To Brand Or Not To Brand?

To brand or not to brand? This is the question I’m analysing today.

I see many comments on the BFK Facebook page like

"Who can afford £200 on a pair of shoes ?!!!?" or

"Why pay xxx$$$ for a pair of shoes that the kids only grow out of in 2 months !!???!!"

"That's a ridiculous amount of money for a pair of sneakers, I'm not paying that!"

“Whoever spends that crazy amount of money on shoes is insane!” 🤪🤬👻🤯😭😤😈”, for exaggeration purposes I've chosen the use of Emojis instead of forbidden profanities, but we all know that's what some fans would really comment if they could, luckily Facebook blocks that sort of language … 😉 

Well, why continue to post designer items, you may wonder? Let's be honest, if we had the money, we'd probably buy the stuff that we'd want - regardless of need or not. Child or adult, if we have the extra cash to splurge, we’d probably do it, I know I would. Back to reality though and the majority of parents cannot afford to spend their earnings on designer bags and shoes and luxury goods for their children and therefore I find comments like the above, a lot.

Enter Bargain Fairy Kids. I created BFK for a reason – I love fashion and love designer brands. And there are plenty of ways to buy them even if you can’t always afford it. There are so many major bargains out there to be found, had, bought and reused! Even if sometimes it doesn't always seem like a bargain to everyone, £200 down from £500 is a still pretty good deal, do the math! Other times, it's £90 down to £20. For me it's in the eye of the beholder and questions such as "what am I actually looking for, what am I prepared to spend, is it a brand I absolutely adore, is it worth the splurge?" come to mind. And mostly, my answers are “yes”, “yes”, “yes”, “yes”, “yes”! 

We get it though. Some people like to splurge now and again and some people don't. As an enthusiastic fashion lover, I like to have a variety of designer and non-designer items in the wardrobe and I believe some parents appreciate the same for their kids. It's great to mix a little high-end, luxury with high-street fashion, it makes the outfits fun and inspired, and gives edge to a look and let's face it, some designer brands have that je ne sais quoi, that's just not always available on the high-street...

Luckily, I have a few tips to save even on the big splurges and where to find those fashion statement pieces the little ones need in their wardrobe and LIFE!

Fast-Fashion

There are plenty of fast-fashion, high-street brands like Zara, H&M, River Islandthat have loads of designer inspired items, which is great, I personally love River Island Baby, their tracksuits and jogger sets are divine, are good quality and major bargains. Our BFK Collection also carries a few designer-inspired pieces such as the Be Geezyand Sock It To Meand the latest addition Superstar DJwhich are all carefully sourced, insuring that quality is high and the price stays mainstream.

Sales

There’s still something about a pair of Golden Goosebaby sneakers so I always keep an eye out for sales. Follow the seasonal sales reminders and subscribe to newsletters, offers, promos and new collections! Some retailers have year round sales or an outlet such as Very, AlexandAlexa, Farfetch,Psyche, USC,Kids Cavern, Yooxand many more.    

Second-Hand

Not only do I feel better because I contribute to eco-friendly fashion, but I get a discount too and really, I don’t mind second-hand pieces, as long as you carefully consider the condition and properly dry clean or wash before use, it’s totally fine! There are some great second-hand platforms that offer easy buy and re-sell options like Vestiaire Collective,The Luxury Closet, Littlest Luxuries, The RealReal. Finding designer items is easy, with a huge selection and wide choice yet be sure to check the condition vs price value. TRRexpedite UPS within a couple of days, meaning you’ll receive items within one week, beware you might need to pay customs duties on items over a certain amount. ThoughVCfor example has a bit of a lengthy shipping process, as they provide the seller with a 30-day window to send the items to the VC warehouse, check the goods for authenticity, then ship via DHL, so it depends on how fast they seller can ship until the item is received. I find it’s definitely worth waiting for and they include taxes in the price as they mainly ship from within EU, so there’s no surprises upon receiving your shipment. I use VCmainlhy when I know the size of the brand. I don’t buy if I haven’t tried the brand before or am not sure about sizing, you can always ask the seller directly for specific sizing help, otherwise always check the return policy. Another tip is to check the sellers ratings or sold list and look for bad comments / reviews. While browsing for baby you can simultaneously scan for yourself as most of these platforms focus mainly on adult second-hand designer pieces BONUUUS ;)

Always compare retailers for pricing

A good example of why comparing prices is a must-do, in this case is Farfetchand Veryhave the exact same shoe for two completely different prices. Very being £30 cheaper!

Bringing this article to a close the above pictured selection of 10 items is a comparison of regular priced designer versus sales, versus second-hand, versus high-street, providing an idea of how I like to combine luxe and high-street for baby.

1. Second hand Golden Goose, sizes from EUR 20 – EUR 35, prices range from £40 – £200
2. Golden Goose, regular price £150 – £480
3. For a high-street brand inspired alternative to Golden Goose our very own BFK Collection Superstar DJsneakers, £45 includes FREE International Delivery.
4. For a beautiful, very popular floral Bonpoint Dress, Farfetch always offer a great Bonpoint Sale, usually anywhere from 30-50% off, prices range from £25 for a simple onesie or t-shirt to £446 for a varsity style jacket. The pictured Floral Dressis 30% off for £87 down from £123.
5. For a second-hand alternative head over to Vestiaire Collectivefor almost the exact sameBonpoint Floral Dressat half the price for £40.
6. Brands such as BOSS, in my opinion is an affordable brand even if not on sale. They’re good for all sorts of branded accessories from binkies to bottles, outfit sets, blankets and diaper bags, they’re a go-to for gifting too! Though affordable I like to keep an eye out for discounts anyways. Psycheusually always have really good deals and sales year round and Verysometimes offer major sales and is definitely worth getting on the seasonal sales reminder list.
7. The pictured BOSS shoesare too cute and 50% off, BARGAIN!
8. Emporio Armani is another popular brand with BFK followers so I try to keep a look out for sales. This super cute pink trackyis sweet perfection and half price from £140 down to £
9. Compare the Armani to a River Island joggerat £22, pair with some fancy second-hand or designer inspired sneakers and you’re all set in the fashion department without spending a fortune…
10. There is however something very special about a designer piece. I found this super cute Kenzo Tiger Corduroy Bomber, I absolutely love the color and the Tiger design on the back makes it extra special. At £210 this is worth the yearly splurge. You’ll be able to re-sell this second-hand and get at least 30% if not 50% back.

I hope this inspires to keep an eye out for discounted luxe, yet to splurge when you feel like it and to save where possible.