Addicted To eBay

A Screen Grab of "My Feed" on Ebay

So I have a confession to make. Over the term of the past year I have developed an addiction to eBay. It started out innocently enough - searching the internet far and wide for the bag I fell in love with when I was 13 - the Chloe Paddington (more on that later). Before I knew it, I had a watch list that rivaled the  US government's and a wish list longer then anything I had ever written to Santa.

I became fully immersed in the world where the biggest rush was winning an auction and anxiety grew when you had to step away from the screen with under an hour remaining. I have felt the sorrows. That moment when you open your inbox and you get the notification that you have been outbid or worse, that the item you were watching has expired. On this same hand, upon receiving the congratulatory highest bidder email I have proclaimed "YES" out-loud more than once.

Growing up I always thought that eBay was filled with shady things that held no value. While this is partially true (I suggest typing random into the search bar one day just to see what comes up - totally worth it) for those of us who love fashion, Ebay holds some of the best bargains around.

Ebay User Mespa03

My most recent buy was a stunning red, silk, a-line skirt by Milly NY (shown left) with store tags in tact. The original price was hovering about $300 - I snagged it for $36.

Now I have a genuine question for you. Where in the world can you find a silk skirt, made in the US, new, for $36? You can't - outside of Ebay. The same can be said of the grey 100% cashmere Design History sweater that Peter sent me last summer. He saw it on my wish list and for the bargain basement price of $25 he couldn't resist.

Tracy Reese for Anthropologie

Even my mother took to Ebay this past March when it came time to get me a birthday present. She settled on this stunning Tracy Reese dress (shown right) which I wear way too often and always end up twirling in.

My favorite things to look at on the site are the collectable items: The several thousand dollar Alexander McQueen gowns produced pre-death, Oscar de la Renta runway looks and of course - the Hermes Kelly & Birkin bags.

I enjoy likening eBay to window shopping. What could be more fun then getting to look through the best windows in the world? Many of the listings are like curated museums where everything is for sale.

Just like in any marketplace, I have my favorites: LaLaLanvin never disappoints for young, contemporary designers, Always*A*Lady carries a suburb selection of Anthropologie and CelebrityOwned reminds me of the best consignment store - ever. These stores are always legit, fast and reasonable.

Like anything, not everything on eBay can be trusted. When looking for accessories more then most things - fakes are around every turn. Having as much knowledge about the item you are looking for before you place your bid is crucial to not getting ripped off.