We all want designer clothes without paying designer prices. But what if the designer products you are buying are lesser quality, made with cheaper materials or fabric?
[WEB EXTRA: Extended interview | Vote where you find bargains]
Local 6 shed some light on top outlet brands and revealed differences of outlet vs. retail stores that may have you thinking twice about shopping at the outlets.
On Local 6's shopping spree:
- Men's khaki shorts were purchased from The Gap for $44.95 and Gap Outlet for $34.99
- A little black dress from JCrew for $90, and JCrew Outlet $60.
- A Polo Ralph Lauren shirt from the Outlet $45 and one from the mall $95.
- A hand bag from Coach $210 and the Coach Outlet $75 .
Local 6 teamed up with Fashion Designer Diana Simaan Kessler, who has her own clothing line and an eye for the smallest details.
First up, Polo shirts. Local 6 asked Kessler if she could tell which one is which.
"The knit is closer together on the retail," Kessler said. "On the outlet shirt it's a little bit spread apart if you look at it closely, I can see that, that's one giveaway."
Another giveaway-- the stitching on the sleeves and bottom of the shirt.
"You can see there is a much smoother uniform finish on the retail," Kessler said.
Kessler discovered those same improvements in the khaki shorts from the Gap.
"They used a different thread and they reinforced this stitch twice," Kessler said. "This is just a little bit of a rougher zipper and this one has more of a smooth glide."
Smart Money Magazine says 82 percent of all products sold in an outlet store are made to be there. They are not imperfect or out of date, but they are lower quality.
JCrew has even created a separate line just for outlet shoppers. Again, there's more of a difference than just the price tag
"Here you're getting silk your getting more tailoring more detailing," Kessler said. "More time went into the preparation of this dress and there is more detail in this dress, the way the buttons are covered."
Kessler says it's called knocking off their own brands.
"What they try to do is make it more affordable to the consumer," she said.
Even Coach has gotten into the outlet game. 85 percent of what you find in the outlet store was made to be there. The difference starts with premium packaging.
The Coach hand bag purchased from the retail store had a silk bag included. Hardware on the retail bag is more sturdy and fabric inside the purse, much softer. The leather from the retail bag is much softer.
No insignia bags were in the retail store, which alludes to it's not a current look. On the flip side, the money you save buying at the outlet is huge.
Kessler says consumers need to figure out what it important to them.
"You will definitely not find a Coach purse in the retail store for under $100."