So many stores, so little time… We all have our favorite stores that we shop at and we tend to be loyal to those stores. After reading this blog I hope you try a new store or one you haven’t been to in a while. My favorite stores have changed over the years. In the 80s and 90s The Limited, Express, and Gap were probably my favorites. I even worked at The Limited in high school. I remember putting the leather bomber jacket on hold while I worked to pay for it; that was one piece I couldn’t wait to wear!
Shopping on a budget:
H & M, Filene’s Basement, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls all have very reasonably priced fashionable clothes. I am going to talk about H & M first because their inventory is different from TJ Maxx and Marshalls. H & M has only their brand of clothing and accessories. They do have stylish clothes but if you are looking for a “name brand” H & M isn’t where you should shop. I have bought some cool pieces at H & M; some have lasted longer than others. It can be frustrating to shop there. Sometimes the lines to the dressing room and cashier are really long.
TJ Maxx and Marshalls do have the name brands for less. You can find the latest trends as well as classic pieces. Both stores display the trends in a way that makes them easy to find. To shop for other pieces you need to give yourself some time. I have bought some really great clothing from these stores after looking through a rack or two of clothes. You can go into these stores for a quick purchase of one or two fun pieces. They have nice pieces at the front of the stores. Check out both websites to get an idea of what you can find. http://www.marshallsonline.com/ and http://www.tjmaxx.com/ On the TJ Maxx site check out the Maxx find tab where shoppers post pictures of the great pieces they found. You can sign up for emails from both places. Also, if you are on Twitter follow TJMaxx you will receive tweets about some great TJ Maxx purchases.
Filene’s basement also has brand names for less. If you sign up for emails, they will send you coupons and information about sales. I find when shopping at Filene’s it is hit or miss for me. Sometimes I find several pieces and sometimes I don’t find anything interesting. Also, Filene’s has a limited number of stores in the United States. http://www.filenesbasement.com/
Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, The Gap, JCrew, and Express all have great sales and you can sign up to receive email coupons. These stores have great basic pieces like button down shirts, pants, and sweaters. They do have some trendy items as well.
Department Stores:
Macy’s and Lord and Taylor tend to have a lot of sales and coupons. Sign up for emails from them and you will always know a good time to shop. I like the Michael Michael Kors brand that both stores carry. They also have DKNY, Jones New York, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Ann Klein. So you can find some brands for less. Lord and Taylor has some brands that Macy’s does not have like BCBG, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, and Oscar De La Renta to name a few. Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Neiman Marcus have more upscale, expensive items. All of these stores have sales but even items on sale can be on the expensive side. If you are saving money for a special item shopping during a sale is a good idea. Nordstrom has a pre-season sale where you can find some trendy items. I purchased a leather jacket one year during this sale.
Links to the department stores: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/ http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/ http://www.macys.com/ http://www.lordandtaylor.com/ http://shop.nordstrom.com/ http://www.bloomingdales.com/
Lifestyle of a Fashionista 