My Favorite Luxury Buys (& How to Score Them For Less)

I’ve decided for the millionth time (and hope to stick to it) that I’d rather spend more on fewer, quality items and not shop so much on a whim (I’m still a work in progress.) Anyways, here are a few luxury items I might splurge on and where and when I buy to get the best deal.

Fragrances

I’ve successfully stopped buying random perfumes on sale and travel size fragrances just because–and have only bought a few with scents that truly speak to me as a signature scent. I know now what types of scents fit me–they’re usually woody and spicy, more of a cologne than a floral fragrance. And any time I veer outside of my favorite perfume scents, I realize I don’t wear it.

Right now, I’m usually wearing Jo Malone pomegranate noir or Diptyque Vetyverio (vetiver) eau de toilette ($140 but I bought it three years ago and it’s usually what I wear to work every day!) or Jo Malone’s rose oud.

Where and when I buy: I wait to snag perfumes on sale during Sephora or Ulta sales or beauty sales at retailers like Nordstrom or Saks. Be sure to sign up for emails–I’ll get the alerts for a beauty sale at Saks, Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus and use it for fragrances since they so rarely go on sale.

Candles

For candles, I now get the Diptyque candle craze. I bought a couple using money from Christmas to justify such an expensive candle purchase–and I’m now instantly addicted to Amber and Vanilla (not your typical sweet scent). Both are spicy, smoky and perfect for winter. I waited for a beauty sale at Neiman Marcus and got these on sale.

I also love Boy Smells candles (petal is one of my favorite scents) and P.F. candles and incense (teakwood and tobacco is my favorite candle scent.)

Where and when I buy: I also wait for beauty sales at department stores to buy candles along with perfumes because they’re typically included in a beauty sale. You can also check out the varying sizes and test out a candle in a smaller size like this $36 Diptyque candle.

Handbags

I’ve made some mistakes with buying/selling my bags, but I’ve learned a lot about resale in the last year and what bags I wear most. For example, I’ve learned that certain designers may not resell as well like Chloe and every time I’ve bought a Chloe bag I sell it a year later.

I’m now in the process of selling a few bags I’m not using. I’ve realized that I don’t like bags that require any babying, like vachetta on a Louis Vuitton monogram bag or soft lambskin that’s easy to scratch. I also can’t do suede! I buy a lot secondhand so that I don’t feel bad when they get scratched or stained, but really what works best for me is a textured leather that’s sturdy for everyday wear.

Where and When I buy: I typically wait for holiday sales to snag a brand new bag at Netaporter, Matchesfashion, SSENSE or Farfetch. They have more sales throughout the year too so I also sign up for their emails so I see those sale alerts right away!

For used bags, I use the Real Real, Fashionphile and Yoogi’s Closet and also check Poshmark and Tradesy along with Julia Rose Boston on Instagram for brand new or gently used bags.

For hard to find bags, I check Inna Plotkin’s Instagram who’s a personal shopper at Bergdorf Goodman (lots of great Chanel items that you can’t find) or check resale Facebook groups. For hard-to-find items, expect to pay over retail for secondhand and/or have a lot of patience for a restock or the item priced better.

You can also shop previous season designer bags and more at The Outnet.

Shoes

I generally don’t splurge too much on shoes so I’m hard on them, but I’ve gotten some great deals over the years and find that these quality shoes are something that stay in my closet for years and years. I recently snagged brand new Gucci boots on Poshmark and now wait for the annual SSENSE sales to check out Golden Goose sneakers.

Everyday shoes like flat boots and sneakers are what I wear most of the time so besides the one pair of Christian Louboutins I bought at 25, I’d rather save for comfortable shoes than another pair of awful heels. But I still own the Louboutins and they do hold up well if you are a heel person!

Where to Buy: Again, check Poshmark! If you’re not grossed out by used shoes, I’ve scored some great deals on used shoes and even brand new ones. For Golden Goose sneakers, watch for the big SSENSE sales and follow the same Instagram accounts for shoes that I suggested for bags.