Shop the end of summer sales like a pro, with savings as big as £397.50
High-street sales are the perfect way to nab a designer buy for a more purse-friendly price.
In fact, the only time I treat myself to a designer item is if it has been slashed in price in the sales.
Follow these top tips to make sure you are a clever sales shopper, sticking to a plan rather than going rogue and buying something you never wear!
Shopping for your signature style in the sales will save you time and money AND help you build a classic curated wardrobe.
Online Vs in store
I prefer online shopping in the sales for many reasons.
Online takes all of the stress out of rummaging through sales rails looking for your size, only to find that it isn't there.
Carefully filter everything you are looking for, applying the correct sizes, brands, category, colours and price to find your perfect piece and save you hours.
I am less likely to panic buy something online than I am in store (step forward the Sando sheepskin coat that I can't wear because I am petrified I will ruin it in the rain!).
Quite often, I have had my eye on something in store earlier in the season, so I know how it fits, that the fabric is good quality and that it is something I need - and have waited patiently all season for it to be reduced.
This is the best way to curate a considered wardrobe rather than give yourself a quick shopping fix, and that way I know I will love the piece for years to come.
Look for brands with the most discount on sites like Net-A-Porter.com and Mytheresa.com, and go for items that will take you through to Autumn like statement knits, leather loafers and gorgeous dresses.
Jumper- Buy Now
Dress - BUY NOW
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Loafers - BUY NOW
Last-minute holiday bargains
I also look for buys that will top up my existing holiday wardrobe.
I may take most of the same old stuff on hols every year, but a couple of top-up bits can make my wardrobe feel all sparkly and new again.
So a swimsuit that fits well, a new bag or pair of sandals and one new dress or co-ord are all I need each year.
Swimwear quite often sells out in the most popular sizes, but this swimsuit by Hunza G is one size fits all - which makes it the most liberating swimwear label of all time!
Another top tip is to look on sale sites all year round - Theoutnet.com sells off Net-a- Porter sale pieces for a fraction of the price
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Swimsuit - BUY NOW
Sandals - BUY NOW
Dress - BUY NOW
Look for clothes that whisper not scream
If something has been a huge Instagram trend - like cow print, jelly shoes or bubble skirts - then they are probably going to be a one-trick style pony, so you should steer clear when buying in the sales, as the trend will likely disappear as quickly as it started.
Instead, look for items that you will reach for again and again, and will have longevity in your wardrobe.
Go for classics that won't date: a well-cut coat, a pair of tailored shorts or an Oxford shirt, for example
These items are wardrobe staples that will work hard and stand the test of time.
Coat - BUY NOW
Shorts - BUY NOW
Shirt - BUY NOW
Think outside of the season
Shops often put past season's clothes onto sale rails so, even if it is absolutely sweltering outside and all you can think about is summer dresses, don't rule out great bargains like cashmere, coats and boots.
If you do your research you can see what trends from last winter are still doing the rounds for Autumn/Winter '25.
This year I will be looking for a designer quilted coat, leather knee boots and lightweight cashmere jumpers.
Forward planning like this can save you a fortune!
Coat - BUY NOW
Coat - BUY NOW
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Jumper - BUY NOW
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Boots - BUY NOW
What is your luxury item?
Luxury materials like leather, suede and cashmere are always good sale investments - anything over 30% off on them is a real treat!
But don't go for anything crazy - a rainbow-stripe cashmere dress is probably not going to leave your wardrobe that often!
Black leather trousers, a designer bag or a brown suede jacket are great sale buys.
Trousers - BUY NOW
Jacket - BUY NOW
Bag - BUY NOW
Be practical
I always look for practical pieces that are useful in everyday life, but they still need to be stylish, too - think: a waterproof dog-walking coat but make it fashion, a pair of great training leggings that give your squat the edge, or a pair of walking boots that will incentivise you to take that hike.
When looking for practical pieces, I like to go to the specialist brands, like Barbour, Lululemon and Salomon, who do what they say on the tin.
25
Coat - BUY NOW
Leggings - BUY NOW
Boots - BUY NOW
Who, what, where?
Finally, I always ask myself these three questions.
Who am I buying this for?
If it is to impress other people, get a reaction on social media or I'm trying to look like someone else, then I normally have a word with myself and step away, especially if it is a designer piece.
Invest in yourself, and make sure the item suits your style.
I have made huge mistakes in the past trying to look like someone whose style I admire, only to find the sale piece lying dormant in my wardrobe with its hefty price tag still attached, because it just doesn't suit me.
These are sale items that are currently bringing me joy because they are so me!
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Trainers - BUY NOW
Bag - BUY NOW
What am I buying this for?
Is there a gap in my wardrobe for this kind of item or do I already have something similar?
I tend to be a repeat buyer, so I have to really think about whether it is worth investing in another piece of tailoring, for example.
Think about something you seem to reach for every time you open your wardrobe but don't have covered.
For me that is a 'nice top' to wear with jeans or a pair of dressy shoes that don't have a heel.
Top - BUY NOW
Shoes - BUY NOW
Where am I wearing this piece?
Is it for a special occasion?
If so, think about rental as an alternative.
Quite often, we now wear special-occasion pieces just a few times, so price per wear we don't get our money's worth.
If it is a great work suit, a trench coat or a day dress that you know you will go to over and over again then nab yourself that bargain!
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Waistcoat - BUY NOW
Trousers - BUY NOW
You can quite often get a 'new with tags' piece for cheaper than in the sales…
Happy shopping!
What's the best style that suits everyone?
ACCORDING to the fashion pros at Fabulous, there's a new style of dress that suits all body shapes.
Low-slung, dropped-waist silhouette styles have surged, thanks to the Noughties fashion trend that has swept the catwalks, social media and, of course, the high street.
First seen on the runways of luxury labels Molly Goddard and Jil Sander, the style typically cinches around the hip and pelvic area rather than the waist.
Now a plethora of more affordable options of the dress that suits a number of body shapes have dropped just as the sun starts to come out.
Clemmie Fieldsend, Fashion Editor, said: "There's something so stylish about these dresses, and I love them.
"The simplicity of the top half teamed with the full skirt is like a sleeker and more grown-up tutu.
"I have a short torso so the dropped waist makes my body look longer, but, thankfully, the long skirt means your legs don't look shorter.
"Plus it means I can tap into the low-waist trend without baring all in a pair of low-slung jeans.
"I know I'll be living in mine all summer, paired with black sandals and sunnies, but for now all I need is a blazer slipped over the top and a closed-toe shoe and I'm ready to go."
Meanwhile, Fashion Director, Tracey Lea Sayer, added: "I remember dropped-waist dresses from the 80s. I loved them then and I still love them again now!
"Forty years on from when they were first popular and I am not so sure they will be quite as flattering around my middle, because two kids and middle-aged spread later, my waist doesn't exist any more.
"With a dress like this I can disguise my middle bit and still feel on trend for summer."
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