My Favorite Searches on The Real Real

Plus, tricks to get the good stuff.

It’s oft been written that The Real Real is a real big mess. I liken it to having a third martini — terribly fun, extremely chaotic, outcome risky.

My quick tips for parsing through the mess:

• Pay for the first look option. It’s where the good stuff hits first and the bargains can be outrageous.

• Get off the app, it’s a disaster. Use your web browser on a computer.

• Yes, there’s a litany of Chanel, Hermes, and all the other highly-searched brands. But try to wander off the beaten path, because that’s where you’ll find incredible deals. Did you know Cartier makes beautiful leather goods like backpacks and portfolios? Coveting that thirty-k crocodile backpack from The Row? Search Nancy Gonzales instead: the reigning queen of exotic skins goes for absolutely WILDLY low prices on the same no-label rich bitch vibe, like this black crocodile tote. (Though there are past-season gems from The Row, too!) Looking for a watch? Try Boucheron or Chamet and not just Cartier and Rolex (though this Cellini is very cool).

• If you are searching Hermes, know exactly what you want, set up a search alert, be patient, and don’t deviate. Brick Box Leather Kelly 25 with white stitching? Kelly watch? Epsom Sellier 35? Hold out for the right price and condition.

• If you’re looking for something to call out to you, make your search parameters broad. Things are often mislabeled and incorrectly categorized, which works to your advantage with a sharp eye and a wide net.

• Favorite your top designers and more importantly — your sizes.

• Be patient if something is out of your price range, favorite it and you’ll get an email when it goes on sale.

• Accessories of every kind abound, don’t limit your scope to shoes and bags. This Khaite belt is a total find, for example.

• Remember: what’s old is new again. Alaia is all the way back, and there are some beautiful archival gems to be had, like this 1986 biker jacket (swoon) and this oh-so-90s sheer polka-dot top. Calvin Klein is staging a huge comeback fronted by Kendall Jenner, and you can be sure the 90’s references are heavy — pick through the Calvin Klein Collection category for pieces from decades past, like this incredible coat. Phoebe Philo is about to surge back to the front of the fashion conversation, but old Celine is still very much a thing. Case in point: these loafers, this leather jacket, this literally perfect Cabas tote, this woven net bag, and these sandals.

• I also have an alert set up for “Phoebe Philo”. But there’s some great Heidi Slimane, too! This coat!

• Sleeper category I love: hair accessories.

• Sleeper search I love: “Runway”. It’s especially good for Chanel: this necklace, this 2014 Paris-Dallas belt and sweater, this 2020 Paris-31 Rue Cambon top, this 2013 denim bolero, this delightfully logo’d-out sweater, and this polka dot evening jacket. That’s not to say Chanel is the only worthy mention in this category. There are also some desirable plucks from the likes of Prada (here, here) and YSL (here).

• TRR is a great place for vintage scarf collectors, great deals abound. This Chanel scarf is so good.

• I pulled a few extra selects over on TikTok, so visit me there for some interesting handbags I found perusing today!

Anything I missed? I’m opening up the comment section for this letter, so do share if you have a shrewd tip!