6/04/2014

Where To Look For Affordable Designer Clothing

By Lila Bryant


The fashion magazines are filled with spreads showing models in stunning outfits. Then, of course, you read the captions and see how much each outfit actually costs. Luckily you don't have to sell your car, your house and a kidney to be able to wear big-name brands. You just need to know the secret to affordable designer clothing.

To be a true fashionista, you need to learn how to choose what to purchase. You need to learn the difference between fad and real fashion. People who only buy what the magazines tell them is trendy right now often buy items that no style guru would be seen dead in next year and they're really only sending the message that they have no fashion sense whatsoever.

With classic, timeless pieces it becomes very easy to benefit from sales. Early in January as well as at the end of each season, department stores and fashion houses often offer their clothes at hugely reduced prices to make room for new stock. If you choose carefully, for instance a pair of jeans in a classic style or a simple little black dress, it won't matter that you make your purchases at the end of a season, because these items will still be stylish next season and even for many years to come.

Another good way to find great bargains is to look in second-hand stores. There are many online retailers that specialize in pre-owned designer clothes. Even charity shops sometimes have items that are still in great condition and will cost you only a couple of dollars. It does take some dedication to browse through these shops, though.

Vintage designs are a great solution too. One of the most famous examples of how well this approach can work is the dress that Julia Roberts wore when she won her Academy Award in 2001. She didn't like the latest designs sent to her and eventually decided on a vintage design by Valentino. A tailor altered the gown to fit the actress and after all these years it's still one of the most memorable Oscar dresses. Other Oscar winners who went the vintage route were Reese Witherspoon in a Dior gown and Penelope Cruz in Balmain. Both these dresses dated from the Fifties.

Some people opt for fake designer brands. This is certainly a possible solution. However, it's unethical and by wearing counterfeit goods, you're supporting crime.

Supporting only the famous couture houses is the sign of an unimaginative dresser. Instead, keep an eye out for the work of young designers. Their designs are often more striking and much less expensive.

The way that the fashion world works is that a top fashion house will come up with a gorgeous design and then the cheaper retail stores copy and adjust this for their own lines. The result is that if you choose carefully, it's only the label at the back, where nobody can see it, that will indicate that you paid a couple of dollars rather than a couple of thousand dollars. If you really want to flash that logo, wear cheaper, classic clothes and spend your money on a good brand-name watch or sunglasses instead.




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