When it comes to fashion, having Gucci tastes on a tight budget can leave you wistfully flipping through Vogue, dreaming of wearing your perfect outfit. Designer fashion doesn’t come cheap, but we have a few tricks up our sleeves that may make your dreams a reality. Here’s how to shop luxury fashion sales like an expert.
1. Look For Sister Brands
Most designers (including Prada, Armani, Valentino, and Moschino) have sister brands aimed at younger consumers. These lines are often cheaper than their main collections. When shopping them on sales, you can get your hands on bargain designer clothing and accessories. Here are a few terms to look out for when choosing the collection:
- Bridge Line: This term describes the collaboration between a high-end designer and a lower-priced retailer. For this collaboration, the designer manufactures collections at more affordable price points, giving most consumers the opportunity to shop from them. Needless to say, this is a great way to get clothes from your favorite fashion house without breaking the bank.
- Capsule Collections: Capsule collections are made up of a few mass-manufactured staple pieces and usually consist of more casual, ready-to-wear items. These collections are usually cheaper, but limited run – once they’re gone, they’re gone.
- X by Y Lines: Such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, Love by Moschino, etc. These collections come from your beloved designers, but they’re lower-cost brands. You’ll get designer quality and prestige items but won’t produce irreversible wallet damage.
2. Shop the Off-Season
An easy way to score big discounts is to shop for your favorite designer in the off-season. Follow these tips to make the most out of it:
- Shop Ahead Of The Season: With this method, you’ll be prepped and ready to shop the sales stress-free. Keep an eye out for your favorite items ahead of the sale season. The retailer will then apply a discount a week or two later, allowing you to purchase as soon as it’s available (and affordable).
- Check Final Sale Rules: Some final clearance items might not be eligible for returns. This is a thing to keep in mind if you’re buying online, especially if you are unsure that the clothes you want will fit.
- Choose Classic Pieces: Some items never go out of style – these are the ones you should buy if you want to wear them for more than a season. Buying classic designer pieces, such as items from the Moncler women’s sale, will make it harder for connoisseurs to identify that you’re wearing last season’s collection. It’s all about focusing on the well-respected brands (hint: they’re usually Italian).
3. Make Good Use of Flash Sale Websites
Flash sale sites may not hold entire collections, but they will have a few designer clothes available for cheap. Here are some tips and tricks to using flash sale sites:
- Subscribe to Newsletters: In this way, you’ll be the first one to know when your designer is on sale. Most flash sale sites also include exclusive discounts, so make sure to take advantage of those to reduce your cart cost even more.
- Set a Budget: Browsing the collections on a flash sales site may make you want to add every single item to your cart. However, you should set up a budget and stick to it. Whether you decide to spend it all on a fancy gown or buy several pieces, it’s completely your choice.
- Beware of Perks: Besides huge discounts, you can also save by taking advantage of perks. Some of the things you should check are shipping fees and conditions – many websites offer free shipping if you exceed a certain amount or offer discounted shipping rates if you opt for standard instead of next-day delivery.
Student deals and referral programs are other ways to save some money whilst shopping for your favorite luxury fashion.
With these pointers in mind, you’ll be ready to shop any luxury fashion sale like an experienced trendsetter. Just remember to have fun – and still set yourself budgets!
