Your Guide to Buying Luxury Fashion

Buying luxury fashion items is a goal for many. Luxury items are those that are special and not your everyday purchase. Generally considered expensive, and perhaps some are unattainable. They draw you in with their rarity, exotic materials, and feeling of “worth”. If buying luxury fashion labels is something you’ve considered, then here is your how to guide to help you get started.

Guide to Buying Luxury Fashion

We all have our reasons (or not), for buying luxury fashion items. Each season we see the latest “it” bag all over instagram on the “creme de la creme” of influencers who are wearing it. These bags are gifted of course, but still it draws us in to this little “club”. And we are left wondering, “how do we get into this world”? For most of us the answer is, hard work and lots of paychecks! Luxury items are expensive and are something that we should buy because it makes us feel good, not because everyone else is wearing it.

My perspective on luxury buying fashion comes from a deep rooted, true love for well made items. That may sound a little crazy, but since I was a little girl, and knew nothing about how money works, I was always drawn to the expensive high-quality items. I feel that I have “an eye” for them. It’s their uniqueness and non-mainstream style that draws me in. I don’t really want what everyone else has.

Prep Work

There is some prep work involved in buying these self coveted pieces. The first, and I am being perfectly honest, is hard work. There is really no way of getting around this. You have to earn money in order to save up for these items. I have taken on additional projects at work, knowing that it would not only help me grow professionally, but could up my pay as well. Whatever job you may have, see if there are opportunities to bring visibility to your talents. In the end, these experiences not only bring higher pay, but personal achievement and a sense of accomplishment. These are more valuable than a paycheck.

Second, set money aside on a regular basis. I do not recommend charging a large purchase unless you can pay it off fairly quickly. Setting up automatic transfer of funds from your checking account, into a special savings account will really add up without much thought. This is a great exercise to do anyway, to get used to living on a lower pool of money. However long it takes, once you have saved enough, then comes the real decision. Do you still want the item? How do you feel about spending this bucket you’ve created on one piece? Your answers may surprise you. It may not seem worth it to you any longer. Or, you may be super excited and rush out to make your purchase.

Buying Options for Luxury Fashion

One option to consider when buying luxury fashion, is buying from a consignment shop. I love this specifically for Chanel pieces. While you may not get the latest seasonal item this way, you can get a great classic. Buying second hand, can easily save you at least 30% for Chanel, and often more for other brands. Some sites that I have bought and sold from are TheRealReal, Vestiaire Collective, Fashionphile, and Opulent Habits. I do trust all of these sites. Just be sure to read the descriptions carefully, and review all photos.

Yoogi’s Closet is another site that I have used. They also have a great resource for dating Chanel bags. I have this book-marked and use it quite often when I am researching a new Chanel bag to buy second-hand. It lets you compare the date sticker of the bag you are looking to buy (which is located inside every Chanel bag), with a reference guide by year of production. In addition, it tells you how many digits the code should have (based on the year it was produced), what three numbers it should start with, what the numbers look like (if the zero has a line through it or not), and what the actual sticker should look like. I use it every single time!

Additionally, you can look out for special sales at Department stores or online boutiques. Some brands never go on sale, but surprisingly a lot do. For example, I bought my Chloe bag at Bloomingdale’s during one of their “$25 gift card with every $100 spent.” That added up pretty nicely and I got a gift card to spend later. Farfetch is another place that has great private sales at least twice yearly. You can also try Italist. They have a great selection of new season and previous season items at up to 30% off.

Test Drive It

You have to genuinely love the item you are wanting to buy. A regret purchase is not the situation you want to be in when talking about luxury. Be confident that it suits your style, works within your current wardrobe, and is comfortable. If possible, try it on. Go into the boutique or store several times if you need to. Be sure the shoes don’t pinch (I do not believe in breaking in shoes. They should be comfortable at first wear!). Make sure the shoulder strap of the bag sits where it should and doesn’t keep slipping off. Also, (a big one for me) make sure the clasp (if it’s a bag) isn’t annoying. Can you get in and out easily? Or does it require work? These are all things to consider.

If you can’t get to a boutique, or if it is an older item from a consignment shop, get yourself an account on purseblog. This is such a great resource for luxury lovers around the world. I’ve been a member of their purse forum for years. You get to ask questions to people who actually have and collect these items. I love being able to share experiences in a non-judgmental forum. Feel free to ask away to make sure the item you are looking to buy will suit your needs.

Some Other Considerations For Buying Luxury Fashion

Besides all I mentioned above, there are a few other things I like to consider before making a big purchase. For example, some clothing items are a little different in my opinion. Coats, bags, shoes, belts, and sunglasses are all items I feel more comfortable buying at luxury prices. Likely you will get the more wear out of these. On the other hand, dresses, tops, pants, and skirts will likely get less wear. I like to always think of 3 different realistic occasions that I will wear the pieces to before deciding if it’s worth purchasing. I actually do this for mid-range items as well. If I can’t immediately think of three, I walk away. I know it wont be worth it and I will find a lower prices alternative.

Buying Luxury Fashion: After The Purchase

Finally, enjoy your purchase! Wearing your luxury items feels exciting and self satisfying. Satisfying in the way that you have worked for what you have. It feels good to know what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. So, wear your pieces with pride. And know that you worked hard for it.

And go ahead and mix and match high-end with low-end pieces. This dress, gifted to me from Chicwish, is super affordable at $65. Paired with my not-so-affordable Gucci sneakers and Chanel bag, it instantly elevates this look and makes the dress seem more expensive. Chicwish has a great selection of on-trend items that pair so well with luxury accessories. I love mixing high with low to mid range items. It’s fun to experiment and up your game.

And last, don’t let your luxury purchase sit in your closet. Use it, enjoy it, appreciate it. And maybe in the future, get it a “friend”. 🙂

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