You know how the sale season can be the highest temptation for any fashionable addict to spend money and ever so often, on things you don't actually need. I am guilty of this myself, I ended up having shoes that I wore only two times in two years, or skirts that were not in my style (back when I didn't know what my style was, I was experimenting with everything) I used to buy things just because they were pretty and I couldn't resist the beauty, but I have allowed myself to do that as long as that piece of clothing or jewelry will never die along with the trend.
Over the years I have learned from my small mistakes and I developed a plan that really helped me not also save money, but also to maintain space in my closet. Most of the clothes I bought during sale season did not fit my style I ended up selling them or giving them to my friends, so after I cleansed my wardrobe, I decided it was time to reevaluate the way I shop, both online and offline.
Here are a few tips to help you survive the sale season without ending up broke:
1. Make a list from the beginning and set up a budget: You know the sales are coming up and you need let's say a new white shirt or a leather skirt. Set up a budget to buy the exact items you need and hit the stores that you know you could find your desired items. If you did not spend all your budget on the items from your list, you can reward yourself with a little bonus, like a cute necklace or a cake from Starbucks - I know I would!
2. Avoid impulse buys: This might be hard, but if you do not have a unlimited budget, you might want to try to avoid this, because all the items you see might seem pretty and lovely, but just take a minute and think: "Do I really need this item?" or more importantly "Would I be able to wear it with the pieces I have in my wardrobe?" There is nothing more frustrating than to buy a top that does not match any type of skirt or pants you own, therefor you will need to buy a new pair of pants or skirt just to be able to wear it. It's definitely not worth it if you end up spending way too much money.
3. Don't shop just for the sake of the discount: This has been a real struggle for me, because I was always attracted to a discounted price, even though that specific item was not necessarily on my "to buy list". The higher the discount, the more attracted I felt towards buying it. This is a trap, because most consumers tend to buy that item just because it has a 70% discount, but you really want to ask yourself: "Do I love this item so much that I would I buy it at its full price?". If the answer is"NO" then step away and move on to the next item. It's simple, if you love something that you feel you can't live without and the price doesn't matter, then you know it will make you happy.
4. Avoid trends that will fade: Every season there has to be at least two or three trends you see in all stores and there is this immense urge to dive in all of them at once, but you always have to think if that specific trend is suited for your style and if it isn't, move on to the next one. Because you will end up with a closet filled with clothes that you will never wear!
In order to understand which trend will come back next year and which are the ones who die, you need to make a little research beforehand. Study trends and you will know that iconic pieces like a perfectly tailored suit will forever come back again and again and it is very likely that pink snake skin boots will not be a must have item in the next season.
5. If possible, shop with a partner: And by partner, I mean a male friend or your husband, because we all know men do not have the same patience and excitement as we women do when it comes to shopping, so they will be able to grab you by the hand and drag you out of the store if needed, or ask you the same questions I asked in this article, because we might forget them in all the excitement, so a partner will be able to help you think over your decisions.
And that is all folks!
Thank you for reading and tell me if these tips ever worked for you or if you have other suggestions I could also use, there is also room for improvement!
