There are many ways to shop off-season, but they all have one thing in common: you have to wait a good long while until the weather cooperates to wear the item. So you are really purchasing for someone else — future you — and there is a real risk that she won’t like the item.
Here are some examples:
- You find knee-high boots on deep discount at the end of season Winter sales when warm Spring temperatures are well on their way. You probably won’t have a chance to wear those boots until the end of Fall.
- You purchase a cashmere coat at an outlet mall in the blazing heat of August, ready to wear for Christmas time.
- You finally find the perfect Summer dress at a thrift store in Fall, knowing it will be six months before you can comfortably wear the pretty frock.
- You purchase a bikini in snowy February because stores generally stock the best assortment of swimwear at the start of a new Spring retail season. In this case, it can be argued that you bought within the retail season, but off-season for your style.
Finding bargains and saving money, or unexpectedly finding exactly what you’ve been looking for, are good reasons to make off-season purchases. Of course, allowing them to gather dust in your closet before there is opportunity to wear them is not ideal. Your style preferences might change by the time that opportunity rolls around.
If you are agonizing over an off-season purchase, the following questions might help you reach a decision:
- Is the item a “must have” or a “nice-to-have” on your shopping list? — must have
- Is the item very hard to find? — yes
- Is the item perfect, or do you have (even minor) doubts about it? — perfect
- Do you like to adjust your style a little or a lot from season to season as you experiment with new trends? — a little
- Is the item more “timeless classic”, or is it more “current trend”? — timeless classic
- Will you be able to wear the item within 3 months? — yes
The more your answers match the ones in bold italics, the more likely it is that you should make the purchase.
My feelings about off-season purchases vary by the season. I bat for Team Wear, so I find it easier to shop off-season for my dominant seasons, Autumn and Winter, because it won’t be long before the weather is right to showcase the new items. That’s one of the reasons I love the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, which sells brand new Fall merchandise in July. I can wear some of the items I’ve purchased right away, and come September and October, the rest of the items are in full swing. Nordstrom’s lenient return policy is an added safety net.
I have a hard time shopping deeply discounted end of season Summer sales because, living in Seattle, my window to wear the items is short. Buying bargains in September to wear the following July does not appeal to me. Partly because I like to wear new items right away, but mostly because there is a strong chance that I will have changed my mind about how I want to dress that season by the time the item is ready to wear. This renders the purchase a waste of money.
Does off-season shopping work for you?
