Ooh, I love bluefly! I also love www.styleshopdirect.com! Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack rule, too. :)

BTW, can I just tell you all about the awesome pink Coach tote I got a while ago? It was on sale for $98!!!! I love getting great deals!

I do sometimes
 

But I buy it off ebay for a fracti0on fo the price!!!

As a matter of fact i bought a $2,000 gown for $100 and $300 shoes for $45.

Re: I do sometimes
 

Therein lies the problem.

There are so many "fakes" on ebay, so many. It's hard to tell of what you bought is truly the real thing. I'd be kinda sketchy if you bought a gown that was $2,000 for only $100.....real sketchy.....

eBay
 

There are some designers I'd never even think of buying w/o trying to authenticate. For instance, I found a site that's devoted to KS bags. The creator has scanned in authentic patterns and styles. It's a good tool:

http://www.ihatecounterfeitbags.info

Yeah I didn't even know it was a different city untill I went there.
no, I don't live there, but I know a few peeps from the area, and my Dad lives further south.
I went to the only club on the island once and was shocked to find myslef in a sea of 16 year olds clad in Ralph Lauren cruise wear. It was pretty obvious that the big $$ didn't cross that small patch of innercoastal unless they wanted to go to the airport.

LOL....totally know what you mean.

I lived in Boynton Beach, but 4 yrs ago my parents acquired a house in Palm Beach Gardens.......Good thing about gardens, I love getting wasted and then going Golfing anytime I want. You should try hitting a golf ball after 5 margaritas......it's hilarious.:D


As for further south.....I can't stand Miami 1/2 the time. I can't speak a bit of spanish. Besides, it's not that great of a place to live in my opinion. I guess those that were raised there feel differently. If I decided to live anywhere in Florida outside of Palm Beach when finished with school.....it's either Boca Raton or Key West.

*edited for spelling errors*

Re: Re: I do sometimes
 

You're right, there are some things that are fakers. But the stuff I usually buy is slightly used. That's why it is so cheap. I also buy things that are new but discontinued or "slightly-damaged" similar to outlet malls, or it was a sample of some sort or display item? And I don't buy tons of stuff, but I have gotten some great deals and it's so fun to go to formal in a designer gown. Gives me a little kick.

Re: eBay
 

Steeltrap, thanks for sharing - that's an awesome site!

Re: eBay
 

Good looking out, ST. Dang, didn't know sooo many fake Kate Spade bags are out there!!!

Re: Re: eBay
 

No kidding. I passed up on buying one because I didn't see the pattern on that site. Many of my seven bags are on that site.

Designer shoes
 

DSW Shoe Warehouse has some GREAT deals. Their regular price stuff is fairly low, but I almost never buy anything there at regular price. I head straight to the clearance! Everything back there (which is rows and rows of shoes) is between 30 and 80% off of the DSW price. I've gotten $160 for like 20. Lots of high end names.

Just bought two pair today :D

Re: eBay
 

Thanks so much for posting that info. It reminded me of when I was in D.C. last year. I was touring the GW campus and I came upon a cart vendor right next to the Metro station selling every kind of KS bag possible. I knew they were fakes but I wanted to look anyway. Very poor quality: bad stitching, faded colors, lopsided shapes, lables peeling off...:rolleyes:

I saw a tv program some time ago with Ms. Spade telling/showing consumers how to spot the fake bags from the real ones. I'm going to keep this website address for future refrence. :)

I looked at the Counterfit Bags site and I started spotting fake Kate Spade bags EVERYWHERE!!!!
I've seen two today. ha ha ha ha ha...
-Michelle

Re: Designer shoes
 

Concur. A few months ago, I found some $200 Michael Kors sandals at a DSW. Very nice, cost $20.:)
Now if the DSWs in my area would just get some JP Tod's in a larger size (40-plus), I will be a :cool: happy woman.

Re: Designer shoes
 

I was just there yesterday and spent like $300 on new shoes for spring. I got 6 pair so I didn't do too bad!!:D While I like DSW, I absolutely ADORE Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse. I think they have locations across the country, but I've only been to the ones in Nashville.

I think I am growing up! Just this past thursday i went to the mall and didnt really find anything that caught my eye and what i did kind of like was too much money, IMO.

For example, i saw a cute button down shirt at the gap that i wanted to buy. I tried it on and everything, but decided that 39.50 for a shirt was a bit too much. I could get a shirt I like just as much at old navy. I have never been one to spend like 200 dollars on a shirt or anything, but in my younger years;) I would not have hesitated to buy whatever i wanted! It is just so hard for me to find things that I truly liked, i figured, once i did find something, I just had to buy it.

I dont know, i just figure I can wait until it goes on sale or find something similar elsewhere!

bucutie: That was me this weekend. Usually things at Old Navy/Gap/AE go on sale within two months, which is very nice.

I find that now that I have to earn my money, instead of getting it from mom & dad, I'm waayy more careful with what I buy. Definitely leaning away from trendy things to more classic cuts & styles that I can wear for more than 6 months.

century 21
 

i can't believe no one has mentioned this yet..


today, i discovered mecca..the greatest store in the world..

there is a department store out of manhattan called century 21..basically its like the tj maxx/marshalls of the designer world...its 4 floors of just designer stuff for really cheap.. gucci, versace, prada, deisel, moschino etc..

i'm talking earl jeans for $30, seven jeans for $50, bcbg dresses for $50

this store is the greatest place i've ever been..i got a pair of la perla underwear, normally $120 for $20..i can't wait til i really have money so i can go back and do some damage..

sadly, they only have stores in New York and New Jersey..but for all of you in the area..DEFINATELY check it out..and for all that are coming to visit the area..definately try to make a trip there..it will be well worth it.

Tibi- Off Saks in Durham carries a lot of the Seven brand

To answer the subject question, I do... sometimes. I cannot stand wearing the same clothes everyone else wears, so I don't shop at Abercrombie, JCrew or GAP, etc. I mainly shop in little local trendy stores (that carry Juicy, Michael Stars, Seven, Theory and the like) or department stores (Nordstrom, Bloomies, Saks and sometimes Neiman's). I have my pieces that I wear a lot and I'm willing to spend more on them because they'll last for a while. I buy Theory when I need great, fabulous, amaaazing pants, Michael Stars for basic tees, Seven, Paper Denim & Cloth or Blue Cult for jeans (because they're the only ones that fit my body type and hug in all the right places!), etc. They'll last me for a while, they're super cute and of a great quality. But, I do have a basic white tube top from Forever 21 and a black wifebeater from Wet Seal- basically, I don't want to spend $50 on things that are easily replaceable. Mostly, I'm willing to spend more money on certain, 'oh wow!' kinda pieces. One of a kind skirts, beautifully fitting pants, one of a kind shirts- things I can wear to spice up my wardrobe. Sometimes, I'll wear a funky black and white Poleci skirt with my black Target ribbed sweater. I mix and match, but I definitely enjoy 'higher end' items for their individuality, styles, quality, fit and how long they'll last.

I love fashion and I love clothes. So admittedly, sometimes I'll see something on TV or in a magazines and be like "I HAVE to have it!" and then I lust after it forever and search high and low for something like it. I had wanted a velvet blazer and was in LOVE with this burgundy colored Calvin Klein velvet blazer that I saw on Gwyneth Paltrow in a magazine. I loooved it and from then on, I was on a mission to find any burgundy velvet blazer. I got a black one for Christmas and didn't like it, so I returned it. I bought one on sale at BCBG (black, but still super cute) and then my mom and I hit Nordstrom. We were browsing through the racks in her department (Collections, or something) and she pulls out this burgundy velvet blazer and kinda gave an "eww" face and I squealed. It was the EXACT same burgundy velvet Calvin Klein blazer. It's gorgeous (a rich velvet with an amazing satin interior and lapel) and they had two left, one in my size. I tried it on and it was amazing and even my mom completely changed her mind. It was my dream jacket on sale for 75% off the original price. A total steal! My mom loved it so much by the end, she bought the other one that was left (it was her size).

Loehmann's is a great place to check out, too. I got a pair of Paper Denim & Cloth jeans for $44 last month (originally $140) and I got a Sharagano denim skirt last week for $20 (down from $118). Can't beat those deals!

Loehmanns really is great..i got a marc jacobs denim skirt there on clearance for $25..originally $150...i always find great deals there

I don't really spend a whole lot on my actual clothes. I love expensive shoes, purses, etc. But really I have no source of income so unless my mom wants to buy me something nice, I really just buy cute things at normal prices. Just from the looks of my school though EVERYONE there wears Abercrombie, American Eagle, etc. The main thing everyone seems to wear though is just t-shirts, high school shirts, Mizzou shirts, Greek t-shirts, etc. Girls might carry a nice purse or something but honestly I think if I saw some girl walking around campus with real expensive clothes on like Versace etc. I'd probably laugh. Our campus is very laid back and casual during the day, which isn't surprising since it's a college town. Girls wear stuff like Express and the like when they go out, but overall nothing REALLY expensive ever seems to be worn. I know a girl in my house has Burberry rainboots ( :confused: ) and lots of girls like to tease her about them.

Re: century 21
 

Girl, I work a few blocks away from Century 21, so I'm up in there quite often. Did you catch the Clearance Sale this past week??? Trust me, everyone who works in Lower Manhattan makes the frequent pilgrimage to Century 21. :D :cool: :D

Re: Re: century 21
 

i've actually only been to the NJ store...i've heard that the city stores get crazy though!!! a friend of mine sent me an email about the sale, but i didn't get it until today..which i suppose is just as well because i have less then no $$ to shop right now :(

If I had lots of money, I'd spend it at Eddie Bauer. I swear I go there so much, the salespeople know my name. Don't really like Gap/J Crew, they are a little bit to trendy for me.

I usually shop at Mervyn's,Target,and JC Pennys. From time to time I'll hit Norstom's Rack (this weekend they were having their tag sale. They had stuff up to 75% off. But it was the non payday weekend. But once I pay my bills, I'll going to get my dress for convention from there)

I'm also starting to get turned on by resale shops.

Resale rocks. I get so much stuff from those stores. I'm lucky because some of the people at the stores I frequent in SoCal don't know how to price things.:p

I don't know why I hadn't discovered resale earlier. :o I'm happy I did. At my new job, the dress code is business casual. So I got to update my closet. Resale store have some nice looking stuff at good prices. Have I told you guys I love to shop?:D

I got a classic Burberry trench for $9 at a resale shop. It's in perfect condition and authentic. Does anyone realize how much that would have cost at Neiman's? :eek:

well next month i desparately need a new wardrobe. so i will be heading to orlando and going to neiman's, bloomingdale's, macy's, bebe's, arden b's, ....well you get the idea. i am going all out. i never had a real shopping spree before, so i going to do it right!!

Shoot, can't imagine. At another resale store, I found a genuine Gucci handbag similar to one that I purchased for a ridiculously low price. Those folks were charging $425:eek: for that purse.:rolleyes:

Most of the things in my closet are your basic mall brands... Express, Abercrombie, Gap, bananna etc... Shoot... to me even Ann Taylor is a bit pricey!! Yeah designer stuff is built to last, but with clothing most of your typical mall brands (esp the *slightly more pricey ones like Bananna and Ann taylor) aren't going to fall apart soon enough to justify spending 200 times more on upper- end designer labels.
Purses are a different story since they generally get daily use those super picky extra details help out on things that get tossed around and stuff... shoes too since (especially heels) take a lot of stress carrying all your weight on like less than an inch surface. I LOVE clothes and looking nice... and may buy a few nice things when I happen to have extra cash or whatever... but I certainly don't need every pice of my wardrobe to have a designer label in it, and certainly wouldn't look down on those who wanted all labels as elitist snobs.. or wear no labels as having no fashion sense or not "appreciating finer things"...

High-end? What's high-end?? The most high-end stuff I have are a few brooks brothers shirts bought from their clearance store for $15 each...

I know where to get all the fashion stuff and I know what's in fashion, i read vogue, bazaar, elle, etc. like its a bible...but to tell you the truth, I'm way too broke all the time even just shopping at banana and limited and victorias secret (and of course last chance...the best store in the entire world!) to buy prada purses, marc jacobs clothing, and the likes....the most expensive thing I've bought was probably my citizens of humanity jeans. But when I get a real job after I graduate from college(i.e. NOT retail) I can almost guarantee you that I will start mixing high-end things into my wardrobe. But until that time, I don't really want to go into (more) debt buying prada shoes (i saw the cutest ones at neiman marcus recently!) and the like...but that's just my take.

edited to say: this was my 200th post!!!!!!!

A note for Pittsburghers....
 

My boss told me that the Shadyside sidewalk sale thing is starting this coming Wednesday.

(Note to those not from the 'burgh) Shadyside is a more upscale neighborhood with a nice shopping district.

how are u ladies finding good resale stores?

Anyone know of any resale shops in Indiana? Yeah, I know that's not likely, but it's worth a shot. ;)

It's not IN, but if you're ever in Chicago, check out the Daisy Shop on Oak Street. I bought a sweet Joop! suit there for about $300 this past January. The owner is very friendly, and really knows her stuff.

I start with the Yellow Pages. Depending on where you are, the listing will be under Clothing-Used or Consignment. Then, I just go and visit. I live in Southern California, so I have easy driving access to many resale stores with a good selection. In fact, two resalers that I've scored with handbag deals are just down the street from my office.

When you get to a resale shop, if they belong to a trade association, they will often have a brochure of other members.

Something to remember, though -- Go often because the stock changes, and if you see something you really like, get it fairly early. It may not last until a reduction. I learned this lesson -- missed out on real Manolo Blahniks, not "Manonos," for $40.:o

I would love to own a few designer pieces but something classic. Like a nice classic black dress by Marc Jacobs and a pair of manolo blahnik shoes. But I couldn't imagine spending that much money all the time. At this point Bebe and Arden B are my high end stores.

I admit, I'm guilty. I have a blouse that costs an obscene amount, so obscene I can't repeat it.
This is why I have decided to begin a LV support group. All of us who are addicted are encouraged to attend weekly meetings.