Designer Shopping Secrets: How to Dress Well on a Budget

Posted by Women's Designer Clothing Editor in Designer & Couture, Fashion Advice for Women, Fashion Tricks, Personal Style, Shopping, Style Tips for Women, Wardrobe Basics

Dressing well on a budget is achievable, if you know a few designer fashion shopping secrets.

While fashionistas everywhere are trimming their shopping budgets, the following tips will help you look like a million dollars without wasting your salary on the trends of the season.

Designer Shopping Secret #1 – Buy designer clothing at off-price retailers like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Stein Mart, Ross and Loehmann’s.

Overstock designer clothing and accessories hangs willingly on the racks of these designer clothing clearing houses. Off-price buyers purchase merchandise that is current and on trend.

At these discount fashion emporiums, you will find the same style featured in the fashion magazines and online shopping destinations.

If you are a frequent shopper, you can find fabulous items to feed your designer clothing habit for up to 65 percent off retail price.

Designer Shopping Secret #2 -Refrain from trendy item splurges.

Don’t rush to buy the large patent belt and leopard bag you see covered on the front of every fashion magazine. Instead of purchasing the $2,500 dollar designer handbag at Bergdorf Goodman, select its designer inspired relative at Forever 21, Target or H&M.

Designer Shopping Secret #3 -Spend all of your pennies on classic handbags, shoes and outerwear.

Want to know the first things people notice on a woman? It’s her accessories, shoes and outerwear. If you can’t afford fancy designer frocks, invest in statement pieces that will last for more than one season.

Skip the trendy clothing items and select a basic designer handbag in black, brown or blue, without logos plastered all over the bag.

If you want to add a little drama to your coats, choose jackets with a bold print, fur around the collar and coats featuring vibrant colors.

Designer Shopping Secret #4 -Beware of seductive sale prices.

Dressing well demands knowledge of what wardrobe items to purchase each season to compliment your existing closet choices and your lifestyle.

Don’t be seduced by the 50 percent off tag. Just because the item reduced, or its on sale, does not mean that you should buy it.

Before you run to the clearance bin to snag that designer sweater from the grasp of another shopper, ask yourself. Would you pay full price for the item? If you answer yes, run to register and celebrate that bargain with a purchase.

Designer Shopping Secret #5 -Buy classic items at estate sales and thrift stores.

Want classic wardrobe pieces from day’s gone buy? High-end garage sales and estate sales are not only for chipped bone china and for your grandmother’s old lace doilies.

Hidden in between items of yesteryear are fashion gems for the well-dressed woman. Look for fashion jewelry, silk scarves, fur collars, cashmere coats and designer handbags at estate sales.

But, before you make a purchase at a second-hand store or vintage clothing store, check the inside lining of each item for stains and odors.

Designer Shopping Secret #6 Find clothes for the well-dressed woman at consignment stores.

When wealthy fashionistas tire of last season’s blazer, handbag or dress, they often drive to their neighborhood consignment store to unload these items for quick cash.

To benefit from these items that designer-obsessed woman wouldn’t be caught dead in twice, shop at a consignment store in a wealthy neighborhood. Nothing beats finding a Gucci bag or a gently-worn Pucci skirt for up to 55 percent off retail prices.

A few final designer clothing shopping secrets for women on a budget:

When your budget is limited, buy inexpensive accessories (belts, scarves, jewelry) to update your wardrobe.
Shop at vintage boutiques for unique pieces – especially accessories.
Invest in classic pieces (like a great bag) instead of trendy items.
Subscribe to online boutiques for exclusive deals.
Buy investment pieces at the end of the season when they’re on sale.
Host a clothing swap (each season).
Splurge on only one favorite make-up item (like a lipstick).

For budget-conscious shoppers looking to score a deal for less, use these tips to look perfectly put together without mortgaging your home or downgrading your style from a fashion do to a frugal, penny-pinching fashion don’t.