How to get designer styles at bargain prices

By Amy Moore (guest blogger)

I used to shop for clothes and accessories almost exclusively at retail stores, but that all changed when I embarked on a health journey and lost 70 pounds. In the process, I went from plus-size clothing (1X, size 18-20) to a size 6, which meant that I had to replace both my work and casual wardrobe multiple times.

To save money, I started shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army and found a few good deals on brands that I normally wear. But it wasn’t until I found some amazing resale shops that I finally embraced second-hand shopping. I still get to look stylish, and I enjoy the fact that I never know what I’m going to find!

Here are three local stores that I haunt frequently:

Revolve Fashion, The Greens, Lyndhurst
This resale shop offers 50 to 70 percent off retail prices on upscale brands such as J.Crew, Anthropologie, The Limited, Michael Kors, Banana Republic, Free People, etc. They also carry handbags, shoes, jewelry and miscellaneous accessories. I personally love to wear dresses, and they have a great selection for career, parties and fashionable days off. The store is organized by brand and size, so finding something you like is easy. The store and dressing rooms are spacious and well lit. (Bonus: there is also a Revolve Kids next door and a Plato’s Closet). Tip: Sign up with their text club to be the first to find out about sales.

Classic Additions Consignment Boutique, Hudson
This shop is known for its designer name brands, casual and business attire, dresses, shoes, purses, jewelry and watches as well as furs and Italian leather goods. They stock everything from Chicos to Chanel to cabi and have a beautiful and extensive selection of jewelry. The store is organized by size and type of clothing (pants, skirts, dresses, etc.) and, in some cases, by brand. Each item has a colored tag, which represents a certain percentage off the price (a pink tag, for example, may be 20 percent off). Off-season merchandise is usually discounted more heavily.

I enjoy shopping here not only because the owner, Mel, always has the most current looks, but she and her staff never pressure you to buy anything. They will give you an honest opinion about how something looks on you (I’ve been told that something I tried on did not fit right) and will suggest pieces that you might like. Like Revolve, this is an upscale resale (not thrift) shop, so prices in these two boutiques reflect that (and are not negotiable) but are still markedly reduced from retail.

Village Discount Outlet, Cuyahoga Falls and Akron
This store is similar to a typical Goodwill or Salvation Army — they carry used merchandise including clothing, shoes, linens and appliances as well as jewelry, pet products, books and other miscellaneous products. There is always tons of clothing, which is sorted by color and type but not by size, so you’ll need to plan on spending time looking through everything. But it is well worth the work; I have found designer labels at very low prices. They code their items with colored tags, which on certain days are half off or, if the item is less than $12, only 75 cents. Now that’s a deal!

I usually head first to their “Betters” section, which contains designer clothing including items from White House/Black Market, Ann Taylor/Loft, Lauren, Pink, J. Crew, etc. My best finds so far: a pair of brand-new Stewart Weitzman shoes for less than $12 and a Tahari pant suit (new with tag $300) for $50!

Like Revolve, Village Discount has a text club that will alert you to special sales.

Suit by Tahari; original tag was marked $300

Amy purchased the pin from Tiffany Rose Antiques in Downtown Willoughby

Note the pinstriping on the inside of the jacket

Amy snagged this White House Black Market dress for a song

We love the soft, relaxed neckline of this dress

This layered sweater tunic, by Carmen, works perfectly paired with leggings

This holiday season, stretch your dollar at consignment and thrift shops, at least when you’re shopping for yourself, which is an inevitable consequence of holiday shopping!

Save