There’s nothing wrong with wanting the best, the question is how to get it without paying full retail. There are going to be times when something you really want is only available through the usual channels at full retail and if you really want it then go and get it. But there are a lot of great deals to be had on some of the highest quality designer clothing if you just know when and where to look. And I’m going to share with you how to do that.
There are several stores and also a few apps that are the best places to look. For physical stores go to TJ Maxx, Marshall’s and Nordstrom Rack.
TJ Maxx and Marshalls regularly get in new merchandise. You can also find some amazing deals on their clearance racks. You’ll find four different tags on the clothing at these two stores. White, purple and either of those possibilities with either a red or yellow clearance sticker on them. The white tags are the regular merchandise. The purple tags signify high end designer lines, such as Rag & Bone, John Varvatos, Vince Camuto, etc. In the clearance section you’ll find either of those two tags with red or yellow clearance stickers. The red sticker signifies a clearance item that has been marked down and you may find several red stickers stacked as each successive mark down gets applied over time. The yellow clearance sticker means an item has reached its final mark down and will not go any lower. You can pass on a red sticker clearance item in hopes that you’ll find it later with the yellow final clearance mark down, but it may not last - so if you really want it, grab it while you can.
Nordstrom Rack can be a source for some amazing deals if you know how to read the tags and what to look for. Sometimes you’ll find designer names with a Nordstrom Rack tag. That generally means the item was manufactured specifically for the discounter and may not be full department store quality. It was made to be sold at discount. When you find an item at “the Rack” with a regular Nordstrom tag, that means it was originally sold at the main line department store at full retail and was transferred to the Nordstrom Rack store for any number of reasons such as a previous years style or an item that was past season. In this case the item will have the regular Nordstrom tag with a Nordstrom Rack sticker over it. It may also just have the manufacturers original retail tag with a Nordstrom Rack sticker on it.
The items you’ll find at Nordstrom Rack can be gotten at a discount compared to the full Nordstrom store. But the best deals are to be found on their clearance racks with the red stickers with further markdowns. Once per quarter they have a “Clear the Rack” event. During these events you can get an additional 25% off the lowest marked clearance price. This is the best time to shop there. A perfect example, I once purchased a Rag & Bone cashmere sweater that was transferred from the full Nordstrom store and originally retailed for $350. It was on the Nordstrom Rack clearance rack for only $89. With the extra 25% off during the “Clear the Rack” event that $350 designer cashmere sweater was only $66. I’ve also purchased $150 Rag & Bone henley’s at these events for as little as $25-$30.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention outlets. The outlet malls can be a great source of high-end designer clothing for a fraction of the original price. I’ve picked up Vans that were originally $65-$100 retail for as low as $25 at the Vans outlet. The outlet malls will usually have tons of stores from the best designers.
If you’re open to shopping online let your phone do the work for you. There are a few apps out there but two of the most popular are Poshmark and Mercari. Not only can you find amazing deals on high-end designer clothing for prices that are through the floor but you can also sell your own items via these apps to get money back on clothing you may not wear anymore.
Some of my favorites that I regularly find through the above stores and apps, Levi’s Made & Crafted, Rag & Bone, John Varvatos, Tommy Bahama, Onia, and many more. Who says you can’t get the best for less!
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