Today I am changing it up a bit and sharing my favorite clothing sources. I love clothes but cannot justify spending on things that many of my favorite home design bloggers share such as the $250 sweater from Nordstrom or the $400 dress from some brand I have never heard of. While they are adorable, I can help you find amazing deals on designer clothes and still leave money in your pocket.
Assisted shopping is not my thing so if Nordstrom is your cup of tea, you should stop reading right now. I am also allergic to malls because I do not like large groups of people even pre-Covid (unless at sports events or concerts) and the idea of spending hours going from store to store for hours is far from my idea of a good time. With that in mind, my favorites clothing stores are Marshalls, ThreadUP, and Nordstrom Rack.
Marshalls
For over 20 years, my go-to resource for tops has been Marshalls. I love the hunt for something unique and Marshalls provides instant gratification and a quick pick me up for tomorrow’s wardrobe. I generally pick up tops in the $20 range and find cute sweaters in the $20-40 range. They also have amazing Reebok and Nike yoga pants for around $20 so definitely check out the activewear section.
Avoid the teen section as that clothing tends to be low quality closeout. Over time, you will get to know brands they assort and find your favorites. Plus, they have a great home décor (think Homegoods lite) and I generally end up with something fun for home as well. Just got the Cynthia Rowley and Catherine Malandrino shirts below for <$20 each and some Christmas décor that will show up here shortly. I will not be wearing these for a few weeks because it is still in the 70s in California – crazy for this Pacific NW gal.
ThreadUP
Since October 2017, ThreadUP (there is an app too) has been my favorite source. ThreadUP is the world’s largest thrift store and they carry your favorite brands at up to 90% off retail. They have both new with tags and lightly used clothing. Initially, I only purchased the new with tags but then saw how much cute stuff I was missing and dry cleaning is cheap. They have a hassle-free returns policy and only charge $1.99 per item to cover costs and do not charge for return shipping as long as you keep the money in your Thread Up account…yes, please.
The shopping experience is also amazing! You can easily filter on so many options; i.e. sleeve length, neck style, color, fabric, designer, pattern, etc. so it is very easy to narrow down to exactly what you are looking for. Most of the “used” stuff I have purchased has been like new and if not, I just send it back. The selection is crazy and I generally grab $15 shorts from brands such as Ann Taylor and Banana Republic and tops from named brands in the $15-40 range and you can find about any designer jeans you want starting at <$20 with a sweet spot at around $40. Below are some of my recent purchases.
Nordstrom Rack
I have also been known to hit up Nordstrom Rack, but over the years, they have increased their assortment of designer items that were $399 at Nordstrom and is now “only” $175 at Nordstrom Rack or cheaper times that run in the $40-50 price point that I can find better quality and assortment for around $20 at Marshall’s. Where Nordstrom Rack shines is jeans shopping as they have a huge assortment and they can be tricky to buy online. I still prefer ThreadUP for jeans because returns are so easy and the assortment is CRAZY good.
You still here…what are you doing, you should be on ThreadUP shopping by now. Let me know what you think or if you have other great resources for designer clothes at great prices.