3 Alternative Ways to Shop for Clothes

Photography by King Rose.

Shop my outfit: baby blue lace dress, vintage (similar here + here), gold sash belt, vintage (similar here + here), metallic gold chain mail clutch, vintage (similar here), and Imagine Vince Camuto Pavi pumps.

3 Alternative Ways to Shop for Clothes

My love for shopping stems from my mom. Growing up she would drag me to Black Friday Sales in the wee hours of the morning by bribing me with donuts. We would make our way to the back racks of retail shops for clearance finds. And, allergy issues were not an issue for her, as she scoured dusty thrift shops for amazing second-hand finds. She made shopping a sport and I have learned a lot from her! Shopping is fun for so many reasons (and this alone would make a great blog post right?). But, if you are not careful your spending can get out of control.

Shop with Skills

I grew up with a single parent, my mother who at times worked two full-time jobs to make ends meet for my little brother and me. She is my rock and example. My mom also made the time to take English classes as she knew it would be critical to our successes as a family. She did her best to provide security and protection for my little bro and me. Her goal was to make us successful as adults one day enjoying all of the blessings America has to offer. One of the many important lessons she taught was being resourceful by life hacks used to stretch the almighty dollar! Because as you know money doesn’t grow on trees.

Since clothes shopping is here to stay and in my case, regular bouts of shopping (I am a fashion blogger, LOL!) I need to be smart. My husband and I have costs from raising our three kids, car and health care expenses, extracurricular activities for the kiddos, business expenses, a home under construction soon, etc., etc., There is no better time than the present to dial in on my money-saving skills my mom taught and some I have learned along the way.

Being resourceful and budget-minded is more important now than ever. How are you guys in this situation in life? If you are interested in learning how to shop for less…continue reading! I am excited to share my tips with you!

Here are three alternative ways to clothes shopping that will help you save money!

Thrift Stores

Don’t think that you will only find junk at thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. These kinds of places are perfect for finding legit goods. I am very selective about what I buy at thrift stores. First, I must really want it and be in love with it. If you just buy an item for no reason other than a good price, it will become junk at your home. I also inspect the piece in great detail (brand, price, construction, condition) to make sure it is worth the purchase. My gold metallic chain mail clutch I found at our local Salvation Army in San Clemente is a good example of that. It looks brand new, has great craftsmanship, and it was only $5!

Estate Sale

I remember attending my first estate sale and feeling creeped out and uncomfortable. Most estate sales are organized because of a death or in other cases a big move. If you have yet to attend an estate sale, they are typically managed by a professional estate liquidator, an owner or by the heir(s). You are allowed to walk through the entire house and most everything you see is for sale. We have scored gorgeous pieces of furniture to furnish our home from shopping at estate sales. But, clothing shopping was a new one for me till as of recently.

The stunning baby blue lace dress with a gold fabric belt was found in a dark closet I peeked into. I took it off the rack and inspected it. My mind was imaging the woman who wore it and how it would have looked on her. It was already breathtaking on the hanger alone. It could tell it custom made and created for a very special occasion. It took it to the nearest bathroom and slipped it over my outfit. People who walked by couldn’t help but comment how beautiful I looked. I knew this dress was made for me. I picked up another vintage black and white colored fashion dress too. I am literally obsessed with this dress.

Tips: Attend estate sales early to get first dibs on goods. Keep money in your front pocket or small wallet. You may not be allowed in with a big purse. 

Digital Retail Shops

Though, I am a sucker for bargains it is critical that I buy high-quality pieces. When I don’t the items I buy fall apart or worse I don’t even end up using it. Online retail shops like PoshMark (here is a look into My Closet), ThredUp, and The RealReal make second-hand shopping easy by providing a variety of low, mid, to high-end brand apparel and accessories available with the click of your mouse. Online shopping is the best because you can do it from the comfort of your own home, research the pros and cons, and conserve on gas money. My bejeweled slingback pumps from Vince Camuto is a keeper!  I have been eyeing these heels for a long time. When I saw that they were available at eBay for a fraction of the price, I was sold!

I hope you love my 3 alternative ways to clothes shopping and the tips I shared. Looking put together and stylish is easy and can be done on a budget, my friends. The feeling you get from saving money while not taking a hit on your style and pocketbook is one of the best natural highs!

Thank you so much for stopping by! Please, stop by for another fun and informative post this Friday!

Follow me on Instagram.

Follow