Luxury Fashion, Sample Sale Prices: Get on the A-List

If you read or have seen "Confessions of a Shopaholic" you’ll know that there is nothing like a good sample sale. And even though we may be living in desperate times, that does not mean your fashion needs should be put on hold.

If you’ve always wanted to be on the insiders list for luxury sample sales, the good news is that you don’t have to live in New York any longer! Now you can grab high end items, at steep discount prices, by becoming a member of online destinations like Ideeli.com, The Gilt Group, and RueLaLa, along with new-to-the-scene Beyond the Rack, which also targets Canadian shoppers (it’s about time!)

A similar service is also being offered by BeautyFix, only here new members must pay a hefty subscription fee to reap the benefits of sought after cosmetics delivered right to your doorstep.

Though the model varies by site, in addition to 50-70% off discounts, members have access to industry trend reports, special alerts to inform them of upcoming sales plus message boards where they can interact with other label lovers.

So what’s the catch? Access to these sales sites is by invitation only, and some come with a registration fee. But getting past the velvet rope is not that difficult, as club members can invite friends to join the list or, for sites like The Gilt Group, one can simply call to be added to the list, no minimum purchase required.