I think it’s safe to say that most of us have mixed feelings about designer clothes. We like the quality and the fact that they never go out of style, but we hate how much they cost. On the bright side, that’s what makes it so exciting to find a great designer discount.
It’s hard to find designer items at prices you can afford if you’re trying to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe with quality pieces instead of fast fashion. There are a lot of apps, websites, and tips out there that can help you along the way.
I’ll tell you about the six best tools and methods I’ve used over the years to find sales, discounts, and markdowns on high-end, one-of-a-kind designer pieces.
1. Websites for reselling designer clothes
There are many discount designer websites where you can find great deals on high-end brands (so many, in fact, that it can feel overwhelming). Here’s a list of my favorite designer discount sites, along with the brands and types of items I’d buy from each:
- Nordstrom Rack: Almost all designer items that don’t sell out on Nordstrom.com end up on Nordstrom Rack. It takes some searching to find the better deals among the lower-quality items, but when you do, it’s great. I found classic Ugg boots, this Vince sweater for 60% off, casual white sneakers for less than $100, and this beautiful Eileen Fisher wool coat for 70% off this morning.
- The Outnet—This site is great for both trendy brands like Stella McCartney and classic pieces that will never go out of style. Up to 75% off discounts are available, and shipping is always free. I love that they have shoes by Stuart Weitzman, cashmere sweaters and silk skirts by Theory, and sweaters by Iris & Ink.
- Saks Off 5th—I once went to a Saks Off 5th store in person, and there were so many amazing items on sale that I was overwhelmed. Thanks to Saksoff5th.com, you can search by designer, price, and category, which makes the whole process easier. I’ve found great deals on jewelry here, but they also have a great selection of makeup (including Bobbi Brown!) and designer shoes like Aquatalia and Marc Fisher. Don’t forget to check out the vintage Gucci, Staud, and Neiman Marcus bags.
- Last Call—Neiman Marcus shut down the Last Call website and moved the designer deals to the clearance section of NeimanMarcus.com. I like to sort by the newest items (which are usually the ones that are in season!) or by the designer. They have great deals on Prada sunglasses, Helmut Lang dresses and separates, and The
- Real—this company is known for its authentication process on luxury items like Fendi, Marni, Versace, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, and more. I also love that they have site-wide sales, which make the already-discounted designer pieces even better deals.
- eBay Authenticate Program: eBay verifies and authenticates high-end items for you, and I’ve seen Chanel bags sell for crazy prices on eBay.
- Luxury Garage Sale—
This site is both a place to buy and sell used designer clothes online and a place to sign up for services. You can sign up to get a curated box of designer items sent to you. You keep what you like and send the rest back in a prepaid box. It’s a great way to try out brands you’re interested in without making a big commitment.
If you don’t find what you’re looking for on the above websites, check out the clearance sections of Gilt, RueLaLa, and Net-a-Porter.
2. Shop out of season.
Prices are usually at their highest right after a collection comes out. It’s tempting to buy it when it’s in a season since a fake fur coat looks better when it’s snowing outside your window. However, if you can wait a few months or even a year, you can save hundreds of dollars.
3. Add the Honey Coupon Extension to your browser.
Honey is a free browser extension that adds discount codes and coupons to your shopping cart on more than 30,000 websites. Most of the time, I save between $5 and $20 when I shop, but there have been a few times when I saved well over $100.
4. Use ShopStyle “Favorites” Sale Alerts
Shopstyle is a huge shopping search engine that lets you narrow your results by price, brand, store, discounts, and size. They have a feature that lets you “heart” designer pieces you like. Shopstyle will then send you an email as soon as that item goes on sale to let you know.
Last year, Shopstyle alerts helped me find a Vince coat that was originally over $500 for 75% off the retail price. Find out how Shopstyle favorites work by clicking here.
5. Designer consignment shops
In most cities, there are a few high-end resale shops where women sell gently used designer clothes. Fifi’s Consignment and Dress Raleigh are my favorite places to shop in Raleigh. A quick search on Google for “luxury consignment shops [city name]” should give you a good idea of your best options.
6. Poshmark
Poshmark is a website and app where people can buy and sell used clothes, shoes, and accessories. I’ve done well on Poshmark when I’ve bought designer brands like All Saints, Sezane, Isabel Marant, and Vince. But here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to go this route:
First, look for the item on Google instead of in the Poshmark app, which doesn’t have the best search engine. If you type “Poshmark [name of item]” into Google, you should get good results. Second, always ask the seller for more pictures of the item if you need them, and read the product description carefully.
So there you go! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about where to find designer clothes on sale. As I was writing this post, I found a few of my favorite designer pieces on sale. Here are a few to get you started! Happy shopping!
