Where to Buy Great Show Clothes: Part 3

Recap - Great show clothes can come from a variety of stores such as department stores (discussed in Part 1), specialty store (discussed in Part 2), and discount stores and online stores.

Discount Stores

Discount stores obtain their inventory though purchasing left over or over purchased merchandise from big department stores.  This means that there is a variety of clothes at these stores and they might not have every size available.  Most of these stores are set up in sections such as dresses (also contains suits, misses, petites, misses, juniors, active, etc.

A big positive for me at these stores is I can be in and out quickly IF I'm there looking or a specific item (ok this only happens once in a great while because I get there and think oooooohhhh!  I need that too).  For instance I can march right up to the dresses section (staring at the ground and no where else) and go though my size section in the rack, then walk a few racks over to petites, then finish with the clearance section.  If I find something great, if not, I'm out of there!  The biggest piece of advice I can give is to know you may not find anything at these stores, BUT that doesn't mean you can't or it won't appear later or at a different store.

Unfortunately most discount stores do not offer online buying options probably due to their inconsistent inventories....so go out and get some exercise and shop!!!  Here are a few I love:

These are probably my favorite stores to shop at because I'm VERY thrifty and I like to find great deals!  Paying full price for anything is not in my blood!


Thrift Stores
Contrary to belief thrift stores are great places to find hidden treasures!!!!  Thrift stores by definition generally sell used goods such as clothes that were donated by others.  These stores often are run and operated by a non-profit organization and/or churches.

Hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis wrote a number 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit called, "Thrift Shop."  This hit song is about not needing to spend a lot of money to find clothes that make you feel good about yourself.  Here is the official CLEAN version of the song.

Some thrift stores are better than others because their inventory depends on what people in the community donates.  I have even found St. John Knits at thrift shops when I visited my grandmother out in Palm Springs!  In fact one of my favorite dog show outfits came from a thrift shop.

Online Discount Stores
Most people have heard about ebay, Amazon and Overstock, but did you know these are also great places to buy show clothes?  Both of these websites offer great deals on new and used clothes (and just about anything else), you just need to know a few things before you buy.

• Know your sizes in different brands - Hint: go to a department store and try on suits in a few different brands so you know what sizes fit for better deals online
• Check if the clothes are new or used - if they're used check for photos of blemishes and if the garment is from a smoke-free home
• Check if it's returnable
• Check shipping costs - sometimes the shipping costs can make online shopping more expensive than buying in a physical store.

While on ebay, Amazon. or Overstock use the search button to it's fullest advantage check multiple boxes for sizes (misses, petites, womens, juniors) and brands and even colors to have a search custom tailored for you.  I love to shop on these sites because things ALWAYS change, you never know what you're going to find!  My Westminster suit from last year was purchased on ebay and I loved it because it was so unique!


This concludes my three part series on where to buy great show clothes.  I hope you enjoyed this and I hope this provided a sound starting point for bringing out your inner fashionista!!!!


Up Next: Westminster Un-Official Dress Code