Every New York fashionista wants to dress like Carrie Bradshaw, but very few can afford to pay a month’s rent on a pair of red-bottomed Loubitons alone. Walking down the streets of Manhattan, it can feel as though everyone is dressed in designer, from their Gucci striped headband to their Chanel Espadrilles. How do they do it? If you’re not working with a Kim Kardashian budget, you can fake it until you make it. One of the best kept hidden secrets of New York City, is the easy access to heavily discounted designer goods. Where can you find these hidden gems? Welcome to the world of Sample Sales.

Every week in Manhattan, numerous designers host sample sales, consisting of past-season apparel and stock that they want to unload, with deals ranging from 50-95 percent off the original price. Past sales have included mega-brands such as Chloé, Marc Jacobs and Balenciaga, along with smaller brands such as S’well. The multitude of sample sales can make it overwhelming to figure out which are worth your time, and when to go for the best bang for your buck. There is an art to sample sale shopping, and once you master it, you will never look back at your 95% cotton and 5% cashmere sweater. Here is the “Beginner’s Guide” to mastering sample sales.

Where to Start:

Sites such as Chicminyc and Sample Sale Sally are great tools to find out about sample sales going on in NYC. They have easy to access calendars that showcase sales currently going on, along with future sales.They also have Instagram accounts (@chicminyc and @samplesalesally), where they post the same content from their websites. Following the Instagram accounts is an easy way to keep up to date as you scroll through your newsfeed, ensuring that you never miss a good deal!

In fact, Instagram is a key tool to learn about all things sample sales, including pricing lists, and specific products available. To a lot of shoppers, sample sale shopping feels like it is a community. Some deal hunters have even created their own sample-sale-focused Instagram accounts, including Angelica Spanos (@artofthedealhunter) and Rachel Reid (@samplesalestalker). Spanos, who has been shopping at sample sales for the past 14 years, says that she has made online friends through the account. “There’s a small community of sample sale freaks,” says Spanos.

If you do not have Instagram, do not fret, you can still stay informed! The app, ShopDrop, available on the App Store and Google Play, displays a comprehensive list of sample sales currently going on, as well as future sales, in list and calendar view. Each listing includes dates and times, brands, location, expected discounts and stock available.

Sample Sale Locations:

Some designers host sample sales in their own warehouses, but many are switching over to third party sites. The most common-used site, as well as the most-known among shoppers, is 260 Sample Sale.

Keep in mind that when a third-party site hosts a sample sale, pricing will be more expensive compared to when a brand hosts their own. When 260 hosts a sale, “prices go up because they get their 3rd party cut,” says Spanos.

There are three different 260 locations and each host a different designer every week. 260 Sample Sale is located at 151 Wooster Street and 150 Greene Street in Soho and 260 Fifth Avenue in Nomad.

260 Fifth Ave is the most crowded due to its location, so expect a line, especially on opening day.

260 also has a fourth location called 260FinalSale. Stock consists of unsold merchandise from past sales with further reductions, so you never know what you’re going to find! The shopping experience at 260FinalSale is much more relaxed compared to other locations and is a great option for shoppers that do not want to worry about large crowds and lines.

Clothingline located at 261 W 36th St is another popular site. They tend to have less merchandise, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t walk away with amazing purchases!

One exciting sale to look out for every spring is Clothingline’s one day only “Annual Blowout Sale”. All merchandise is $30 and under and consists of brands from previous sales. This spring, stock consisted of apparel, shoes, and accessories from brands such as Theory, Helmut Lang, and Mar Y Sol. Some major scores included $425 Helmut Lang White Silk Pants for $10, Theory tops ranging from $100-$300 for $10, and a blue Theory kimono cropped sleeve coat originally $1695 for a jaw-dropping $25. They sell out fast, so make sure to arrive early before all of the hoarders and re-sellers get the good stuff!

Pictured: The crowd on the final day of the Rebecca Minkoff sale held at 260 Sample Sale Fifth Ave

When to Go:

Sample sales have the most stock at the beginning of the week, but the lowest prices at the end of week. If one of your favorite designers is having a sale and you want the biggest selection, make sure to go the first day it opens. If it is any other designer and you want the deepest discount possible, it is recommended to go towards the end of the week. Instagram accounts, along with @SampleSaleStalker and @theartofthedealhunter, update prices and post pictures of stock throughout the week, which can be a handy tool to help figure out the best time to shop.

But Rachel Reid of @samplesalestalker says that it isn't that simple. “Waiting until the end of the week doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they’re going to reduce prices and there’s going to be any good merchandise left,” says Reid. “It’s more of an art than a science.” For popular designers, it can be risky waiting until the last minute, but when you score on the last day, you score big! Reid recalls that her best deal at a sale was a $1200 Diane Von Furstenberg dress for $10 on the final day of the DVF sale.

Pictured: A price list with reductions on the final day of the Parker sample sale located at 260 Sample Sale in SOHO

Final Tips

-Wear Comfortable Clothing. Most sample sales will require you to check your coat and belongings. Dress light and comfortably and bring a small wallet to hold your credit card. It’s hard to elbow your way towards the handbags if you’re wearing a tight top! Dress weather appropriate since there may be a line once you arrive.

-RSVP. Some sales require you to RSVP beforehand, but most do not. Listings will explicitly say if you need to.

-Pace yourself. In the beginning, you may find yourself unnecessarily purchasing items simply because they are a good deal. “Do I really need these pink leopard, diamond studded, Jimmy Choo five inch platforms that will just sit in the back of my closet?” For 97 percent off, you just might, but consider that the purchases will begin to pile up in your shoe-box-sized Manhattan apartment. (It may be a Manolo Blahnik shoe box, but a shoe box nonetheless) Only purchase what you love, because there is always another sale just around the corner!

There’s no place quite like New York City. It’s the only city in the world that you can purchase a $1200 dress for the price of a Venti Starbucks Frappuccino. With the use of this guide, you will be mastering the art of sample sales in no time. Just remember, like the wise Blair Waldorf once said, “Whoever said money can’t buy you happiness, didn't know where to shop.”

@samplesalestalker’s name has been changed.