FabSugar

The Real Real Is the Real Deal in Designer Consignment Shopping

Chi Diem Chau — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:50:54 PDT

We've all done our fair share of scrounging around vintage and consignment boutiques in hopes of finding a great designer deal, but we all know how hard that can be. Now, what if we told you we found a shop where you can buy some amazing vintage and past-season designer shoes, clothing, and bags - from the likes of Celine, Dolce & Gabbana, and Thakoon to name a few - all online. Amazing, yes? That's where newly conceived online designer consignment shop The Real Real comes into play. Not only did we check out and shop the site ourselves (one of our editors scored on an amazing pair of Chanel shoes for $145!), we spoke with one of its founders, Marcy Carmack, to learn more:

FabSugar: How do you determine authenticity with the items you receive?
Marcy Carmack: We rely on a team of experts across the US including former executives in all top fashion houses.

FS: How many new items do you receive on a weekly basis?
MC: It just depends, we got 500 pieces in one day from a celebrity. That is not an everyday occurrence, yet!

FS: Your site sells past season and vintage items, what are some timeless designer pieces every girl should invest in?
MC: Chanel, Louis Vuitton luggage, Hermés handbags, and quality costume jewelry. Good design is not just this season but there is good design every year.

Now that you have the down low, check out our top ten designer picks from today's curated selections then sign up (it's free) to be a member and start shopping!

Consignment: Buy or Sell?

SavvySugar — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:00:30 PST

I decided to get an early head start on Spring cleaning and get to work with a little housekeeping post holidays. For starters, I went through my whole closet, tackling years of unworn, forgotten clothing - prom dresses included, yikes! After cataloging the goods, I realized that there was some pretty decent loot there, regardless of whether it still fit me or not. My next step is to head to the closest consignment store to unload the goods and hopefully score a small sum. It's a chance to make a little money back, especially in the case of any designer pieces I can no longer wear.

But recently I've noticed a trend among my friends - tons of them are hitting the consignment shops to load up on discounted, designer finds. It's a thrifty way to get some great pieces. Still, when I'm on a run to consignment, I'm hoping to make money, not spend it, even if it is at a smaller cost. What about you? Are you a consignment buyer or seller?

Turn Your Ex-Covets Into Covets

FabSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:08 PDT

Who here has a side job as a consigner? I've been working this gig for years - sadly, I'm not at a place where I end up loving all my purchases years later. If you're like me (shopaholic), you may find extra work with CovetShop. Their selection is pretty impressive: Chanel bags, Miu Miu pumps, Moschino booties, DVF dresses, the YSL Mombasa Horn Handbag. The prices? Solid. And you guessed it: you can hook up with the e-tailer and put your ex-coveted items up for sale.

Baby Bump: Bargain Maternity Clothes

babysugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:00:44 PDT

Not interested in spending a wad of money on maternity clothes that will only fit you for a few months?

Smarty pants are turning to Belly Bundles to pick out a few bumpalicious items to carry them through those "bigger" months. The on–line consignment boutique offers dresses, jeans, tops and swimsuits that are in good condition.

If you don't have a friend who can get some wear and tear out of your stretchy jeans and you just can't stomach to look at them again, try to make a buck with Belly Bundles by shipping them your goodies. When they sell, you'll get 50 percent of the sale price!

Fab Site: ChristabellesCloset.com

FabSugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 06:00:22 PDT

Are your designer duds not finding a comfy home on eBay? If not, Christabelle's Closet may be the humble abode for you, or better yet, your clothes. This full service luxury consignment e-boutique is the best way to get rid of high-end items without having to carry them in bags to a consignment store. Don't feel bad if you've got nothing to sell because you can always buy! Choose from bags, shoes, dresses, outerwear and more. You'll even find baby items for your little one and menswear for your hubby or boyfriend. But remember, all sales are final so shop carefully!

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 PST

Who Are Madonna's "Old School" Beauty Icons?

FabSugar — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:46 PDT

What to TiVo: Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:59:52 PDT

8:00 Last Man Standing (new)
8:30 Cougar Town (new)
9:00 Dancing With the Stars (new)
10:00 Private Practice (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 JImmy Kimmel Live (new, with guest John Cusack)

8:00 NCIS (repeat)
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat)
10:00 Unforgettable (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (new, with guest Amy Poehler)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (repeat, with guest Carson Kressley)

8:00 Glee (new)
9:00 New Girl (new)
9:30 New Girl (repeat)

8:00 The Biggest Loser (new)
9:00 The Voice (new)
10:00 Fashion Star (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (new, with guest Jack Black)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (new, with guest President Barack Obama)

8:00 90210 (new)
9:00 The L.A. Complex (new, series premiere)

9 Easy Tricks to Maximize Your Wardrobe

LearnVest — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:15:31 PDT

Despite what you think, you actually don't need more clothes. The trick is to just maximize your wardrobe. LearnVest shares how.

Whether you live for shopping the latest trends or wish you could spend every day in your favorite pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, your clothes project a message about who you are.

The great thing is that you have the power to control that message entirely - as long as what you already own isn’t standing in your way.

From having a wardrobe that’s bursting with every item of clothing you’ve had since childhood to owning a ton of pieces that you never wear (the definition of wasted money), these are the ways your closet can stop you from being the most stylish version of yourself.

To cut through the clutter and help you get the most from the items you already have, we polled everyone we know - including all of the LearnVest editors, who are definitely invested in looking their best on a budget, and one fashion expert - to come up with nine easy, inventive ways for you to make over the closet you have without spending a ton on new trends.

At least one of these strategies will dramatically change the way you feel about getting dressed in the morning.

1. Follow the Rainbow

This strategy comes courtesy of LearnVest reader Erin Greenbaum, who has used this technique for years with great success. Every day for a week, make sure that your ensemble includes an item of a certain color: week one is red, two is orange, three is yellow, etc. This will encourage you to search through your closet and actually wear the pieces that have been languishing, unloved, underneath your go-to items.

2. First In, Last Out

In her new book, You Are What You Wear, Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner says that the majority of people wear 20 percent of their closet 80 percent of the time. There are variations on this “first in, last out” wardrobe strategy, which prevent you from wearing a few pieces nonstop.

Instead of wearing the same small percentage of your closet every week, do what Assistant Editor Alden Wicker does: after wearing an outfit, she hangs it in the most remote corner of her closet, which forces her to see only pieces she hasn’t worn frequently. If she’s totally uninspired by a piece staring her right in the face, she has to decide whether to consign it or not. Another approach (which might be better if you like to organize by item type - dresses near dresses, shirts near shirts) is to hang each item inside out after you wear it (assuming you don’t have to wash it immediately). This way, you can easily see which pieces you’ve recently worn and which items you may have forgotten about.

Read on for more.

What to TiVo: Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:59:00 PDT

8:00 Last Man Standing (new)
8:30 Cougar Town (new)
9:00 Dancing With the Stars (new)
10:00 Private Practice (new)
11:35 Nightline (new)
12:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live (new, with guest Mark Harmon)

8:00 NCIS (new)
9:00 NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat)
10:00 Unforgettable (repeat)
11:35 Late Show With David Letterman (repeat, with guest Michelle Obama)
12:37 The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (new, with guests Kevin Kline and Alice Eve)

8:00 Glee (new)
9:00 New Girl (new)
9:30 Raising Hope (new)

8:00 The Biggest Loser (new)
9:00 The Voice (new)
10:00 Fashion Star (new)
11:34 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (repeat, with guest Christina Aguilera)
12:37 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (repeat, with guests Shaquille O'Neal and Lily Collins)

8:00 90210 (repeat)
9:00 Ringer (new)