Designer Luxury for Less Archives - Bargain Hunting Blonde

Matches is Going Out of Business: Here is What I Think You Should Buy

Posted on April 23, 2024April 23, 2024 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Sadly its another one bites the dust for Matches(f/k/a Matches Fashion) (and if you missed it Farfetch and Net-A-Porter are struggling as well). But, if your a savvy shopper, this can be a good time for you to score a deal on some great pieces! You need to make sure that you use the “OFFER30” for 30% off! (I originally bought my items at 25% off so the deal has gotten better but the longer the sale goes on the more things sell out.)

Also, since they are going out of business, you do have to pay for shipping and a restocking fee of $20 for returns.

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SAs to Know for the 2023 Fall/Winter Designer Sales

Posted on October 23, 2023November 1, 2023 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

As mentioned in my YouTube video (and as promised), here is the list of Sales Associates (SAs) for big US department stores. I have shopped with all the SAs listed below and recommend them. As I mentioned please follow the procedure they lay out for ordering with them and please do not waste their time!

Nordstrom

– Jesse James: https://instagram.com/designer.mens?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Anthony: https://instagram.com/nordstrom.designer?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Paul: https://instagram.com/shopdesignershoes?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Brian: https://instagram.com/shopdesignernordstrom?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Saks

– Kitty: https://instagram.com/kittyibarra?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Neiman Marcus

– Chase: https://instagram.com/cavinselects?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Jill: https://instagram.com/instylewithjill?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Robert: https://instagram.com/designer_everything?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg==

Bloomingdales

– Melina: https://instagram.com/bayarealuxuryshopperr?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

– Stacey: https://instagram.com/shopwithstacey?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Buying on eBay: Sellers I recommend

Posted on August 16, 2020August 16, 2020 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

*This is the second part to my eBay series. For tips and tricks please check out my last post.

The number one request I have gotten since revealing more of my handbag collection on Instagram is “where did you get that bag?” Inevitably once I say eBay people have many questions including what sellers I recommend. This is NOT a comprehensive list of every seller I have purchased from and just because a seller is NOT on the list does not mean that they are not reputable or a good seller. Most of the sellers you see below are Japanese resellers but I have also mixed in some of my favorite US-based resellers as well. As noted in my previous post, I highly recommend that (regardless of where you purchase) you should get the bag authenticated. I recommend Real Authentication. Use code “E0D81C3” for $5 off your first authentication.

brand_jfa– This Japanese reseller has been on eBay since 2012 and has a 99.4% positive feedback. As you can see in the picture above they have over 20,000 items listed for sale. To me all of these things are good things to see in a seller.
atlantis-tokyo– This Japanese reseller had more of a curated collection but you can still find some very unique pieces in excellent condition. They have been on eBay since 2010 and have 100% positive feedback!
brandoff- This Japanese resale company actually has a couple different brick and mortar stores in the APAC area. This eBay page is linked to their Tokyo store where they have been selling luxury goods since 1993. They have a great selection of both vintage and new pieces.
brandoff_hk– This is the Brandoff page based of their Hong Kong store. Same great service and reliability as the original Brandoff in Tokyo.
marqueluxury– This is a US-based reseller who is actually based in Irvine, CA. They normally just work in the wholesale business but through their eBay page they sell to everyone. They often have some really interesting, rare pieces so be sure to check them out.
rebagofficial– This is the eBay page for Rebag, a resale site like Fashionphile. They normally have similar stuff to what they have on their site but I always check both to see which has the best price. They are based in the US, with stores in CA and NY.

This post is not sponsored by eBay. I have previously worked with eBay. If you are interested in those posts, which contain even more information about buying luxury on eBay please check out these posts: post 1, post 2 and post 3.

All I Want for Christmas is Chanel

Posted on November 29, 2019November 29, 2019 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

🎶She’s making her list, she’s checking it twice 🎶 Somehow Christmas is less than a month away and December is right around the corner. So I decided to make a Christmas list- but for my present to myself!

I recently have really been into Chanel but with the price increase it makes buying in-store in the US basically impossible. (Or okay lets be real, I could save up but it would mean instead of getting like 5 bags I would only be able to get 1 and where is the fun in that?) The latest Chanel price increase raised bags about $100-$200 after the roughly $500 price increase last year. And even if the price hasn’t gotten to you yet trying to find the bag you want in stock can be really difficult. Plus really popular colors have insane prices on the resale market.

So where do I turn to find my Chanel under retail? eBay. They have a huge selection of both vintage and current season Chanel pieces on eBay. Plus most pieces are under retail which is a huge win in my book!

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Bargain.hunting.blonde’s Christmas List

Chanel Supermodel Tote– I think this would be the perfect work tote and I love that it’s leather. It has the cc turn lock on one side and a less obvious cc in matching leather on the backside. I have been try to find more leather tote after the horrible product that was my canvas Faure Le Page tote.
Chanel Urban Spirit Backpack Small– I am totally having a backpack moment. Thanks to my Louis Vuitton Palm Springs mini I am loving backpacks and I love the handle on this urban spirit backpack. I do think though I would need a bag organizer to stop the collapse of the quilted leather.
Chanel Coco Handle– I almost bought this bag when I was in Paris on my honeymoon and I am kinda wishing I did. I love the practicality of having a long strap (crossbody depending on the size) and a top handle. I am still undecided on size and color though so I will probably wait to pull the trigger.
Chanel XXL Flap– I am so in love with this bag. It’s huge, great for travel and yet so chic. Since I am 5’10” I don’t think it will dwarf me in the true classic xxl flap size (versus the small xxl flap size that’s newer). I also like the cc clasp version and not the xxl reissue version. Lastly, for such a big Chanel piece, the price on eBay isn’t bad. My saved searched sends me emails everyday I just haven’t found the perfect one!
Chanel Classic Flap– I have a lot of Chanel pieces but I don’t actually have a black medium double flap with gold hardware flap bag. I definitely want a vintage lambskin piece for both the savings and the gold plated hardware. But I also lately have been intrigued by the medium double flap in a jersey material because when Chanel first started releasing bags they were in jersey and not leather!

What bags are next in your wishlist?

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This post was kindly sponsored by eBay. All opinions are my own.

Finding the One that Got Away- Handbag Edition

Posted on October 21, 2019 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

Sometimes I overthink a bag purchase. Or other times its not the right time for such a big investment. Or I have even bought the bag to then return it thinking I didn’t like it. But all I know is that at the end of the day I wish I still had the bag in my collection. Whenever I try to locate the bag again in a boutique or a department store I am always met with the same “sorry it is sold out.”

So what is a handbag addict to do in this situation? Clearly giving up is not an option so I turn to the preloved market- specifically my favorite place to shop preloved eBay!

Why Shop For Handbags on eBay?

The variety! Whether you are looking for a brand new bag, a limited edition piece, or a vintage item it is likely that an eBay seller is going to have it!
The security! I know you are all probably thinking but wait this is eBay, it is not know for being a super safe place to buy luxury goods. My response to that would be that is so not true! Not only is eBay very buyer friendly with the ability to return a good if it is fake, they also have luxury pieces that are guaranteed authentic and are part of eBay authenticate. Already authenticated goods= no need to worry!
The savings! I mean let’s be real all of us luxury addicts know that we need to save money whenever possible- I mean the more money saved the more items you can buy right?

My Favorite Unique Pieces from eBay

I have been shopping eBay consistently for a couple of years and I have been able to find a lot of pieces that I missed out on. Some of my favorites include:

Louis Vuitton Totally GM in Damier Azure– This bag was discontinued by LV in 2016. At the time I was still a student and besides my one vintage LV speedy 25 I did not have any other high-end luxury bags so the price tag on the bag was shocking to me. I was lucky to get this bag for $648 in February of 2019.
Dior Saddle Bag (pictured above) – I loved the Dior saddle bag when it came out in the early 2000s but at that time I was in middle school and high school so my lifeguarding income definitely wasn’t enough for a new bag. Fast forward to 2018 when Dior re-released this bag. I still loved the bag but the sticker shock was intense, especially when months before you could get the bag preloved for a couple hundred dollars. After stalking my saved search for a Dior saddle bag I was able to find a brown and raffia version of the bag with vintage gold hardware. This bag was such a steal at $425.
Louis Vuitton Monceau- This bag is the vintage version of the very popular and very hard to get Pochette Metis. I was lucky enough to add the red epi leather Monceau for $612. That means I now have this bag in the monogram, epi noir, epi kenya fawn and epi red- clearly I love this bag!
Chanel Paris Edition Medium Flap– This beige lambskin flap bag is from the 80’s in amazing condition. The hardware is both silver and gold. I got this bag to remember my engagement in Paris since it is the Paris edition flap. I would never have been able to purchase this bag without eBay as I was not even born in the 80s! I purchased this bag from eBay for $1,100 in May of 2018.

Favorite Vintage Pieces

Favorite Hard to Find Pieces

So what is your handbag that got away?

Thank you to eBay for kindly sponsoring this post.

Buying Designer Goods Not During Sales But Cheaper Than Retail

Posted on June 21, 2019June 21, 2019 by bargain.hunting.blonde@gmail.com

All of us luxury addicts out there know that we should wait for a lot of luxury pieces to go on sale. Especially if the item is not a classic piece it will go on sale. But sometimes we cannot wait. We might “need” it for an event, or season, or just because we feel we do. So when that happens what is a fashionista to do? Below are the steps I take whenever I “need” an item I know will go on sale.

1- Check the Other Country’s Websites (especially the European ones)

Check out sites like MyTheresa, Luisaviaroma, FarFetch, Italist, Tessabit, Ssense, Matchesfashion, and Selfridges. Since a lot of these sites are based in Europe they often pass on their cheaper prices to you. A lot of these sites also do not require that you pay taxes and if you spend over a certain amount (aka most luxury goods) the shipping is free.

But of note-depending on where you live you will have to pay taxes ( I can tell you as a CA person I always have to pay tax if the company collect taxes). Plus if the item is over $800 you will likely have to pay import duties. With some of these sites the duties are already included in the good and with others the duties are included at check out much like tax.

2- Check Ebates and TopCashBack

One way to save money, albeit not at the time of purchase, is through cashback sites. My two personal favorites are Ebates (now referred to as Rakuten but still the same service) and TopCashBack. I have been using Ebates since December of 2016 and TopCashBack since April of 2018. The highest cash back I have ever seen was 15% and the lowest at 1%.

Out of the two I prefer TopCashBack because they pay out as soon as the purchase is confirmed and they are paid by the retailer so that means money is always rolling in. Ebates does this slightly differently and pays out for a couple months on a specific date. But ultimately both pay out so I normally go with the site that has the higher percentage.

Plus you can easily do tip 2 in combination with either 1 or 3.

3- “Wait” for a Sak’s or Neiman’s Promotions

neimans giftcard event

Both Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus run roughly monthly sales where you either get a discount if you spend so much or you get a gift card when you spend so much.

The discount when you spend so much if obviously going to impact how much you are spending at the time of sale but if often has heavy brand restrictions which can be beyond frustrating. (Think of basically anything you want to buy on sale and its probably excluded- sometimes you get lucky and Saint Laurent, Loewe and/or Chloe will not be excluded.) Also I noticed that the amount off (especially if it has a unique discount code) will vary based on person. So one person could spend $1,000 and get $100 off and another person could spend $1,000 and get $200 off.

My personal favorite is the gift card promotions. The gift card promotion often includes more brands and the gift card is like a normal department store gift card. That means the gift card can be used on any item in store including Gucci and Chanel which are often excluded from every promotion. I have seen gift card amounts range from $20-$500. Make sure if you are trying to use this promotion that you buy the items that qualify for the promotion AND put in the code.

Also with both of these sites make sure you are getting free shipping (especially on Saks). You often have to enter a specific discount code or log into shoprunner if you have that service.

And as always there is the preloved option especially if you are looking at handbags. Even if its not a handbag you can also check Tradesy, Poshmark, Mercari or Depop because you never know what people might be selling!