Scottsdale, AZ: What I Bought

I wasn’t planning to do a lot of shopping in Phoenix; I’m spoiled for choice at home, and our vacation was short and I wanted to make the most of the little time we had. Both my husband and I wanted to check out Nordstrom Last Chance to see what the fuss is about, but that was the extent of our shopping plans. Scottsdale had other ideas.

Last Chance was right next door to an Ulta, and a 2 minute drive to a Nordstrom Rack. And a consignment store. And there was a Goodwill 5 minutes away from that. And … well, you can imagine how the rest goes. Everything was ever so conveniently close by; we simply had to pop in, you see? As the legendary Piaf would say, je ne regrette rien.

I didn’t actually spend a lot of time browsing in any given store, which is probably why I still managed to come home with only one suitcase; but I can see why Phoenix is a shopping destination for some. There were great deals to be had all over the place, no matter what your budget and tastes. If you like to shop new and designer, and don’t mind a scrum, Last Chance is your ticket. The prices are decently low compared to retail, though nowhere close to thrift, of course. The store itself is overwhelming, even for someone like me, but if you’re patient and don’t mind digging around, it can pay off. Things are not always in the best condition so be sure to look over your items closely; no returns are allowed.

I scored a Marc Jacobs bag, mostly because I loved the colour and because it was one of the few bags I saw that was still in great shape. I have a couple of other small MbMJ crossbody bags that I used all the time, so I know this one will be functional for my lifestyle. It was $60USD plus tax compared to about $400 retail, which isn’t the greatest deal, but decent considering the condition and unusual colour.

I also got some Louise et Cie lace-up metallic oxfords for just under $30USD. Again, not a mind-blowing deal, but I am obsessed with this style of shoe and I find the colour to be interesting but versatile. I saw quite a lot of tempting AGL shoes of varying styles, but they were marked down to around $70USD which was too high for me. I also spotted a pair of Valentino ankle-strap pumps (a style that was hot within the last year or so) in my size for around $200USD, but after wearing them in-store a bit, I decided they weren’t comfortable enough for me.

A much better deal were the bikini tops and bottoms I found – each piece was about $6USD. I got 1 matching set, and another non-matching top and bottom (which I can mix and match with some of my existing bikinis). I forgot to take pictures for the blog, but you can see them on IG. Lastly, I picked up a forest green, knit top by Gibson; it was an impulse buy, but only $3USD which is basically almost free.

On the recommendation of a friend, I checked out My Sister’s Closet, a Phoenix consignment store. There are two locations – one located next door to the Nordstrom Rack on Camelback Road; the other a short drive away on N. Scottsdale Road. Both separate their clothing by designer/non-designer, and then by category; the N. Scottsdale location had far larger designer section, much of it very high-end. Prices were quite reasonable, particularly as there was some kind of sale going on when I visited. The stores reminded me a lot of my favourite local consignment shop, My Favourite Aunt’s. I didn’t end up buying anything on this trip, but I will definitely go back next time I’m in Phoenix.

As I mentioned earlier, I did end up checking out a few Goodwill stores as well; there are lots of thrift stores in the area, but there were a bunch of Goodwills located conveniently close to our resort and, as I am generally familiar with the way their stores are organized, they were easy to check out in very little time.

In my first store, I struck gold almost immediately:

This is an Armani Collezione dress that was selling at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus last year. I did some online digging and it looks like the original retail price was around $1,300USD. I paid $25USD … so, yeah, you could say that I hit the jackpot.

The other stores I visited did not yield quite the same manner of treasure, but I did spot a bunch of designer labels, including 10 Crosby by Derek Lam, Elizabeth and James, Alice and Olivia, Joie, Carven and more. Overall, I found designer stuff to be more plentiful in Phoenix than, say, Houston; prices were comparable with my local Goodwill, though items were individually marked rather than standard priced. I am not sure I’m ready to say that Phoenix’s thrift scene is better than Edmonton’s … but it’s close.

I also picked up this cute Fossil zippered pouch/crossbody bag:

Next time, I plan to devote a bit more time to the shopping scene in Phoenix because, judging from my limited “research”, it should pay off nicely.

Have you visited Scottsdale/Phoenix? What were your shopping experiences, and do you have any other tips for fellow bargain hunters?