DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS A SMALL COMMISSION MAYBE RECEIVED IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE A QUALIFYING ITEM.
When I turned 30, I noticed my style changed and I started loving luxury designer items. By luxury items I mean, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, you get what Im saying. At first, I was buying out the store which was causing a financial strain. So, I started looking for other ways. In this blog and the video above, I am going to share with you how I have saved hundreds and maybe thousands on purchasing luxury items. So if you are bougie on a budget, low paying Linda, or even if you are a person who is looking to buy your partner is something special this post is for you. Trust me your pockets will thank me.
1. Research
So here are the tips that I use to buy my luxury designer items for the low. I can Not stress this enough. Please research the item you are looking to buy. These items are so expensive, that you want to know almost everything about the item before you go and spend a lot of money on something. Youtube and Pinterest is very good reviews and style inspirations so please take advantage of it.
2. Used (Secondhand) Luxury
Please don’t sleep on this. The second hand market is huge and you should take advantage of it. My go to sites are Poshmark, Mercari and eBay. Most people have heard of eBay and poshmark for used items but mercari is a new one for most people. Tradesy is a good site too. It is people on these apps that are willing to sell their items almost 50% + off because they simply don’t use the item and are trying to clear space. My favorite site for purchasing used luxury is poshmark and I will you tell you why later on. Please do not be afraid to use these sites. Other sites that are popular are fashionphile and the Real Real. I have purchased from fashionphile before and had a great experience. I have noticed, though, that some of their items seem to be overpriced for used luxury but you can be the judge. If you have used these sites, leave a comment about your experience, good or bad. Also y’all don’t forget about your local pawn shops, consignment shops, yard sales and thrift stores etc., especially in the more ritzy neighborhoods. Some people will either donate the items they don’t want or take it to the local pawn or consignment shop. Please do not miss out on the opportunities to get these bags. The only downside to this is that inventory is very limited and it will take some time if you are looking for a specific item. So if you are looking for a specific item, I would stick to online searching.
3. Authentication
Since we are discussing used luxury, we must talk about authentication. It is very important that when buying second hand that you are confident that your item is indeed authentic. There are hundreds of authentication companies but I will tell y’all who I trust. As I stated earlier, Poshmark is my favorite site to buy used luxury, and here is the reason. Whenever you buy an item from Poshmark that is over $500, you get free authentication. That means that your item is shipped to Poshmark headquarters first for inspection, then sent to you after it “passes”. I love this because I don’t have to do any extra leg work to know my item is authentic. But lets say, you bought your item from somewhere other than Poshmark, (maybe eBay, mercari etc.) you can use a third party authenticator. I personally use Real Authentication. The base price for authentication is $30 where you take pics of your item, two authenticators look at your item, and give you a verdict. I find their turn around time very quick (usually within 24 hours) and you have documentation of the authentication status. You can buy upgrades of course if needed. There are other companies out there as well. What happens if you find out your item is not authentic? With documentation from an authenticator, you can get reimbursed from your credit card company or the site you purchased from if it is deemed that you purchased a fake.
If you have any bags that you are unsure of, I would use a third party authenticator. If you choose to go with Real Authentication, I have a code that will get you $5 off – code 155368E.
4. Outlets
Outlets can be a great price to find designer items for less. Some examples would be Nordstrom Rack, Saks off Fifth, Last Call. Its very rare that designer items go on sale, but sometimes if a certain item or color is being discontinued, you may find it at one of these stores. If you are lucky enough to find an item at these sources, I would be 95% sure that it would be authentic. You are purchasing from a reputable source and you would have to receipt for purchase proof. You can get very good deals at these locations but you have to be patient and do research which leads to my final tip….
5. Patience
I can’t stress enough how patience works in your favor in this business. Please do not get so impatient that you settle and buy a fake because you can’t afford the real thing. This is an unpopular opinion but do not fall for the hype of having a “good fake”. There is no such thing. We all work very hard for our money whether it be $2, or $2000. You don’t want to waste money and buying a fake is WASTING money. When you buy luxury, this purchase is an investment. No matter how old that bag is, it can always bring you some money back, if left in great condition. Once you buy a fake, that’s it. That bag is worth Nothing and is even illegal to have so why would you do that. If a “good fake” is $300, why not save $300 for 2-3 months and buy the real thing used. Trust me, other people know its fake and are talking lol. So please be patient. Also with patience, you may have several options of items to choose from so you can take your pick.
***If you don’t have an account already, these are some of the sites mentioned above:
Poshmark
Link: https://posh.mk/0UT9v6BNd6 – use my code JASMCQUEEN_ to save $10
Mercari
Link: https://merc.li/Syj2g8b sign up for Mercari and get $10 off your first purchase
Real Authentication
Link: www.realauthentication.com – code 155368E for possible $5 off your purchase!
Disclosure: links listed above are referral links! I do receive credit from these sites if you create an account or make a qualifying purchase using these links.
Jas McQueen 