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Its Sale Season! 5 Quick Tips For Serious Shoppers

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year – yes, ladies, it’s Sale Season!! If you’re a serious shopper (and bargain hunter) like me, it’s time to get some real damage done (as in credit card- but remember, its a bargain!),  and hopefully set yourself up with some terrific pieces for the year ahead.

Here are 5 tips to get the best deals and have a blast doing it:

1. Be An Early Bird – The cardinal rule in shopping, whether it be for a designer sample sale or at your farmers market for organic veg.  My sister, who works nights, does her grocery shopping at 7pm and always ends up with the lousy produce.  Duh? If shopping for shoes especially, the size 7 and 8’s are gone in a flash if you aren’t early. So set that alarm early ladies, it pays.

2. Make Time – You need time and patience to do a good shop. Trust me, a frenzied trip to a sale on your lunch break is not a good idea.  Clear your schedule for a couple of hours of good, solid shopping time. And do go through the items with patience, no matter how haphazard presentation may be – remember, amidst the polyester there may be some cashmere.

3. Grab as You Go– When scouring a sale, grab items that take your fancy, then edit later.  If you hesitate and think that you can “come back for it later”, chances are it will be gone.

4. Dress Appropriately – Yes, you should always look stylish, but when I’m on a serious shopping trip I like to dress for ease in the changing room.  A pair of tight, skinny jeans, for example, is a nightmare to take on and off in the changing room, as are shirts with too many buttons or other fiddly bits. You want an outfit that is easy to throw on and off when trying on multiple items of clothing.

5. Be Resourceful -Be friendly to sales staff at your favourite shops and they are likely to keep you in the know – when new sales stock is coming in, what may be hidden in the stockroom etc.  Online is also a good place to hunt for bargains when you just can’t face the crowds any longer.  Some good options are:

Designer Warehouse Sales

Shop Bop

Secret Sales

How To Be A Successful Sales Shopper

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The “recession” has taken its toll on a lot of people, and I am pretty sure that you have not been exempt. If there is one thing that I have learned during these difficult financial times, it is that I should go hunt for good bargains on clothes and accessories without having to sacrifice on fashion. Here are my best tips on being the most successful bargain shopper ever!

Shop off season
If you’re smart, you would have bought your swim suits and bikinis months ago. That’s what I did and I was able to amass a variety of suits for dirt cheap! If you haven’t, then let’s just say that you have been very busy and had not had the time to go shopping for swimsuits. Anyway, the point is, buy sweaters during summer, summer clothes during winter. Get it?

Sales people are your best friends
They can be irritating, especially when they hover. I hate hovering. I detest it. But think about it, sales people can give you an advantage. Don’t take them for granted. They can give you priceless tips on upcoming sales and even do you favors such as holding pieces for a day or two (this works especially with small boutiques).

Coupons and buy-one-get-half-price deals are not always good
Coupons are good right? And half price deals? Well, not always. Most of the time, there are stipulations such as having to make a purchase first before getting the deal. While you do get the discount for your next purchase, you still get to spend more than you planned on, making the discount not so much of a deal anyway.

Got tips of your own?

Designer Gowns For Dirt Cheap In VA

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vera-wang-runway-2Those who live in Lynchburg, Virginia or anywhere near the area, LISTEN UP! There will be a BIG sale this Saturday – something that you just cannot miss out on. From 10 AM to 4 PM, the YWCA of Central Virginia’s Prom Dress Super Sale will be held in several locations.

If you’re thinking that this is “just another dress sale,” think again. The shops will be offering formal wear from some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. How does Vera Wang sound? Badgley Mischka? Melissa Sweet?

And if you are salivating but shaking your head at the same time because of the astronomical prices that these designers usually charge, stop it! The YWCA is holding this sale to benefit programs such as Domestic Violence Prevention Center and the Y Gyrl Leaders Mentoring Program for Teens; and they are making sure that the average person can afford to buy the gowns.

The gowns that will be on sale normally fetch anywhere from hundreds of dollars to thousands. On Saturday, however, you can bring your weekly allowance and spend as low as $5! I am not kidding! Of course, those pieces will probably sell out as soon as the sale opens, but organizers say that the most you would have to pay is probably less than $100. For clothes made by these designers, that is such a steal!

Even if you do not need any formal wear right now, we all know that you will find yourself needing something somewhere down the road. If you’re anywhere near the area, do make it a point to pay them a visit! For more information, click here.

2008: The Year Of Stars and Stripes, Saint Laurent and Sales

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In 2008, the words that spoke out in the world of fashion were Stars and Stripes, Saint Laurent and Sales. Stars because the fashion trends of the year almost always kick off on the 16th of January, also known as Kate Moss‘ birthday, where the erstwhile 30something waif partied like there was no tomorrow (and indeed there wasn’t as the party lasted 3 days) in her star-studded Chanel jumpsuit, with matching makeup no less. Needless to say stars, Chanel and jumpsuits were deemed stellar sellers for the year.

June saw the low point in fashion, with the passing away of Yves Saint Laurent, age 71, style icon extraordinaire, who pioneered much of what we see in fashion today.

The Stars made their appearance again, with Stripes this time, in the form American politics, what with a new fashion star on the rise, the then democratic candidate’s wife, now First lady-elect, Michelle Obama, whose statuesque figure and flair for style were a breath of fresh air in Washington after the boring Bush wives. Through the primaries (that seemed to last forever) and the interview where she charmingly said she fancied online shopping at J Crew to election night when she wore THAT red Narciso Rodriguez dress, the words Jackie O were on everyone’s lips, which in my book is the ultimate compliment.

And finally, one can’t deny the new depression-era feeling that is hitting the world, given the current financial crisis everywhere. If the past decade saw the words “excess”, “IT” and “luxe”, it looks like 2009 will be quite the opposite. Recyle, be thrifty and make the most out of the sales!