Off the Rack Favorite: Bella Boutique

            For someone who has lived in Philadelphia for five years, I am not well versed in the institution that is South Street. I mean, it’s where Miley Cyrus went from sweet little Hannah Montana to the woman we are familiar with today. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Cryrus claims that Philadelphia is where she found her style.

“Have you ever been to South Street in Philly? That's where I got my first chain. Sixteen bucks – not real," she said.

Well, I wouldn’t say that I had a complete style makeover, but my shopping horizons were expanded after a trip to South Street. I came across Bella Boutique, a consignment store located at 527 South 4^th Street

            The store has been open for 15 years, the last 8 in its current location. The boutique offers a large inventory, from costume jewelry to high-end accessories, and everyday clothes to fur jackets. Bella’s shoe collection includes such brands as Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin. I even saw a Hermes “H” belt behind the counter that the boutique was selling for $150. This belt is regularly priced at $500!

Who can beat a deal like that?

            The sales people at Bella were extremely helpful and were more than glad to answer my questions. The boutique accepts consignment Monday through Saturday from 1pm-7pm, and on Sunday from 1pm-6pm. There is no minimum number of items required to sell. Marie, the sales associate, said the salespeople pick inventory based on how customers are shopping in “regular” retail stores, and “of course” on the basis of need. At this time, the boutique is going through a transition period. That means they are trying to get rid of winter clothes – such as heavy coats, to make room for spring items.

            After customers bring in their items to consign, they will approve the price before the clothes are put on the floor. When their items are sold, they will receive 40% of the selling price. The employees maintain that the store tends to get more of the higher-end items than any of the other consignment shops around the area. After looking around the boutique for close to an hour, I tend to agree. If the items given to the boutique do not sell after 40 days, then they are donated to thrift stores like Philly AIDS Thrift. Or, customers can choose to take them back.

Top Left and Right: gold chain bracelet with pink accent; Bottom Left and Right: gold swirl bracelet. (Alexandra Carlino, purchased at Bella Boutique)

            While I was in Bella Boutique I fell in love with the accessories section. The boutique carried unique pieces that I haven’t seen in stores. I ended up purchasing 2 bracelets. I intended to only buy one, but to make the $10 credit-card minimum I had to choose a second. While checking out, Marie showed me a full finger sterling silver ring with an intricate design for $12. I almost bought the ring but fought the urge. But can a girl really have too much jewelry? Maybe another trip is in my future. I was pleasantly surprised by my first foray into consignment store shopping. This boutique will be my first stop when I make my way back to South Street, and this time I will bring friends along. Bella Boutique is officially “Off the Rack” approved.

Starter Store: Greene Street Consignment

Greene Street consignment is housed in a lovely brick building that stands out from the rest of the small boutiques that line South Street. Located at 7th and South, Greene Street seemed neat and organized, which instantly drew me in. My limited experience in thrift and consignment stores had me prepared to look through unkempt piles. In reality, this store is neater than the local Express.

My adventure into Greene Street took place on a snowy day. Very few people risked the weather for a little shopping, but a few brave customers walked the aisles. I approached a woman who was looking through a circle rack and after a little small talk I asked if she came to this store often. Liz said that she was visiting her sister from Maryland and discovered the store on her last trip. She walked out with some good buys so she wanted to come back and see what else she could find. Liz’s last purchases were a faux fur shrug from Bebe for $45 - the regular price was over $100. She also purchased a Banana Republic sweater for $20, an item that was regularly priced at $65. I, myself, found a pair of Seven jeans for $40, a BCBG Generation tank-top for $12, and a Love Ady blazer for $23. The best piece of advice I was given is to look through everything. She didn’t have any merchandise with her but maybe she got lucky after I left.

Left: Google; Right: Yelp

Behind the front counter at Greene Street is where high-end designer items are kept. The top items the store were carrying were a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps and a pair of Gucci rain boots. The rain boots were being sold for $175. Normal retail price is $350. The jewelry was not anything special but it was well priced. Necklaces were priced at  $10 to $15 and the bracelets were no more than $10. If you need an everyday necklace or bracelet, you should look through the selection.

As opposed to other consignment stores, Greene Street requires you to bring in a minimum of 10 items to consign. The rest of its policy is similar to all other stores; the owner of the clothes will receive a 40% commission off the sale. All unsold items become Greene Streets property if they are not claimed at the end of the contract. Greene Street’s hours are Monday through Thursday 10:00am – 8:00pm, Friday and Saturday 10:00am – 9:00pm and Sunday 10:00am – 7:00pm.

If you are a first-time consigner, I think Greene Street is a great place to get your feet wet. Because it’s so well organized going through racks won’t be as tedious as other consignment stores. If you are on a tight budget and need everyday pieces to fill your wardrobe, then I recommend you stop by.

“Shopping is really complicated if you are a girl” -Helen Salter

Shopping for clothes is a tricky mix of finding pieces that you like and staying within your budget. Unfortunately for me, and probably for many of you out there, our tastes tend to run a little to expensive. When shopping, you come across pieces that are not worth the high price tag and others that are worth the splurge. Paychecks have been known to disappear on items still hanging untouched in my closet. As I grow older and finally understand the value of a dollar, I have limited myself to three items that are worth a little excess spending.

Jeans

Nothing makes an outfit look more put together than pants that fit your body. Yves Saint Laurent once remarked, “I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.”

Your outfits should show people how well you can dress, not have them wondering why you aren’t wearing pants that fit you. Jeans are a staple to any wardrobe and you wear them more than any shirt or jacket, so you want to make sure they can stand up to daily wear and tear. Cheap jeans never fit as well as expensive ones and they always end up ripping, which can have a negative effect on your self-esteem. I’m 22 years old and it’s taken me years to find my perfect jeans. Once I did, I hardly buy any other brand. American Eagle makes great jeans that fit me perfectly and for someone who is barely 5’3,” having a short length option is ideal. A long length option is available for those who find jeans can sometimes run short. My American Eagle jeans cost, on average, $50. You do not have to spend $200 to find a good pair, but anything less than $30 can be questionable. Buy your own pair of AE jeans here.

Right: AE Jeans, Left: Red Engine Skinny Jeans (Pinterest)

Blazers

As a senior in college my everyday clothes are leaning more toward blazers and pencil skirts than yoga pants and t-shirts, so I’ve been slowly building up my professional clothes. An ill-fitting blazer will not only ruin an outfit but it can skew your body shape. I went to H&M looking for an affordable beige or blue blazer and walked out a little disillusioned. The blazers made me look bulky and the fit was all wrong, completely different than the one black blazer I have had since my first co-op interview. Instead of trying another lower-end retailer I went to the department store, Lord & Taylor, and my experience completely changed. These blazers were made better and fit my body shape instead of hiding it. The way some items are made matters and there is no room to cut corners. Don’t try to save your money on blazers because, like jeans, they can be worn many times without people noticing you’ve been wearing it for a week. Stores like AnnTaylor Loft and Banana Republic are great stores to try for blazers and other professional clothes.

Right: Colorful blazers (Pinterest), Left: Topshop blazer (Pinterest)

Little Black Dress

The LBD has been a fashion must have for every woman in the world since Coco Chanel published a picture of one in the pages of Vogue in 1926. Like the other two items on this list, the LBD is a necessity. There isn’t an occasion in the world where this item wouldn’t come in handy. For that reason your LBD shouldn’t be poorly made, nor fit you improperly. You want the dress to flatter your shape and make you feel beautiful while wearing it. To achieve this look, you will have to spend some money. A woman only needs one little black dress so think of this purchase as an investment in your fashion future. You can find a LBD in any retail or department store of your choosing. The prices can range from as little as $20 to as much as $500. I would not say that there is a certain price that every woman must pay when buying an LBD, my advice is to find one you love and go from there. If you love the dress, then you’re ready to make the investment.

Right: Victoria Beckham in a LBD (Pinterest), Left: Olivia Palermo in a LBD and blazer (Pinterest)     

Use these items as a guideline to your own splurge list but try to keep it short. Make sure you are getting your money’s worth out of every garment that you purchase, otherwise what’s the point? Remember that a good shopper is a smart shopper.

“Luxury is in each detail” -Hubert de Givenchy

Celebrity fashion has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, following red carpet fashion and who wore it best. The problem with coveting celebrity fashion is that Oscar de la Renta will never call and beg to design me a dress. Ever since Kate Middleton became the Duchess of Cambridge she has wowed and enthralled many people. I’m starting to believe this woman could wear a paper bag and no one would ever judge her for it. Everything she wears is usually one of a kind or too expensive to even think about. Recently, Kate showed up to the “Mandela” premiere last month wearing a Roland Mouret gown and a $35 Zara necklace. Yes, you read that right. Within hours of the photo being posted, the necklace sold out online and in most of its retail stores. I may be a little late to the party, but Kate Middleton just became my new favorite person.

Here is a woman who literally has priceless jewels at the snap of her perfectly manicured finger and she chose a Zara necklace to finish off her look. A+ for style ingenuity. With one simple choice, she made her adoring fashion fans realize that you don’t need a lot of money to look great. That beautiful white gown paired with a cheap necklace had the same effect as if she were actually wearing diamonds. Her well-chosen accessory has given hope to the women out there who don’t have thousands to just spend on clothes.

Kate Middleton wearing $35 Zara necklace (Pinterest)

Now picture you are out shopping and find a perfect LBD (Little Black Dress). The dress is more expensive than what you usually spend on clothes, but it’s well made and it will literally never go out of style. So you buy it. People are under the impression that you have to pair expensive with expensive and cheap with cheap but that doesn’t have to be the case. Your LBD can be worn with a $30 faux fur jacket and a $10 necklace and few would know any different. The key is to find the perfect balance between mixing high-end retail with lower-end retail.

Every woman has a few items in her wardrobe that she has spent money on and may not know what to pair them with. Well, take that piece of clothing and pair it with some costume jewelry. Bib necklaces are very fashionable right now. You can stock up at your local Forever 21. Also try Rings & Tings, a great new website that sells accessories at great prices. A good quality scarf can make any “cheap” outfit increase in value.

The possibilities are endless.

Don’t be afraid to get creative.

“Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness, simply didn’t know where to go shopping” -Bo Derek

            Flash sale sites like RueLaLa, MyHabit, and HauteLook have been steadily gaining popularity in the past few years. If you are not familiar with such sites, they are online retailers that allow members to shop top designers at sale prices but the sale only lasts for a few hours. So either buy big or go home because it’s a rat race to the checkout button.
            I regularly get emails from all three of these websites and have been tempted to make a purchase, but impulse fashion decisions are not my style. I like to shop around to make sure I am getting the best deal. The worst thing is buying something and then seeing the price go down even more the next day. What these websites fail to remind us fashion-hungry customers is that there are also pricy shipping costs. Not to mention that MyHabit only offers store credit for returned items.

Instead of religiously checking your inbox for sales that last mere hours or until the stock runs out, I have found three websites that are much better at finding online discounts. The first is ShopStyle.com. Unlike RueLaLa or HauteLook, this is a fashion search engine. You can type in any brand or specific product that you are looking for and it will give you options from a variety of sites with prices. ShopStyle even shows you the items that offer free shipping or free returns. An option is even offered to track items you like so there is no pressure to buy instantly. I often feel overwhelmed by online shopping because so many more options are available than when shopping in a store. So by being able to type in exactly what I am looking for I feel more in control of my shopping experience. 

Right:eBags, Center:InvisibleHand, Left:ShopStyle (Google)

My next secret weapon is not so much a website as a browser add-on. InvisibleHand is a tool that monitors items you are shopping for; it doesn’t have to be fashion, but it includes flights, hotels, and technology. A notification bar appears when the item you are looking at is available for a lower price on another website. The prices appear from highest to lowest. Rather than opening up different tabs with multiple stores searching for the best price, InvisibleHand does all the hard work for you.

The last website, eBags, is for purse enthusiasts. Unlike clothes, I think it is much harder to find discounted bags out there. This website has the same brands as the flash sale sites and sometimes sells them at lower prices. As I look at the website, my InvisibleHand is alerting me to a sale it is having. Most of their designer bags have free shipping. Discount shopping should be considered its own sport. I think I do less research for some of my classes than I do trying to find a deal on a Free People dress. Can someone say Summer Olympics 2016? Find the website that works best with your needs and use it. Now you can shop ‘til you drop, without dropping too much money.

“Elegance is refusal” -Coco Chanel

As a lover of fashion for most of my life, I had this fantasy that when I became an “adult,” my walk-in closet, which all adults obviously have, would be filled with the designer duds I salivated over in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The price of these items never once crossed my naive little mind, and unfortunately for me, my parents just laughed and never set me straight about my somewhat unrealistic expectations. Reality hit me hard when I realized one cannot click her heels three times and magically find herself with Louboutins on her feet and a Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress on her body – real life isn’t that kind. 

Luckily for me, or not so lucky for me (depends at which age you were to ask me this question), my mother is a fantastic bargain shopper. And I don’t mean those extreme couponing people you see on TV, but a woman who can smell a department store sale a mile away and pay less for a complete outfit than I have been known to pay for a single item. As a child I hated her “never pay retail” mantra but as a money-conscious college student, I began to see her side. I can still wear my favorite designers, but I don’t have to sell my kidney to do so.

Now that I am in college, it’s hard not to see the pull of fast fashion. Forever 21 and H&M, etc. will get you trendy clothes and you usually pay next to nothing for them. You spend $50 at Forever 21 and you’re walking away with at least four different outfit combos, as opposed to going to Nordstrom and trying to spend $50. You could probably get a pair of socks. But with fast fashion, you get what you pay for. That $17 dress may look like the one you saw in a magazine but it probably won’t last the entire year and then you’ll need to buy another dress to replace it.

Right: Dakota blouse ($22, Reg: $69)L&T Jeans ($50, Reg:$80) Center: TwoFace jumper ($30, Reg:$79)

 Left: Urban shirt ($20, Reg:$40) AE Jeans($25.99, Reg:$49) (Alexandra Carlino)

Now let’s say out of the million junk emails you get everyday, you see one from Nordstrom that’s offering you a 15% coupon off sale and clearance items. You take your coupon to the store, or you shop online, and after some browsing, you find a Free People jacket that you had admired, but couldn’t afford. The original price was $200 and you end up paying less than $100. They’re practically giving away the clothes. That jacket will probably last longer than a year and will be able to stand the wear and tear of everyday use, as opposed to a jacket you picked up at H&M. You may have paid more for that jacket than you would have at another store, but the point is to buy less of high-end merchandise than more low-end merchandise. 

I constantly keep my eye out for emails from my favorite stores and when I see a good deal, I don’t hesitate to try to use it. When people think of bargain shopping they tend to think of a $5.99-and-under bin at the local Wal-Mart, but that is just not the case. There is no better feeling than buying something on sale. Most of my conversations usually start with, “You’ll never guess how much I paid for this. No really, guess.” Paying retail is overrated; you can build a fabulous wardrobe without breaking the bank. John Maeda, a famous artist, once said, “If you’re going to have less things, they have to be great things.”