by Brooke Kaelin
I’ve always been a bit of a clothes horse and madly in love with all things fashion. When I began writing, my first ever magazine article covered Valentino’s retirement. Lucky for me, I’m also frugal and would never, ever pay full price for designer clothing even in my dizziest daydreams.
So, what’s a fashion-forward starving writer to do but ferret out all the places that designer duds can be had for a penny and a song? Below you’ll find my top-secret list of places online where you can go to get your fashion fix without signing over your first born.
1. 6pm.com
6pm.com features designer brands like BCBGeneration, Max Azria, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Calvin & Anne Klein, 7 for All Mankind, True Religion, and more. They list daily and weekly sales with designer items discounted up to 70% off. Shipping is flat rate at $6.95. This site comes with a warning: It’s entirely too easy to spend money here. Be careful and be frugal.
2. Amazon
Every now and then you can score a surprising find at Amazon. Your best bet here is accessories. Designer purses and glasses can be found up to 70% off. Most of them are the previous season’s finds, so depending on where you live, this may not work for you. I live in Kentucky, where people are more likely to say “Who is Marc Jacobs?” than “Those are SO last season!” Amazon offers free shipping on most orders over $25.
3. Fraction Price
This is another great place to find bags and glasses at — you guessed it — a fraction of the normal price. Fraction Price’s brands include Cartier, Michael Kors, Roberto Cavalli, and more. They offer a daily deal that is usually marked down between 50% and 90% off.
4. Beyond the Rack
Beyond the Rack is an invitation-only site. (Which is a polite way of saying they want you to give them your email/mailing address before they let you view the deals.) If you want to view the current BtR offerings you can use the code SPRING2011 to sign up. It’s totally free. Beyond the Rack offers some truly fashionable finds. Discounts average 30% to 50% off, with occasional items up to 70% off.
5. eBay
Yes, you really can find fashion on eBay. Be careful though, knock-offs abound, and sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between the real thing and the faux.
So there you are, my hidden cache of shoppable sites featuring fashionable steals. Keep it secret; keep it safe. And the next time one of your friends jealously wonders how you managed to afford all those incredible designer shoes, just smile.
(Source: www.wisebread.com )