Introducing a new column
This issue marks the debut of The Malibu Times new column on fashion, Olivia’s Closet, written by staff writer Olivia Damavandi and to be published monthly. Damavandi has had a lifelong interest in fashion and grew up in a family with a background in the industry. Her flair for putting together unique outfits combined with the affordability and wide range of sources from which Damavandi buys her clothes and accessories were the inspiration behind this column to share her knowledge with our readers. We hope you find her ideas as inspiring and useful as we do.<.I>
-Laura Tate, Associate Publisher/Editor
Finding treasures on eBay
I get the same eyebrow-raising reaction every time someone hears the story behind how I got my favorite vintage raspberry Gucci pumps (after winning them in an eBay auction for $25, I drove to Pasadena to pick them up from a sweet old grandma). The same can be said about my favorite Swarovski crystal ring (the jubilation of unearthing it at an estate sale in Pacific Palisades made my week!).
For me, the gratification of finding quality clothing, shoes or accessories at a fraction of their normal prices (and knowing nobody else will be wearing the same ones) is unrivaled. Factor in the current economic state and it’s almost an excuse to shop on eBay whether you’re looking for new or vintage shoes, clothing or accessories.
On eBay.com, you can find some pretty weird auctions with interesting buyers (a piece of a Doritos chip that looked like the Pope’s hat sold for $1,209 in 2007), but I have found the online auction site is a shopper’s paradise (especially for vintage items)… if you know the tricks of the trade.
A good starting point would be to type in the name of a favorite designer (if you don’t yet have an account, signing up is easy and free). You’ll probably get a ton of search results and, after weeding through them, find the item you’re after is swarmed by a slew of bidders who drive up the auction price and lower your chances of winning. There’s nothing you can do to stop others from bidding, but, thanks to poor-spelling sellers, there is a way to find auction items that few others know are listed.
Deliberately misspelling a designer’s name when performing searches, like substituting “Yves Saint Laurent” with “Eves Saint Laurent,” has led me to some undiscovered treasures like the Miu Miu heels I won unopposed at auction for $60 a few weeks ago.
You can also eliminate undesired search results by typing in the name of your favorite celebrity style icon or the clothing genre or fabric. For example, the results of an eBay search for a leather jacket, one of last season’s must-haves, will probably have you looking through dozens that seem more suitable for a day on a cattle ranch than for a night on the town. But if you attach the name of a celebrity who has been photographed wearing one, such as Kate Moss, your search results will be much more appropriate.
Before you bid, make sure the designer item is guaranteed authentic. When shopping on eBay, there is always the risk of being sold fraudulent products. I learned the hard way a few years ago when I unintentionally bought a knockoff pair of Von Zipper sunglasses. Sellers use certain tactics to confuse buyers into thinking their product is authentic to raise its price. For example, the seller from whom I bought the knockoff shades had advertised them as being made by Von Zipper, but somewhere in the small print of the item description (which I admittedly neglected to read) it said they were “Von Zipper-style.”
To avoid this, check a seller’s feedback (the scores given to them by previous buyers) to evaluate their reliability. If you have questions about items, communicate with the sellers through eBay messages and check their return policies. Most sellers guarantee the authenticity of the items they are selling, so much so that they agree to refund your money should you find otherwise. But some sellers deny refunds on brand new designer shoes, or require them to be returned within a certain amount of time in perfect condition. Whatever the case, don’t bid in doubt.
When you do bid, make your maximum offer an odd number, even if it means adding a penny. For example, if your maximum bid is $50, enter $50.01. Most eBay users bid in even numbers and I have won some of my favorite clothes and shoes with that lucky penny.
Lastly, before I purchase an item in a regular store, I like to make sure it isn’t being sold on eBay at a lower price: A new Mara Hoffman dress; $430. Getting it on eBay for $90. Priceless.