We know stylists have tons of tricks up their sleeves. It includes, but isn’t limited to, being able to make red carpet magic, changing the feel of an entire outfit with little more than an accessory, and coming to set equipped with styling kits that always save the day. But we went searching for a very specific kind of trick when we asked them, “Where do you actually spend your hard-earned money?”
Seeing as the below five women, who work behind the scenes in celebrity and editorial fashion, have access to a world of style choices, we tapped their expertise on where they shop when they want to score—big time—and the responses were quite varied.
For some, this meant revisiting their favorite fast-fashion brands whose offerings always look so much more expensive than they are, or pinpointing the sites that always have the best sales, or simply having the ability to hunt down a designer consignment piece at a fraction of the retail price. Whichever definition of affordable is most appealing to you, find the nine shopping destinations where these stylists spend their own paychecks below.
Uniqlo
“Uniqlo is one of my favorite places to shop for affordable items. I live in their men’s cashmere sweaters, which I prefer because they’re cut longer than the women’s.” — Kemal HarrisAvailable in sizes XS to XL.
“I also live in their High Rise stretch jeans, which I hem a little shorter for summer.” — Kemal HarrisAvailable in sizes 23 to 36.
Zara
“Zara for the best dresses. Typically the ones I like always seem to end up on sale—not sure what that says?!” — Elle StraussAvailable in sizes XS to L.
“I specifically love Zara’s stripes and leopard pieces.” — Elle Strauss Available in sizes XS to XXL.
Opening Ceremony
“One of my favorite shops in L.A. is Opening Ceremony. You can always find the most unique pieces in the city, and usually at an incredible price.” — Dani Michelle
“I get a lot of shoes there, and secretly I’m thinking that wedges are coming back, and I have my eyes on these!” — Dani Michelle
COS
“Personally, I am a minimalist shopper. I am attracted to clean lines with a certain pop of great detail. When searching for this in the affordable market, my go-to would be COS. They have some great pieces that feel modern and work seamlessly into the rest of my wardrobe.” — Alicia LombardiniAvailable in sizes 2 to 14.
“A blazer will always elevate your look, but I like to always keep it a little playful.” — Alicia LombardiniAvailable in sizes 2 to 14.
“A Peter Pan collar will always catch my eye as it creates a more feminine touch when I have mostly a boyish wardrobe.” — Alicia LombardiniAvailable in sizes 2 to 14.
"I’m French, so I also have a penchant for stripped tees.”— Alicia Lombardini
Available in sizes XS to L.
The RealReal
“I’m literally obsessed and visit daily if not hourly. I have so many items that I’ve hearted I’ve lost count, and I also tend to buy way too many sweaters and coats for someone living in California.” — Elle StraussAvailable in size XS.
This is one of the pieces Strauss currently has her eyes on.Available in size XS.
Bird
“I love the curation in this store. I genuinely would take one of everything! Each piece is cool and flattering and nothing feels homogenous. I feel like I could wear everything! That they bought everything just for me! I am not one for fussy or precious clothes, and yet I don’t want to look like a slob (it’s kinda my job to make a little effort here and there!). It’s wearable, affordable, super-stylish everyday pieces that are on trend as well.” — Anita PatricksonAvailable in sizes 2 to 10.
Trust us: A visit to Bird’s online sale section is worth it.
Nike and Vans
“I love to buy unique sneakers that you can’t find in the stores. Instead of shopping on eBay or somewhere like FlightClub, I utilize the custom order options on Nike.com and Vans.com. This way I get totally original, one-of-a-kind sneakers, and the price isn’t bad at all!” —Kemal Harris
Feel free to customize these to your taste.
Amanu
“Full disclosure: I created and founded Amanu so I could design and be fitted in my own custom sandals! Granted there might have been an easier way to get bespoke sandals than opening my own store, but certainly not as fun! I love that I can design something to match a specific outfit for a special occasion or just create the sexiest simple black sandal that fits my foot perfectly!” — Anita Patrickson
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