Was £160 now £80.
If you haven't yet braved the sales or sat down with your laptop to do some serious online sales shopping, there is still time to avoid hasty panic buying of items that you don't really need and won't ever end up wearing, so sit back grab a cuppa, read my advice and go forth and purchase, happy in the knowledge that you have shopped wisely and haven't wasted your money no matter how good the reduction might be!
1. Shop Your Wishlist
If you created a new season wishlist at the start of the autumn/winter season, is there anything on there that you didn't manage to get at full price?
There was lots on mine, it's always a season where I don't have a lot of money to spend on myself so there are a few bits I wanted but didn't get. A red handbag sit's at the top of the list and I adore the Jil Sander one currently on sale at NAP but sadly I didn't get that much birthday or xmas money and my daughter doesn't get her staff discount until she has been there three months (despite the fact she has interned there in the past). The other items which were high on my list were new jeans, a chunky jumper in either dark green, black or grey and a lightweight red knit to wear underneath my camel coats as red looks fab with camel.
All of these items remain unbought despite a sales shopping trip yesterday so it looks like I will be turning to ever faithful boden for an injection of new knitwear. I did however make one purchase which was on the list, a red dress from Fenn Wright Manson (top picture) which I adore. I have a "thing" about tulip sleeves and we all know that a LRD is as much as a wardrobe staple as a LBD and this looks stunning on. Yes even on me!
It looks pink in the photo's uploaded via the Blogger app but it is red and I am pretty confident that this is a dress for all seasons, all occasions and will look as good with black or nude court shoes as it will with gold or silver strappy sandals.
It has already sold out on the John Lewis website so grab yours from HOF quickly if your wardrobe has a gap for a show stopping red dress.
2. Shop Wardrobe Staples
Basic T-shirts in black, grey or white, breton tops, classic shirts in white, pale blue or denim (this Paul and Joe Sister one has been a big favorite of mine since last summer but I don't think the L would fit me sadly), cashmere (want this but sold out in my size), jeans, boots, court shoes, trench coats for spring, classic black trousers, maybe a lace or leather skirt? They may not excite you massively but they form the backbone of any hard working wardrobe and can be very unappealing at full price!
3. Shop Ahead
This was something I always did when the girls were little. Dressing three little ones at the start of a new season was always costly when I was a single mum for a while, so in the winter sales I tried to pick up dresses and tops which where either sleeveless or had short sleeves and in the summer sales I would pick up long sleeved tops, knitwear, jeans and jackets. I've also done the same thing myself on many occasions as did Annemarie recently with a Boden dress she failed to pick up last summer which is now in clearance for less than £30. Now that's what I call savvy shopping!
4. Shop Statement Pieces To Treasure
Buy those pieces that will add a wow to your wardrobe and you wouldn't want to pay full price for like these faux fur one strap sandals (seen on lots of bloggers but a bit young for me sadly) from Dune, the Tarzi skirt from Coast or the Boden embellished clutch.
Have you been shopping your wishlist, shopping ahead or investing in statement pieces this sales season?