Sale shopping, I have to admit I am not the biggest fan, I have never been the one to que or spend hours going through messy sales rales in the hope of finding a gem, and don’t get me started on the changing rooms! It’s just not how I like to shop, nine times out of ten if I ever go into a shop to look at their sale I will always end up wanting something full price.
Typically on the high street retailers are reducing the price of the slowest sellers and the lines that haven’t worked as well, the stock that they need to get rid of or items that aren’t being carried over to the following season. However in the current state of the high street today, with stores closing and the majority of sales moving to online, we can expect to see more aggressive price reductions by struggling retailers, it really is a sad sign of how bad things have been inpacted by the pandemic.
How many times have we told ourselves this after buying things in the sales! But unfortunately we all know that the lure of a bargain and that sale price tag can make us buy some questionable clothes, ones that we often end up regretting and leaving in the back of our wardrobe.
Where sale shopping does become massively rewarding is when you have your eye on that certain item for so long and its perfect for you, you love it but just can’t stretch to the price tag, then it goes in the sale. That is a perfect sale purchase.
If you want to shop the sales and get a true perfect sale purchase I have my top tips to help you make a more considered purchase. And in today’s world where sustainability and thinking about how our consumer choices impact the environment are so important, I think we all need to think a little harder before making that purchase.
My top 5 sale shopping tips
1. Before sale shopping have a look in your wardobe -check for gaps, do a detox, think about events coming up etc.. what is on your list? What do you really need?
2. Buy classic styles and timeless pieces – Sale time is a great opportunity to buy a classic more expensive item that you might not have been able to stretch to before, so keep an eye on items on your wish list and see if they go on sale. Buying items in black, navy, grey and other neutral colours including animal print will make them a more sustainable purchase as they will ultimately go with more in your wardrobe.
3. Can you style it in lots of different ways– Do you have other things to wear with it? does it sit well with the rest of your wardrobe?
Always think about your cost per wear, you want to make this as low as possible. No matter what the price tag the most expensive garment you own is the one that sits in your wardrobe with the tags on not being worn!
So if that dress in the sale is half price but still £100 and you only wear it a few times that’s £50 per wear. But if it’s a dress you can wear caual and dress up, to work and at weekends that might take it down to wearing it over 20 times then your cost per wear is only £5.
Sales typically are at the end of the season so I always like to think will this item take me through to the next season? Can I wear later it up and it will work across the season.
4. Do you have something similar in your wardobe– We are often to drawn to similar things as we know what we like and hopefully we know what suits us, but do we end up buying just more of the same? Buying the same item in another colour is a great idea if you have got lots of wear our of it and you love it, just make sure that the colour suits you and you aren’t just buying for the sake of it as its a safe style.
5. Lastly ask yourself -if you been looking at buying it full price – what stopped you? Was it just the price ? Or was it because you know you don’t really need it?
The best categories to invest in at sale time if you are looking to build your perfect wardrobe are
- Knitwear – buying quality knitwear is a great affordable investment for your wardrobe, as it won’t wear as quickly and go out of shape so will last you years to come.
- Key Basics including denim – items you wear a lot such as denim, these are the building blocks of your wardrobe . Good quality denim will last you a lot longer so sale time is a great time to buy a pair.
Blue or darker denim is your Best Buy as it will get more all year round wear. It’s also easier to take from day to night outfits. Focus on good quality denim brands and classic styles that suit your body shape.
- Jackets & outerwear- in the UK with the weather so changeable, jackets and layers will be worn the most across the year so it pays to buy well.
A blazer is a great investment as they never go out of fashion, finding one that fits you perfectly so you can wear year after year.
- Dresses that can be worn across the seasons – if it can be worn with sandals in the summer through to boots and tights in the winter you really have a hard working item in your wardrobe.
This dress I have in my sample sale is a perfect example. As it has black in the print it perfectly lends itself to being worn with boots and tights in the colder months, it looks great under a leather jacket too. Dresses like this one that can be worn all your footwear from trainers, sandals , heels and boots will always get the most wear as they are the most versatile.
Hope you enjoyed my blog! And good luck finding those sale bargains! Have fun shopping x
If you would like to check out my Cabi sample Sale just get in touch. You can also shop the sale in my Facebook group. I’ve featured a few pieces in this blog, if you would like to see more contact me I can share with you what’s available in your size.
Thank you for reading & Happy shopping!
Caroline x
Caroline O'Connor Personal stylist 