necklace -was $200 for $25
5)Gucci Handbag- originally $2,600 for $600 (gucci outlet plus additional discounts)
There are many , many more!
My best bargain has to be a brand-new, never worn cropped leather bomber that I thrifted for $6 last fall. That thing was at least $200 new, if not more.
- a really pretty Jak & Rae denim skirt with navy blue piping, original price $200, bought for $20 at Ross
- JBrand 912 brown jeans which go with pretty much everything I own, on sale for $80 (down from $180) at Nordstrom Rack, which are really special because I met my husband while wearing them, and less than a month later we were married! Needless to say they're my Good Luck jeans!
- My ladylike dark brown suede I.N.C. jacket from Macy's, which is a bit cropped and has darling slightly puffed shoulders, originally something like $170 but I got it on clearance for $40. I wear it all the time in cold weather.
The reason I was going to post about it was because of the aqua leather jacket I just featured on my blog... $1080 down to $19!!! Best Deal EVOR!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15565&id=31777474944
Thanks for asking!
That being said, thanks to your post on a Calvin Klein clearance sale some time ago, I found a fantastic lurex blend tank, normally over $100, for $7 (it's since become a staple in my nighttime wardrobe).
My most recent has been a pair of Habitual high-waisted gray denim jeans that I almost bought at the full price of $200...but they sold out and later I found them on giltgroup.com for $70
I buy most of my designer jeans from ebay, so I've gotten pretty good deals there--most new under $50, including shipping. Other than that, I purchased a vintage Gucci small bowler bag from a vintage store in Houston for $25!
I also found a pair of brand new Ralph Lauren pants for $5.00 at my local Salvation Army about a month ago.
--Christian Dior pumps $5 thrift
--MaxMara wool pencil skirt $2 thrift
--Moschino wool pencil skirt $2 thrift
--Dries Van Noten vest $2.5 thrift
--Chanel sunglasses down to $110
--brand new Givenchy wool shift for $60 down from $1000
--Dolce and Gabbana $5k suit for $350
--Diesel new wool winter coat $30
--YSL sweater thrift $2
--J Brand jeans $6 thrift; 2 different pairs
I could go on and on. Besides the highest end designers I regularly score the middle like Cacharel and the high street like J Crew thrifting. I won't buy just a random old thing or even Gap b/c I know the jackpot is out there!
And then my retail deals are massive; like $200 Kenneth Cole boots for $35; or $350 Kors Michael Kors pumps or $38.
My best thrift find was an Ann Taylor spring dress for 2.00, don't know the original price but I've worn it the past 4 summers and it still doesn't look dated with proper accessories!
1. A Prada bag that retailed for almost $300 (this was some years ago) for only $70. It was on sale and I had a Neiman Marcus employee buy it for me with her discount.
2. A pair of Tory Burch flat slingbacks for $79 on clearance at Nordstrom. Those were originally $289.
3. A pair of suede Christian Louboutin pumps for $70 on eBay.
70 must be my lucky number.
2) chaiken gun metal silk dress for $14.00
3) karl lagerfield suit $ 8.00
4) trends les copains dress $ 15.00
5) philisophy by alberta ferretti $ 8.00
that's all.
I would have to say my classic monogram LV bag for $90 that retails around $500 at a second handbag shop.
also my classic Chanel bag in perfect condition with original box and dust bag for $200 retail is over $2000 at a different second handbag shop. They wanted to sell us the bag for about $150 more,but my Aunt is a regular, so we got a better deal:)
Annnnnd
Also, brand new Seven For Humanity jeans, retail $200+ for $30 at TJ Maxx. They were sold out online but I got them for thirty bucks at TJs! Ha!
A $150 dollar designer top for $5 at TJ Maxx as well.
Sometimes you get lucky.... I'm going to try thrift stores! Which ones are best to go to? In better areas, in the cities, salvation armies, I'm new to this
Cole Haan flats for $39.99, again, TJ Maxx.
BCBG dress at Sam's Club for $29.99
Kors, Michael Kors flats on ebay for $45.
Coach belt on ebay for $5
Original Price: $1,300.00
Thrift Price: $200.00
My best conquest ever! The bag is no longer in production in this style, and a real Vuitton is VERY hard to find second-hand. If you're buying Vuitton, be sure the hardware is heavy and strap is durable. Often knock-off styles are flimsy leather and cheaply made. Also, for monogram versions, check to make sure the "LV" lettering is dead-center in the front and back of the bag, and that no "LV" lettering is cropped (real ones are NEVER cropped)! Also note how, and where the embossing and serial # are and look for the "LV" logo on zipper pulls inside the bag. Last but not least, the corners are the first to wear down with authentic LV's, so check to make sure your bag isn't busting a seem versus a bit of wear in the edges.
When thrifting for Vuitton... the real deal is always behind the counter. Most chic thrift stores keep the high-end, authentic designer duds behind the counter. If you're poking around the store and stumble on a Murakami LV bag, don't kid yourself... its most likely a fake.
Also, wheel & deal with the store attendants to get a good price. My bag was going for $250.00, and I argued it was a bit dirty, grommets needed polishing, and interior needed professional cleaning, along with a few bumps and bruises. The attendant was very nice, and gave me tips on how to properly clean the bag, and knocked $50.00.
I ADORE this bag, its bargain price tag, and its very discretely branded logo (not screaming "LV"). Most folks don't know its a Vuitton, let alone a real one. Instead, I get lots of compliments on how "striking" and "distinct" it is.
Best of all, I haven't bought another bag since (more savings $$), and can't wait to pass this down to the next generation of girls in my family! A real treasure!