Cary, N.C. — Many middle school, high school and college students are into clothing with designer labels, but paying designer prices aren’t so popular.

Parents and children are finding ways to get designer clothing for less by hitting stores like Plato’s Closet. The Cary store is filled with clothes that were once in someone else’s closet.

Many customers are making money by bringing in clothes they want to sell and saving cash by getting well known designer names at very low prices.

“The biggest thing for me is the savings - great quality, great labels and the price is right,” Tatiana Guy said. Guy brings in shirts that her children have outgrown and clothes that she doesn’t plan to wear anymore.

Some of those “right” prices:
A Vera Bradley purse for $16. Regular price: $50 to $100.
Timberland boots? $16 to $35. Regular price: $75 and higher.

Store Manager Ann Spalin said bags, boxes and bins of new items come in daily – all day. Managers pick what they believe they can sell and offer a flat cash price or a little bit more in store credit.

Jeans are a popular item in the store with racks of designer styles available for less than half the regular price.
“The higher end jeans like Seven, James, Big Star – We’ll retail those for $35 and they go anywhere for over $100 or $250 and that’s a huge difference,” Spalin said.

The designer jeans tend to sell fast, Spalin said.

“The second they see them, they're out the door,” she said.

Customer Kyara Riggs said the store is a “Godsend.”

“I have three daughters and we all wear the same size,” Riggs said.

When 5 on Your Side interviewed Riggs, she had a armload of deals, including Lacoste shoes for $13, She was even wearing a dress she found there.

“It's from Forever 21 and I got it here. It was $8” said Riggs.

Like many resale shops, Plato’s is particular about what styles and quality of clothing they'll accept. Plenty of items are not accepted.

On Wednesday's WRAL NEWS at 5 p.m., 5 on Your Side's Monica Lalliberte shows how to cut costs by purchasing pre-owned instruments. She will offer money saving ideas throughout the week.