Welcome back! In today’s post, I will be discussing how I shop for clothes ahead of an upcoming season. It sounds a little strange, however just hear me out. Lately, I have been on the lookout for fall clothes, especially sweaters, skirts, and OTK boots. I already have enough jeans and tote bags (practical for carrying around my Mac to school), thus will not be diving into those categories as much. With the Fall2017/Winter2018 season officially coming to an end, there are still a lot fall/winter inventory left over. Since they are out of season, most of them are on sale or clearance. Here a some items I have found thus far.
Zara Double V-Neck Sweater in mustard
Sale price: $25.99
Zara Oversized Sweater with Seam Details in orange
Sale price: $25.99
Zara Oversized Sweater with Seam Details in light gray
Sale price: $25.99
Zara Diagonal Knit Sweater in black
Sale price: $19.99
Zara Sweater with Puff Sleeves in green
Sale price: $25.99
Le Château Rib Cotton Blend Foldover Sweater in black
Sale price: $39.99
Le Château Rib Cotton Blend Foldover Sweater in pink
Sale price: $39.99
Sale price: $17.99
H&M Double-Knit Sweater in red
Sale price: $19.99
H&M Knit Woll-blend Sweater in cerise
Sale price: $22.99
Sale price: $24.99
Zara Check Mini Skirt in gray/tan
Sale price: $19.99
Zara Faux Suede Mini Skirt in pale pink
Sale price: $17.99
Zara Suede Mini Skirt in mustard
Sale price: $19.99
Michael Kors Harland Boot in black
Sale price: $269.98
Sale price: $249.98
Rapisardi Ron White Rapisardi by Ron White Velda Platform Boots in black
Sale price: $197.50
Ron White Rapisardi by Ron White Long Tammy Boots in black
Sale price: $222.50
Kenneth Cole New York Angelica Over the Knee Boot in black faux patent
Sale price: $138.76
Stuart Weitzman Keenland Knee High Stretch Suede Boots in topsue
Sale price: $429.97
Stuart Weitzman Highland Over-the-Knee Boot in walnut suede
Sale price: $429.97
Stuart Weitzman Highland Over-the-Knee Boot in walnut suede
Sale price: $429.97
When shopping for clothes every year, most styles and cuts remain the same for that brand. The only major changes are the colours and patterns of that season. Also, buying good quality, classic pieces also help reduce the amount of spending, since they can be reused in numerous outfit combinations. The catch here is buying from a good quality retailer and looking for good quality materials, so that it will last longer. I try not to buy cheaper-made clothing as I know I will end up having to buy another of the exact same in little time due to deterioration of the original item. This results in extra spending for repeated purchases of the same item. Buying it once and it being of good quality saves money and time, two very precious commodities, in the long run.
In addition to out of season stock being discounted, another trick is the time of purchase. Their are multiple times during the year that almost all stores are on sale (depending on which part of the world you inhabit). These annual sales usually take place during a civic holiday, such as labour day, thanksgiving, boxing day, new years eve, easter, Victoria day, memorial day, and Canada day. Sales also tend to occur during cultural holidays, such as Valentine’s day, St Patrick’s day, mother’s day (usually women’s clothing), father’s day (usually men’s clothing), Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Halloween. Another good sale time is the first couple of days of a new product/clothing line and the end of season sale. I try to plan my purchases around these times during the year. Their are a couple of ways I do so. I either go to the store, browse the entire selection, and try on my picks. Whatever items fit well and that I want to purchase, I take a picture of it and the tag with the price and my size. However, I do not purchase it if it is full priced. In my safari bookmarks, I have a folder specifically for these “fashion cravings” as I call it. I visit these pages ever week, looking out for sales. When that item does go on sale, I purchase it online.
The other method is kind of the opposite. When a store is on sale, I browse the sale section and purchase online whatever has caught my eye. I usually double-up on the item if I am unsure of my size. When my package is delivered, I try everything on and decide what to keep and what to return to the store. I usually buy enough to qualify for free shipping. The reason I buy an item in more than one size is because having to go to the store to exchange and try it on again is really a hassle. Also, when exchanging for a size, it is usually a final sale. Therefore, if that new size does not work, you are stuck with a non-refundable purchase.
Most of all the clothes you have seen on my Instagram and other blog posts have been purchase at a discount. As a university student paying my way through school, I cannot afford many wants and desires. I keep my money for tuition, books, parking, gas, and other necessities. Luckily, I do not pay rent or utilities since I still live at home with my parents and brothers. I could have gone away for school, but I would have graduated with students debts, which goes against my goal of graduating without any debts. Of course, once I start my Master’s degree, I will have no choice but to take out students loans, hence why I try to save most of my money earned.
Resisting the urge to buy anything of any quality at any time is ultimately the trick to being able to save most of my money and investing in good-quality, long lasting classic pieces. I hope this helps!
xox
Lily Belf 
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