In the Femme Economics series, I sure love to talk about my love/hate relationship with fashion and  shopping. Ecologically and financially, I have said that for me it only makes sense to buy used clothing.   But I have also said that I buy shoes and lingerie retail- well, not quite retail.

Of all the many types of retail stores (boutique, department, discount department like Target), ‘œOff-Price’ stores are, in my humble opinion, the best. The most infamous in the fashion world arrived decades ago: Loehmanns. More middle-class shoppers have turned to these kinds of stores than was ever thought possible. And, they did decidedly better than other stores over this past financially dire holiday season.
The Off-Price store option is the median between the chaos of second-hand stores and the financial excess and pomp of boutique and department stores. You don’t have to spend hours looking through the whole store at most of them. It is a great idea to go in knowing what you want and ask a sales person to help direct you.

Look in your town for A.J Wight, Burlington Coat Factory,   Filene’s Basement, Forman Mills, Gordmans, Loehmanns, Marshalls, Syms, Ross, T.J. Max, Stein Mart, Value City, and the largest of all, ‘œThe Winner’ in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

The East Coast tends to have it a little better. Boston and New York have my favorites- Loehmann’s and Filene’s Basement. The West has a few Loehmanns now  and only one other  that’s a step up- Nordstrom’s Rack. From there, Ross and T.J. Max pale in comparison.   Some stores have more designer products than others.   T.J Max and Ross might have leftovers from Macy’s store brand and their racks will be decidedly messier and harder to sort through but Loehmann’s and Nordstrom’s rack will have Marc Jacobs jeans and will look  more like a regular department store.

Across from my grandmother’s old dementia ward, I found the most interesting store yet- SteinMart. Items in SteinMart are priced just right but some of them look like they either belong to your grandmother sunning on the beach in Florida or were ripped from Fran Drescher’s wardrobe for ‘œThe Nanny  (Think ‘if Picasso painted skirt-suit’).”  Now those looks work for me because I’m into weird Jewish kitch, but they are not for everyone.

I know those Burlington Coat Factory commercials are annoying with ‘œWe’re more than great coats’, but they really are a great place to get a great coat at half the price, which can really be a saving grace in a cold climate. I have always wanted a J.Crew Pea Coat, but it’s not going to happen.   Unfortunately, I have found that contrary to thier catch phrase, it’s best to just stick to thier coats.

If you are looking for just those high-end designers, don’t expect to pay less than half the retail price. Last year, the Supreme Court ruled in the favor of high-end designers, allowing them to put limits on how low thier product can sell for once it has left the retail market. It is yet to be seen whether and where that will be held up or whether it will be over-turned.

An  article on this ruling hints that  some  retail stores rely on the income from  sale to the Off-Pricers, that these stores  are essential to the fashion economy and adds that: “department stores start displaying spring clothes in January, by the time the clothing hasn’t sold and has moved on to off-price retailers, it’s actually in season. ”     And that’s one of the best wins for us. I know I hate going into a department store in Winter looking for some warm pants and  being totally  unable to find them. But there is usually a mix of seasons in Off-Price stores. That is wonderful, because,  yes, I wanted to buy a white cardigan last Fall. It was after Labor Day, but I was going to Hawaii! So, I got it at Ross.

Off-Price. It’s sort of like Off-Broadway. You never know what you’re gonna get, but at least it’s cheaper.

Please comment with your favorite off-price store and your best bargain stories!