Websites to Check Before You Shop At NastyGal.com; or What Your Money Is Worth

NastyGal.com is a great site.  Their buyers are truly on the pulse of what is "hot" now and they have shit tons of merchandise-plus, I like their models and spread of brands.  One thing I don't like?  How they jack up their fucking prices.

Many people in the world don't truly know what they're paying for.  I call these people "Forever21 shoppers".  Not because I never shop at Forever21 (because I do), but because with the advent of e-commerce came the ability to hunt for deals.  A lot of people think "if Forever21 can give me a decent quality piece of clothing for $10, why can't every other retailer?" Well, friends-that is a varied and complicated topic, but you must remember a few things.

1. Shipping costs: if you're buying something made in China and the shipping costs passed to you, the consumer, are minimal-there is something wrong with that.  Forever21 imports ALL their shit: everything from their clothing to their nail polish to their socks. And yet...all their merchandise is still dirt cheap!  This is a catch-22, and catch-22s are inherantly wrong. No one should not be rewarded for importing crap.  It's taxing on our (and any) national economy as well as the ENVIRONMENT.  Yeah, assholes:  the environment.  How do you think shit gets to you from overseas?  Whether it's by train, plane or ship, carbon is being pumped into the atmosphere for your right to buy a $5 shirt from some asshole. 

On the flipside, if you're buying something that was "handmade" or imported from France, or Japan, or Italy, or wherever, your item will often be more because of freight costs.  It is up to you whether having something made in a country with higher standards than, say, FUCKING CHINA, is worth the extra cash.  Still-the environmental price remains the same.  I must say, playing Devil's Advocate, if I'm going to kill the planet for some cashmere, it's going to be from France and not China.

2. Packaging and presentation: this is shit you never factor into your pricing, but it counts.  I remember being delighted at my first Dior and Vuitton purchases because everything came wrapped in tissue paper, in a beautiful box, with authenticity cards, and in lovely, strong bags. OoooOOOooo bags and boxes!  WHO GIVES A SHIT!  Answer: basically everyone.  This is why I have had to train myself to STOP loving the package something comes in.  I'm a sucker for well designed websites, elegant packaging, fluff and bright lighting, and all the rest.  We all are; we all, inherantly, love and feel we deserve luxury.  We'll give it up for low prices (see Forever21, Costco, and Target...all garishly lit with very little "fluff" to speak of) but if we're paying the price, we want the benefits of feeling special and luxurious.  The thing is, that store and that box and that asshole DJ at the Guess store playing horrible house music from '98 aren't free; they're not perks given to you for being a loyal shopper-they're rolled right into your purchase price.  Consider it. 

Okay, so back to the topic: price jackin' up.  It's BULLSHIT!  Especially when a site is popular-they have no excuse to fuck you out of money.  Now, a smaller, independent site isn't allowed to do that crap, either, but at least you would understand it more if that was the case-they're not making tons of money, so they add a couple bucks onto shit until they can compete.  NastyGal, however, is almost always a couple of bucks more expensive than other retailers-for no reason. 

So, without further ado, some sites you should check before buying shit from NG.

Shoes: Endless
Everyone knows this site-chances are, if it's on NG, you'll find it here, with free or cheaper shipping and at a lower cost.

Clothes: Lulu's, Pretty Pennies
Lulu's is fantastic.  They're aimed towards the " late teen and early 20's" demographic which means same shit, cheaper price.  Pretty Pennies has a much smaller inventory base, but they're a solid company and worth supporting.  Dark side of the moon?  You can occasionally find shit on PP for cheaper at Urban Outfitters.  Bad sign...yet still cheaper than NG.

Direct Brand Sites
If you're eyeing an item and can't find it anywhere else, try to go direct to the brand's site.  50% of the time, they'll have the MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price) listed, as well as a list of retailers. That way, you can see whether NG is trying to wallet rape you-and if so, where else you can get the item.

Sterner: always looking out for you.