It's Sale Season!

I remember in school years ago, we had a debate about the "January Sales". It made me think about them in a new light - fighting your way through hoards of customers, seeing items that you bought for Christmas presents now reduced to a ludicrously low price, the low cost of items leading to you buying items you don't need... the list goes on. I know from past experience that I'm definitely partial to buying things I don't need just because of the low price. Even so, every time the sale season starts, I still get excited - the cheapskate in me just longs to find a genuine bargain. Here's my pick of the best:

River Island

Green Tapestry Shift Dress now £25

It might be a bit of a rummage and a bun fight, but I like the River Island sale - they have genuine stock that has recently been in store, and at rather tempting prices. If you're prepared to put in the time and effort sorting through it all, you're bound to come across something lovely.

Topshop

 

Silver Mary Janes now £15

Although I love Topshop, I'm actually not a very big fan of their sale. Is it just me, or does it seem that all the stuff in the sale is from so long ago that I don't actually remember it ever being in store? Having said that, you can sometimes find a gem amongst all the micro crop tops and patterned leggings, and the jewellery sale is always amazing.

Dorothy Perkins

Grey Cat Eyes Jumper now £15

Dorothy Perkins have a decent sale pretty much all year round, so be sure to keep an eye peeled for any discounts throughout the year. Theirs is also probably the most organised sale around, arranged in sizes, price and type of garment - when sale shopping is so easy, it's rude not to!

5 Top Sale Tips

• Don't ever buy anything on the premise that you are going to alter it. Chances are, you won't. I actually put off sewing a button back onto a shirt for months, so the odds of me actually doing any drastic alterations are slim to none.
• If in doubt, try it on. No, the changing rooms aren't going to be much fun, but it'll be far less effort than taking your "bargain" home, finding it doesn't fit and then returning it. Trust me.
• How many ways could you wear it? Does it fit in with the rest of your wardrobe? If you can't think of more than 5 ways to wear it, using items you already own, then it probably won't be a piece you'll hold onto for very long.
• Don't be dazzled by reductions. It sometimes helps to ignore the full price of the item, instead asking yourself if you would pay the sale price as if it were the full price. It doesn't matter how much the reduction is if the item is still more than you would like to pay.
• Not sure about something? Walk away. Give yourself time to consider the purchase. If you're still thinking about that item in a days time, then the chances are you'd regret not buying it.     

Do you have any tips for shopping in the sales?