How I'm Buying Luxury For (Way) Less
Including pieces from Loewe, Bottega, Cecilie Bahnsen and Phoebe Philo.
Greetings Spendthrifts,
Let me cut straight to the chase. Last month I bought these AW22 silver bow Loewe heels in mint condition, for less than HALF their original price, and I have been high off it ever since.
These shoes have been my white whale for years now - I put them in my basket during the Net-A-Porter sale a few years ago, only for someone else to buy them as I was literally typing in my credit card details. They were the shoes that got away, and as well as having alerts set up on all the major resale sites, I’d also periodically scour the Internet for them just in case, and the last time I did... bingo.
I found them tucked away on a resale website I’d never even heard of before.
And so to this month’s theme, a run through of two excellent and under the radar luxury resale platforms I’ve recently discovered and bought from - one of which I was so impressed by that I reached out to their team and secured an exclusive 20% discount code for paid Add To Wishlist subscribers ;)
But first, a whistlestop tour of things I’ve added to my wardrobe since the last time I emailed:
About a month ago, someone DMed me on Instagram to ask for my recommendations on good summer flats that aren’t sandals, a dilemma I often run into myself - you don’t always wanna have your toes out, you know? (Especially if, like me, your feet have been rated a frankly defamatory 2.86 on celebrity foot
fetishappreciator website WikiFeet). Anyway - I’m pleased to report I’ve found the perfect summer flat in Le Monde Beryl’s Luna slipper, which I’ve been wearing non-stop since getting a pair a few weeks ago. They’re made of super soft leather and unbelievably comfortable and light - the kind of shoes that arrive feeling like someone else has already done the hard work of breaking them in for you. I went for brown leather but they’ve got an array of colours available (and textures - suede, mesh, and metallics). I plan to add more to my collection in different colourways as soon as funds allow.Some alternatives I like in the same vein include this Morjas pair, and this slightly dressier Toteme suede eyelet pair. Key to the success of all these shoes is the fact they have a deep vamp which a) make your feet look super slender and dainty (which for us wide-footed girlies is a godsend) and b) means more of your foot is on show, which is key to locating them firmly in summer flat territory.
I shared some thoughts on summer etiquette in this week’s Sunday Times Style, alongside the likes of Nicky ‘Things I Find Common’ Haslam, Graydon Carter, Dolly Alderton and plenty of other people with good takes and good taste. (I will die on the hill that espadrille wedges aren’t naff - indeed, these are my make and model of choice).
I’ve been getting my JLo on with these Tory Burch wraparound sunnies - they’re very Love Don’t Cost A Thing-coded, no? (Also available in yellow and blue if you’re reading this from the US).
I’m slightly amazed by how much I’ve worn this caramel suede Mansur Gavriel bag since I got it last month. I thought it would be purely an evening bag - on account of that fabulous gold handle - but I’ve actually found it a great daytime option when going to meet friends for a quick coffee or lunch too. I just hold it as an underarm bag/clutch, tucking the gold handle in so it’s more daytime appropriate. We love a versatile queen!
How many of us have searched in vain over the years for the perfect replica of this iconic Carrie Bradshaw dress?
Well, I’ve finally found it, and it’s made by Norma Kamali (which also feels like a brand that Carrie herself would wear).
This is the perfect vest top for summer. Fit and cut are perfect, and it doesn’t lose its shape after a few washes - my white one is still going strong two summers on. FYI: the material is very much on the sheer side, which you may or may not be into (I am).
And for a dressier alternative for summer evenings, this one shouldered vest top courtesy of French label Soeur’s recent capsule collection with influencer Sophia Roe, is the vest top my wardrobe has been missing.
Very much enjoyed Phoebe Philo’s guest edit of How To Spend It a few weeks ago, particularly her expert roundup of 19 items to help you take better care of your clothes. I’m big on mending and repairing stuff I own, and have already ordered the £3.30 scratch remover recommended.
Letter of recommendation: Cap Ferret, a coastal town in the southwest of France, about an hour’s drive from Bordeaux. I recently enjoyed a long weekend there with friends hosted by Le Collectionist, and it was sublime. Known as the oyster capital of France, it’s very much an ‘in the know’ getaway destination for chic Parisians (many of whom prefer it to the blingier Côte d'Azur I’m told), and definitely one to bear in mind for your summer hols this year.
Speaking of French chic, I had dinner at Café François in Borough for the first time last week and holy forking shirtballs. Between the anchovies on brioche starter (sublime), the best moules frites I’ve had in years, and a vanilla tart dessert I quietly regretted opting to split with the friend I’d gone with, I’m already plotting a return visit.
THE SHOPPIES
I am very much in my resale bag at the moment guys. This happens from time to time - I go through phases where I suddenly become obsessed with tracking down sold out items from seasons past, often buoyed by the success of a recent find (in this case it’s my new Loewe heels that have whet my resale appetite).
Not to mention that every conversation I’m having with fellow fashion lovers these days seems to revolve around how expensive (and whisper it - overpriced) luxury fashion has become - this 2023 discussion from the New York Times Style team sheds some light on what’s driving those price rises, while fellow Substacker Amy Odell deserves a Fashion Pulitzer for her detailed coverage of this phenomenon over the last few years (here’s an example).
All of which makes resale more and more appealing, especially if you’re not that fussed about having trending ‘It pieces’. Indeed, most of my resale purchases tend to be things I simply overlooked at the time or was slow about buying - like these red asymmetric A.W.A.K.E. Mode mules, which I dilly dallied over during the pandemic and have been trying to track down in my size ever since; or this Rejina Pyo shirt from one of her earliest collections, before I’d even become aware of the brand.
And as I mentioned in my intro, I’ve recently come across two smaller platforms - let’s call them ‘boutique’ resale - that are absolutely stacked with treasures. Both these platforms have a more curated offering and operate slightly differently to the Vestiaires and RealReals of the world, in that you and I can’t simply upload pieces ourselves. From what I can tell, they work on a consignment model and have relationships with select people (I assume stylists, influencers and the like) - so while their overall inventory is smaller, they’re more selective about the brands and pieces that feature on their websites.
Keep reading for bargains including a black Cecilie Bahnsen minidress for £390 (down from an RRP £1300), tonnes of Tibi and Raey (RIP), and a pair of long sold out Phoebe Philo sandals that I desperately wish I’d bought at the time - all of which come with an extra 20% off thanks to an exclusive Add To Wishlist paid subscriber discount code!
And in a win for big footed girlies everywhere, a website with plenty of UK8/41 shoes (which I find resale sites tend to lack) including a delicious pair of patent chocolate brown Bottega heels for under £350 (down from a retail price of £845) that I almost didn’t include here because I still think I might buy them myself…
Let’s get into it!