A while back, Sarah responded to a thread of mine with an interest in talking more about finding great values online. I thought I would share my approach and give an example of a recent score. Hopefully others will chime in with their own approaches :).

I have been shopping online at TheRealReal (TRR) for the last few years, and I really enjoy it. I never buy anything that isn't returnable (i.e., I avoid final sales) and I think carefully about how a new item will fit into my existing wardrobe. I love TRR because I have a passionate appreciation for unusual prints, luxurious fabrics, and certain designers, and there are amazing deals to be had!

Also, I love that they list the measurements of individual garments (except for knitwear, which is an irritating oversight, IMHO) so you can shop based on measurements rather than a particular size. For example, I have items from Dries Van Noten that range from a size XS to an XL, but they are all roughly the same dimensions and fit my large frame (I am 5'10"). They also share the condition, e.g., NWT (new with tags, excellent with no signs of wear, good, etc.) so you have a rough sense of what you are getting.

Based on my wardrobe needs and what I like, I tend to wear patterns on top and solids on the bottom. Also, I find that bottoms (esp pants) are harder to fit perfectly in comparison to loose tops and sweaters (my preferred fit). So, as a result, I mostly shop for tops, sweaters, jackets, and dresses on TRR, with an occasional foray into bottoms (e.g., Nili Lotan pants with a very loose cut and elasticized waist, so the fit is less fussy). I have also duplicated a pair of pants based on the size of a pair I already owned, which was a low risk strategy.

On TRR, they add new items every day at 10 am EST and 7 pm EST (US times). So usually in the morning, when I am waiting for my water to boil for my tea, I browse TRR. I look at particular designers that I especially like and browse everything new that's been added that day. And then I go to Women-->tops, then filter for size (M, L, XL), print, and newest (vs. older, best match, sold, etc.). My browsing takes about 5-10 minutes per day, so not very time consuming.

Here is an example of a recent top I bought for $60 (it was listed at $60, then offered at 20% off, which took it down to $48, then shipping is $11.95, so back up to ~$60, lol). The brand is Lafayette 148. The shirt is silk twill, with a really nice chevron texture and an interesting pattern that I liked. I am trying to add in some more earth tones, and this shirt has a cinnamon color plus olive green, and also some black, so it's very versatile for my wardrobe. It is a little longer than what I prefer, but lightweight silk is very drapey and semi-tucks nicely, so that was not a deal breaker for me. Plus I like the look of a longer top hanging down underneath a short sweater or jacket, so that option appealed to me too.

If you look at the Lafayette 148 website, their print silk button downs (all long-sleeved currently) are listed for $700. So $60 is a great value! And it was listed as excellent quality, and when it arrived, was flawless. My guess is someone wore it once or twice, then sold it to TRR.

Here are some examples of the mixing and matching options with this top. These are just some ideas--not exhaustive, for sure!--to show the versatility for my wardrobe and why it feels like a great value to me.

1) Shirt
2) Close-up of fabric
3) Cream sweater, cream utility pants, cognac boots
4) Cream sweater, cinnamon pants, black boots
5) Cream sweater, olive pants, black boots
6) Cream sweater, cinnamon cords, black boots
7) Cream sweater, black pleated pants, black boots
8) Cream sweater, murky blue knit midi skirt, black boots
9) Gray wool hoodie, cinnamon cords, black boots
10) Gray v-neck sweater, cinnamon cords, black boots
11) Gray v-neck sweater, charcoal wool pants, cognac boots
12) Cinnamon sweater, jeans, deep maroon boots
13) Murky blue sweater, jeans, cognac boots
14) Murky blue sweater, cream utility pants, cognac boots
15) Murky blue cardigan, jeans, cognac boots
16) Black sweater, black jeans, cognac boots
17) Black sweater, cream utility pants, cognac boots

I didn't mean to write a book, so if you've read this far, yay! And I would love to hear your tips and approaches to bargain hunting online!