Despite deciding to ‘sit out’ the Boxing Day sales this year, I couldn’t help but have a little peek at what was on offer. Personally, I think that the post-Christmas sales generally tend to be better than any other throughout year, and if you have the patience, you can usually snap up a great bargain come January when further discounts are applied. Assuming the item hasn’t been snapped up already, of course.
My biggest style resolution for the year ahead is to shop smarter, which means taking my time before buying anything on my wishlist, and waiting until sale time (where it makes sense) to make any big ticket purchases. As such, I plan on shopping with a list, and I’m pretty transparent about the fact that I think sale time is a great opportunity to get an ‘investment’ piece for less, or add a high quality basic to your closet.
So below I’ve picked out some of the bits I would’ve fancied adding to my online shopping basket this year. I’d love to know in the comments whether you’re also planning to sit out the Boxing Day sales this year, or alternatively, if you have a list of key pieces you’re hoping to tick off for the season ahead. And, if you didn’t see my post yesterday, I shared some of my top sale picks from the bi-annual Everlane ‘CWYP’ sale. And if you’re curious about anything featured in the pics below, they’re all shoppable! Now let’s jump into it…
TOPS & KNITWEAR
What generally comes to mind as possibly my favourite sale purchase is a ivory knit sweater I bought from Joseph around this time last year. The height of summer probably seems like an odd time to be stocking up on winter knits, I know, but I’m more than happy to shop out of season if the right piece pops up.
In part, I think it’s probably because knitwear tends to be a little bit more of an investment than a nice top.
The festive season has almost come and gone now, so glitzy tops aren’t really on my radar right now. Instead, I’m eying up pretty wrap tops which could possibly do double duty for ‘work’ and for play (though I’ll probably hold off until the new year when I start the 5PFW Challenge to buy anything…).
BLAZERS & COATS
You may recall that I recently used the Black Friday sales to pick up a few things on my wishlist; a replacement leather jacket being one of them.
The things that seem to have caught my eye are mostly impractical bits like velvet or corded blazers, and of course there’s no real shortage of classic winter coats, leather jackets, or waterproof trench coats.
Earlier this year, I decided to buy a coat from Stella McCartney, and the purchase has been totally worth it. I was lucky enough to find a pristine coat (brand new with tags) for less than 50% off, and saw that the iconic Bryce style made it into the Boxing Day sale.
Perhaps thankfully for my bank balance, I’m pretty well-stocked for outerwear right now, but if I was looking, I’d probably take the opportunity to splurge on something seriously investment-worthy.
SKIRTS & TROUSERS
My style has changed a lot over the last few years; in the past, I’d usually opt for a skirt that has a lot of personality (like the picks to the right), and pair it with a basic top.
These days, I’ve found myself gravitating more towards tailored trousers, and slim fitting denim. And personally, I’m loving that slightly more androgynous look.
I’m loving anything high-waisted, just as I find that they’re the most leg-lengthening on me (which helps to balance out my proportions), preferably with a tapered leg.
For skirts, something with a bit more length to it has been really up my street. Pleats in particular I think are really pretty and ladylike, and that pink midi length one in the far bottom right is particularly stunning.
One thing I did spot, is that my favourite pair of mid-blue wash jeans are currently on sale, with approximately 50% off the retail price. These just so happened to be one of my most worn items over autumn and winter, so I can definitely couch for them if you’ve been thinking of splurging on some ‘designer’ denim.
SHOES
Shoes typically tend to be the one thing I cannot resist blindly buying on sale, despite having more than I need as it is.
As my tastes generally tended to be a little more on the expensive end of the spectrum, I would usually spend a good few hours browsing my favourite stores using the ‘price low to high’ filter… Now, I like to shop by designer instead, and there are a few brands which I’ve found myself looking for first: Stuart Weitzman, Aquatalia, By Far and Mansur Gavriel.
One pair of shoes I tend to get a lot of questions about are my Valentino tango pumps. I’ve started reaching for these a lot again lately, and they’re just as comfortable as I imagine, plus I love the low block heel. I managed to snag mine pre-loved (but in pristine condition) via The Real Real, but I saw that Net-a-Porter currently have the patent version at 40% off.
HANDBAGS
When shopping handbags on sale, I usually like to go down one of two paths; either opt for something a little fun and slightly more ‘trend’-focused, or alternatively I’ll scout out a classic which has been massively discounted.
Personally, I think it’s the best time of year to invest in a designer bag of any sort. Given the price tag, it’s usually a purchase I’d assume you’ll have been mulling over for a while, which makes it the perfect opportunity to save anywhere from 15-50% (or even more..) off!
I can be a little fickle with handbags, which is why I’ll usually spend more than 12 months thinking about a style before I jump the gun. When you’re spending upwards of $500 on one item, you want to be sure it’s ‘the one’ before you buy, right?
I decided to go vintage with my last designer bag purchase, but it’s how I managed to snap up my Phillip Lim mini pashli for an absolute steal.
