Before you rush off and pass your plastic card over, there are shopping secrets you should know.
Until you know these shopping secrets, Say NO to bargains that won’t serve you well when shopping the sales.
You’ve been holding back purchasing your “must haves” for the upcoming sales and before too long you will be waiting for the doors to open for those clearing sales to make way for new stock.
STOP! Resist purchasing anything solely based on a bargain price tag.
If you don’t need it, or it’s not right for you in style colour or fit, it’s a bad buy no matter how cheap it is.
Worst Still is . .
Buying additional garments or accessories trying to make the original bad buy work.
Yes, there are lots of fabulous deals but buyer beware. A bargain is only a bargain if you are going to wear it and love it. A lot. A very, very lot. Don’t focus on the money you will save, but let’s be logical and put down some guidelines that will help you analyse your motives.
Is it a need or a want?
Alluring colours and entertainment value satisfy impulse and emotional buying needs, but tend only to add to the wardrobe clutter and end up in next year’s school jumble sale.
Does this fit into my existing wardrobe?
If you can wear it immediately with garments you already have in your wardrobe then you have made a good deal. If you need to hold it on the rack until you can purchase something to make it work, it could end up pushed down the back of your wardrobe with a “Guilty” label attached to it.
Does it fit properly – really?
“I can’t resist it and I’ll buy it now and when I lose 3 kilos it will look OK.” Yes, it might, but it’s likely you won’t unless you are already on a program and losing those inches anyway.
Look at the potential of it being altered economically and without altering the style and effect. If it doesn’t fit you when it is full price, then it won’t fit you at a discounted price.
Put it back.
Does this fill a void in my wardrobe?
Try to have a list of the things that you need before you head for the sales. Do you have a pair of shoes to go with at least three outfits, an umbrella or handbag, overnight bag, or do a DIY wardrobe audit to discover the gaps.
Be a clever shopper.
Invest in Evergreens
Shop for classics that never date and not for end of season trends that won’t be seen for another 30 years. End of season gives best opportunities for best selection, the clothes you will wear for years.
Look for the classics. Avoid the enticement of trendy colours and styles that will be here today and gone tomorrow.
Fashion comes and goes, but great style lasts forever.
How easy is the fabric to maintain?
Don’t be seduced by the glamour and dazzle. Always check the label for the care instructions for wash’n’wear, dry cleaning, hand wash or whether it needs to be ironed each time before wearing.
Calculate the cost of dry-cleaning and often you will need to have this done. I always do the “crush test” by squeezing a handful of the garment and seeing for the shake out result. If you are left with a roadmap effect, then put it back. It will look crumpled and frumpy in the first five seconds and the garment will only end up in the back anyway.
Does this fit into my annual clothing allowance?
Most women buy on impulse and most don’t have annual budget for clothes buying.
The 50% or 75% may cloud your logic and even the brands you love and trust will blow the budget out. If you can’t pay for it with cash, you are probably overspending.
Buy today for tomorrow.
Look for next summer’s clothes at this end of summer sales, next winter’s at this winter’s end. Buy evergreens and staples which will never go out of style, which can be dressed-up or dressed-down for day or evening wear with different accessories.
You get the picture?
Maximize each purchase which may not always be the best price but the best value.
End of season sales are great fun and a fabulous way to stretch your budget however make sure you get fit, proportion, style and quality and actually fills a gap in your wardrobe.
If there is no other reason than it is drastically reduced you are better spending your money elsewhere and walking away.
If you have your colour palette in your handbag and style guide in your phone handy, take them with you.
If you don’t, then you probably will benefit from investing first in discovering what to avoid and what to look for and spend your money wisely.
Consider having a Style and Body Shape Analysis and Stick to the plan and you will save buckets of money, look stylish and have a healthy, stress-free wardrobe.
Happy bargain hunting and let me know if you need any help.
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