Tricks and Tips for Budget Shopping like a Model or Celebrity

During my teenage years the answer to the question “What is your favorite store” was of supreme importance. (It was THE question!) Even I, who tried valiantly not to answer to the ‘trends’ or ‘popularity contests’ made an effort to pick an answer that would somehow encapsulate and show my entire personality by uttering just one store name. The pressure was ON!

Self-conscious by nature, it had to be a store that was well-known, and known for having good clothing. I usually said Express or The Gap, which was very popular back then. (Today, even with cute commercials The Gap is not as popular as it was in the late 90’s, or am I wrong?)

I love her style! Lily Aldrin on How I Met Your Mother

Well, my style has changed so my answer would naturally be different these days. But more than that, I feel like I can be more honest. Even if I liked Express back then, it was too expensive for me to really shop there with any regularity! (These days I’m not such a fan of that store.) So when I said that store as my answer, it was just to prove something.

If, today, I had to list my favorite stores in order, these are them: 1) Marshalls, 2) H&M, 3) World Market, 4) Sephora, 5) Target, 6) Etsy.com shops, and local art galleries for handmade jewelry and lotions.

The thing about these stores is that depending on what you’re buying you really won’t be spending a ton on just one item (I’m so not a fan of expensive bags with prominent logos a la Coach, D&G, Fendi…And most of us can only afford the knock-offs, so why bother?), plus most sell more than just one kind of thing which saves time and lets you do comparison shopping very fast.

If you have an H&M near you, it’s great to buy basic, cheap staples to include for accessories. I mix that in with more unique (often vintage) items. I also mix my favorite more expensive beauty items from Sephora in with cheaper L’Oreal stuff from Target.

For clothing, I tend to shop different places because the worst thing is to be a walking ad for a store. You may think you’ll be lookin’ cool if you’re dressed head-to-toe in one label, but you’d be wrong. I think it’s fun to buy a T-shirt from Urban Outfitters, then wear an inexpensive hoodie from Macy’s over it. You do not need a plain brown hoodie from Urban Outfitters which will cost you three times as the same nondescript one at Macy’s – trust me.

A more...interesting style choice!

Marshalls wins its way to the top of my list because it has so many different brands, and types of items. When I want to change my room around (an obsession I have!) I look at Marshalls and World Market. But for clothes, especially- Marshalls has amazing deals.

Recently I got a fluffy cardigan from Marshalls for $30.00 which was originally $69.00. The best part is that there is no stigma of ‘it’s not cool and that’s why it’s on sale/here’ because Marshalls is the type of place that buys overstocked items form great stores, and probably a lot of Wholesale Clothing items.

Details make the difference. Which is one of the reasons I like my details (jewelry, scarves, hairclips) to be unusual, vintage, or one-of-a-kind. Etsy.com has plenty of shops that focus on amazing jewelry. Vintage places often have handbags that are still in good shape and you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll soon remember why you thought shopping was so fun! (Always shop for fun wallets!)

So if you have a teen, or if in general you wish you could have ‘cool clothing like so and so on that TV show’ – remember to mix new and old, expensive and cheap, and make use of your details! Now…if only Anthropologie would have a store-wide sale!

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