Pre-holiday sales are everywhere, which is unusual at this time of year. Getting the biggest bang for our fashion buck is always a goal so I’m not complaining. Here are my top sale picks prior to mega, post-holiday markdowns:

• J. Crew men’s merino and lamb’s wool pullovers are marked down to $29 – $69. Cashmere is 20-40% off for both gents and ladies. Dresses , T’s, jackets, sweats and pajamas are on sale too, so be sure to look further than knitwear.
• BCBG has 30-70% off most of their party wear, separates, shoes and accessories.
• Banana Republic traditionally goes on sale the day after Christmas, but quite a few of their knits, dresses, shirts and slacks are already 40% off. None of the good menswear is on sale yet so gents will have to wait untill Boxing Day.
• Macy’s Petites are marked down 25-40%. Party attire is not on sale, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets marked down before Christmas. Coats continue to be 40% off and there are great bargains throughout the store so be sure to take a look if you can brave the crowds.
• White House Black Market is offering 30-50% off selected party attire. Tasteful sparkly tops are going for as little at $29.
• Benetton has marked all their goods down 20%.
• Ann Taylor has half of their cashmere collection on sale for $99 and coats are 25% off. Selected dresses are 60% off.
• Old Navy and the Gap continue to mark down their merchandise 40% after 6 weeks and are worth a look, especially for kids and canines.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen markdowns quite this aggressive just before Christmas. Retailers in America normally mark everything down the day after Christmas, and in Europe it’s usually the 2nd of January. It’s no doubt a consequence of the poor performance we’ve been seeing recently in apparel retail. Although November was a good month, September was very weak and October was only marginally better.

Shop as the doors open or after 8pm to avoid holiday hustle and bustle… it’s busy out there people!

A few J. Crew bargains that might find themselves under your Christmas tree.

Wrapping paper, or gift wrap, is usually wrapped around a long cylindrical roll of cardboard. Save these rolls and cut them in half because they make superb long boot shapers. If you don’t have proper boot shapers, try this cheap trick instead (rolled up magazines are another cheap, but effective, option).

I stumbled across the new approach yesterday as I was wrapping Christmas presents. I had a new pair of boots that were in desperate need of shapers, so I temporarily used the wrapping paper roll to keep them upright and neat. That did the job perfectly and the rolls are now there to stay.

Trinny and Susannah of the original British reality TV show “What Not to Wear”, recently launched their latest book: The Body Shape Bible. Their mantra throughout the book is consistent: “Forget your size, discover your shape and transform yourself”.

Dressing for your body type is also a strong theme on youlookfab.com and I use five body types as a frame of reference (the pear, apple, rectangle, hourglass and inverted triangle). Trinny and Susannah have identified twelve definitive women’s body shapes in their new book which I found very interesting. In each case, it’s the proportion and not the size that matters. So whether you are a slim, average or larger version of a body type, the same dressing principles will apply.

The twelve body shapes are really a more detailed breakdown of the five that I use. There are three pears,

• The Skittle – average size bust, slim waist, okay tummy with big thighs and chunky calves (e.g. Halle Berry)
• The Bell – small shoulders, bust and waist, short waist with big thighs and bottom (e.g. Hillary Clinton)
• The Pear – small bust, long waist, flat tummy, saddle bags and heavy legs (e.g. Sandra Bullock)

…two apples,

• The Apple – average bust, tummy larger than bust with flat bottom and okay legs (e.g. Kathy Bates)
• The Vase – large bust, gently curving long waist, hips same width as bust with slim thighs and legs (e.g. Kate Winslet)

…two rectangles,

• The Column – shoulder width same as hip width with a slight waist and long legs (e.g. Nicole Kidman)
• The Brick – broad shoulders, no waist, average tummy, flat bottom with chunky thighs and calves (e.g. Kim Cattrell)

…two hourglasses,

• The Cello – large bust, hips, bottom and thighs with slim lower legs (e.g. Oprah Winfrey)
• The Hourglass – large bust, small and short waist, large hips and full thighs (e.g. Salma Hayek)

…and three inverted triangles,

• The Goblet – broad shoulders, large bust, no waist with narrow hips and long legs (e.g. Catherine Zeta Jones)
• The Cornet – broad shoulders, small bust, no waist with slim hips and slim long legs (e.g. Cameron Diaz)
• The Lollipop – large bust with slight waist, slim hips and long legs (e.g. Angelina Jolie)

I like their comprehensive body type descriptions and hope that this information helps you to identify your body type more accurately. Do you feel that the extra details make the descriptions easier to use? Can you identify your body type?

Unfortunately I cannot appreciate the elevation of these shoes, but platforms are the height of party fashion this season. They’ll look festive and mod with cocktail dresses, jeans, flirty skirts and satin skinnies (either bare-legged, or with hose). Pop in foot petals to prevent your feet from sliding and add an insole for cushioning comfort. Statement peds like these are sure to kick your outfit up a notch if you feel stable in 4-5 inch heels. They’re like sculptured works of art on your feet. I’ll admire them from a distance because I draw the line at 3 inches and “2 hours” for party shoes and that scenario needs to include a lot of sitting.

Pretty party platforms with either skinny or chunky soaring heel heights are a must if you like the look and your feet can stand it. It’s a skill that you can add to your resume if you can walk and dance the night away in these. I don’t know how Beyonce does it.