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If you’ve been tempted by a mid-season sale, flash sale, or any kind of sale really, raise your hand… With a sale, or a discount code hitting inboxes every other day, it’s hard not to be tempted – I think it’s (almost) safe to say that we’ve all been there.
In the past, I’ve talked myself into buying some new leather ankle boots I never wore, just because they were on sale, purchased a skirt that was a size too small or found myself frantically hunted through the racks trying to find three pieces I like to take advantage of a ‘three for the price of two’ offer. Longevity in my wardrobe was clearly not at the forefront of my mind; instead, it was a shopping free-for-all of things that in hindsight, I didn’t really need.
With that in mind, and the steady stream of mid-season sale emails trickling into my inbox daily, I thought it was as good a time as any to share my strategy on how to shop the sales smart and avoid the lure of heavy discounting. Because let’s be real, we all want to come home with that forever piece that’ll be a wardrobe staple for years to come (and that we won’t regret buying!).
STAY TRUE TO YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
Sales can make us do crazy things; they can make us buy prints when our wardrobes are monochrome, buy shoes that are sizes too small, or buy duplicates of things that we already own. While I think that a sale can be a great opportunity to nab a bargain, think about whether the item you’re holding in your hand fits in with your definition of personal style.
WILL YOU BE WEARING THIS A YEAR FROM NOW?
In an era of throwaway fashion, thinking about whether you’ll be wearing something a season from now is generally questionable. But in the essence of quality over quantity, and being true to your personal style, think about whether this is something you can see yourself wearing in a year, or even two years from now. Some of my favourite (and most worn) pieces have been those that I’ve really thought out and planned, and have formed the backbone of my wardrobe. Sale season is the perfect time to take the opportunity to buy those wardrobe staples that you’ll be wearing week in and week out for years to come.
ONLY BUY IT IF IT FITS
If it’s too big, too small, or just doesn’t sit right – and in all the wrong places – save yourself the hassle. If you have to tell yourself that you’ll drop a dress size to fit it, or if a pair of shoes are so tight they’re almost impossible to walk in, it’s just not worth the pain (or the blow to your bank account).
CAN YOU WEAR IT WITH AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT OUTFITS?
Versatility is key with any new wardrobe purchase. Think about how you’d wear this with what you already have; can you wear it with at least three outfits? If you can’t, or if you’d have to buy something new just to be able to wear it, then leave it on the rack.
LET A WEBSITE FIND THE DISCOUNTS FOR YOU
You’ll probably be surprised to learn that I often don’t browse sale sections of online stores, instead, I keep all the pieces I’m lusting for that season in my bookmarks, and regularly check to see whether they’ve gone on sale (or not…). If you’re the type that is easily swayed during a sale and often find yourself with more shopping bags than you intended with none of the pieces you’d hoped to buy, I’d recommend doing the same; trust me when I say it’s been a lifesaver.
One of my new favourite go-to’s which really streamlines this whole process has been Fashion Lane, which gives users the low down on all the sales happening at that very moment, and up to the minute updates on price decreases for those wardrobe staples you’ve been lusting after. You can also set up Price Alerts for those quality wardrobe staples which at full price are too much of a splurge, which will notify you when it goes on sale so you can swoop it up for a much more budget-friendly price.
And for those who are analytics nerds (guilty!), then I think you’ll love the Price History feature – it allows you to track any adjustments in the price, whether it was an increase or a decrease, and help you to identify whether now is a good time to buy – or whether it’s worth waiting for another sale to come along.
FINALLY, WALK… DON’T RUN
Without getting too much into the major strategies behind sales in general, their main purpose is to drive sales for the retailers within a specified time period, meaning that the opportunity to nab a ‘bargain’ is limited. So really take the time to think, ‘do I need this?’ and ‘am I only buying this because there’s a sale?’.
I’ve fallen for sales time and time again, but with a staunch mindset that less is more, coming away from the sales with your bank balance (mostly) intact, is possible, and trust me, your credit cards will thank you for it.
