I have always liked nice things. I have an eye for them. I don’t like nice things simply because they are often expensive but for their quality and craftsmanship. I love intricate details and things constructed with skill and care. Most of the time that means they come with a higher price tag but not always.
The key to getting high-quality clothes, shoes, and accessories for less is knowing where (and sometimes when) to look. Though I’m not above using my whole shopping budget for one item, that’s not something I enjoy doing. I love quality, but I like some variety and novelty too. Finding great quality clothes for less allows me to balance my splurges with my saves. These are the places where I’ve had the best luck finding discounted designer items.
Where To Buy Authentic Luxury for Less
I’m including direct links to the searches I shop to find the best deals. No, I’m not worried about the things I love being gone. I won’t gatekeep a good deal. If I’m supposed to have it I’ll have it. Happy hunting!
Discount Retailers
I love perusing the physical and digital aisles of discount retailers. They offer brand-new items for a discounted price to help clear inventory from department stores and luxury retailers. I do thrift a few places as you’ll see later, but I love knowing something is brand new, not just new to me.
Nordstrom Rack
I’ve found countless pieces at Nordstrom Rack in-store and online. It is a great place to find on-trend and timeless pieces for less. When I need to shop for clothes this is my first stop. I’m not always looking for designer pieces, but I am looking for quality. Nordstrom Rack almost always has something that’s up my alley. If you’re shopping specifically for designer items online they have helpful designer search for you in their menu. They also have the same search but for contemporary designers. You’ll have to check pretty often for the best designer deals, but I’ve found things like $800 Jimmy Choo pumps for $325.
Saks Off 5th
I prefer shopping Saks Off 5th online than in-store. To be fair, I’ve only been in one of their stores and it just doesn’t do it for me on a consistent basis. I did find a silk top that was originally $400 for $90 in-store, but that’s the only great deal I’ve found at my nearest location. Online is a whole different story. It’s easy to shop pieces that were available at Saks Fifth Avenue, premier designer pieces, and contemporary designer finds.
The Outnet
The Outnet is Net-a-Porter‘s online-only outlet. I LOVE scrolling through to see what new designer drops there have been or to look for specific types of items. I haven’t purchased anything from them yet, but I have seen some pretty substantial discounts, like a Hervé Léger dress for 65% off that would be perfect for a night out. This is also a great place to run to the clearance section and see what’s available in your size.
DSW
DSW was the first place I knew to look to get designer for less. I mean, it is called Designer Shoe Warehouse. They had fallen off a bit from having actual designer shoes available in my opinion, but they’re slowly changing that. This is the first place I go when I’m looking for a specific type or color of shoe because I can often find something that I like. It’s not readily available in their main menu right now, but with a little search filtering you can have only designer and luxury shoes shown to you. I’ve seen great deals on Versace, Stuart Weitzman, and Ferragamo. Don’t sleep on their handbags either. They pretty consistently have bags from Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Venetta, and Versace at substantial discounts (like $1,000+ off).
Luxury Store Clearance Sections
Shopping for deals in luxury retailer’s clearance sections is another great way to get luxury pieces at a more affordable price. My favorite part about shopping this way is that you still get the luxury store treatment. I love how much care my purchases are packed with when I order from luxury stores because they know their customer expects quality in all aspects of their shopping experience.
Farfetch
Farfetch distinguishes itself from other luxury retailers with its global boutique network. This network gives its shoppers access to a wide array of luxury fashion items from around the world, including rare and exclusive pieces. I love that I can sort their sale and clearance section by highest to lowest discount so I can see all of the best deals pretty easily.
Neiman Marcus
If you can make it to a Neiman Marcus in person I highly suggest you do it. It’s a great place to develop a hand and eye for well-made clothes, shoes, and accessories from an array of brands. Plus, you just feel rich walking through there. If you don’t have one nearby their online experience is great too. For the best deals, I like to shop their new markdowns sorted by highest discount to the lowest discount. I just saw a Cinq a Sept dress for 75% off when I grabbed that link for you.
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks is another good place to visit in person if you can. The store feels a little more approachable than Neiman’s to me, but you’re still getting to dip your toes into luxurious apparel. They make you fight for your finds in the online sale section. I usually start my search by getting to all sale items and then filtering by category, size, and price. My most common search is women’s clothing under $300, but I’ll keep manipulating the filters to see if I can score anything.
Net-a-Porter
Net-a-Porter sets itself apart in the luxury retail landscape by emphasizing ready-to-wear items. It also only showcases women’s clothing and accessories so if you’re looking for menswear you’ll have to check out Mr. Porter. When I’m looking for deals here I sort the sales section by highest discount and set my other filters from there. I’ve found things up to 80% off retail here.
Shopbop
Shopbop is a good place to find contemporary designers. What I love the most is that they are Amazon Prime eligible so you can get your order in 2 days with free shipping! They make it easy to find the discount you’re looking for by sorting their sale section into 60% off – Final Sale, 50% off – Final Sale, 40% off, 30% off, and 20% off. Most of the time I stick to the 40 – 60% off range, but I’ll also filter the entire sales section by price to see if I can find something I like.
Nordstrom
While it may not focus exclusively on luxury fashion, Nordstrom is still a great place to find luxury goods for less. Their 40% off designer section has some beautiful and unique finds.
FWRD
FWRD has a strong emphasis on cutting-edge and avant-garde fashion. If you’re looking for something unique and edgy this is a good place to look. Think REVOLVE, but catered to the luxury market because that’s exactly what it is. To find the best deals I typically just go straight to the sale section as it is. They’re pretty good at featuring the best deals right at the top.
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Consignment & Thrift Stores
If you absolutely must have a designer item, but it was a limited edition piece or is very common you might be able to find it pre-loved at an online thrift store for a fraction of the price. A discount may not be the case if it is a rare or limited edition item, but if you’re looking for something that’s common or is a mainstay at a fashion house (think Louis Vuitton Speedy or Saint Laurent Sac de Jour) thrifting might be a good idea for you. Thrifting is the most time-consuming way to find designer for less, but you can find gems if you’re willing to search. This approach is also a sustainable choice and reduces waste.
Fashionphile
Fashionphile is a well-established online luxury fashion retailer known for its rigorous authentication process. They buy, sell, and consign pre-owned designer items, specializing in luxury handbags and accessories from renowned brands like Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton. I haven’t bought anything from here either, but I love window shopping the designer bags under $1,000 section. I also enjoy their last call section to see some very steep discounts.
The Real Real
The Real Real carries a lot of the same kinds of items as Faashionphile with the addition of home goods and menswear. I’m not a big fan of them requiring you to sign up for an account to browse, but you can set up searches based on things like designer, your size, color, and if it is new with tags. I like to check out their last chance tab to see if there are any steals there since these pieces are typically 70%+ off.
I hope this helps your fashion dreams come true without breaking the bank. Happy shopping!
