How to shop the summer sales: top 5 tips

Today, I am going to take you through my top 5 tips for shopping the summer sales.

The summer sales are already in full swing.  To me, they seem to start earlier and earlier each year.   And, this year, we don't seem to have even reached the summer weather yet! That being so, how can you make the most of the summer sales so that you have the best pieces in your wardrobe for when summer eventually arrives?   Today, I am going to take you through my top 5 tips for shopping the summer sales.

Encouraging you to shop may seem like the antithesis to the capsule wardrobe concept.  But, unless you plan to walk around naked, you are going to need some clothes to wear!  And the summer sales are a particuarly good time to add key pieces to your wardrobe for less and that will last you for years to come, if - and that really is the operative word here - you shop smart.   So let's get into how you can shop smart.

Tip #1. Use Apps

When clothes shopping, there are two particular Apps that I like to use and that are particularly great for shopping the saleson

Shoptagr:  This App allows you to save items that you see either online or in store and, when they go on sale, it will send you an email notification. It really is genius and, quite honestly, you will never have to buy a full-priced item ever again. For really popular items, it will also notify you when they come back into stock again (specifically in your size or preferred colour).  This App is particularly useful if you are building up a capsule wardrobe, full of high quality items that will last for several years as it allows you to snag those more expensive piece (say, a really great leather handbag or a classic winter coat) when they go on sale.  It's also great if you are shopping for other family members.  For example, you may already know that your children will need a new school uniform or set of pajamas in 6 months' time.  Through the Shoptagr notifications, you can purchase these items when they go  on sale. I also find that it's a brilliant way to get the "shopping fix" without buying anything.  Often I will save items to the App and find that when I re-visit them, say a month or so later, I have gone off them completely. The App is free to download (or you can download the browser version or simply log in to the website).   Using this App has really changed the way that I shop and I've picked up some really great pieces for my wardrobe when they were on sale.  It's definitely worth checking out! Here's a link to the Shoptagr site.

Topcashback:  This App is essentially a cash-back website and again it's free to download. There are plenty of other cash-back websites out there which you may be more familiar with; I just happen to use Topcashback. Simply sign up and, every time you shop, click on the Topcashback site first, follow the link through to the specific retailer's site and purchase the item online as you usually would.  I see it as getting a little extra discount every time you shop online and, for a few extra clicks each time, that's always worth it. Here's a link to the Topcashback site.

Tip #2. Create a seaonal mood board

At the start of each season, I like to create a seasonal mood board to provide me with inspiration for the season ahead.  It's really a way to collect in one place my ideas, colour schemes and style inspiration.  You can read my previous posts about doing this here. How does this help you with sale shopping?  Well, it's all too easy when we are sale shopping to be tempted by a bargain and to buy an item that we don't actually need or like or won't actually wear.

By having your mood board to hand when you are shopping (e.g. via Pinterest on your phone), you can see if the piece you are about to buy fits with your seasonal mood board.  In checking that, you may quicly realise that the piece you have in your hand or in your shopping cart really doesn't fit with the look, style or colour palette you are going for that season and so you can wallk away from that piece.

Tip #3. Shop intentionally By creating a capsule wardrobe each season, you will probably find that you end up with a short list of items that you want to buy to fill any gaps. Or you may in fact keep a rolling list of all of the items you want to buy that year.  I do exactly this and purchase the items on my list as and when they come up in the sales. If you also keep a list and the item in the sale is on that list, then I would say go ahead and buy it, particularly if its a high quality item with a a classic design and which you know you will keep for years.  Conversely, if you find an item in the sales that isn't on your list, you probably want to walk away from it.  Or at least sleep on it or give it a week before going ahead with the purchase.  Just like the seasonal mood board, having a list can be a great "checking factor" when it comes to shopping the sales.

Tip #4. Try before you buy!

A great buy in the sales is only a great buy in the sales if it fits you, suits you and works with the other items already in your wardrobe. The only way to know this is if you try it on when you buy it.

If you are buying the item in store, that means taking it into the changing room to try it on before you go to the checkout. If you are buying online, it means trying it on the day that the parcel arrives and returning it the following day if the item doesn't work out.

This is absolutely essential for sale items as the returns policies are usually shorter and/or only an exchange may be possible. There is no point wasting your money on an item in the sales (however much a bargain it is) when it does not fit you, suit you or work with your existing wardrobe.

Tip #5. Out of season

My final tip is to buy items out of season e.g. a winter coat in spring or beachwear in autumn.  Why?  Because you will get the best discounts.  Plus, as few others will be shopping for these items at these times, you will get first dibs.

This is a particularly great way to add timeless, classic pieces to your wardrobe such as a great pair of riding boots, a high quality winter coat or speciality gear such as ski wear.

If you save these items to Shoptagr (see tip #1 above), you will be notified when these pieces go on sale and you will be able to add some really great pieces to your wardrobe for a fraction of the  price.

So those are my top 5 tips. Happy sale shopping!

In the meantime, you may also like to check out my Summer Edit or some of my other blog posts like Why create a capsule wardrobe? or Top 5 trends: Summer 2019 or Natural fabrics: which are best for summer?.