Many of our articles on The Male Stylist have discussed high-end clothing and tailoring that are often expensive and, for many, not a worthwhile investment in their list of priorities. However, buying designer does not necessarily have to cost as much as you think and, with a small amount of research and patience, you can make sure you aren’t burning a hole in your bank account whenever you want a new outfit. There are a variety of ways to do this and many are easily accessed, so we’re going to run through 4 of the best ways to save money when you are looking for designer label clothing.
1) Check The Sales Websites
There are a variety of websites out there that do both high-end grooming and fashion products with anywhere from 10% to 60% discount on their original retail prices. By checking them regularly and following them on Twitter you can find out about exclusive sales and product range releases days before they launch. These sales only last a few days and are usually completely depleted when they’re over, so being patient and waiting for the right ones is a bit of an art but it pays off. A few of our favourites can be found below:
Visit the sites, sign up and keep an eye on what comes through. Chances are you’ll have to wait a while but every now and then a real gem appears.
2) Sign up to Newsletters
If you have a particular brand that you are fond of then make sure to sign up to their club, membership area or newsletter. Companies tend to give out a great deal of discount and pre-sale events information to people they deem as “loyal customers”. Developing brand loyalty among existing customers is usually one of the main priorities of most businesses and, as such, they tend to offer rewards to these members. Getting on-board early will pay dividends later on so go check your favourite brands’ websites, find the newsletter page and sign up with your email. For Gmail users you can also set up filters on your “Promotions” tabs for the brands you want to be notified about.
3) Browse the Trading Sites
If you’re happy with buying second-hand (and we are) then find some of the fashion traders online, these are essentially websites where people sell unwanted, and mostly unused, items to a market of website members. You can usually get a pretty decent discount on some very exclusive labels and, again with some patience, you can get your hands on some items that are very difficult to get hold of at the prices offered. One of our favourites is Vestiaire Collective, they’re a simple and easily navigable website with a wide variety of brands from Alexander McQueen to Vivienne Westwood. You can also check out eBay for a less fashion-specific marketplace that still offers some great deals.
4) Find the Sample Sales
By far and away the best way to save money on your designer purchases is by finding and attending end-of-season sample sales. With 70-90% discounts on high-end labels and entire collections going for a third of their original prices, you can get some great pieces at very affordable prices. Google them, check the magazines, follow social media or simply call in and ask; chances are you’ll be able to find out about them and where they’re taking place pretty easily. A word of warning, they are absolutely manic, so if you do go get in early and get what you want. They can get pretty busy and empty very quickly so you have to be fast on your feet.
Well that wraps up our shopping guide, as usual if you’ve enjoyed the article then feel free to like, comment and share it with your friends. Don’t forget to subscribe for more updates and posts on gentleman’s fashion and tailoring as well as style advice.
By Adam Walker
