Buy, Tailor, Rent or Swap Clothing: It’s All Here for the Budget-Friendly Fashionista

It’s been years since I’ve stepped foot in a mall—at least it feels that way. I’ve become so accustomed to shopping from the comfort of my couch that it’s hard to look back. I’m not alone here — millions of you are surfing along with me.  Still, it’s tough to keep up with the newest (and best) sites for fashion out of the thousands online. Who has time to sift through it all?

Lucky for you, we’ve done our research. Here are a few of our favorite sites for the budget-friendly fashionista. 

Basics 

Royal Apparel
At Royal Apparel, you’ll find a huge variety of basics, including t-shirts, leggings, tanks and organic options. Everything is American-made, making it a fantastic, socially conscious alternative to the big box stores who outsource their production to poorly paid, mistreated laborers in other countries. Shop and feel good about it? That’s a win.

Runway Bandits
Looking for the perfect slouchy cardigan? You’ll find it—along with a whole host of other “must haves” at Runway Bandits. The prices are great but shipping is steep—$14 to the United States—so be sure to stock up. 

Custom

eShakti
eShakti is the site where you can turn an adorable sleeveless sundress into a mid sleeve, tea-length dress perfect for the office, in exactly your size, for only $7.50 on top of the standard price. You won’t get that kind of customization for such a low price anywhere else. Keep an eye open for their great sales and coupon codes that are often floating around. 

Trendy 

ASOS
UK-based ASOS is the mothership of online retail, offering just about anything you can think of. In addition to 850 fabulous brands, they also offer pieces under their own label. Even better, shipping and returns are free in the United States!

Aggregator 

Wanelo
Wanelo (“wah-nee-loh,” from Want, Need, Love) is like the ultimate online mall with picks curated by regular people (over 11 million of them!). You can set up your own boutique, follow your favorite fashion-forward people, and purchase what they recommend—all without leaving the site!

Shopstyle
Shopstyle is an aggregator-style shopping site formed by the parent lifestyle media company, PopSugar, meaning it takes its content from a bunch of different stores and outlets. The great thing about this model is how easy it is to keep an eye on prices across a myriad of stores–they pull from dozens of sites, from designer’s home pages to major retailers like Bergdorf and even Amazon.

High End Pieces at Discount Prices 

The Outnet
For those of use with high-end tastes but regular-person budgets, the Outnet is a great destination. Started by the same team that launched Net-a-Porter, the Outnet—an online outlet—offers items from more than 200 designers at deep discounts.

Trade/Secondhand 

Bib and Tuck
This trade site is something like having very fashionable girlfriends with open closet policies. Billing itself as a fashion-swap site, Bib and Tuck allows people to sell their own items – and takes a 15% commission. For that fee, the site sends a prepaid shipping label, handles payments and returns, and curates sales to get items sold.

Tradesy
Tradesy is the surprisingly simple way to buy and sell fashion. Just list new and gently-used items for sale and receive your funds through PayPal. Even better, Tradesy only takes a 9% cut, much smaller than the traditional cuts of consignment stores. And with the Tradesy Trust Promise, you don’t have to worry about being scammed or an item not fitting—returns are free!

Rental 

Rent the Runway
If you haven’t given Rent the Runway a try yet, it’s time to get with the program. I’ve been a loyal customer since 2010, and have found the selection and customer service does not disappoint. Rent high-end designer dresses for a third of the price—and even select a second size for free! And did we mention it was founded by an inspiring woman?

So to look trendy or chic – and save some money – get clicking, surfing and browsing the virtual clothing racks of these fabulous retailers, and your wallet (and mall-weary feet) will thank you as well.