KellyStyle:
If it's Online Treasure Ye Seek...
by Kelly Smith

...I would like to tell you about a fabulous opportunity I had to learn about it firsthand!

As many of you know, I am currently a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Last semester I took an interesting class called Buyer's Workshop. One of the perks of this class was the opportunity to shadow a buyer for a day and see what their job entails.

My assignment was to go to Bluefly.com, an online retailer that carries discount designer items. I was thrilled when I heard this because I have been a frequent visitor to the site for the past couple of years (Kristen is known for finding the best bargains out there, and she introduced me to it!)

Although I've never purchased an item there, I always like to check to see what promotions they are offering. There have been many great deals that I would have LOVED to have taken advantage of, but as we all know, college students don't normally have that extra money to spend on clothing and accessories (big sigh!).

Shopping online in general has many advantages. There is no clutter, no searching through piles of damaged goods, and you have the guarantee that the merchandise is as close to new as possible.

Whenever I go to T.J. Maxx or other outlet stores, I know that the process of finding something worthwhile is going to be time-consuming. This can be frustrating and discouraging for many of us, which is why using a website can be the best alternative.

Perhaps the greatest part about it is that you can search as specifically as you like for the item(s) you want. It is a huge advantage over piles of unrelated merchandise strewn about after a clearance sale! And, if you want the REAL deals, most sites have a button for Clearance, and you can to see exactly what they have in stock - what colors and sizes. It can be far less of a hassle than shopping in a traditional store!

The buyers at Bluefly raved about their job due to the fact that it is a discount website. This means that instead of going into market four times a year like the rest of the fashion retail establishment (to purchase clothing for the upcoming seasons), they get to go into market anytime there is new product!

Websites like Bluefly always are on the cutting edge of fashion, usually only a few weeks behind. For example, if there is a new Prada purse that went into departments stores on March 1st, it can not be shown at ANY off-price discount stores or websites until April 1st (to make it more exclusive).

Once April 1st hits, though, Bluefly and other off-price retailers, can purchase them to sell online. They will offer it at a discounted price, even though that Prada purse is still in department stores nationwide. The only reason it's discounted is due to the fact that it's not "brand" new.

So very new, high-end items like this can be purchased a fraction of the cost! Gotta love that!

Like a retail store, Bluefly regularly offers promotions that take even more money off of the already discounted merchandise. I recommend first hitting the malls to see what's out there. If you find something you like, try it on for size, and then go home and check in with Bluefly to see the comparison price. I bet you will find it for less!

Kristen and I are always here to share our expertise and the best fashion secrets we find. If you're a serious shopper like us, it's easy to find ways to look great, no matter whether you're shopping high-end or low-end. You just need to know where to look. Bluefly is another hidden gem that we wanted to share with you!

Happy Hunting!