Fashion Advice: Budget Wedding Dresses

May 13, 2009 12:00 PM | Comments (3) | Posted in bridal fashion, budget wedding dress, fashion advice, ebay, vera wang, filene's_basement, last call neiman marcus, Vera Wang

Dear Budget Fashionista,

I am wondering if you have any advice on finding a couture wedding gown on consignment/resale or at an otherwise great price. I refuse to believe that I have to pay $3,000 for a fab gown.

Answer: Here’s some places to definitely check out—

• Last Call Neiman Marcus. LC Neiman Marcus often carries a selection of gowns from major designers like Vera Wang, Reem Acra, etc. for a fraction of the cost. A friend got a Vera Wang wedding dress for $450. Now to find these dresses you have to hunt a bit—but they’re usually located in or near the women’s fitting rooms.
• Filene’s Basement. They have an annual bridal gown sale that is one of the most hotly anticipated wedding-related events of the shopping season. You’ll find deals from major bridal designers (although most things are a size 10 and below). Head to www.filenesbasement.com for locations and dates for the event.
• eBay. I know it sounds crazy, but you can find great high end wedding dresses online at eBay.com. Just do a search for Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, etc and see what comes up. Many are brand and are being sold by women who weren’t able to use them for some reason (left at the altar?).

Five Fashion Brands you Should NEVER EVER Pay Full Price For!

August 15, 2008 04:00 PM | Comments (4) | Posted in fashion advice, tj_maxx, macys, filene's_basement, bloomingdale's, nine_west, calvin klein, jones_new_york, rock_and_republic, paige_premium_denim

We prefer not to pay full price if at all possible, but there are some brands that you should never ever pay full price for—because you don’t have to. Here are five:
1. Jones New York. JNY tends to go on sale faster than other mid-range women’s career wear. I suspect, although it’s not confirmed, that it’s because they produce a lot of volume and the fact that stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, where the line tends to be sold, aren’t buying as much stock as before due to customers reducing their spending.
2. Nine West. DO NOT EVER, EVER pay full price or even sale price for this line without first checking out your local Filene’s Basement. You can often find the same styles that are currently full price in department stores for 40-50% less at your Filene’s basement.
3. Rock and Republic, Hudson, and Paige Premium Denim. All of these overpriced jeans lines can be found at your local Filene’s Basement, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls for more than 50% off, sometimes even less.
4. Calvin Klein (bridge line). For some reason Calvin’s bridge line, both plus and misses, is always on sale. In the case of department stores, wait 3 to 4 weeks and you can find the line on sale at your local Macy’s for 30 to 40% off retail. If you’re plus size, you’re in even more luck as the line struggles to be a success and you can find discounts of up to 60% off.
5. INC We like the INC line at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. We really like the line. But there’s no way we’re going to pay $99.00 for a pair of pants from the line, especially when we can find it for 50% off (plus a 20% off Macy’s coupon, holla!) if we just wait 2 to 3 weeks.

Pictured: Don’t pay full price for this Nine West Swirl Ribbon Dress ($134) until you’ve checked out Filene’s Basement . . .

Do you have other fashion brands you regularly find for well under full price? Tell us more on the TBF forum.

Five Fashion Brands You Should NEVER EVER Pay Full Price For!

August 15, 2008 04:00 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in fashion advice, macys, filene's_basement, bloomingdale's, nine_west, calvin klein, jones_new_york, inc, brand_names

We prefer not to pay full price if at all possible, but there are some brands that you should never ever pay full price for—because you don’t have to. Here are five:
1. Jones New York. JNY tends to go on sale faster than other mid-range women’s career wear. I suspect, although it’s not confirmed, that it’s because they produce a lot of volume and the fact that stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, where the line tends to be sold, aren’t buying as much stock as before due to customers reducing their spending.
2. Nine West. DO NOT EVER, EVER pay full price or even sale price for this line without first checking out your local Filene’s Basement. You can often find the same styles that are currently full price in department stores for 40-50% less at your Filene’s basement.
3. Rock and Republic, Hudson, and Paige Premium Denim. All of these overpriced jeans lines can be found at your local Filene’s Basement, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls for more than 50% off, sometimes even less.
4. Calvin Klein (bridge line). For some reason Calvin’s bridge line, both plus and misses, is always on sale. In the case of department stores, wait 3 to 4 weeks and you can find the line on sale at your local Macy’s for 30 to 40% off retail. If you’re plus size, you’re in even more luck as the line struggles to be a success and you can find discounts of up to 60% off.
5. INC We like the INC line at Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. We really like the line. But there’s no way we’re going to pay $99.00 for a pair of pants from the line, especially when we can find it for 50% off (plus a 20% off Macy’s coupon, holla!) if we just wait 2 to 3 weeks.

Pictured: Don’t pay full price for this Nine West Swirl Ribbon Dress ($134) until you’ve checked out Filene’s Basement . . .

Filene’s Basement Coupon: 20% Off

March 23, 2006 07:14 AM | | Posted in sale, filene's_basement

THIS COUPON IS EXPIRED. FOR CURRENT COUPONS AND DEALS, PLEASE VISIT TBF’S ONLINE COUPON PAGE.

Get 20% off of one item March 23-27th at your local Filene’s Basement. Just click on the coupon and print it out. (Thanks M&M for the tip!)

Budget Shopping Tips for Men: Looking Great for Less

March 14, 2006 08:44 AM | Comments (1) | Posted in old_navy, fashion advice, tj_maxx, menswear, filene's_basement, nordstrom_rack, marshall's, style.com, loehmann's

Men. The final budget shopping frontier.

Most men have no idea how to shop, yet alone budget shop for less. Men have been taught that they can’t be both frugal and stylish at the same time and their choices have been limited to either a pair of $5 Wranglers from K-Mart or a $2,000 jacket from Hugo Boss.
So what’s a frugal, fashionable fella to do? Stores like Target, Loehmann’s, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, and Marshall’s, offer fashionable men plenty of options without breaking the bank, you just need to know what and how to buy items from these stores.  In an effort to provide a little guidance to my lost budget shopping brothers, here’s ten quick budget shopping tips for men:

Target.com

• Fit is King.  Focus on finding garments that fit your body, not just your budget. Avoid high water pants (guys—your pants should break/fold about mid-foot), shirt/jackets that swamp your body, and shirts with sleeves that are either too long or too short (below your wrist joint).


• Bring a Friend. A second eye can be a fashion lifesaver.


• Know Your Designers. Head to style.com, Vogue’s website, and browse their listing of the world’s top designers, so you can recognize a designer brand when you see it. Additionally, “expensive” looking shirt tags may indicate that an item is a designer piece.


• Dress Monochromatically. Wearing one color like black from head to toe is an easy way to dress in style and it’s also very slimming.


• Quality Over Price. Cheap clothes look cheap. Focus on finding quality garments for less. If a garment has patterns check to make sure they’re matched up through out the garment, look for lining in slacks and jackets, make sure the fabric feels good against your skin, and look for natural fabrics like wool/gabardine, cotton.


• Add a Higher-End Accessory. Adding a higher end accessory from a major designer is a surefire way to up the ante on any outfit, especially if the accessory has a visible logo. Wearing a Gucci belt with your Dockers will instantly make the Dockers look more expensive or adding a high-end watch with your Old Navy shirt will make the short look like it’s hot off the racks of your Saks Fifth Avenue. For men, adding a great pair of shoes from designer brands like Kenneth Cole or Cole Haan, that are ALWAYS shined, is another great way to increase the style quotient of your wardrobe. Find these shoes on sale at your Nordstrom Rack, Filene’s Basement or, yes, TJ Maxx.


• Technology as an Accessory. After paying $200+ bucks for the latest gadget, why not get extra use out of your iPod, blackberry, as a fashion accessory.


• Don’t be a Walking Billboard. Avoid clothing with the brand name advertised largely across your chest.
• Always Buy a Complete Outfit. Buying the complete outfit will save you both time and money. Go a step further and hang the complete outfit together in your closet.


• and if all else fails—Bet on Black. Black looks instantly more expensive than other colors like brown and light blue.

Filene’s Basement Private Designer Shopping Event

March 12, 2006 08:23 PM | Comments (0) | Posted in sale, new_york_city, filene's_basement

From secret shopping informant M&M—

On March 14th from 6-10 pm, The Filene’s Basements in Union Square (above DSW) and on 2222 Broadway (Upper West Side) are both having private (well, not now) shopping events featuring major designer fashions at big discounts.  I’m not quite sure if it’s nationwide, so shoppers outside of NYC check with your local stores. According to M&M, light refreshments will be served, which is enough to get me through the door.