Affordable Fashion

Everybody wants to look good and fashionable. For most, this means watching the designer's up and coming collections for what is in style. Unfortunately, most ordinary people are limited to the chain boutiques and department stores. But you can get affordable fashion for less money IF you know where, and when, to look.

Every year, the industry's biggest designers come up with a new line of clothing. These lines are showcased at fashion shows in major cities like Los Angeles or New York. Well that's all great and good but the ordinary person (you or me) can't even get in the door at those fashion shows. Even if we could, we wouldn't be able to afford the designer price tags!

So what happens is boutiques and fashion stores across the country buy lots of the new line items. Sometimes they purchase too much and end up with a surplus at the end of the season.

What do you think these stores do with the surplus goods?

Answer: They sell them at a deeply discounted price to retail outlets or to online inventory liquidators.

In either case, the shopper ends up with a piece of high fashion at a retail store price. That can be a significant saving.

Where to look

Final stop stores as well as retail outlets in some cases. Some retail outlets have celebrities with their own line of clothing. For instance, Topshop has a line of Kate Moss clothing.

Don't rule out the second hand stores either! These places can have new items on the rack at any time.

When to look

The best time to buy winter clothes is in the summer. The idea is to shop for your seasonal clothing or items out of season or at the end of each of the seasons. For example, it is common to find winter coats at a deep discount in March each year.

Remember to shop out of the season you are in at the moment. The savings can be fantastic and you may be pleasantly surprised at what you can find available.

Adding to the possibilities is the advent of shopping online, which has its own sets of advantages. You can find deals on designer fashions that are only available online. There are no lines to contend with, cash to carry around (or lose!), no "stock outs" to deal with, no driving miles to the next store just to be disappointed and no parking problems, not to mention the fuel money savings.

Plus, you can shop online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year from the comfort of your home. Imagine trying to walk through those big superstores in your near!

The main point of the whole thing is this: You can get great deals on BIG fashion by being smart and watching the calendar. If you visit the store, know when to go, what you are going for and where you can find it for the lowest price. If you shop online, the sky is the limit!