Have you ever wondered about the ins and outs of outlet shopping?  Is is really worth schlepping to the often remote suburbs and braving the crowds to see what’s in store?  In my professional opinion, the answer is a resounding yes!  But, buyer beware: not all outlets are created equal!

While most outlets are advertised as discount meccas, offering amazing prices on first quality goods that were once sold in their sibling stores, that isn’t always the case.  For example, Gap, Inc. (Banana Republic, Gap, and Old Navy) manufactures clothing and accessories specifically for their outlet locations, and the quality is often a tier below what you’d expect from their mainstream mall shops.  Nonetheless, there are still nice pieces within the mix if you shop selectively.  You can usually tell an outlet-only item from its sale price counterpart by examining the ticket.  A true value will have the original price and several layers of markdown stickers tracing its history, which is an exciting, tangible way to see your savings!

While shopping, don’t write off irregulars without closer inspection.  They are often some of the best deals around and don’t necessarily indicate sub-par goods (e.g. pants with one leg longer than the other).  Manufacturers often consider an item irregular simply because it isn’t identical to the rest of the lot (e.g. the color is one shade away from what the original design intended).

My recommendation is to focus your time on shopping the outlets for designer finds, be it at the line’s own store (i.e. Etro, Cole Haan, Burberry, BCBG Max Azria, etc.) and/or the departments stores’ savings sanctuaries that stock them (i.e. Off 5th (Saks), Last Call (Neiman Marcus), or Barney’s New York outlet stores). Outlets can be overwhelming, so make a day of it and go prepared with a plan of which stores to seek out.  If possible, choose a weekday, as weekends and holidays usually equate to long lines for the dressing rooms and registers.  Be sure to hit up the visitor’s center for coupon books that offer extra savings for little or no cost.

While there are a variety of outlets scattered throughout the United States and beyond, Chelsea Premium Outlets is a chain I’ve found offers clusters of high-end stores that won’t disappoint.  For example, Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, in Central Valley, New York, boast an incredible array of stores, from Chanel and Gucci to Diane Von Furstenberg and Theory.   See if there’s a Chelsea location in your area, scope out their website for upcoming special events and promotions, and get your bargain-shopping shoes ready!

Stay Stylish,

Ally