11 Genius Marshalls Shopping Hacks For Chic & Affordable Finds

I’d like to think that as I grow older, I also grow wiser — at least in the shopping department. All those days of impulse purchasing regular-priced items? Gone. And with the new year around the corner, I’ve resolved myself to hone my intentional shopping practices even more by handpicking stores that consistently offer great deals on chic pieces. Enter: Marshalls.

For many, the retail giant is already familiar. Some may recall hours-long shopping trips with their mothers growing up, while others make regular pilgrimages to the massive brick-and-mortar stores whenever they visit their hometowns. Few, however, know the many genius shopping hacks to snag the best deals, especially on trending styles.

Celebrity stylist and Marshalls fashion style expert Sophie Lopez says, “There’s something for everyone at Marshalls, whether you’re trend-focused or somebody [who] doesn’t like to follow trends.”

On the trend front, Lopez says she easily spots runway styles at the store, including some of the biggest current aesthetics. “Red is huge, plaid and checks are going to be, and leopard print is also gonna be huge” both now and throughout 2025, predicts the expert. “All of these things are very available — you just go in and find them.”

From surprising designers you can shop to price tag colors to look out for (read: final clearance), below is a definitive guide to making the most out of your Marshalls shopping.

There’s A Wide Designer Selection

My friends are always shocked to hear that the retail giant carries a wide array of luxury pieces. Ever wanted the viral Le Chiquito Jacquemus bag? A Chloe Marcie Medium satchel? Ferragamo’s Vara Pumps? You could find them all on Marshalls’ official website for significantly lower prices.

There’s also a robust selection of contemporary designers, including House of Harlow, Lucky Brand, and Staud, among others, for every budget.

One caveat: If you’re shopping online, you’ll notice most designer names are hidden behind a “Reveal Designer” button, so searching for pieces based on brand isn’t as straightforward. But you can still utilize the item’s name, material, pattern, or color to narrow down the search. It makes stumbling onto a designer gem even more of a treat.

Merchandise Differs By Store

Per the brand, no two Marshalls establishments carry the exact same products. Even the site offers a different selection of merchandise. So if you’re looking for something specific, consider a store and website browsing combo, or multiple in-person locations for optimal browsing (and hopefully purchasing).

Shopping In Person? Start With The “Track”

Overwhelmed by the massive space and endless racks in store? The Marshalls team suggests starting your browsing along the “track,” the curated section in the center of the store. Some of the contemporary labels and trending pieces are highlighted there.

If you’re shopping online, you can explore the curations to see what’s trending in any given season and help narrow your search. For winter, collections include “The Cashmere Shop,” “The Cozy Shop,” “The Ski Shop,” “Stocking Stuffers,” and more.

Come In Armed With A Strategy...

The merchandise stocked in stores and online is already based on trend forecasts. So, per Lopez, “If you go in knowing what you’re looking for, it’s going to be there. It’s really quite easy.” It’s best if you have a strategy — whether you’re looking for specific trends or runway dupes — and employ your eagle eye. “If you wanted to shop all the trends in one sitting, you would be able to find them all there,” she says.

...But Stay Open To Surprises

Lopez also encourages perusing even if you don’t know what you’re looking for — especially when looking for gifts. Her favorite is “when you need to buy gifts for someone or you have multiple people to buy gifts for.” She adds, “Also, because product changes so fast, you could go one week and go back the next and it will be different.” Thousands of new pieces come in weekly, so there’s always something new to find.

Just grab it while you can — especially the designer pieces as those might not be restocked.

Add These Clearance Months To Your Cal

While there are year-round deals in-store and online, the Marshalls team shared the best months to shop the biggest clearance events: January and July.

There’s A Tag Color-Coding Scheme

The price tag colors each have specific meanings. White stands for “regular price,” purple tags are for “runway” pieces including high-end, contemporary, and couture fashion, while blue tags are used for co-ords. What you really want to look out for, however, are red and yellow, which stand for clearance and final clearance, respectively.

Shopping For Essentials? They’re 20%-60% More Affordable

The retail giant is also the place to shop if you’re looking to stock up on household essentials. Think: skin care, home cleaning products, bath products, hair and nail tools, and even snacks. Per the Marshalls team, prices are typically 20%-60% below full-price retailers’ regular prices.

Don’t Sleep On Beauty

Even fashion girls shouldn’t sleep on Marshalls’ beauty section — it has anything and everything. In terms of tools, I was pleasantly surprised by the range it carries. LED masks? Check. Microcurrent devices? Check. Hair tools? Aplenty.

Fragrance connoisseur? Marshalls can help you start your collection with labels like Byredo, Maison Margiela Replica, Jimmy Choo, and more.

The real jaw-dropper is the skin care and makeup selection, which I’ve officially spent hours poring over. Brands include YSL Beauty, Gucci Beauty, Laura Mercier, Augustinus Bader, and La Prairie, among countless others, for mind-blowingly discounted prices. For example, you can get the cult-favorite Laneige Sleeping Mask for $15 (versus the $24 retail price) or a Gucci Matte Lipstick for $25, instead of the usual $47.

Get Free Shipping With A Code

All online orders over $89 qualify for free shipping — just use the code “SHIP89” upon checkout (a pro tip direct from the brand). Shopping in person? Select stores offer a home delivery option priced based on location (in case you don’t want to schlep your shopping bags home).

Subscribe & Download The App

The brand’s reps also encourage shoppers to stay connected online. As with any subscription, those who sign up for emails get info on exciting deals and new drops first.

Downloading the app adds another fun layer to shopping. The Marshalls app features a visual search feature to recommend similar styles on the site. Snap a pic of a piece you want, upload it, and wait for the recs to come in.

Source cited:

Sophie Lopez, celebrity stylist and Marshalls fashion style expert