The winter sales virus has hit me (baby) one more time and I’m afraid I’ve got a (shopping) fever. Luckily for me, I’ve found the perfect 5-ingredient vaccine to protect my wallet from a January bankrupcy.
Even though the pandemic hasn’t made it easy for shopping addicts (like me) to visit their favorite stores, it hasn’t made it impossible to spend the money they’ve saved from gas on the annual January good deals.
As the winter sales period extends to mi-February, I give you these 5 barrier gestures to stay on the safe side of seasonal sales shopping:
1) Make an inventory
Don’t get out there without having a clue of what you already own and what you actually need. That’s the best way to make bad decisions ! Take a sneak peak into your closet (summer and winter) and identify what is either too old or missing.
Tip : Do not throw « old things » away too fast. Unless they’re damaged or you live in a one-room appartement, you may want to keep these babies safe until they come back in style. Fashion is an infinite circle, remember ?
2) Get inspired
If you don’t have the time or the energy to (re)watch all the fashion shows to identify what’s coming up (or back in), rely on magazines and experts you like to give you pointers on what’s hot for the upcoming season. May I suggest you a very promising and inspiring blog called @FancyRomy ?
3) Focus on good deals only
If you want to spare your bank account when the sales season kicks in, follow this very basic rule: do not look at the new collections ! You’ll have plenty of time to go through this later. Now is the time to focus on good deals.
"Now is the time to focus on good deals!"
4) Break it down in 3 phases
Phase 1 : The master pieces.
You’ve had your eyes on them since December but promised yourself to wait for another month to get them on sale. Well, now is the time !
Accept any discounts you may be offered but get them before they’re gone.
This year’s good catch : an oversized grey blazer and a pair of chunky sneakers
Phase 2 : The seasonal basics.
They come back every year, so it’s worth investing in good quality items. They are a safe investment and their price usually goes up to 30% off.
This year’s good catch : black leather boots and belts, a camel wool coat, an eggshell knitted turtle neck and a denim shirt.
Phase 3 : The last chance miracles and whims.
They are these expensive items that you usually can’t afford to look at or those that you don’t really need but want anyway.
This year’s good catch : another pair of chunky sneakers. They were not expensive but I just couldn’t choose between the two pairs, could I?
5) Find the balance in your shopping cart
Unless you need to restock a specific type of clothing in your closet, try to balance your shopping between each fashion category so you don’t end up with 6 new pair of jeans and no tops and shoes. You also want to find this balance between strong pieces and basic ones to buy things that stand out and others that just go with everything.
Sales are fun but sales can also easily become expensive if not handled proprely.
So when that time of the year comes, just remember these five simple rules because, as Monica Geller says « rules help control the fun ! ».
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