Do you want to look amazing, shop sustainably, reduce landfill and save money? If yes, this article is for you.
The best way to save money is to buy clothes that make you feel good when you wear them, not buying clothes that look good on the hanger but rarely leave the closet. I’ve found that the keys to smart shopping are knowing your color palette, dressing for your body type, dressing for your personal style and wearing the correct undergarments.
While buying what looks good is the first step, I am an expert bargain shopper and am excited to share my top tips… with receipts!
Identify your Color Palette
You might have observed that wearing specific colors can lead people to comment on how vibrant or fashionable you look. This is because colors can either accentuate your natural complexion or diminish it. To make the most out of your wardrobe investment, choose colors that you will regularly incorporate into your outfits.
Once you determine your color palette, you can search YouTube to find tutorials specific to you. I’m a “light” or “cool summer” so once I identified which colors work best, that’s what I focused on!
I purchased, and highly recommend, Anna Bey’s Secrets of the Elite Woman. In this course, Anna provides examples of all complexions (and breaks down everything else you need to do to level up your image). This is my “light” complexion celebrity roster:
And, the “light” color palette from Color Me Beautiful:
Application:
Identify your Body Type
Dressing for your body type will allow you to make the most of your figure.
I’m an Inverted Triangle, which means my shoulders are the widest part of my body. Once you identify your body type, you will be able to find videos that provide advice to help you look your best.
Usually these videos use celebrity examples so you will also be able to do some independent research to see what outfits look best on your celebrity matches for inspiration.
Identify your Personal Style
Identifying your personal style is also very important because you want to select clothing that matches who you truly are. We’ve all seen people who may be technically wearing a nice outfit, but who look as though they are playing dress up; their clothes don’t naturally suit them.
I would love to wear a frilly dress however the truth is, a frilly dress looks ridiculous on me. I’m more suited to clean lines and solid colors. The video below will help you to find what resonates best with you.
If you’re lucky, you’ll find a celebrity who matches your coloring, body type and style type, who has a professional stylist and who is frequently photographed. That would eliminate a lot of guess work!
Don’t stop at celebrity matches, you’ll find a lot of YouTubers or other influencers who frequently share Outfit of the Day, Date Night or Work Week content.
Be realistic about the kind of shape you’re in when you look for inspiration, as well. You don’t want to try to dupe an outfit that looks great on someone 20lbs lighter than you are. There are lots of examples out there of women who have great strategies for making the best of what they have right now.
Shapewear
OK yes, body positive but this has to be said. You can buy the most beautiful dress in the perfect color and style and it will still look terrible because you’re wearing the wrong undergarments.
If you have lumps and bumps hanging out everywhere, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice. I don’t leave the house without shapewear and I’m only hiding 10lbs! Remember, you don’t want the lines or shape of your underwear to cut into your skin or to show through your clothing so be strategic about what you wear with what.
For example, if you wear shaper briefs and there’s a huge panty line because your skirt is too tight, that’s not helping. Go to Victoria’s Secret and get a bra fitting and make sure your underwear is undetectable under your clothes. Smooth lines are the objective.
My favorites:
- Spanx OnCore Sculpting High-Waisted Mid-Thigh Short
- Spanx Invisible Shaping Tank – get your skin color and black
- Skims Mid Waist Capri – for under white pants
- Curveez® Signature Control High Waist Brief
- Shapermint Essentials All Day Every Day Scoop Neck Cami
- B. Tempt’D by Wacoal Future Foundation Wire-Free Bra
Buying from Retailers
Patience is your greatest shopping strategy if you’re trying to be economical. You know your lifestyle, and you know what you’re going to need to show up for regular life or special events. Keep your eyes open for sales, especially on long weekends or holidays, and sign up for newsletters to stay informed of special offers.
I sign up for the Club Monaco newsletter so when they have big sales (typically in July or November) I look to see if there’s anything I need to supplement my wardrobe. I also follow all of my favorite brands on social media.
You will see a photo at the end of this post of me wearing the Ponte Knit Dress I bought during a promotion at Club Monaco for 50% off the sale price plus an additional 10% off dresses. While the dress doesn’t look good on me in the photo, I have gotten a lot of compliments on it in person. Staple pieces like this are always a great buy because the cost per wear is always decreasing!
Regular price for this dress was $198.50
I paid $67.05, plus I got an additional cash back discount by purchasing online through my Rakuten link. Rakuten is an extension app you can add to your browser or download onto your phone. When you shop with their link, they give you cash back on eligible purchases. Free money!
Buying from Resellers
Regardless of sales and special discount codes, Poshmark is typically the best way to get high quality clothes at rock bottom prices.
For example, there was a knit dress, the “Kaytee” at Club Monaco, that I’ve been interested in for at least a year. It retails at $279, and was offered during the promotion I took advantage of for the Ponte dress. The sale price was $199, so it would have been about $90 before tax.
Before I buy any item, I check Poshmark to see if anyone is selling. I know that women will buy an occasion dress to wear once and then never wear it again, so I looked to see if anyone had “the Kaytee” for sale in my size. I wasn’t in a rush to buy, so I “Liked” all of the listings for the dress and forgot about it. One seller had it listed at $60. Four months later, that seller sent me an offer to buy for $35 and I accepted, which means I bought the dress for 12.5% of the original retail price.
Poshmark Shopping Strategy
I’ve always had difficulty finding clothes that fit me so rather than risk it, I usually buy from brands I know fit my body well and are of good quality. My personal style type is Classic so I stick to Theory, Equipment, Club Monaco, MaxMara or other brands, depending on what type of item I need.
I regularly visit Poshmark to see what items have been added, searching my favorite brands. I like to do a search for all sizes because sometimes, sizing may vary and a user may have the measurements posted. I’ve been able to switch sizes based on a great listing with full information.
The seller of this dress from MaxMara Studio had an awesome listing with measurements and photos of the tag so I knew the material content and I could compare the measurements of the ad to dresses I have at home that fit well. MaxMara Studio dresses are timeless and sell from $500 to $2,500. I bought it for $30. While black isn’t in my color palette, I still find it is classic and works on a wide variety of occasions.
I also bought the vintage red Louis Vuitton bag in perfect condition from a lady who had listed it on Poshmark.
Once I see something I like, I’ll look online to find reviews and more information about, sizing and fit. If I’m still interested, I will click the heart icon to save them in my “Liked” items list. Usually, after you “Like” an item, the seller will send you an offer from 10% to sometimes 70% off, depending upon how long they’ve had the item listed.
If I really like the item, or if there is a particularly good deal, I will check the seller’s “closet” to see if they have anything else I might like to buy. When you “like” more than one item in a closet, you can create a “bundle” or the seller will create one for you and oftentimes offer a steeper discount, as well as combined, discounted shipping.
This is the best bundle I ever scored, check it out:
- Theory Black Wool Dress – Regular $330, Poshmark $25
- Theory Black Dress – Regular $550, Poshmark $22
- Theory Silk Blouse – Regular $370 , Poshmark $12
- Theory Long Lapel Blazer – Regular $465, Poshmark $20
- Total savings $1,715 – $79 = $1,636.
Say what?!
Steps:
- “Like” the product and wait. Or offer at least 40% under the asking price to see the seller’s reaction.
- Visit the seller’s closet to see if there are other items you would be interested in purchasing and “like” those. Create a bundle, if applicable.
- Search Poshmark to see if anyone else is selling the same item and follow the same steps.
You can make an offer, or counter the seller’s offer in a little bargaining war sometimes! That’s part of the fun! You may find that the seller won’t budge on price sometimes so you can just wait them out. Over time if the item doesn’t sell, they may come back with an even lower price.
Shoes
Since spring hit this year, I had been looking for a pair of nude, genuine leather, heeled sandals. There were a lot of options in store, but most of them were made of synthetic materials like the pair I’m wearing in the photo above in the blue polka dot dress.
I did a search on Poshmark, hoping to find new shoes. Sometimes people will buy items final sale online, they don’t like them and then sell on Poshmark. With shoes, there are stores that will sell returned items that may have been worn inside, or that have a damaged box and they can’t sell as brand new in the store.
I found a pair of Nine West genuine leather sandals. I didn’t want a pair with an ankle straps so I didn’t bother offering but after a week, the seller dropped the price from $30 to $12 so I bought them. These shoes are still available from the retailer for $150.
The shoes arrived quickly and were in perfect condition. You will see them worn in the photo below (not my best angle for photos!).
Ebay
Another great resource for affordable, designer clothing is eBay. You can usually follow the same negotiation strategies that you use on Poshmark, however shipping is often a concern due to sellers being located world wide.
Here’s an example of a great deal on Theory pants:
You can search very easily, add to Watch List, make offers, participate in auctions and use other strategies to get great deals. The neat thing about eBay is you can send messages with your offers. If you’ve ever read Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, you’ll develop great bargaining strategies.
I once bargained with an eBay seller to buy a pair of Chanel ballet flats to refurbish during Covid for, I think, $50! I was going to sell them but I became attached during the refurbishment process and still wear them 4 years later!
Stay Sustainable
While the excitement of purchasing a new dress is undeniable, adopting sustainable habits and recognizing the enduring value of high-end brands can be equally fulfilling. Investing in quality items, even if bought second-hand, allows for future resale opportunities, thereby reducing landfill waste and honoring the craftsmanship of designers.
Whether you sign up for newsletters, strategically shop during the best sales or you buy second hand, avoiding fast fashion will save you money in the long run.
Platforms like Poshmark and eBay are excellent for finding bargains while promoting sustainability. Don’t forget to use the code SALLYARSENAULT on Poshmark to receive $15 off your first purchase!
Ageless Optimization 
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