Five Brands I Never Buy
at Retail
There are five labels I hunt for every single time I shop secondhand, and I will tell you the honest truth: I have never once paid retail for any of them. These are the quiet-quality brands — casual, everyday labels built on fabric and cut rather than logos. Beautiful materials, simple silhouettes, flattering on basically everybody. They cost real money new. Secondhand, they are some of the best value in fashion.
The finds below aren't hypotheticals. Every price is a real listing pulled from the resale market, and some of the markdowns are, frankly, astronomical.
A $305 trouser for thirty-two dollars. I don't make the rules; I just shop them.
Featured Finds
Akris Punto
Akris has been around for decades, and it originally resonated with an older, wealthier crowd — which is exactly why it's a consignment goldmine. Those closets get edited. Those pieces get let go, often through consignment and estate sales, and the quality holds its value beautifully. Lately there's been a real resurgence of their silhouettes and patterns, so you get a piece that reads current at a fraction of the number on the original tag.
And what a number it was. An Akris Punto blazer retails around $800. I have watched them cross the resale market for fifty dollars.
Akris Punto Tan Blazer
Found on Poshmark
Akris Punto Guipure Lace Top
Spotted secondhand
Prices reflect individual listings at time of publication. Availability varies.
Éterne
Éterne is the newer name on this list, and it has become my airport uniform. Simple basics, muted colors, incredible fabric — and it actually survives real life and real laundry. Elevated without trying. Because the line is built on staples, the secondhand market is full of barely-worn pieces at half of retail or better.
Zip-Up Polo Sweatshirt, Heather Grey
Found on Poshmark
Short Sleeve Crewneck Tee, Charcoal — new with tags
Found on Poshmark
Long Sleeve Wrap Top, Ivory
Spotted secondhand
Prices reflect individual listings at time of publication. Availability varies.
Rosetta Getty
I discovered Rosetta Getty at a consignment store in Naples, Florida and fell in love on the spot. The construction tells you everything: linings, zippers, seaming that hugs the body in all the right ways. This is another label you'll find on consignment racks constantly — and the markdowns are where things get truly astronomical.
A $1,150 bias-cut gown for $241. A $305 trouser for thirty-two dollars.
Light Blue Wide-Leg High-Waist Trousers
Found on Poshmark
Double-Breasted Blue Linen Blazer
Found on Poshmark
Bias Turtleneck Combo Maxi Dress
Found on Poshmark
Prices reflect individual listings at time of publication. Availability varies.
Enza Costa
Enza Costa lives in the same spirit as Éterne — high-quality basics done exactly right. Their twill trousers are my everyday pants: flattering, functional, done. The Everywhere Pant and their cashmere-blend knits turn up secondhand all the time, usually in the muted neutrals that go with everything already in your closet.
Relaxed Everywhere Pants, Limestone
Spotted on Poshmark
Cashmere Long Sleeve Draped Top, Beige
Spotted on Poshmark
Prices reflect individual listings at time of publication. Availability varies.
Le Monde Béryl
I was never a flats girl — until Le Monde Béryl. The craftsmanship is obvious the second you pick them up. They don't hurt your feet, they nod to the trends, and they stay rooted in staple silhouettes you'll wear for a decade. I've found pairs on consignment and on Poshmark, and honestly? Even a hundred dollars off retail is a win for a shoe that lasts a lifetime. Then a pair like these mesh Mary Janes comes along at better than half off, and the math stops being a debate.
Mesh Mary Jane, Fawn — with dust bag
Found on Poshmark
Leopard Print Flats
Spotted secondhand
Prices reflect individual listings at time of publication. Availability varies.
Takeaways from a career of never paying retail — not predictions.
Brands built on fabric and cut — not logos — are the best value in the entire resale market.
Akris Punto and Rosetta Getty especially — these come out of beautifully kept closets and land on consignment racks and estate sales, often priced by people moving inventory rather than chasing comps. That's where the $50 blazer lives.
Save the brand searches, check them weekly, and never be shy about making an offer. Most of the prices above started higher; the steal is usually one polite counter-offer away.
Every brand on this list earns its keep in wash-and-wear. A simple silhouette in a beautiful fabric outlasts every trend cycle — which is the entire argument for buying it secondhand in the first place.
Even $100 off retail is a win on a shoe that lasts forever. Better than half off — like $520 Mary Janes for $250 — isn't a debate; it's a decision.
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