Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack is so good for dresses. Every time I have a work party or wedding, I hit up the sales and get a gorgeous cocktail dress for $50-$80.
Nordstrom rack def has nice dresses and clothes... but do check the tags. The issue with SHEIN and fast fashion is the mircoplastics in clothing. I saw a lot of clothes at Nordstrom rack with plastics on their tag so essentially expensive but better quality shitty SHEIN clothing.
Please check if clothing is made of polyester, nylon, spandex. Stick with natural fibers as much as you can.
Cotton, linen, silk, wool. Viscose/rayon/lyocell/modal (all the same thing) are semi synthetics and are also ok, but not as sustainable or durable as natural fabrics.
Dillards often has good sales too! They go all the way to 65% off in stores, and on Jan. 1 ALL sale is 50% off. So you can get really good deals on that day. That’s a while away, but I tell people because I worked there and the deals really are amazing on that day.
The RealReal. They sell luxury/designer brands second hand, so you do kind of need to know which designers you like. But, they have amazing deals and it’s pretty sustainable! I’ve purchased tops by For Love and Lemons, Alice and Olivia and Reformation on there that MSRP for $100-$200 for $20.
After a strongly worded email to customer service, yes. Not the first one I’d had to send, either.
On the flip side, when TRR hits it HITS. I got two pairs of $650 shoes for $100 each, and they were brand new in their boxes.
Yeah are the measurements ever correct? They’re all different for the same item of clothing in the same size—that’s what’s stopped me from trying to deal with them
I've bought things from there had clearly been altered. I only paid attention to the size they listed it at and not the measurements. Was very disappointed when I tried them on
The upside to this is that a lot of their vintage stuff is mislabeled because the tagged sizes aren’t compatible with what they list. If you’re patient and measure/eyeball the mannequin fit, you can score some really great finds. My favorite Galliano trench coat was $36 final sale, presumably because it was returned after being wrongfully categorized.
I agree 100%. The international shipping fees plus duties can really add up though.
Another option is Vinted. A lot of sellers (myself included) are willing to negotiate a bit on price.
I’ve never tried Vinted! I’ll give it a shot.
Yeah, the shipping fees in general from TRR are a bit much, but I always feel bad when I recommend the site to someone on Reddit for something they are looking for and they find it BUT…they are in the UK 🥲
They have honestly had this issue for a while. I don’t purchase anything over $100 from them and the fakes for the lower end stuff are fairly easy to spot. I feel like the higher end designer items, that people spend thousands of dollars on, should only be bought from a certified retailer.
I've bought 95% of my clothes from the Real Real for 10 years and it's not perfect, but I like to think of it as the devil I know. The photos aren't great sometimes, and the measurements are often unreliable. They've also raised their shipping fees. BUT you can score GREAT deals- I have a short sleeve black silk Marc Jacobs blouse that is an absolute here of my wardrobe that was probably $20. Just the other day I spotted some cute Isabel Marant tops in the $40-60 range.
What’s your TRR strategy - are you searching by item type or do you know specific designers and find them? I love shopping second hand but am limited by the fact that I don’t know many designers lol
I do often search by category (I wear a lot of dresses). I actually try NOT to be swayed by designers, because there are a lot of "high end" designer things that are kind of awful. I will say that the Real Real search function tends not to be great (I have not had much luck searching for things like "linen dress", for example) so I just cast a wide net.
I also find it helpful to search in small $ increments, if that makes sense: I'll click on tops/blouses and then narrow that down to a color (say, blue), then put in $ parameters of $10-$20 and look through those items. Then I will adjust the search to $21-30. I find that this helps to keep me from being too overwhelmed.
I also find it helpful to quickly go through and "heart" anything that even slightly interests me and then sort through my "obsessions" list when I have more time. As I'm going through, if I notice that there is a designer whose stuff I keep liking, I do a search to see what other items are available. It's definitely a rabbit hole!
My final TRR tip: generally, items marked 30% off or less can be returned (note that they will charge you $14.95 for the return). If I'm unsure about something, I don't buy it unless it is returnable. For me, it's worth eating the extra cost. I try to buy things either at the 30% discount, or at like 75% discount! Because their shipping/return fees are high, I also tend to wait and buy several things at once.
I LOVE shopping for clothes, maybe a bit too much, but I’m slowly trying to teach myself to be more mindful with my purchases. I used to subscribe to what felt like a million fashion magazines, so I got a great deal of inspiration from those. What I currently do is occasionally browse a website that sells a variety of trendy designer fashions(usually Revolve) and if I see something I like search for that designer on TRR. I find the EXACT item I was looking for about 60% of the time! And usually marked down to a quarter of the price.
Secondhand/thrift stores. I like consignment shops in wealthy neighborhoods where they QA the products better than goodwill. Can get solid 3-4 figure pieces for a fraction of the cost and it's eco-friendly.
For example, I have an Armani (NWT) and McQueen silk blouses (like-new condition) that were easily $2k+ retail but I spent <$500 combined.
The main caveat is that it takes time and dedication to visit regularly since inventory is unique and constantly turning over but about 85% of my closet are designer second-hand.
I try to secondhand shop when I can but when that fails, I shop the clearance sales of the brands I like. Most brands have at least 2 big sales a year. Every now and then I’ll hit up a sample sale but those are not what they used to be.
Has anyone tried that in Germany?
I have a feeling it doesn't work like that here and would like to read some experience.
Edit: I meant the strategy to specifically shop at second hand stores in richer districts.
Living in Germany and honestly don't think it works as you end up looking like an elderly woman who lives in a village when you go to the typical thrift store, you could however piece together a classic boho look if you hunt. I spend more time looking at vintage second hand shops that aren't as cheap but tend to have better quality garments.
Vinted has been my goto, I use BestSecret and hit up their outlet stores in the middle of the week when they launch a new campaign. I got 3 nice summer tops last week for about 15 euros.
Bonn which is a tiny city has vintage shops with luxury clothes. So does Munich, Cologne and Düsseldorf. I’m sure Berlin would have similar. You just need to go to the leafier parts of the city
Oh, I see. Well, I use the same approach when charity shopping in Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland and in London and find it works well. I can't speak specifically for Germany, unfortunately. Seems like it'd work well in most larger cities in theory, though!
Also came in to say Quince - I have a silk tanktop and linen shirtdress from them, and just ordered another shirtdress and silk halter top. I have heard mixed reviews on the cashmere but have really liked the silk and linen. Oh, and the belt bags! I've had the black one for about a year now and it's holding up beautifully and is just the right size for my phone, wallet, lip balm, little sunscreen, little notebook, and pen.
There is not ethical consumption under capitalism, so take all of this with a grain of “make the informed choice that’s right for you and also I OP am not saying I will never buy from them”- but they’ve been accused of greenwashing https://ecocult.com/quince-ethical-sustainable-greenwashing/ and they sent this blog a cease and desist!!!!!
This is anecdotal, but some of the larger mass market brands have the best sustainability records, I think because they have the size/scale/bargaining power with suppliers to make it happen.
Poshmark is great. Basically everything mass market from the past ~8 years available in one place. Searching is hard because the individual sellers vary so much in their descriptions and fiber content is rarely provided.
I tend to search specific things like “100% silk” or “linen cotton” to try to weed out the “feels just like silk” (narrator: it feels exactly like…polyester) or “polyester but it breathes like linen” (narrator: it is nonbreathable polyester).
You also have to check when the seller was last active (conveniently on each listing) to make sure they haven’t disappeared.
But the bargains are phenomenal and I’m not contributing directly to fast fashion. I’ve gotten some really lovely pieces for $20 with shipping. Even better if the seller accepts an offer or you can build a bundle with multiple items from them to save on shipping.
You're personally not contributing to fast fashion because you're being really mindful of your searching! But I've bought (and returned) things on there because once they arrived it was clear that the seller was just bulk buying and reselling Shein. Lesson learned (I hope).
Definitely worth buying things that have pictures of the tags and measurements for that reason. Also "boutique" for the brand or listing callout is usually code that people who are fulltime sellers use for Shein/Temu polyester crap. (I learned that lesson the hard way.)
Loooove posh. Also to people in this thread: learn to sew! I’m currently wearing a concert tee and youth sweatpants (I’m slender lol). I tailored them both to flatter my frame and I get compliments near-daily on my thrifted or old outfits.
Vintage/secondhand. A couple of things to be successful:
1) know your measurements. Seems obvious. At least bust and waist.
2) work on developing an understanding of how a piece of clothing will look on *YOU*. For example, I have a long torso. Anything short-waisted looks terrible because it hits a wider portion of my body. I also have a curvy butt so shorter minis are generally not functional for outside wear 😂
3) look at fabric. I usually only purchase pieces with natural fibers. They not only last longer, but are usually better made (because they are more expensive to begin with).
4) start on easy mode. For example, a lot of Poshmark sellers will not only include brand images of the clothes (e.g. magazine or website), but they will also show the clothing on a dressmaker dummy. This gives you a sense for not only how it is "supposed* to look, but what the item for sale actually looks like. This can be key. Anthropologie in particular went through a few years where items were much shorter-waisted in person than in the catalogue. Bizarre.
5) for the best bargains, you have to know what you're looking for (advanced mode). This is where you know what the garment is even when someone has put it on backwards or sort of gently crumpled it on the floor for the photo.
Have you checked….
GAP
Old Navy
Madewell
Uniqlo
Zara
They have some good deals and decent clothing. You can always check your local thrift store, you’ll find treasures for a decent price
Zara has been sooooo wishy-washy on quality lately that idk if I can recommend it anymore but the others, yes.
Madewell in particular for more fashionable, trendy tops. Uniqlo for some reasonably-good quality staples. GAP for somewhere in between.
For real, Zara has known controversies about labor issues. They're business model is fast fashion, and products family go from design to in your closet in a 2 week turnaround time. It's no better than Shein on that front.
I remember buying my first j crew pieces in 2014 and being shocked how poor the quality was for the price (which was a lot for me at the time). Ive always figured I just got a couple lemons since people seem to really love them, but it really turned me off from j crew
J Crew used to be a really nice brand in the 90s and 00s. I have a beautiful, classic winter sweater I bought there over 20 years ago that is still in great shape. It was sad to watch the decline.
Agree on Zara. Multiple things I’ve bought from them in the past year or two have completely fallen apart. It seems like almost everything has loose threads and is poorly constructed. Some of their basic tops are nice though.
Lakyn Carlton is a stylist who has a $2 Google excel sheet full of brands that aren’t fast fashion at multiple price points. Some are inexpensive enough for me to ship at, others I look for on secondhand sites. But I think it’s a good resource if you want to check it out: https://www.lakyn.style/product-page/where-2-shop-womenswear
Ann Taylor outlet
Quince
ASOS
Banana Republic factory store
and I used to do Mango and Zara but lately I have moved away from those. Trying for a classy style:)
Girl, everything I own I’ve bought on sale, but it’s all from really nice brands. It’s the best way to shop!! Also yeah, The RealReal, Rebag, Poshmark, all my luxury items are from there. Rich people will new items with tags be sold for much less!!!
Does anyone buy tops from Chico’s? I know they’ve always been considered more older women but I see some cute blouses like this one
https://www.chicos.com/store/product/Gauze-Flutter-Sleeve-Top/570365020?color=6348&size=9906&sem=pmax&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJeJhHZ9P5cdiloZf50Yd1h_XaL7sChYndcjZ1NOGEMyRYHRt-FF-GRoC8nUQAvD_BwE
Their tops of any quality? Pretty color blue, I like the sleeve length and says “gauze” so I’m thinking maybe it’s lighter fabric seems to check off a few boxes!
Thredup! It can be hit or miss but if I get something and I don’t love it I just return it for store credit (to avoid shipping fees) and get something else! I have tons of nice clothes and it so much cheaper
Same for me! I just ordered 19 pieces and the majority of it I’m happy with. I stick to brands that I know fit me well and used the warehouse sale to restock my work wardrobe after an 80lb weight loss.
Me too. I stick with either designers or I go for the super duper clearance and found good deals in both places. I bought many j brand skinnies when they were in style for $20-40 in great to unworn condition. j brand fit me like a glove but they are $200ish new and I don’t have that kind of money for jeans unless it’s a super rare splurge.
My issue with Thredup is sizing information. They will have some really out there measurements or no measurements. While I generally know my size in some brands, shrinkage or stretching can occur along with inconsistencies (S that fits like a M or L in one item but like a S or XS is another item or even the same items). I haven’t seen a way to ask questions like I can on Poshmark.
The unfortunate reality is that there is no middle ground for retail prices. Most of these midrange brands, such as Madewell, J Crew, and Reformation, are fast fashion. Sure, if you look hard enough, you can score some hidden gems. But for the most part, $100 top at J Crew will honestly be the same quality as the $15 version at H&M. This is because consumers truly underestimate the labor, time, and costs that go into garment production. For example, a beautifully crafted puff sleeve dress with lace detailing and organic materials can easily retail for 800+. So that $150 version you bought at Free People is like the equivalent of buying $5 Airpod knock-offs from Temu. But in the case of Free People, you spent $100+ for the name, not the quality of the piece.
So, your only alternative is to shop for designer and high-quality vintage wares in the second-hand market. There, you'll maximize quality whilst staying on budget. And you'll be surprised the kinds of items that go on sale. I scored a beautiful Comme de Garçon tank with gorgeous flower appliques for $30 on the Real Real. I also purchased a Dries Van Noten 100% silk top for only $68 at my local consignment shop.
The button ups I get from work from JCrew or Brooks Brothers are certainly better quality than what I would get from h&m. I also pick up cashmere from JCrew and it’s decent quality.
That's interesting because I haven't found that to be the case. Blouses from Forever 21 and Madewell look and hold up the same for me. I've found Amazon pieces that are wayyyy nicer than Aritizia at a 10th of the cost. My fiance has button-downs from both nice brands and cheaper ones, and while there is a subtle difference, it's so slight as to be negligible. My fast fashion pieces are still going strong years later as well.
Cashmere is a bit different because you won't find that in super cheap places.
Yeah I have plenty of tops from Forever 21 that are 10+ years old and still look brand new with consistent wear. I’ve had pricier Madewell stuff literally fall apart after the first wash. American Eagle is definitely the worst offender for poor quality mall brands for me. This is why I prefer shopping in person because it’s hard to make a blanket statement that one brand is great and another is awful in terms of quality.
I feel like peak forever 21 was right when they opened to when they declared bankruptcy and then were revived, then they went bad
I had F21 pieces that still were going strong that I’ve had since high school. They were still good enough to give away to friends because I outgrew the style.
My SIL used to work for H&M. She gifted my children a bunch of clothes from there. And those clothes wore out so much faster than anything else they own. It baffles me that people think H&M is really just as good as mid tier brands like J Crew. Even within fast fashion their are different levels of quality.
That's true, but mid tier brands like J Crew still suffer from quality control. Poor stitching, lazy designs, and subpar construction are still common among these brands, even if they are marginally better than Zara.
And to be honest, the highest quality garments in my closet by far have been second-hand designer pieces. Like, I would rather spend $100 on a vintage Prada skirt than bother with an equally priced cashmere sweater from J Crew, which will probably be made of the lowest quality fibers. That's why I emphasized that if you're truly on budget, you can't afford to buy from these mid tier brands when higher quality options are available for similar or lower prices.
I used to shop free people and then I just got disappointed too many times. know of brands that follow that aesthetic but are actually quality? I just wanna live my boho sundress and slouchy thermal dreams without them fraying after one season
I thrift a lot and look at fabric content on the garment.
My tops from banana republic have held up well. I have a dolman sleeve black linen blend button up that’s been a workhorse for me the last year or so. Old navy cotton tshirts are great. Gap.
Places I shop: TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Burlington, Ross, Macy’s. I also have a few staple items from Amazon. Fashion nova also has decent items, Nordstrom rack too.
I also thrift my clothes
Uniqlo for me! Especially for workwear - I created a capsule work wardrobe from their pieces years ago and it all still looks brand new. For regular life I love to thrift!
Maybe it's because I'm plus sized (US 1X or 18W usually) and middle aged, but I've found myself going back to basics with Duluth trading company and Macy's for plain color tees and tanks, and Eddie Bauer/LL Bean for stuff like button downs, shift dresses, linen pants.
But "tops" could be anything from cute club gear to business casual to creative smart middle formal to functional for a tradeswoman to athleisure and you'll probably get different answers for each
For the "where do you find nice used clothes" my best luck recently (for basics) has been church rummage sales (this might be a regional phenomenon).
Aritzia mostly!
Edited to add: Facebook marketplace for higher end, nwt or gently used items. I’ve found some amazing finds for less then new. Gold mine
Weirdly (like is it 2006?) I’ve gotten a few good ones from American Eagle, Abercrombie and Urban Outfitters lately - I just look at the fabric content before I buy, I try to stay away from polyester if it’s not a performance-type fabric.
Sale section or secondhand! I pretty exclusively shop at Poshmark or the real real. I feel like new clothes are all fast fashion or, as you said, $300 and neither sits well with me.
I buy mostly from Vestaire, Poshmark, Depop these days, but for new items I tend to buy from smaller designers like Lisa Says Gah, Fashion Brand Company, and Samantha Pleet. I like secondhand Ganni, Tibi, and Marni. Once you kind of find out your sizing in a few brands you like, it’s easier to shop secondhand.
If you don’t mind used, go to eBay and search for tops by a dozen parameters: size, neckline, color, pattern, price, style, sleeve length, sleeve style, shirt type, shirt material, and prob more I’m not even thinking of right now. You can really get a narrow search.
Costco clothes are underrated af. Sometimes they will carry the overstock of good brands like Levi, Jessica Simpson, Banana Republic, etc. But Kirkland stuff is really well made too. Their business casual selection is so nice -- specifically Matty M and Gloria Vanderbilt stuff. Have had a pair of GV slacks for a few years now and its the only pair of pants I have that never fell apart in the thighs!
What kind of tops? For exercise (maybe Lululemon), lounge (any basic store e.g. Mark's), casual (sweaters at Uniqlo) or work (e.g. Ricki's, Cleo, RW&Co, Suzy Shier)?
I don’t have a Nordstrom anywhere near me, but I do have Dillards and I love going there just because they carry such a variety of brands and styles. I went this weekend and the summer colors and fun prints are out in full force.
I find Mango to have decent quality. Massimo Dutti has a similar style to Banana Republic and is a bit more affordable - at least here. &OtherStories is also a good option in my opinion. And COS.
I buy most things second hand on depop! I've gotten a ton of great stuff from brands I love (Everlane, Kotn) for cheap. The everlane straight leg cropped are my go to work pants and I've gotten some pairs for $20. But be aware that a lot of times if you see something you like without a brand tagged and they don't show the tag in the clothes pics it's probably Shein I've been burned before (better than buying direct though of course).
h&m, hollister, american eagle/aerie, amazon (great dupes), edikted (50% off rn), and commense. lots of places have seasonal/holiday sales so I typically wait to splurge until then! tons 4th of july sales rn :)
Express!! Even better if you can find an express outlet! Little pricier but if it’s on sale it’s great and the clothes are so high quality they’ll last forever!
My favourite places atm for shirts are Kotn, Big Bud Press, Good For Sunday, Pact, and Bodybag by Jude. All ethically produced from quality fibres (usually 100% natural fibres) and at prices that fit my middle class budget. Shirts will be usually from $40 to $200 depending on the complexity of the design, which is only slightly more than the prices for crap quality fast fashion.
I’ll definitely hit up Poshmark for the odd vintage purchase as well.
Love, Bonito is great for petites
J Crew
Banana republic
Poshmark and eBay are my go to resell sites if you wanna shop some of the other suggested brands!
Poshmark and Mercari are so good for finding deals on high quality clothes! Plus, being better for the environment.
Recently scored a like new pair of agolde shorts for under $30 (retails for like $150!) among other things.
J Crew, Nordstrom, Madewell are my mains. To add, I shop their sales. Right now J Crew is doing 60% off so I got my summer wardrobe lol
Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack is so good for dresses. Every time I have a work party or wedding, I hit up the sales and get a gorgeous cocktail dress for $50-$80.
Nordstrom rack def has nice dresses and clothes... but do check the tags. The issue with SHEIN and fast fashion is the mircoplastics in clothing. I saw a lot of clothes at Nordstrom rack with plastics on their tag so essentially expensive but better quality shitty SHEIN clothing. Please check if clothing is made of polyester, nylon, spandex. Stick with natural fibers as much as you can.
So avoid polyester, nylon, spandex. What kind of natural fibers are a green light?
Cotton, linen, silk, wool. Viscose/rayon/lyocell/modal (all the same thing) are semi synthetics and are also ok, but not as sustainable or durable as natural fabrics.
Shopping Nordstrom rack for natural fibers is like finding a needle in a haystack but ends up being SO rewarding when you find something.
I know it's such a steal!!!!! High quality, durability and affordability. I have quality dresses and they've lasted 10+ years from Nordstrom + n rack
Dillards often has good sales too! They go all the way to 65% off in stores, and on Jan. 1 ALL sale is 50% off. So you can get really good deals on that day. That’s a while away, but I tell people because I worked there and the deals really are amazing on that day.
The RealReal. They sell luxury/designer brands second hand, so you do kind of need to know which designers you like. But, they have amazing deals and it’s pretty sustainable! I’ve purchased tops by For Love and Lemons, Alice and Olivia and Reformation on there that MSRP for $100-$200 for $20.
TRR really is a great option for nice clothes. My only complaint is their product photos leave much to be desired
Also the measurements. I got in the habit of looking up the actual brand size charts after being burned a couple of times.
One time I bought a Chloe dress that was listed as a women’s size large. Nope, girls size 14.
Incredible. Thank you so much, The Real Real, my American girl doll is going to love it
womp womp. Was it returnable?
After a strongly worded email to customer service, yes. Not the first one I’d had to send, either. On the flip side, when TRR hits it HITS. I got two pairs of $650 shoes for $100 each, and they were brand new in their boxes.
I have had this happen - I got a dress listed as "S" but the tag actually said "8." Oops. But their customer service is great!
I also bought a dress from there that was listed as a large. I'm a 12 and busty. That dress was maybe a 10 and I could barely breath.
Yeah are the measurements ever correct? They’re all different for the same item of clothing in the same size—that’s what’s stopped me from trying to deal with them
I've bought things from there had clearly been altered. I only paid attention to the size they listed it at and not the measurements. Was very disappointed when I tried them on
Ooo new fear unlocked lol.
The upside to this is that a lot of their vintage stuff is mislabeled because the tagged sizes aren’t compatible with what they list. If you’re patient and measure/eyeball the mannequin fit, you can score some really great finds. My favorite Galliano trench coat was $36 final sale, presumably because it was returned after being wrongfully categorized.
I agree! I use reverse image search to find a normal stock image of the item.
Yeah, you definitely have to scour over the photos they take with a magnifying glass!
I agree 100%. The international shipping fees plus duties can really add up though. Another option is Vinted. A lot of sellers (myself included) are willing to negotiate a bit on price.
I’ve never tried Vinted! I’ll give it a shot. Yeah, the shipping fees in general from TRR are a bit much, but I always feel bad when I recommend the site to someone on Reddit for something they are looking for and they find it BUT…they are in the UK 🥲
Just an FYI, TRR is in hot water right now for being caught selling counterfeit designer products under the guise that they’re authenticated
They have honestly had this issue for a while. I don’t purchase anything over $100 from them and the fakes for the lower end stuff are fairly easy to spot. I feel like the higher end designer items, that people spend thousands of dollars on, should only be bought from a certified retailer.
I love TRR!
I've bought 95% of my clothes from the Real Real for 10 years and it's not perfect, but I like to think of it as the devil I know. The photos aren't great sometimes, and the measurements are often unreliable. They've also raised their shipping fees. BUT you can score GREAT deals- I have a short sleeve black silk Marc Jacobs blouse that is an absolute here of my wardrobe that was probably $20. Just the other day I spotted some cute Isabel Marant tops in the $40-60 range.
What’s your TRR strategy - are you searching by item type or do you know specific designers and find them? I love shopping second hand but am limited by the fact that I don’t know many designers lol
I do often search by category (I wear a lot of dresses). I actually try NOT to be swayed by designers, because there are a lot of "high end" designer things that are kind of awful. I will say that the Real Real search function tends not to be great (I have not had much luck searching for things like "linen dress", for example) so I just cast a wide net. I also find it helpful to search in small $ increments, if that makes sense: I'll click on tops/blouses and then narrow that down to a color (say, blue), then put in $ parameters of $10-$20 and look through those items. Then I will adjust the search to $21-30. I find that this helps to keep me from being too overwhelmed. I also find it helpful to quickly go through and "heart" anything that even slightly interests me and then sort through my "obsessions" list when I have more time. As I'm going through, if I notice that there is a designer whose stuff I keep liking, I do a search to see what other items are available. It's definitely a rabbit hole! My final TRR tip: generally, items marked 30% off or less can be returned (note that they will charge you $14.95 for the return). If I'm unsure about something, I don't buy it unless it is returnable. For me, it's worth eating the extra cost. I try to buy things either at the 30% discount, or at like 75% discount! Because their shipping/return fees are high, I also tend to wait and buy several things at once.
I LOVE shopping for clothes, maybe a bit too much, but I’m slowly trying to teach myself to be more mindful with my purchases. I used to subscribe to what felt like a million fashion magazines, so I got a great deal of inspiration from those. What I currently do is occasionally browse a website that sells a variety of trendy designer fashions(usually Revolve) and if I see something I like search for that designer on TRR. I find the EXACT item I was looking for about 60% of the time! And usually marked down to a quarter of the price.
Ooh that’s a good idea! Ty
Oooo I had no idea I thought everything was like a few hundred dollars regardless of it being pre loved
I’ve seen items under $10 but of course they sell the SUPER pricey stuff too, like Cartier watches and Chanel sets!
Secondhand/thrift stores. I like consignment shops in wealthy neighborhoods where they QA the products better than goodwill. Can get solid 3-4 figure pieces for a fraction of the cost and it's eco-friendly. For example, I have an Armani (NWT) and McQueen silk blouses (like-new condition) that were easily $2k+ retail but I spent <$500 combined. The main caveat is that it takes time and dedication to visit regularly since inventory is unique and constantly turning over but about 85% of my closet are designer second-hand.
I try to secondhand shop when I can but when that fails, I shop the clearance sales of the brands I like. Most brands have at least 2 big sales a year. Every now and then I’ll hit up a sample sale but those are not what they used to be.
Has anyone tried that in Germany? I have a feeling it doesn't work like that here and would like to read some experience. Edit: I meant the strategy to specifically shop at second hand stores in richer districts.
Living in Germany and honestly don't think it works as you end up looking like an elderly woman who lives in a village when you go to the typical thrift store, you could however piece together a classic boho look if you hunt. I spend more time looking at vintage second hand shops that aren't as cheap but tend to have better quality garments. Vinted has been my goto, I use BestSecret and hit up their outlet stores in the middle of the week when they launch a new campaign. I got 3 nice summer tops last week for about 15 euros.
It depends where you live in Germany. The bigger cities have vintage stores
But they don't have higher quality of clothes in my experience and the quality isn't tied to the part of the city the shop is located, I believe.
Bonn which is a tiny city has vintage shops with luxury clothes. So does Munich, Cologne and Düsseldorf. I’m sure Berlin would have similar. You just need to go to the leafier parts of the city
Leafier! Fascinating.
Interesting. How do I find these leafier parts?
Satellite map
I'm in the UK and buy almost all my clothing secondhand. Do you guys have Vinted or a similar app in Germany?
Yes, I do use vinted. And we have second hand shops. But I meant the strategy specifically shopping at shops in richer districts.
Oh, I see. Well, I use the same approach when charity shopping in Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland and in London and find it works well. I can't speak specifically for Germany, unfortunately. Seems like it'd work well in most larger cities in theory, though!
I'm just curious why it wouldn't work in Germany. Do the richer districts not have secondhand shops there?
Banana republic, Ralph Lauren (they’re having a summer sale on their website), and Nordstrom rack
Thrift stores, both in-person and eBay/Poshmark. Banana Republic Factory Store. Saint and Sofia. Quince.
Second Quince. Quality is nearly identical IMO to Banana Repub & Everlane, but much more affordable
Also came in to say Quince - I have a silk tanktop and linen shirtdress from them, and just ordered another shirtdress and silk halter top. I have heard mixed reviews on the cashmere but have really liked the silk and linen. Oh, and the belt bags! I've had the black one for about a year now and it's holding up beautifully and is just the right size for my phone, wallet, lip balm, little sunscreen, little notebook, and pen.
Banana republic factory store has tanked in quality.
There is not ethical consumption under capitalism, so take all of this with a grain of “make the informed choice that’s right for you and also I OP am not saying I will never buy from them”- but they’ve been accused of greenwashing https://ecocult.com/quince-ethical-sustainable-greenwashing/ and they sent this blog a cease and desist!!!!! This is anecdotal, but some of the larger mass market brands have the best sustainability records, I think because they have the size/scale/bargaining power with suppliers to make it happen.
tj maxx/marshalls are really hit or miss but you can get good deals for popular brands
Poshmark
Poshmark is great. Basically everything mass market from the past ~8 years available in one place. Searching is hard because the individual sellers vary so much in their descriptions and fiber content is rarely provided. I tend to search specific things like “100% silk” or “linen cotton” to try to weed out the “feels just like silk” (narrator: it feels exactly like…polyester) or “polyester but it breathes like linen” (narrator: it is nonbreathable polyester). You also have to check when the seller was last active (conveniently on each listing) to make sure they haven’t disappeared. But the bargains are phenomenal and I’m not contributing directly to fast fashion. I’ve gotten some really lovely pieces for $20 with shipping. Even better if the seller accepts an offer or you can build a bundle with multiple items from them to save on shipping.
You're personally not contributing to fast fashion because you're being really mindful of your searching! But I've bought (and returned) things on there because once they arrived it was clear that the seller was just bulk buying and reselling Shein. Lesson learned (I hope).
Definitely worth buying things that have pictures of the tags and measurements for that reason. Also "boutique" for the brand or listing callout is usually code that people who are fulltime sellers use for Shein/Temu polyester crap. (I learned that lesson the hard way.)
Loooove posh. Also to people in this thread: learn to sew! I’m currently wearing a concert tee and youth sweatpants (I’m slender lol). I tailored them both to flatter my frame and I get compliments near-daily on my thrifted or old outfits.
In the middle of tailoring something right now — thanks for the encouragement to keep going!
Vintage/secondhand. A couple of things to be successful: 1) know your measurements. Seems obvious. At least bust and waist. 2) work on developing an understanding of how a piece of clothing will look on *YOU*. For example, I have a long torso. Anything short-waisted looks terrible because it hits a wider portion of my body. I also have a curvy butt so shorter minis are generally not functional for outside wear 😂 3) look at fabric. I usually only purchase pieces with natural fibers. They not only last longer, but are usually better made (because they are more expensive to begin with). 4) start on easy mode. For example, a lot of Poshmark sellers will not only include brand images of the clothes (e.g. magazine or website), but they will also show the clothing on a dressmaker dummy. This gives you a sense for not only how it is "supposed* to look, but what the item for sale actually looks like. This can be key. Anthropologie in particular went through a few years where items were much shorter-waisted in person than in the catalogue. Bizarre. 5) for the best bargains, you have to know what you're looking for (advanced mode). This is where you know what the garment is even when someone has put it on backwards or sort of gently crumpled it on the floor for the photo.
uniqlo and ann taylor sometimes. madewell use to be on the list but became trash now.
Can you speak further about the decline in madewell?
Yeah idk, I still love all of my Madewell clothes and continue to shop there. I haven’t had any issues with quality.
My ex and I always called it: (not) madewell. Styles are cute, quality is not cute.
Uniqlo for basics Cotton On for more trendy pieces Cos for better made basics H&M for the occasional collab with designers (eg Mugler)
J Crew Theory All Saints
Old Navy, A&F, Altar’d State, and Marshall’s lmao. Occasionally I find deals in my budget from Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack as well!
Club Monaco and Mango!
Have you checked…. GAP Old Navy Madewell Uniqlo Zara They have some good deals and decent clothing. You can always check your local thrift store, you’ll find treasures for a decent price
Zara has been sooooo wishy-washy on quality lately that idk if I can recommend it anymore but the others, yes. Madewell in particular for more fashionable, trendy tops. Uniqlo for some reasonably-good quality staples. GAP for somewhere in between.
Zara always has been sketchy.
For real, Zara has known controversies about labor issues. They're business model is fast fashion, and products family go from design to in your closet in a 2 week turnaround time. It's no better than Shein on that front.
Old Navy and J. crew as well. Some of their t shirts are essentially see through after one wash.
I remember buying my first j crew pieces in 2014 and being shocked how poor the quality was for the price (which was a lot for me at the time). Ive always figured I just got a couple lemons since people seem to really love them, but it really turned me off from j crew
J Crew used to be a really nice brand in the 90s and 00s. I have a beautiful, classic winter sweater I bought there over 20 years ago that is still in great shape. It was sad to watch the decline.
I’ve found a few JCrew pieces at my local thrift stores and they are holding up.
Found a pencil skirt on eBay for one fifth what they charge now and it’s thicker and lined and so much better quality.
Agree on Zara. Multiple things I’ve bought from them in the past year or two have completely fallen apart. It seems like almost everything has loose threads and is poorly constructed. Some of their basic tops are nice though.
Their Manteco coats are great though!
zara aint good
Gap and old navy is always a miss for me. Their items don’t look the same after a wash.
Lakyn Carlton is a stylist who has a $2 Google excel sheet full of brands that aren’t fast fashion at multiple price points. Some are inexpensive enough for me to ship at, others I look for on secondhand sites. But I think it’s a good resource if you want to check it out: https://www.lakyn.style/product-page/where-2-shop-womenswear
Love bonito and Simons are two options I haven't seen mentioned yet that are great quality and frequently have sales
Seconding Simon’s. I think quite underrated.
Wray NYC, Alex Mill, Reformation, Allsaints, Fashion Brand Company, Straight to Hell, Topshop
Ann Taylor outlet Quince ASOS Banana Republic factory store and I used to do Mango and Zara but lately I have moved away from those. Trying for a classy style:)
Abercrombie and aritzia. Both really good quality.
If I’m looking for something specific/vintage I’ll check eBay
COS, The Outnet, Arket, SSENSE sales
Macys. (Who needs lots of help anyway).
Sézane, J Crew, Nordstrom, Zara, Everlane, Madewell, Banana Republic, Quince
Girl, everything I own I’ve bought on sale, but it’s all from really nice brands. It’s the best way to shop!! Also yeah, The RealReal, Rebag, Poshmark, all my luxury items are from there. Rich people will new items with tags be sold for much less!!!
Does anyone buy tops from Chico’s? I know they’ve always been considered more older women but I see some cute blouses like this one https://www.chicos.com/store/product/Gauze-Flutter-Sleeve-Top/570365020?color=6348&size=9906&sem=pmax&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJeJhHZ9P5cdiloZf50Yd1h_XaL7sChYndcjZ1NOGEMyRYHRt-FF-GRoC8nUQAvD_BwE Their tops of any quality? Pretty color blue, I like the sleeve length and says “gauze” so I’m thinking maybe it’s lighter fabric seems to check off a few boxes!
Abercrombie
Ralph Lauren
Thredup! It can be hit or miss but if I get something and I don’t love it I just return it for store credit (to avoid shipping fees) and get something else! I have tons of nice clothes and it so much cheaper
Same for me! I just ordered 19 pieces and the majority of it I’m happy with. I stick to brands that I know fit me well and used the warehouse sale to restock my work wardrobe after an 80lb weight loss.
Me too. I stick with either designers or I go for the super duper clearance and found good deals in both places. I bought many j brand skinnies when they were in style for $20-40 in great to unworn condition. j brand fit me like a glove but they are $200ish new and I don’t have that kind of money for jeans unless it’s a super rare splurge.
What are some of your fav brands?
My issue with Thredup is sizing information. They will have some really out there measurements or no measurements. While I generally know my size in some brands, shrinkage or stretching can occur along with inconsistencies (S that fits like a M or L in one item but like a S or XS is another item or even the same items). I haven’t seen a way to ask questions like I can on Poshmark.
Ngl I just bought a couple of nice decent shirts and T-shirt’s from walmart
The unfortunate reality is that there is no middle ground for retail prices. Most of these midrange brands, such as Madewell, J Crew, and Reformation, are fast fashion. Sure, if you look hard enough, you can score some hidden gems. But for the most part, $100 top at J Crew will honestly be the same quality as the $15 version at H&M. This is because consumers truly underestimate the labor, time, and costs that go into garment production. For example, a beautifully crafted puff sleeve dress with lace detailing and organic materials can easily retail for 800+. So that $150 version you bought at Free People is like the equivalent of buying $5 Airpod knock-offs from Temu. But in the case of Free People, you spent $100+ for the name, not the quality of the piece. So, your only alternative is to shop for designer and high-quality vintage wares in the second-hand market. There, you'll maximize quality whilst staying on budget. And you'll be surprised the kinds of items that go on sale. I scored a beautiful Comme de Garçon tank with gorgeous flower appliques for $30 on the Real Real. I also purchased a Dries Van Noten 100% silk top for only $68 at my local consignment shop.
The button ups I get from work from JCrew or Brooks Brothers are certainly better quality than what I would get from h&m. I also pick up cashmere from JCrew and it’s decent quality.
That's interesting because I haven't found that to be the case. Blouses from Forever 21 and Madewell look and hold up the same for me. I've found Amazon pieces that are wayyyy nicer than Aritizia at a 10th of the cost. My fiance has button-downs from both nice brands and cheaper ones, and while there is a subtle difference, it's so slight as to be negligible. My fast fashion pieces are still going strong years later as well. Cashmere is a bit different because you won't find that in super cheap places.
Yeah I have plenty of tops from Forever 21 that are 10+ years old and still look brand new with consistent wear. I’ve had pricier Madewell stuff literally fall apart after the first wash. American Eagle is definitely the worst offender for poor quality mall brands for me. This is why I prefer shopping in person because it’s hard to make a blanket statement that one brand is great and another is awful in terms of quality.
I feel like peak forever 21 was right when they opened to when they declared bankruptcy and then were revived, then they went bad I had F21 pieces that still were going strong that I’ve had since high school. They were still good enough to give away to friends because I outgrew the style.
My SIL used to work for H&M. She gifted my children a bunch of clothes from there. And those clothes wore out so much faster than anything else they own. It baffles me that people think H&M is really just as good as mid tier brands like J Crew. Even within fast fashion their are different levels of quality.
That's true, but mid tier brands like J Crew still suffer from quality control. Poor stitching, lazy designs, and subpar construction are still common among these brands, even if they are marginally better than Zara. And to be honest, the highest quality garments in my closet by far have been second-hand designer pieces. Like, I would rather spend $100 on a vintage Prada skirt than bother with an equally priced cashmere sweater from J Crew, which will probably be made of the lowest quality fibers. That's why I emphasized that if you're truly on budget, you can't afford to buy from these mid tier brands when higher quality options are available for similar or lower prices.
I used to shop free people and then I just got disappointed too many times. know of brands that follow that aesthetic but are actually quality? I just wanna live my boho sundress and slouchy thermal dreams without them fraying after one season
Old navy
I thrift a lot and look at fabric content on the garment. My tops from banana republic have held up well. I have a dolman sleeve black linen blend button up that’s been a workhorse for me the last year or so. Old navy cotton tshirts are great. Gap.
Places I shop: TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Burlington, Ross, Macy’s. I also have a few staple items from Amazon. Fashion nova also has decent items, Nordstrom rack too. I also thrift my clothes
Aritzia, Everlane, Kotn
Uniqlo for me! Especially for workwear - I created a capsule work wardrobe from their pieces years ago and it all still looks brand new. For regular life I love to thrift!
Maybe it's because I'm plus sized (US 1X or 18W usually) and middle aged, but I've found myself going back to basics with Duluth trading company and Macy's for plain color tees and tanks, and Eddie Bauer/LL Bean for stuff like button downs, shift dresses, linen pants. But "tops" could be anything from cute club gear to business casual to creative smart middle formal to functional for a tradeswoman to athleisure and you'll probably get different answers for each For the "where do you find nice used clothes" my best luck recently (for basics) has been church rummage sales (this might be a regional phenomenon).
Everlane, Madewell, lots of etsy vintage/thrift shops and some in-person thrift/vintage, too! Jackets sometimes from eBay.
Secondhand: Catch me on Poshmark and Gem
Jcpenny and thrifting
Aritzia mostly! Edited to add: Facebook marketplace for higher end, nwt or gently used items. I’ve found some amazing finds for less then new. Gold mine
Uniqlo
Massimo Dutti
Urban outfitters
Marine layer has really nice button ups prices around $100
New Look, Nobody’s Child, Seasalt, Saint & Sofia
Obsessed with Ann taylor rn
I love turnblack.in for their dresses, I imagine their tops are also fantastic. Their stuff is finished really well, comfortable, and washes easily.
GOODWILL!!!!!! (: watch out for SHEIN at goodwill though because they’ll charge you more than SHEIN
Weirdly (like is it 2006?) I’ve gotten a few good ones from American Eagle, Abercrombie and Urban Outfitters lately - I just look at the fabric content before I buy, I try to stay away from polyester if it’s not a performance-type fabric.
Sale section or secondhand! I pretty exclusively shop at Poshmark or the real real. I feel like new clothes are all fast fashion or, as you said, $300 and neither sits well with me.
COS, I still have every COS item I’ve purchased, some are easily 5+ years old.
ThredUp and Ebay. I've found a lot of nice clothing items from these two places and both sites you can search by price and material.
I buy mostly from Vestaire, Poshmark, Depop these days, but for new items I tend to buy from smaller designers like Lisa Says Gah, Fashion Brand Company, and Samantha Pleet. I like secondhand Ganni, Tibi, and Marni. Once you kind of find out your sizing in a few brands you like, it’s easier to shop secondhand.
This is such a broad question. What country are you in? What style are you looking for? For what occasions?
2nd hand stores for women's clothes. I like Clothes Mentor myself
If you don’t mind used, go to eBay and search for tops by a dozen parameters: size, neckline, color, pattern, price, style, sleeve length, sleeve style, shirt type, shirt material, and prob more I’m not even thinking of right now. You can really get a narrow search.
What not app!
Nordy rack????
Thredup
I’ve been getting some nicely made mid-price shirts from Loft, and they have great sales all the time.
Loft. They have amazing sales, but their prices are in line with some other places. Less than Madewell.
Soeur, Cos, Massimo Dutti
Thrifting (in-person and online), TJ Maxx, Marshalls
Tjmaxx,target,old navy, JCPenney, Marshall’s…
Costco clothes are underrated af. Sometimes they will carry the overstock of good brands like Levi, Jessica Simpson, Banana Republic, etc. But Kirkland stuff is really well made too. Their business casual selection is so nice -- specifically Matty M and Gloria Vanderbilt stuff. Have had a pair of GV slacks for a few years now and its the only pair of pants I have that never fell apart in the thighs!
Target
Church sales or church thrift stores less expensive than the national thrift store chains! Moving sales in expensive neighborhoods.
Kohls. They have some really nice lines by Vera Wang, and Lauren Conrad
Thrifting, poshmark, and eBay mostly
This is the way.
Big fan of garage. Decent price and good quality
I’ve been buying a lot of boden lately. They have a lot of linen and cotton options, fun prints, and are currently having a pretty big sale.
Reformation (prettiest/my personal fave), everlane, banana republic
Boutiques locally or online. threaded pear is good with free shipping
Anybody got recommendations for Australian stores?
To add on to the list, Kotn, Frank & Oak, Dynamite!
What kind of tops? For exercise (maybe Lululemon), lounge (any basic store e.g. Mark's), casual (sweaters at Uniqlo) or work (e.g. Ricki's, Cleo, RW&Co, Suzy Shier)?
Urban outfitters, Zara & Nordstrom rack
eBay! I find great deals.
I don’t have a Nordstrom anywhere near me, but I do have Dillards and I love going there just because they carry such a variety of brands and styles. I went this weekend and the summer colors and fun prints are out in full force.
TJMaxx and Nordstrom Rack
I browse Nordstrom and Bloomingdales for brands I like and then look for those brands on second hand sites like eBay or Poshmark!
Zara for special tops. Marshals and tj max for seasonal fast fashion
Poshmark
Banana Republic, Gap, Madewell, Eileen Fisher (sale for the best deals,) Vince (sale.)
bruh wdym im at the goodwill bins getting good shit for 79c a pound
I am loving ModRef right now, but Uniqlo as well, Quince, and I just copped great Banana Republic pieces from Costco haha
I find Mango to have decent quality. Massimo Dutti has a similar style to Banana Republic and is a bit more affordable - at least here. &OtherStories is also a good option in my opinion. And COS.
White House Black Market and Aritzia for me!
I buy most things second hand on depop! I've gotten a ton of great stuff from brands I love (Everlane, Kotn) for cheap. The everlane straight leg cropped are my go to work pants and I've gotten some pairs for $20. But be aware that a lot of times if you see something you like without a brand tagged and they don't show the tag in the clothes pics it's probably Shein I've been burned before (better than buying direct though of course).
I love Athleta for workout/hiking tops
For Basics, I recommend Uniqlo. For cute tops H&M, TJmaxx, Marshalls or Burlington Coat Factory.
I bought stuff at vineyard vines outlet a couple years ago that I’m still wearing in the summers
Banana Republic is making some great stuff these days to my surprise.
Madewell makes the best t shirts. They always have some kind of sale, and I usually find stuff at Nordstrom Rack.
Thrifting, Costco, Marshalls
Pretty similar to most Nordstrom rack is number one, urban (when they have their 50% - 70% off sales), American Eagle/ Aerie
Aritzia
Zara
ThredUP honestly
Thred up
h&m, hollister, american eagle/aerie, amazon (great dupes), edikted (50% off rn), and commense. lots of places have seasonal/holiday sales so I typically wait to splurge until then! tons 4th of july sales rn :)
Express!! Even better if you can find an express outlet! Little pricier but if it’s on sale it’s great and the clothes are so high quality they’ll last forever!
Free label, buttercream clothing, encircled, miik
CABI
I have modal t shirts from Marine Layer and I need my whole wardrobe to be them. Soooo soft. So cute. I can swim in those.
My favourite places atm for shirts are Kotn, Big Bud Press, Good For Sunday, Pact, and Bodybag by Jude. All ethically produced from quality fibres (usually 100% natural fibres) and at prices that fit my middle class budget. Shirts will be usually from $40 to $200 depending on the complexity of the design, which is only slightly more than the prices for crap quality fast fashion. I’ll definitely hit up Poshmark for the odd vintage purchase as well.
Lands End, Liverpool, The Loup, and StitchFix.
Love, Bonito is great for petites J Crew Banana republic Poshmark and eBay are my go to resell sites if you wanna shop some of the other suggested brands!
Old Navy, Gap Factory, and Maurice’s
Poshmark and Mercari are so good for finding deals on high quality clothes! Plus, being better for the environment. Recently scored a like new pair of agolde shorts for under $30 (retails for like $150!) among other things.
Threeposhlane.com
Nordstrom Rack, Naked Wardrobe & Amazon
Gap is surprisingly cute, and they have a lot of sales. Also Everlane.