How Does Everyone Afford All These Designer Items?

[Beautiful Stranger]

prostitution

 

[DandyWarhol]

prostitution

OH GOD i rmemeber when you told me that i was silent for like 5 minutes and then i laughed my bony **** off!

 

[Mia B.]

I allow myself to spend more on good quality designer handbags, if you get the classic style, they will last forever. my mom still uses the chanel purses, lv luggauges that she got before i was born. (fyi, i am 28) =)
for trendy items, i'd just go to h&m or topshop.

 

[DuTTyRoCK112]

I mostly shop at H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters, etc. but fortunately my parents have bought me some lovely gifts over the years, like these gorgeous blue and white Tod's loafers and a brown Botkier tote with gold hardware. I wear them both to death and they are about to fall apart but I can't part with em!

Otherwise, I find out about alot of sample sales from my internship and friends in the fashion industry. I nabbed current season Sergio Rossi brown leather monk straps for $20 last month and a gorgeous Gucci black cashmere turtleneck from F/W 07 for $89. PR showroom sample sales are amazing but very secretive.

 

[lollicandy]

I've always wondered. But then I think, how many 14 year olds can affored Prada and Galliano?

I totally agree w/mixing high low, and I in no way can afford designer items at all right now. But I must admit, I have no interest in 'collecting' designer pieces. I am also aware of becoming a full blown shopaholic and try to keep tabs on my clothing, even though I sense I am getting a little out of control w/high end niche fragrances and makeup. I have a tendency to trade one vice for another.

Most of my designer clothing has been some incredible sales at places like Century 21 (Hussein Chalayan, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs, Noten), Woodbury Commons and Nordstrom Rack (MJ flats). All those purchases were $75 and under no lie. I also live by the following rule when I get out of hand w/obssessing over clothing items/fragrance/lipstick:

If I'm too worried about the price then its too expensive for me to even own it.

Anyway, what I really wanted to reply to was marylauda via yellowetpink's quote, as it brought back memories. Somehow, some way I ended up totally and completely out of place w/some very wealthy (and frankly spoiled and terribly snotty, not that being wealthy is synonymous w/having the aforementioned traits) children for the summer. They did have Prada and Galliano. At summer camp. In the woods. I kid you not. And to top it off they were between 12-13. That summer was a crash course in materialism...

 

[izzie stevens]

prostitution

hahaha. best reply ever.

i personally save my money for particular items and i'll set it aside in my bank account until i can afford to splurge. doing that every so often has led me to a small collection of designer handbags, shoes and jewelry. (i don't buy designer clothes because most of my clothes is from banana republic or the gap though.)

 

[umberg]

im only 16 so its not easy! but i get cash rewards for good grades and i hardly spend money on anything except fashion because its such an expensive habit. sometimes i have alot of money, sometimes i have NONE when i dont have any i spend that time thinking about what i will buy when i can i also beg my dad alot and it usually works... plus the women in my family have very good taste and more money than me so we all share clothes and stuff

 

[jennifer~]

Consignment stores and sales... I'm super-broke, but I've managed to find Missoni pants and a YSL Rive Gauche skirt for $20 each, an Alberta Ferretti skirt for $15, the list goes on... It simply takes focus and determination... (Maybe I should focus on getting a better job, too. Being a bank robber is so sporadic. )

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ & I gather you may not be that great at it either

 

[seanutbutter]

Being a bank robber is so sporadic.

It doesn't have to be that way. (That right there is the perfect smiley, if there ever was one.)

 

[Rockin Republic]

Maybe not the high end ODLR dresses for thousands a pop, but Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Stella, they're definitely in reach for somebody earning a normal salary. Some people just don't go on holidays or buy electronics, they buy clothes instead.

I agree! and not everyone is willing to really save for a designer item and splurge all at once when buying it. But with a regular income, it's not hard to purchase such things. It takes a little longer yes, but the better the payoff

 

[StellaMare]

The (common) idea that one needs to be rich to afford designer is ridiculous!
It's about priorities and buying less...

I'm 18. I don't have anything in my closet from the typical high-street, and I'm certainly not rich. My parents don't buy any clothes for me and haven't for many years. I buy quality vintage abroad; designer on eBay or during sales; and high end labels like A.P.C. for retail. I can afford it because I plan my purchases and rarely, if ever, buy things that I don't need.

 

[princessaud]

where i come from, there's hardly any sample sales. and if we do get designer sales, the items are usually hideous. and i'm not even the type who'd fight my way to the racks through all the horrible items, that makes me sick. so maybe that's why i never scored any amazing designer pieces at a good deal. for those of you who have, that's awesome and i'm happy for you!

i enjoy looking at designer items and i do lust after them but i'm not a slave for fashion and i don't believe in slogging my guts out just so i can afford those ridiculously priced designer clothes, because i don't have the means to. i have other things to worry about. but if i could afford it, then it would be a different story.

 

[ClosetCupcake]

I receive a majority of my Marc Jacobs pieces for free from work! Once a year, i'll splurge on 1 designer good. This year, that was a pair of Tom Ford "anouk" sunnies The rest of my designer stuff is usually from the thrift shop. i can't justify spending lots of money on clothing nor do i have the salary to do so.

 

[Labeladdict2]

I am not "rich" but my husband and earn earn a handsome living and I shop smartly. Even though we love High End goods there is not always a need to spend retail $ for everything.

* When I want a Marc Jacobs or Chanel bag, I save for it as a "gift to me"
* Everything goes on sale and 40% markdown on a $1000 item is a lot...
* I looooove high-end designer consigners. Lots of never used handbags and garments for a fraction of what I would pay retail.
* Internet shopping...Eluxury.com and NetAPorter.com have great sales too... I love them!

You just have to search for great bargains and that's half the excitement! :-)

 

[Kaki]

I'm 18. I don't have anything in my closet from the typical high-street, and I'm certainly not rich. My parents don't buy any clothes for me and haven't for many years. I buy quality vintage abroad; designer on eBay or during sales; and high end labels like A.P.C. for retail. I can afford it because I plan my purchases and rarely, if ever, buy things that I don't need.

I agree with this so much! I'm 19, and although I can't feasibly afford Chanel or Miu Miu, I can occassionally splurge on, say, $400 Chloé shoes that go on sale, or a $300 dress. I think the key is knowing when to shop (watching the things that you want until they go on sale), and not indulging in those tiny, $15-30 purchases at Forever 21 or stores of a similar grain - they seem like good buys, but they add up, and in the long run you won't love the clothes!

Babysitting is the best way for someone young to earn money, but part-time jobs work too.

 

[Guessgirl96]

I solf my soul to the devil


Oops

 

[merlot]

I own one designer item. A beautiful Max Mara suit that a very kind gentleman bought for me. I am trying to cut down on buying cheaper items and save up for the nicer items. There is something to be said about the way a nicely designed outfit makes your body look amazing.

Someday I hope to be indepently wealthy

 

[mode]

i wish i knew, i need some money

 

[LibertyRose]

I have been out of college for a couple of years and buy designer stuff in moderation. I became interested in fashion when I was around 17, but when I was on my parents' dime I never bought anything designer. My parents made it abundantly clear to me that spending money on education is okay, but not so on designer clothing. As a result, I shopped high-street and splurged on a bag on eBay maybe once a year. But living within my means made me feel good. I didn't have a lot of money, but I had time. I look back on these years fondly because I developed a system for shopping that still works well for me to this day, when I have more money but less time:

- You could have a closeful of clothes but they are nothing if you can't be event-ready. And by event-ready, I mean a proper suit, because it's even more versatile than a LBD. I interned for credit (read: without pay) at a local web design company in high school and thought it was okay to wear jeans because clients never came to our site, but I was wrong. From then on I learned to always save money for businesswear, even though that meant alternating between 4 t-shirts and 2 pairs of jeans when I went to class. I also got a shift dress for occassions such as business luncheons. I made peace with my limited wardrobe once I realized that, unless I make progress in my career, I could never afford anything on my own. My first experience with formal wear came from Talbot, but upon college graduation I upgraded to Theory and was very happy about it. One way of getting a suit without paying money out of your pocket is work for a retailer that uses suits as employee uniforms. For example, Zara, Victoria's Secret, and Sephora let you keep your uniform if you have worked for a certain amount of time.

- This one may go against the advice of many fashion experts, but when you are on a limited budget, you don't need to invest that much on accessories, especially shoes. Accessories may get people talking, but they are talking about your bag, not you. On the other hand, you can own a look more easily if you have a good coat or jacket. I spend on (in this order) outwear, pants, and a durable bag before I get to shoes and jewelry. You can also get shirts on the cheap if you find the right fit or have a good tailor. Some people really champion the idea of a good belt, but I think that applies to men more than women.

- Learn how to master your material lust. For expensive clothing items, I give myself two weeks' time for consideration. For bags, if they are 'classic', I wait for a couple of seasons to make sure that they are right for me; if they are 'trendy,' there is a great chance that they can be scooped up at end-of-season sales or on eBay for half off or more. My most recent score was a Marc Jacobs art deco messenger reduced from $2100+ to $625, but more on eBay later. From a functionality standpoint, I have enough bags now, so I only buy designer when I have achieved a milestone I set for myself, such as graduation or a promotion. Flipping through magazines also helps curb the tendency to buy impulsively.

- Buying a designer-derived item is not a crime, but be sure to differentiate between materials and know their life cycle. When the world first fell in love with Christian Louboutin's corked platform heels, there were high-street imitations everywhere. I adored the look so I gave in. But I knew that patent (and satin too) on the cheap would still look good, whereas leather or suede would not, so that dictated which styles I would get. Relatedly, nylon is the type of material that would always look, you know, very of-the-people no matter where you get it from, be that Prada or Kate Spade. Plus, it's difficult to tell fake nylon bags from the authentic ones from photographs, so I would never recommend buying nylon bags from eBay. On a different note, some people say you can't fake good cashmere, and while I think it is true, I think 100% cashmere is overrated. It demands too much care-taking after the purchase, so unless you are dedicated enough to fold your sweaters right and store them in boxes with teak leaves, cotton sweaters would suffice.

- Learn about yourself. Not just what type of clothing suits your body type, but more importantly, how shopping fits your life choices and the tradeoffs that come with your choices. For example, when I had to choose quality over quantity, I refrained myelf from making a trip down to H&M or Urban Outfitters, because I knew that little things add up. I also do not like shopping in outlet malls because of their location, so I eBay instead. So much with fashion is psychological, so I just learned tricks to make myself happy.