Fashion :: Tips From A (Former) Shopaholic

The years prior to when my daughter was born were ones where I spent (admittedly) too much time shopping and it was a favorite pastime of mine. I loved to shop for antiques, things for the house, gifts for friends and family, but I was mainly on the search for beautiful clothes.  You probably wouldn’t know that by looking at me today, as I don’t really have the time, money or energy to put into this former pastime that I did years ago.  But don’t get me wrong,  I do enjoy finding quality clothes that can stand the test of time.  I still try to find good sales as it is always more fun to get a bargain, but you need to know where to look!  As busy moms, we don’t really have the time to scour the stores like we use to, so it helps to know where to look for nice clothes that won’t break the bank.  Below I share some tips that I learned along the way as a (former) shopaholic!

Look for Sales:

I have found some amazing bargains at stores like Macy’s, who always seems to have a sale going on.  Believe it or not, but I found my wedding dress there years ago!  It was made by Laundry and looked just like a Vera Wang wedding dress without the price tag. I think I paid around $200 for it and it sure didn’t look like it.  One of my favorite stores to shop is Calypso.  They are located at The South Coast Plaza and really have some beautiful clothes.  Now, their clothing can be pretty pricey but I wait until their sales are going on and boy can you get some amazing items for a good price.  I think one of my favorite items was a shirt that was normally $98 that I got for $15 dollars.  And you have to remember they will send you an email if you sign up online and let you know when their sales are going on – like right now you get an additional 60% off all sale items! Make sure to quickly check out their sales online when they send you an email as the good pieces go quick!  They offer a great selection of sweaters and dresses and their pieces can be worn for a long time.  I hold on to all of these items as they are timeless and great quality.  Look at what your budget and see if you can’t pick up a nice shirt or dress on sale.

Nordstrom’s Rack also has great deals and we have found some good pieces for my daughter and husband.  You can shop online if you don’t have one near you. With a little bit of time you can find some great deals on clothes that you can wear for years to come.  And if you are looking for some inexpensive trendy items to throw in your wardrobe check out Sammy Dress.com as they offer some really cute items for a great price. They have both men, women and children’s clothing at a discount.   I like to add some trendy pieces with my classics to stay up-to-date with the styles of the day but I buy only what I like and feel good in.

Visit Marshalls, Loehman’s or TJ Maxx:

I have found some of my favorite items from Loehmans.  They sell higher-end clothing at a discount and have wonderful sales.  I always hit the sale racks because you can find some beautiful and quality clothing on these racks for a great price.  Plus, if you sign up to become a Loehman’s member they will give you discounts around your birthday and send you alerts when they are having an extra 15% to 25% discounts on their sale items.  One of my favorite items I found years ago was a gorgeous Italian black coat that I still wear today.  With all the discounts I got it for a fraction of the cost.  My husband can’t quite understand my fascination with coats and boots since we live in southern California and get about two days total of cold weather (I am kidding but I wish we had more cold days so I could wear my fun coats).  Speaking of which, Marshalls has some amazing deals on shoes. Make sure to check out their sale section as they usually will have some pretty high-end designers shoes at a fraction of what you would pay at the store.  I found this random pair of black boots from a European designer that for some odd reason ended up on the shelves of Marshalls for next to nothing.  The tag was still on it and in the store they sold for about $450 but I got them for a great price at Marshalls!  So take a moment the next time you are walking through Marshalls to get your kids shoes (a great place to get good shoes at a discount for the kids) and see if you find anything that fits your fancy!

Check out Resale Boutiques

One of my favorite places to go locally is CrossRoads Trading because they sell pretty fashionable clothing that people sell to them along with local retailers who have a surplus of stock.  They have over 31 stores across the country so check to see if there is one near you. I have found brand-new shoes from Anthropologie (love their store) and new handbags that were never used for next to nothing.  Check to see if you have a local resale store in your area.  The best things to do is go through your closet to see what you no longer wear, is in good condition and sell to them for either cash or store credit.  I recently was able to get an amazing red Miu Miu coat (yes, I got another coat for this “winter” in California) with the clothes I brought in to sell.  It was perfect as I didn’t have to purchase it but had store credit.  That is my kind of shopping experience!

With a little bit of time you can find some great deals on clothes that you can wear for years to come.  Have fun on your shopping adventures!

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

Thank you for Sammy Dress for today’s post.