I've you've ever shopped with me, then you probably know that I am pretty obsessed with finding bargains. Over the years, I've collected a nice little stash of marked-down merch.
Honestly, it happens the most frequently for me with purses. My best example is my black Miu Miu chevron purse with gold hardware:
I found it slightly damaged at Horchow finale, so it was seriously marked down and I snatched it up for a less than 1/10 of it's original price tag of $1,300 (on top of that, all sale items were an extra 20% off that weekend!). The best part is, I had it repaired back to its original state for about $6. A worthwhile investment, I'd say.
Just last weekend, I had similar luck at one of my other favorite stores, Marshalls. I scored a pair of black Theory cropped pants for $20. Read 'em and weep, that's t-w-e-n-t-y doll-hairs. Original price? $216. Black pants don't photograph too well, so just use your imagination on this one!
Prior awesome Marshalls purchases of mine include 2 pairs of 7forallmankind jeans (both under $80), and a gorgeous DVF luncheon dress (about $65... and nothing needing alterations, might I add, so we'll call that cash in the bank, too).
It's weird to start going through your photos to find pictures of a particular garment... above, the pink/red DVF, and below, the 7's.
Even on housewares, I've found some steals. One I'm most proud of is the salad dishes/pasta bowls for our everyday china (V&B Cellini):
I found these on Craigslist listed at 6/$20. I obviously couldn't believe my eyes because they retail at $37 each under normal circumstances. I was skeptical, but as it turns out, the deal was legit. I met a liquidator (Hubby came with, just in case!) in town to make the trade. For just $40 I added an entire set of salad dishes (12) to our collection. If paying full retail, I would have spent more than $400!
You can see why bargains thrill me, I'm sure :)
So let this be a little recession encouragement (are we still in the 2009 recession?). It's all about watching and waiting, I've learned. I do a lot of shopping without buying. I'm willing to forfeit instant gratification, and during my wait, I study the market and rarely purchase until I'm sure I've exhausted every option. A labor of love, I'll call it. I've found that almost always, you really can find a better deal without compromising what you really like.
