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So, picture this. You’re at a luxury retail store or boutique.
And as you walk through the aisles, you see IT.
It’s the same designer shoulder bag that you saw in a fashion magazine. You lift the handbag off the shelf and turn it over in your hands. The leather is so soft. You imagine yourself walking down the street with that bag, and you remember that you already have a pair of shoes at home that matches it perfectly.
This handbag is sooo … luxe!
So rich!
So fashion forward!
So your style!
Umm.
And so expensive.
The handbag’s price tag says $1,500.
Do you put it back on the shelf or do you whip out your credit card and get that gorgeous bag?
For some people, buying luxury items from an upscale establishment – even if they can’t afford them – is a boost to their ego.
Some still have the mindset that it’s worth it to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on luxury brands – even if their budget screams, “Are you kidding?”
They think, “Cheap shopping? No way! A budget? What’s that?”
And despite the growing popularity of thrift stores, some people still will not set foot in them, believing that thrift store merchandise is cheap, dirty and inferior.
I’m not against luxury brands. I love’em. But I don’t pay luxury brand prices. And I would argue that the person who’s in the habit of buying what they can’t afford should consider their motives. Are they trying to dress to impress? Are they trying to keep up with the Joneses?
They shouldn’t. I’ve read that even some celebrities have embraced cheap shopping.
Sticking to a budget doesn’t have to mean going without nice things. It just means shopping smarter.
You can buy luxury brands for less if you shop estate sales and thrift stores and even consignment shops, where you can buy something like a Jimmy Choo handbag for $60 or $100 instead of $1,700. The quality of the bag is the same. You’re just paying a lot less money.
The truth is that when you plop down $1,000 or more for something like a handbag, the item depreciates in value the moment you leave the store. You can never get back anything close to what you paid for that item if you ever decide to sell.
And here’s another truth. People sell their luxury brands to consignment shops all of the time and many others donate their high-end clothing and accessories to charity thrift stores.
This means that if you’re willing to wait and are willing to shop second hand, you can buy beautiful high-end designer clothing and accessories for less money.
And you don’t have to tell everybody that you shop thrift stores if you don’t want to. But I love telling people that I get the best for less. It’s fun to watch people’s reaction when I tell them that I found a genuine Louis Vuitton handbag for $10 or a Ralph Lauren suit for $15.
Readers, how about you? Have you found some luxury brands at thrift stores, estate sales or consignment shops lately? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
By the way, there's still time to win a $5 Starbucks gift card and show off your thrift store fashions! Just be the first person to fill out this form and describe your thrifted outfit. Hurry!
LaCheryl
Related posts you'll love!
And as you walk through the aisles, you see IT.
It’s the same designer shoulder bag that you saw in a fashion magazine. You lift the handbag off the shelf and turn it over in your hands. The leather is so soft. You imagine yourself walking down the street with that bag, and you remember that you already have a pair of shoes at home that matches it perfectly.
This handbag is sooo … luxe!
So rich!
So fashion forward!
So your style!
Umm.
And so expensive.
The handbag’s price tag says $1,500.
Do you put it back on the shelf or do you whip out your credit card and get that gorgeous bag?
For some people, buying luxury items from an upscale establishment – even if they can’t afford them – is a boost to their ego.
Some still have the mindset that it’s worth it to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on luxury brands – even if their budget screams, “Are you kidding?”
They think, “Cheap shopping? No way! A budget? What’s that?”
And despite the growing popularity of thrift stores, some people still will not set foot in them, believing that thrift store merchandise is cheap, dirty and inferior.
I’m not against luxury brands. I love’em. But I don’t pay luxury brand prices. And I would argue that the person who’s in the habit of buying what they can’t afford should consider their motives. Are they trying to dress to impress? Are they trying to keep up with the Joneses?
They shouldn’t. I’ve read that even some celebrities have embraced cheap shopping.
Sticking to a budget doesn’t have to mean going without nice things. It just means shopping smarter.
You can buy luxury brands for less if you shop estate sales and thrift stores and even consignment shops, where you can buy something like a Jimmy Choo handbag for $60 or $100 instead of $1,700. The quality of the bag is the same. You’re just paying a lot less money.
The truth is that when you plop down $1,000 or more for something like a handbag, the item depreciates in value the moment you leave the store. You can never get back anything close to what you paid for that item if you ever decide to sell.
And here’s another truth. People sell their luxury brands to consignment shops all of the time and many others donate their high-end clothing and accessories to charity thrift stores.
This means that if you’re willing to wait and are willing to shop second hand, you can buy beautiful high-end designer clothing and accessories for less money.
And you don’t have to tell everybody that you shop thrift stores if you don’t want to. But I love telling people that I get the best for less. It’s fun to watch people’s reaction when I tell them that I found a genuine Louis Vuitton handbag for $10 or a Ralph Lauren suit for $15.
Readers, how about you? Have you found some luxury brands at thrift stores, estate sales or consignment shops lately? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
By the way, there's still time to win a $5 Starbucks gift card and show off your thrift store fashions! Just be the first person to fill out this form and describe your thrifted outfit. Hurry!
LaCheryl
Related posts you'll love!
 How to Avoid Buying Knock-Off Goods |  Thrifting for Nearly New Accessories and Other Stuff |  Old Fashioned Travel Bags |
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