Sale Season! A personal stylist's advice on sale...

Is this the best or worst time to go shopping for fashion? Well, a bit of both. Sale is a great time to get a bargain but is also the most challenging time to get good stock in your size too, with less availability within stores and online as retail clears away old stock to make room for new collections. 

It is a very distracting time too, and is designed to be so. An important question I ask my clients is "do you love the garment, or do you love the price?" Even if a dress goes from £120 to £49, you are still spending £49! Is it the correct size? Does it work with your current wardrobe? Will you actually use it? If not, then you are throwing away the £49. Instead, put £49 aside and spend it on a dress that you actually love, will definitely use and are proud to wear- even if it costs slightly more. In the long run, you have made a worthy investment instead of throwing away money and regretting it later.

The best way to shop in sale is to be more strategic- which is challenging, even I struggle with not getting swept away by discounts! 

Start by shopping from within your own wardrobe. What is your style? Classic, romantic, androgynous, preppy, urban, sporty, creative... write down these key words. Next, what does your wardrobe lack? A good belt, a pair of boots, a nice jacket... write this down to create a shopping list. 

Next, conduct some research online. Most stores will not stock as much sale items online as in store, as they will be focusing on new collections, however, you will gain an insight in to the brands style. Do these brands match your vibe? If so, great! Note these stores down and head on out to the shops! Department stores are great for this as they will have a range of different brands under one roof, so you won't have to wander around from store to store. 

You should now be in a shop that reflects your style with a shopping list in hand- now it's the fun part! Think of it as a scavenger hunt to find the items on your shopping list and in (or near) your size. Do not be disheartened if you don't find the exact thing you had in mind. For example, if you were looking for a wide leg jean in a light wash and you come across a dark grey wide leg jean- still give it a go, it could work nicely! 

Lastly, try them on and do they have a returns policy for sale? Do ask. You don't want to take something home and realise you already have a similar item, or that it doesn't go with anything you own and then not be able to get your money back. If they don't, refer back to your shopping list. Can you envision yourself wearing it with pieces you already own? Is it a flattering colour and does it fit you comfortably? Will you actually wear it? Can you style it with anything in the store? If you answer "no" to any of these questions, pop it back or walk around a bit with item to give yourself some time to think. It's your money you are about to spend on it, so making the right decision is important!

Try to avoid very trendy items (unless you love a creative, dramatic look) as you want to have longevity in your wardrobe. Think; this time next year, will you still enjoy wearing this garment? Remember, you are investing in your style, your identity, so be wise! And even if the price is amazing but the garment isn't ticking all your boxes- put it back! Anything you find in a sale will still cost money. If you do not find what you are looking for in the sale, that's OK. Some items rarely go in to sale due to them being a classic staple, and that just means it could be worth waiting to see if the item goes in to promotion (keep an eye on it online) where you can get a discount off. 

Remember, you want to be proud of your wardrobe- you don't want the only positive thing you say about an outfit is that it was a bargain!