Luxury on a Budget

Tips and tricks on how to shop luxury items without paying full price!

I get asked this a lot, how do you afford luxury items? Being a college student, I am always on a budget. However, I love saving up and spending it all on a high end item that won't lose it's value.

"Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget"

Luxury bags are something I gravitate towards. A handbag is a lifetime object that will always hold it's worth. It's also a piece that you can never grow out of it, it always fits, and the quality of high-end bags will last you forever. Which is why I think they're a luxury item that's worth the splurge. However, I never want to spend full price on anything when I shop, so I figured out a few places that sell luxury designer brands at a discounted price. Designer belts, jewlery, clothes, shoes etc. are all items that hold their value through their quality and longevity. Shopping these items can be tricky to do to find 100% authentic discounted items. Some are consignment and some are brand new, but either way you can still find items that are in great shape and don't break the bank!

> Poshmark: online consignment shopping

Poshmark is a platform that I recommend for buying and selling luxury items. Everything sold over $500 is authenticated and shipped for free, which ensures the buyer that they're receiving an original high-quality product. I think buying anything used can be tricky because you want to find something at a price point that justifies the condition. I like that buyers can offer their highest price to the seller and make negotiations. If you are purchasing something under $500 and you suspect that it's a fake, you can open a case and send back the item as well. Handbags and jewlery are things that you can buy used that are still in almost perfect condition, I highly recommend this option. For example, I bought a used Louis Vuitton bag that retails for $1,600 for $650 and it was in almost new condition with no signs of wear and Poshmark authenticated it completely. I find that a lot of sellers may not know the value of their items if they get them as gifts or are desperate for money.

For items that you do not want to spend over $500 on, you can determine their authenticity yourself. Primarily you want to make sure that the seller can provide proof of purchase beyond the box, like a receipt or email confirmation. All luxury items come with an authentication card, which the seller should have. If you're still unsure, you can google the code on the authentication card or tag inside the item to be sure that it's real. Luxury belts are something I would never spend $500 on so I make sure that the seller can provide a picture of the code on the interior of the belt. In addition, you can bring any item into the name brand store for them to authenticate it for you. Jewlery can be authenticated through any jeweler.

There are plenty of online consignment applications in addition to Poshmark such as TheRealReal, Ebay, and Mercari. All of them forbid sellers to sell fake designer brands but sellers still try. Ebay offers a full refund if you receive an inauthentic item. TheRealReal authenticates every item before they even add it to their website.

*How to avoid a scam 101*

1) Do not buy from eBay UNLESS they're a highly recommended seller or consignment shop! Sellers can lie about their location and ship the item using DHL from China. Sellers that have no ratings and are selling items at an outrageously discounted price are selling replica items. eBay does offer a moneyback guarantee but it is stress that can be avoided. Sellers with 0 feedback and that signed up in the same month of the current year, are a scam.

2) Do not converse with sellers via anything outside of the selling platform (EX: texting, email etc.) There are sellers that will try to get you to send them money through PayPal before they ship you the item, without going through another platform. This is sketchy business.

> New; Past Season Luxury

This Valentino Garavani handbag was something I found at my local Nordstrom Rack. Usually shopping at Nordstrom Rack, you can find designer bags but not super high end, this was a rare find! This bag retails for $2,000 and I picked it up for $799 before tax. It is brand new and in perfect condition! It has a suede interior with a pebbled leather exterior. Nordstrom Rack is one of many stores that you can find high end brands that are sent from their Nordstrom store due to being past season or just not selling. In addition, people who buy Nordstrom products online can return their items to a Nordstrom Rack store where those employees put them out for sale. For example, last week I saw a black Gucci ring in the case at my local Nordstrom Rack that an online shopper had returned.

Another store that you will always find luxury items from is Saks Off Fifth. Similar to the whole idea of Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off Fifth sells past season items take from Saks Fifth Avenue. They sell brands like Valentino Garavani, Givenchy, Gucci, Ferragamo, Hermes, Goyard etc.

Both of these stores always have amazing deals on designer clothes, accessories and shoes! Looking for Christian Louboutin heels? Maybe some discounted designer jeans or a Michele watch? These are all things you can find at these stores for a much cheaper price than purchasing straight from a designer store.

*Disclaimer* I have purchased products directly from stores such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, however they are products that I know I could sell for what I bought them for, if I changed my mind. If you are thinking about purchasing something straight from the source, make sure it's a product that won't go out of style or lose it's value overtime.

I hope this was helpful, happy shopping dolls! xx