Designer Discounts By Jennifer Barger Special to washingtonpost.com Wednesday, January 12, 2000

* Though it's very American to think you'll get something for nothing, off-price shopping has its drawbacks. Discount shops are often located in outlying areas (think Potomac Mills), and sometimes the atmosphere is similar to a rummage sale.

* At manufacturer's outlets – Ann Taylor Rack, the Gap Outlet, et al. – watch for clothing made specifically for the discount market. (Hint: The label usually says "company store" or "outlet.") These items may not be the same quality as original-brand merchandise; consequently, shoppers may be better off hitting the sale rack at the real McCoys.

* If you see something you like – be it a Versace miniskirt for $50 or ski pants at 75 percent off – seize the day and buy it now, because chances are it will not be there tomorrow.

* You might want to eyeball Marie Claire or GQ before heading to the outlet mall. Discounters – especially large stores such as Marshall's and Syms – fill their racks with past-season fashions. This may be fine, particularly for men, whose styles change slowly; but "past season" frequently means "past peak." You may live to regret those faux python boot-cut capris.

* A rule of thumb: Hope for outfits, settle for separates. It's often difficult to find two or three matching pieces in your size.

Armed with the above tips, try these less-than-full-price clothing sources.

Twin power discounters T.J. Maxx and Marshall's operate multiple stores in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Though it's often hard to tell the two apart, on a recent rummage, branches of Marshall's looked larger and better stocked. At Marshall's, we found ladies' Tahari suits for around $300, some nice past-season men's sport shirts by Chaps and Tommy Hilfiger and fun accessories like Sam & Libby leopard-print scuffs. Though slightly disordered, T.J. Maxx had a good selection of women's workout wear (as in hip turquoise pants by Fila for $29.99) and fun juniors' sizes sweaters. Hit the clearance sections at both retailers. Ultra-cheap finds here included $9 men's khakis and $4 sport shirts.

Locally based Syms wins points for its organized stores: racks clearly labeled by size, shoes identified by color ("green means 7"). Time-sensitive discounts – i.e., the longer something stays here, the cheaper it gets – and periodic sales keep prices low. Overall, the men's and women's stock tends to be a bit more conservative than other stores: This isn't the place for trendoids. On a recent trip, best bets included ladies' evening shoes by Paloma and Ann Marino for $25, a past-season Anne Klein skirt with lime green and black stripes for $39.99 and a handsomely styled men's dress coat in black cashmere for $399.

Other discounts close to the District line include Ross Dress for Less, which shines in the accessories department (men's bucks for $30, his-or-her Raybans for $40), and Old Town Alexandria's popular Gap Outlet.

Despite the addition of Leesburg Corner Premium Outlet Center west of town, Potomac Mills remains the mother of all D.C. outlet centers. A visit to the nearly two-million-square-foot discount mecca requires fortitude, stamina and an early start. Many male shoppers won't even go near the place. Clotheshorses feed at Nordstrom Rack for hip shoes and great men's shirts (a stylin' green and black velour plaid goes for $14). Factory stores for BCBG, Big Dog, Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor and luxe children's retailer Oilily also shine.

Leesburg Corner Premium Outlet Center, a half-hour from Tysons Corner (during low-traffic times), boasts a less-overwhelming outlet experience with well-decorated shops – Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Gap – and bordering outdoor walkways with "husband benches." Because of the center's newness, and its policy of only accepting upscale retailers, shoppers don't have to burrow through circa-1989 sweaters or trudge through no-name brand outlets. Leesburg's best bets: a bustling Off Fifth Saks outlet, a Perry Ellis outlet with great men's polos for $20, a Kenneth Cole factory store and a DKNY outlet with the same sleek good looks and cool clothes as la Donna's NYC flagship, albeit on a much smaller scale. The Danskin store, where women's exercise wear includes $5 V-neck shirts and $20 bootleg dance pants, is a fave.

A recent visit to Loehman's confirmed rumors of $100 Anne Klein skirts, cheap men's cashmere sweaters and juniors' styles by Necessary Objects and XOXO. Located close to the city, Loehman's stocks a high percentage of current-season merchandise. A half-hour spent trying on clothes – a feather-light, white DKNY sweater for $70, trendy Hype shoes at half the price of those sold at Nordstrom, jeans embellished with Indian sari fabric – convinced this designer diva there is, indeed, life after the death of Filene's.