Dear Glam Gals, 
I’m ready to start shopping for fall but don’t want to break the bank. I live in a town that is about an hour and a half drive to the nearest outlet. Is it worth the drive for me to save money? Do they even have fall clothes at the outlets or will it still be all summer sales?
Jessica G.
Dear Jessica,
It’s me Glam Gal, JoJami here to take on your question! You are in luck because I just so happened to be traveling around the country (on the Tour de Glam) and today I am in Branson, Missouri, where I stopped by the Tanger Outlets to check out the goods.
Here is what I found out and what I ended up buying:
This particular Tanger Outlet consisted of actual outlet stores and had several “factory stores.” A factory store means that the factory actually makes items specifically for the outlet store in a “discount sort of way.” That means that these items are not usually up to the regular store standards but have a similar style but not necessarily the quality.
Here is what I mean.
I went into the Ann Taylor Factory Store and the first thing that caught my eye was a table of pretty cardigans.
This sweater was made just for the Ann Taylor outlet store.
This sweater set is from an original Ann Taylor store that was brought in to sell at a discount.
The purple sweater was originally $68.00 and now was $49.99 plus 40% off
So, the sweater on the left above has a price tag that was just like a normal tag with no discount marked on it. However, the tag on the purple sweater (on right) had the orignal price listed and a discounted price in RED. That top was made of nicer fabric and could be found at a regular Ann Taylor store. Since everything in the store was 40% off, this meant that the lowest price of anything in the store would be discounted so the prices were pretty darn good! (Just for the record I did not buy either of these items, just wanted to use them as an example.)
However, I did spot this classic blue and cream striped long sleeve top. It was made of some thin, stretchy fabric and fit well. I really liked that it had a “V” neck and not a rounded one, so I grabbed it for $17.00.
This striped shirt will be a wonderful addition to my wardrobe! I snapped it up on sale for $17.00 (orig. $29.99)
Pointed “puff” sleeves will be a hot new trend this fall. However, this sweater has too much going on not to mention it’s boring grey. And did they really need to add that pocket too? I say “pass” on this item. (BGBG)
BCBG
First I saw the BCBG store and was just curious to see what they had on hand. This store is definitely on the trendy side so I was not surprised when the sales associate showed me the latest sweater with pointed puffed sleeves and a bow…2 trends in one! This sweater was marked down from $88.00 to $39.00, so you might think it’s a deal however it is never worth buying anything unless you really love it. Pass on this one for sure!
Under Armour
Personally, work out clothes are one of my favorite things to buy. I love to exercise and after recently going to a Yoga retreat I noticed one of the teachers always wore all white. Since then I have bought a pair of white yoga pants that I just love and can mix and match with all my tops. They had gotten a little dingy looking so I decided to see if I could find a few new white pieces.
Adding some white to your workout wardrobe can feel refreshing!
Once again, I found out that this was an outlet store that had both full price and discounted items. So here is what I bought:
- workout bra $29.00 (originally $49.00)
- shorts $27.99 (these were full price but the newest in “compression” fabric, it was worth the splurge!)
- top $9.97 (originally $24.99)
Textured hose are usually a great find if they are on sale, just make sure you test the fabric for good stretch and quality.
Make sure you always try on the item you are thinking of buying. I saw a beautiful cardigan I know I needed, but when trying to unbutton it, I realized the button holes were too small and it made it nearly impossible to undo.
PASS!!! Don’t buy things that are hard to put on or take off!
Finally, I did not find anything that was unique or wonderful to add to my fall wardrobe. I only found basics. If you are serious about wanting to add some great pieces to update your wardrobe your outlet will need to have some higher end stores and you must be a savvy shopper and be super super picky about what you come home with. Better to save your money and shop in a boutique or mall than to stock up on sale items that only fill up your closet with blah, ho-hum items.
So to recap my day and review these shopping tips:
- Yes an outlet can be a great place to save money on basics but you will need to go with a plan in mind of what you need and try not to get sidetracked.
- Only buy items that you will need for the upcoming season. Summer is almost over, only buy fall items now.
- Be careful that you buy quality. Cheap fabric will not last and you will feel lousy in it.
- Don’t be tempted to skip trying it on. You MUST try things on you plan to buy or you might be sorry when you get home!
- Make sure you are not stock piling on more black or grey items. Instead, go for an item in your best color. It will add some wonderful “zing” to your closet!
- If you feel iffy about an item when you are at the checkout counter…just ask that they don’t ring it up. There will always be something better out there that you might want to save your money for.
- If your outlet has high-end stores like a Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom, you might find that special piece to update your wardrobe…other brand stores just have mostly basics.
Style Expert Deborah Boland specializes in helping mature women to Tweak their Chic®!
I agree with the person who mention the cost of care & cleaning. A garment might look like it is a good price, but if you are going to have to dry clean it all the time, then you might be better off to pay the higher price for a good quality, washable garment.
I also think it is a really good idea for people to learn some basic sewing skills. I’m saying you need to be a seamstress or a tailor. But you can save a bundle if you learn how to hem a pair of pants or replace a button. Cas in point – I was in a huge rush one day last spring, bought a pair of pants on Sale for $20, went around the corner to the tailor to have them shortened and gritted my teeth as I handed over $10 just to have them hemmed.
Those skills can be learned through inexpensvie classes at sewing machine stores, local parks & recreation dept evening classes or by searching on YouTube. You can find a basic sewing machine pretty cheap, even if you don’t have a big budget.
Oh I almost left out Nordstroms Rack – This store is fabulous, it has a lot of things “outlet specific” but it also carries many, many items that were in the Nordstrom store. I purchased my MK Hamilton from the Rack (it was not that outlet version) for $179.97.
I just saw this post and had to comment. I live in Sacramento and about 15 mins north is a town called Folsom and they have a Premium Outlet Center there. Up until about the end of 2010 there was a store called Off Fifth Avenue (the store is still there) that carried high end labels (e.g. Escada, St John, etc). Very limited sizes but you could get some really great bargains…..but I was told our area could not support those type of labels and ALL of that type of label was sent down south to the San Diego store. It was sad. But you were dead on when you stated that items were specifically manufactured for an outlet store. In Vacaville, south of Sacramento, there is another Premium Outlet Center and there is a Gucci store there, as expensive as that store is, some of those items never saw the light of a real Gucci store. Beware when purchasing Accessories – I like to get great bargains but I do not want to LOOK like that “head to toe” outlet lady with ALOT of visible (i mean everything has a name or initial(s) on it) “branding”
Hi Beacuz,
Yes, we LOVE the Off Fifth Ave store and it is sad that it had to move. I (JoJami) live in Wilmington, Delaware and we FINALLY got a Nordstrom store but have been waiting for years for them to decide to come here! I only hope that our ladies will get out and shop there! We lost our Sacs and Lord and Taylor and now Nordstrom is our only high end store in town.
I am only so-so about the outlets near Phoenix. We have a group of stores at Anthem (about 20 miles north of my house). I shop at the Hanes store for hosiery and the baby tees that I love to wear, and once in a while I hit the Calvin Klein store. The CK colors are a little drab, and being a cancer survivor I want to look bright and dressy every day I possibly can. Plus the styles are odd and you have to try on everything! So I’m kind of “meh” about outlet malls.
The outlet in Tulare, California, about an hour south of Fresno, was a little better, but even then the quality of clothes at Dress Barn was only average. I’d rather go through the long rows of racks at the Dillard’s markdown store in MetroCenter Mall and find a real bargain. I remember when that store was so pretty and elegant, but now it’s only a worn-down space outfitted like a warehouse. Sad…
HI Vicki,
Thanks for chiming in. Sounds like you know how to spot the right “finds”. One thing you said, ” and you have to try on everything”…like it was an option. Really, no matter where you shop it is a MUST that you try on anything that you plan to buy. Size is not a way to decide if it is going to fit or not. I have things in my closet that are several sizes and I have been the same weight for most of my life. Everything fits unique and even brands are really not consistant. Many brands now have crazy ways of sizing things and it is called “vanity sizing”. That means that they say it is a size 2 when it really is a size 6. Banana Republic is nortorious for this.
Be careful! A majority of these clothes are manufactured specifically for outlets and therefore poorer quality.
As you know I represent the Doncaster Line. We are now showing Fall at 1412 Delaware Ave. in Wilmington, DE – BUT come December 1 all of the samples in our line will be 40% off. To reserve samples I will show clients everything sampled in their size during the month of November by appointment. THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CLOTHES FROM AN EXCLUSIVE LINE AT A SUPER MARKDOWN!! Annabelle C. Kressman
HI Annabelle,
JoJami here….Yes! this would be well worth going to! Doncaster clothes are well made and at 40% off can be a real deal! Thanks for sharing, Annabelle.
Hi, JoJami and Deborah–
Just to build on your good counsel, I would also suggest factoring in the CARE AND CLEANING required before you buy a garment–whether from an outlet store or not. There’s a Franklin Mills outlet complex north of Philadelphia with a Saks Off Fifth store and a Neiman Marcus outlet store. I almost bought a beautiful cream embroidered silk/linen blouse from Natori–and then thought about the fact that it would have to be dry cleaned every single time it was worn, which would probably not be more than 2 times per year. Even though it was a good deal, I decided I’d rather put that money into something more useful.
Many of the goods in these stores probably did come from their sales floors, but I saw enough complete racks of new clothing to make me think that they worked out a deal with the label/manufacturer to take these items into the outlet store.
Hi Jan,
Oh boy are you onto something! We need to do an entire blog post on this topic of how to care for your clothing! Thanks for this great tip and food for thought!
I have had great luck petite shopping at the White House Black Market store at the Tangier Outlet store in Foley, Alabama. Their clothes are first quality clothes that come in after being in the regular store after about 6 weeks is what the sales associate told my husband. They have sent me dresses after calling them on the phone and them telling me what they had available in my size and me looking at the internet screen finding the dress to see if I liked it. Very helpful!
Thanks for confirming what I thought was going on.
A question for you, I think Coach does the same thing. I’m pretty sure a lot of the handbags are made for the outlet. Do other handbag stores do this also?
Michael Kors? Kate Spade?
HI Sue,
We can’t speak for all stores..but it is pretty likely that will be the case. I know I (JJ) bought a Michael Kors purse at a Neimans outlet and the handle is falling apart. I’m sure it would not have done that if it had been from the Neimans store. PLUS I would have returned it…now I’m stuck since I bought it from an outlet.
I am s o happy to see that you know that a Outlet store is not things from that store but specifically made for that store. My husband and I have manufactured for years and were surprised to find how many people think they are getting in the outlets the same things as at that particular labels stores…Thanks Barbara
Hi Barabar,
Thanks for confirming this!! I was surprised that the sales associate was so honest and forthcoming with the information about how their store works. I had known about this before but glad to see that they are being more open about it. Wanted to spread the word! Thanks for commenting!
I agree with you about Banana Republic’s outlet stores – definitely inferior quality. Most outlet stores don’t have very exciting merchandise and it’s often not the great deal you would expect. On the other hand, Ann Taylor’s factory stores are worth the trip – I’m lucky enough to have one close to where I live and visit almost every weekend. The stock changes frequently, so you tend to get better deals on better items if you go often; the really good things go quickly.
Hi Deb,
Yes, we agree and they even had some fall things in. The big tip is to look at the tag and make sure you are getting things from the original store and not the “specially” made items.
Also… just remember, if it didn’t sell at the store, there might be a reason why… not cut properly or not a good style. Always be careful that you are buying something that you would pay full price for and not just because it is on sale!
It is possible but the advice you gave was spot on. The nearest outlets to me are two hours away so, if I am going in that direction for another destination, I will stop. You are correct that there is a lot of poor quality fabrics and workmanship. It appears that they mark the garments up before the discounts – so are you actually saving anything? The last two times I stopped I found nothing but then I recall one of my favorite outfits that I purchased there. So, since I am an optimist, I will probably still check out outlets in my path.
Hi Leslie,
JJ here… yes it really is a hit and miss. The biggest thing is to go and feel OK if you don’t find anything and not to buy something just for the sake of buying. I too have had luck at outlets in the past. Where I am from near Philly, there is an AWESOME outlet in the King of Prussia area with a Neimans and Tahari outlet. I have gotten things at both of those stores and loved what I purchased. Also I even have the cutes little skirt and blouse set that I bought at a J.Crew outlet. It’s hit and miss for sure!
Whenever I get a chance I like to go the outlets in San Marcus, Texas … sometime I find deals & sometime I do not. It is always fun to look.
Hi Teresa,
It’s like Las Vegas, when you do find a deal you feel like you hit the jackpot!! Shop on!!!!
We’ve gone to some of the Tanger outlets in our travels and I always find some good buys! One of my favorite stores is Geoffrey Beene. Some of my favorite jeans and long sleeve t shirts are from that outlet store. I love the work out clothes you found! I just started ZUMBA…and I LOVE it! ( I posted about it! ) so I bought a couple of new items to ‘dance’ in recently! But I still need some bright shirts! Hugs! ♥
We have Premium Outlets about an hour north of Seattle- and it is definitely worth checking out. My friend and I recently went and it was literally like Disneyland for grownups!
My advice: go on a weekday, pack a bottle of water and snack and wear comfortable shoes. It’s also a good idea to make a list of exactly what you are looking for (my list: leather jacket, cream blazer, leopard flats) so that you aren’t distracted by all the great deals and make impulse purchases.
Have fun!
HI Everydaymomstyle,
Sounds like you are a savy shopper! Great tips… and make sure to wear your favorite outfit! That way you can set the bar on if you should by it or not!