This thread is so interesting! The many views and questions it brings up just show how much of a good question yours was. learly we have all thought about it. I see Fashiontern's point of view, because cheaper clothes have been more and more available; yet my in my heart I think like Angie and Gaylene on this, because in my experience the merchandise found on big discount surfaces seems to be a notch below what I would define as good quality. There's always something: the color is sad-looking, the print is never wow, the fabric was not cut in the right direction, the cut itself is just a bit off, the fabric itself is cheap... and also, something is missing, as if the item in question was supposed to be part of a collection but was plucked out of its context and now sags pittifully on its hanger among strangers under bright white lights in the "Medium" section of a rack among other similar racks. Mind you sometimes one can find a pearl in there. Sometimes one finds a pearl and sure enough the tag price is also the one of a pearl. Or many pearls.
I find interesting that Scarlet struggled with North America's constant sales: I share her initial feeling, and even though I am also relaxed about it, the stress it creates becomes an irritant.
So for me, here are some observations about sales:
- Like Angie, I feel left out of the sale, because there's never my size. So what, because I am not a medium I should be forced to pay full price?
- I like Talbots (being a teacher and all) but I feel their quality has gone down proportionally with the explosion of their numerous 40% - 70% sales. I almost only buy on sale from them now, when I do, which means their products are less of a stapple in my wardrobe. It's so rare to find something that I need, like, matches omy closet and is my size all at once.
- I wonder sometimes if the "full price" is not artificially jacked up and the sales' price isn't the real price, because the items are not always the best quality. Gap, for example.
- I hate it when I just splurged my fun money on various items and then my favorite store calls me to personally let me know of their special clients sale event next Thursday. And they always do it on a Thursday when I have the least time to shop. Marciano, for example.
- My husband argues with me because he proudly and loudly buys "everything on sale" and he does, and guess what... it shows, I must say but I buy him better quality full price stuff behind his back and those items "mysteriously" become workhorses for him lol.

I don't see the point of trying to figure out the retailer's markup and then deciding they should get less. That's akin to your employer figuring out your living expenses and then paying you based on how much they want you to have left over from your paycheck. It just doesn't make any sense. If you don't like the retailer's head games, then just don't shop there at all (or write to them if you like them otherwise). But their markup should play absolutely no role in your calculations of the item's worth to you. In other words, if I'm wearing a favorite sweater every week, I don't care how much the retailer made from that sale - I am grateful they had the right thing at the right time for me and I'll likely be back for more. (In fact, I want them to have a decent margin because I'd like them to stay in business and keep the quality high.)

Silver, thank you for sharing this article which I'm sure is interesting, but which one cannot access unless disabling blockers, and I just want to warn that then the link infects your computer with malaware:
https://www.extremetech.com/in.....es-malware

THIS!

"in my experience the merchandise found on big discount surfaces seems to be a notch below what I would define as good quality. There's always something: the color is sad-looking, the print is never wow, the fabric was not cut in the right direction, the cut itself is just a bit off, the fabric itself is cheap... and also, something is missing, as if the item in question was supposed to be part of a collection but was plucked out of its context and now sags pittifully on its hanger among strangers under bright white lights in the "Medium" section of a rack among other similar racks."

Thanks for expressing this idea so eloquently, krishnidoux!

It took me years to figure this out, but I agree that 90% of the time if an item makes it to the discounter/sales rack/website/whatever there is a reason that it didn't sell out at full price. I do feel like the fit and quality of my wardrobe has gone up dramatically since I quit chasing "bargains".

Of course, that doesn't mean that sale-shopping can't work well for others. I expect it is a great strategy for those who have a keen eye for quality and fit and the patience and discipline to keep looking until they find the wheat amongst the chaff. I lack that level of discernment.

krishnidoux, that Forbes article may be outdated, as I use an ad blocker and it didn't force me to disable it for Silver's article.

Alexandra, I agree with you that I don't care how much the retailer made from a sale if the item was worth it to me. I do care, though, that the item was made in a safe and sustainable manner, and that individuals and societies weren't harmed in the making of my clothing. Systemically intense price pressure on manufacturers can make this less likely.

Nodding my head at Jenn's point! Those 40-60% discounts aren't being swallowed by the retailers. As someone who used to sew her own clothing, I marvel at how anyone could make a profit selling a discounted $35 dress or $25 jacket. The materials alone would have cost me more than that!

When full price becomes a "rip-off" price, and everyone waits for a the 40% coupon, it seems only logical to assume retailers work to find ways to lower production costs through cheaper fabrics and notions, fewer design details, lower wages, and other operational savings.

As others have pointed out, we've created a chicken and egg system where consumers have been trained to expect deep discounts, and retailers need to offer them or risk bankruptcy. Even if both parties aren't happy with the current situation, and it causes serious problems for those at the CMT level, we seem incapable of changing our attitudes and habits.

What fascinates me, though, is how readily we associate buying at a discount with frugality. If my clothing budget is 5% of my income, and I pay full price, am I less frugal than someone who has the same budget and only buys on deep discounts? Doesn't quantity have any part to play in frugality?

Ah. But I don't have a clothing budget. So in 2010, when I started writing down what I was spending on clothes, I had 3 columns. Full price, money "saved", and price paid. I still have the calculations back to 2011. ( Had thrown away the 2010 pages at some intervening point.) The 2011 page is headed "Jenni clothes addiction 2011". So I was obviously feeling that about it even back then. Yes, I'm crazy in the head and there was that "Protestant guilt" that I've mentioned before. I am feeling better about all of it now, that thinking harder is more consistent with my values, and I intend to look harder for ethical fashion. I was and am clever at finding high quality stuff discounted. There are quite a few opportunities in our city for that- "Designer Garage Sale", once to twice a year, outlet stores.... my green patent sandals I had admired in 2013 often and not wished to pay the price. There they were at the shoe companies' warehouse sale in late 2016 in my size for $19 down from original price $150. I didn't care they were 3 years "out of date". I bought them and have worn 16 times since. I took them off their hands.

Thistle, sorry this is so long on your post, am really trying not to hijack. For the most part here, I tried to limit myself to replying to comments that mentioned me by name. You have started a really thought-provoking topic!

Alexandra, I agree with you--I don't buy those fibers either. But why on earth do you continue to insist that it is not possible to get quality clothes on the other half of the "mark-up,'slash'" game in the US? Also, I'm not the employer of anyone whose service I purchase. I don't have anyone on my payroll. Laissez-faire capitalism has many problems, and I indicated in my first post in this thread that I live very happily in a system with more controls on prices, but this is the system we live in, where price is more related to marketing and what the market will bear than to quality. There are many advantages to a system based on use values, but any place that has tried to implement that and Marx's other ideas has unfortunately fallen to greed, to paraphrase a very long, complicated history.

Jenn NZ, I don't buy at Zara either, was aware of their model before I saw the first store. I did buy a pair of shorts and 2 skirts at Forever 21 ten years ago. The shorts are still in great shape, but one skirt was stained a couple years ago and the other ripped when it was pulled on hard. They were all cotton, but I assume it was grown/processed in the worst way possible, so I don't shop there any more. One exception--online searches for an item this summer brought up multiple pieces at Forever21, so I bought a dress there that I can dress up or down and wore it to a rehearsal dinner. But I generally don't shop at either of those places, or Urban Outfitters or other similar chains. So although Patagonia is the only place I regularly shop (and pay full or close to full) prices that is known as an "ethical" producer, I do have some standards about production. What are your thoughts now on the "money saved" column? A friend of mine is fond of pointing out that you've only saved if you would have purchased the item regardless.

Sal, I don't think most people agree with you that J Crew (not Factory), Clarks (outlet), Banana Republic, Anthropologie, Nordstrom's (outlet) and other places where I pay those prices are cheap chain stores. But I might be wrong. What do you do when you need to go up a size in your curated second hand shops? Do you shop frequently enough that the curator at that store knows you and can point you in things that interest you? There is a consignment shop in my neighborhood that might be similar to what you describe. I scooped up a knit EF pencil skirt for $$20 at Nordstroms Rack earlier this summer. I often buy, try on at home, and return most of what I've purchased. But I thought I'd get more for this skirt at the consignment place, so I stopped in for the first time ever. She immediately caught onto what I was saying about the style not suiting me, ignored what I said about too many knit skirts in similar colors, and before I could blink had several things in her hands that suited my coloring and would go well with the skirt/my body type. So I can see that working. I don't want that kind of relationship, think it would be awkward for me, but can maybe see what you mean.

Smittie, dang, you just summarized my whole rambly first post in a few short lines--the lower price is the "real" price. Before it, there is an inflated first price, and after it, the deep discount of 70-90% of is an actual cut. Not so sure I agree with your next post though.Krishnadoux seems to agree.

Jenn, interesting food for thought. The international supply chain is something I have taught about in intro geography classes, and I long sought to avoid maquiladoras but I don't know of any mainstream stores that make that possible any more. Do you? Several people have mentioned H&M as an example of fast fashion, but they have their "conscious" line, and then I think of labels like Nike that bounce back and forth from boycott lists to being held up as leaders in ethical supply chains. A friend who wrote her dissertation based on field work in clothing factories in Kenya and is very concerned about justice of many types says her research did not alter her buying habits.

Krishnadoux, the dual definitions of the word "cheap" muddy arguments here. You do realize that I use it in reference to price, and not quality, right? Both Angie and Geylene resisted that at first, although Angie did back away from insisting that I was talking about low quality cheap (I wasn't) and explain that she, as a stylist, may need to purchase one very specific model. I understand that requirement for her, but I don't have the same need. There are quite a few riding boots I could wear just fine, because they are well made, will last a long time, and are fashionable enough for my needs. The semi-custom Ariat boots someone posted about recently are lower priced than the example Angie gave, and even they are likely beyond my needs. What you say about discount sites (I'm not sure what stores you mean) reminds me of early outlets in the 1970s, when TJ Maxx and Marshalls were a new concept, and shopping there required very careful examination of seams, fabric, etc. I don't find that to be the case in the places I mentioned.But the point about sizing--if that applied to me, then I'd probably get things at the inflated price too, but it doesn't. I've gone from L to M to borderline S/M, and so far have no issue finding plenty of things in my size.I hope your husband appreciates the shirt with blue trim and other things you've selected for him with such care, yet I'm not at all convinced that price indicates quality.

Ryce, maybe one day I'll have that discerning eye, but right now, I'm fine with my red shorts from Anthro.

Gaylene, I agree with you that it's a chicken-and-egg problem. If you can devote 5% of your income to to clothing, your argument makes perfect sense. My situation is different. Over the past 1.5 years, I've bought over 2 pieces per month. I've been losing weight/getting in shape, and am still adjusting to the climate where we live (I refused to do so for years, because I don't like it here and want to leave). Those changes are winding down, and I'm finding recently that I am not interested in purchasing clothing, even when I see something that's good quality, fit, and price. I don't need to continue my buying binge, and don't need to keep spending the same amount on clothing. I basically have enough summer things now. I could use some faux-winter items (things that look cozy, but aren't too hot for here, and can be worn for winter with more layers elsewhere), so am keeping my eyes open for that .There is a long cardi in the NAS finds that I want, and I'd like to replace the old-fashioned looking foldover booties/shoes that I just discarded 20 years after buying them. I'm not longing for those things, am simply aware of them. I will eventually come across them at the price I can pay, and will get them, but no stress. What some people see as "killing myself waiting for a sale" feels different to me. I don't have to have it immediately. If it is above a certain price, it isn't available, and I'm fine with that. What's likely to happen in my closet is that as I get a better handle on my style and needs, I will buy fewer pieces, but continue to ignore catalogues, main stores, and first prices, get the things I do buy at places that have low prices for things that are well made, and use the money for travel, delicious food, retirement savings, and my son's college.

But like I've said a couple times in this thread, I reserve the right to change my mind as I learn more. A mistake I have made is purchasing items without a plan for how to wear them, so I will have to see how that settles out as I sort through my closet.

Gaylene wrote: If my clothing budget is 5% of my income, and I pay full price, am I less frugal than someone who has the same budget and only buys on deep discounts? Doesn't quantity have any part to play in frugality?

I am frugal because I have a realistic/sensitive clothing budget and I live within that budget (with very rare exceptions). I strive to buy the best quality I can afford within the constraints of my budget. I expect my clothes to last a long time and to serve my purposes.

As I said earlier in this thread, I made the conscious decision to step away from sales shopping because it did not serve me well. The slope was slippery and I knew the end result.

I am trying hard to follow your point, Fashiontern, but I am hopelessly lost in the forest.

All of us on this Forum have developed shopping strategies that work for us based on personal budgets, social beliefs, ethical standards, love of fashion, the desire try new and exciting things, and just plain need. Although some of us might fall into one camp or another, you can not expect that we would all subscribe to the exact set of beliefs. That is what makes this such a strong community. We come together to share and help one another see other possibilities. We share our experiences and make suggestions that might/might not be of help.

I just want to reiterate that I understand Thistle's frustration. I have felt it myself. I have no solution to offer, but I wanted her to know she was not alone.

Fashiontern - I think you have misinterpreted my comment and I am sorry if I have offended you. I have never shopped at JCrew and am based in NZ so my reference to cheap chain stores was that the price I am paying for second hand clothing is similar to what I would pay in cheap chain stores here for new clothing (Glassons, Dotti, KMart etc). Of course buying second hand my size is not always available, and if I firmly seeking a black jacket this week I would look at new stores rather than trawl second hand. For me personally, it is more fun to look at second hand than these chain stores or outlets - and if I find something at a cheap price I feel better knowing it is second hand. I am not sure that it is entirely logical but it makes sense to me.

I have found this a very interesting thread, thanks Thistle for starting it.

Sal -- I understood what you meant in your comment. I commend you for shopping second hand and thrift stores. Because of where I live, there are few good second hand stores around for me to take advantage of, but I love the idea.

The way I look at it, most sales aren't sales anymore. Instead of focusing on sales like I used to do, I focus on whether or not an item is priced at what I am willing to pay. If I don't need the item, I wait to see if it will get marked down. Sometimes I get lucky. I don't go hunting bargains anymore, though. I almost always pay full price for my shoes because of my problem feet, and because I'll wear them a lot. I pay less for dresses because they don't get worn that much.

Sal and Sterling, I apologize if I come across as upset or accusational! I'm not feeling any of that, am sitting in my kitchen listening to reggae, wishing I could have a G&T but must go lift weights soon. I am aware that we all have different situations with respect to our clothing needs, including size needs, and budgets available. I've tried to outline my position without criticizing others'.

My main point, I think, is that I don't believe price is a good indicator of quality, worker relations, or care taken selecting an item. Another way of saying that is that "cheap" (low price) isn't always "cheap" (poorly made). I will pay more for things I have a decent degree of confidence were made ethically, do not buy at places I think actively drive price/quality/labor standards down, and usually buy at prices lower than the first offer at stores I think carry good quality merchandise.

I am frugal because I have a realistic/sensitive clothing budget and I
live within that budget (with very rare exceptions). I strive to buy
the best quality I can afford within the constraints of my budget. I
expect my clothes to last a long time and to serve my purposes.

Me too. My budget may be lower than yours, and I've needed to purchase an unusually high amount of clothing over the last year or two, but I've tried to buy good quality items that will last for years.

Sal, thanks for clarifying. I think the international quality of this forum is part of what makes it so fun, but haven't learned where everyone is yet, so I apologize for "mislocating" you. I'm curious--what kinds of restrictions on importing and pricing related to this discussion do you have? Those policies sound abstract when I teach them, but moving between Germany and the US has made them very real to me. If you enjoy second hand shopping, more power to you! I think it is a great way to buy clothing ethically, but do not derive the pleasure from it you do, find it tries my patience very quickly.

You did not come across as cross or upset, Fashiontern. You raised VERY GOOD food for thought. We all need that in life.

Thanks Sterling!

I am still enjoying the different viewpoints. Fun discussion.

I'll add another twist though it might have been mentioned somehow.

I'm not really in a wardrobe- building stage now but more evolve, refine, or change in a purposeful way which is sometimes " taste" and sometimes fit( fussy feet! Not enough exercise!), or new interests/ occasions.

Therefore, it's much more likely that I would be shopping for a CURRENT need rather than " for later". Exceptions include the elusive dressy capsule.

In addition, my wardrobe mistakes while very often sales - related, I think are better defined as " random classic or fun, good items that I assume I must need but actually do not need right now and therefore tend to COLLECT rather than wear". Whew

And then, my fit or needs seem to change even slightly a year later. I really need to be sure items have a home within outfits or capsules and avoid orphans so items need to work with things I have NOW - again, mostly.

Therefore, it is becoming more important for me to buy almost exclusively " wear now" items if I buy at all. Not because of trends, but WHATEVER it is I plan to wear this season, literally within the next month or so, rather than stockpiling. And probably toss something out.

I also want to spend LESS time shopping and certainly stalking. I still LIKE getting something " 40% off" ( what is UP with that as magic number?) but I am reaching a greater need to say, oh , these loafers I am trying on today feel fab and go with all my pants and I want to toss out my pinchy ones". Bag ' em, Danno-- and do not go back in store, do not surf web. If shoes were expensive, but outfit- creators, I will likely not need to expand other areas and I sometimes find they re- invigorate some other items.

Of course i do not have a perfectly uni- dimensional approach, but this is my direction.

Unfrumped, I think you've described how a lot of people respond to "sale!" signs. We'll see if I change my mind as I weed through my closet, but I think that routinely shopping the sales sections and outlet stores has taken that "must have" feeling away when I see a discount. I almost never buy things on clearance, because I want to be able to return purchases. It took me a long while to understand the feeling you describe.

I wonder if we're mixing apples and oranges some when we talk about "sales," because end-of-season clearances, demotion to outlets, annual events, and perpetual discounting of current-season stock are all different beasts. It's the final item on that list that really irritates me.

I was more describing that the sales sections might or might NOT not contain the item I would like to have- example of pants that fit great in the color of my current capsules- if they happen to be 4 feet away from the same rack but not on sale, but my size is there AND it has features I've really been looking for, then I may prefer to just get them rather than try to check back over and over. This might also include retailers that don't run those continual sales but only do end of season. If items are " seasonless" and a lucky find on sale, that's great too.

I think being " picky" is part of it. It makes no more sense for me to make poor choices at full price than on sale. So my goals have become more specific and focused regarding the types of items that work really well and I don't find them that often, actually. So I want to listen to that voice regardless of price. That ought to be good news for my budget either way!

OK, one more comment, then time to move on.

This thread has taken a number of twists and turns as these threads often do, but my response(s) were an attempt to answer Thistle's original question:

"Seriously, if I know you're going to have a sale in a few weeks for 30% off, why do I want to pay full price now?"

It's a very good question regardless of the price point at which a person chooses to shop. Paying "full price" these days unfortunately all too often gets equated with an "oh, money doesn't matter to me" attitude. For me, as a senior on a fixed income, nothing could be further from the truth. Like Sterling, and many others on this forum, I need to have a realistic/sensitive clothing budget, to buy the best quality I can within my budget, and to buy items which serve their purpose and which last for a long time.

It was Angie's, and the forum's, discussions on this very topic which made me realize, FOR ME, paying the "full" price often served me better than waiting for discounts and chasing bargains. Price is never an indicator of quality, but price does make me more reflective since it's harder to recover from a $100 mistake than a $10 mistake on my budget. I do buy items on sale, but I choose not to focus on sales and discounts as a way of creating a functional wardrobe. Choosing to step away from this particular retail strategy has enabled me to make saner choices and to put my time and energy into other areas of my life.

Gaylene, if you don't want to reply to me, of course you don't have to, but I still don't see why the waiting and chasing when there are always things on discount. Are you waiting for the price on a specific item to go down, or do you want the larger assortment available with a wider price range?

Unfrumped, that's why I don't look at full-priced stuff. I mostly shop online, where it's easy to sort by % off. The things I want to replace might be frumpy, but I won't go naked if it takes me a little longer to find what I'm looking for.

Jenn, I think I'm your worst nightmare.

A lot of this comes down to priorities and trade-offs. For $100, I'd feel a lot more fab zip-lining in old clothes than standing on the sidelines, perfectly attired. For $20 I can get a kid's meal, two kinds of sushi and 3 oz of wine on Tues nights, so I think carefully before spending that much on clothes. I'm upgrading my wardrobe, but am not in a hurry. I think I'll eventually find nice things at my price point, and find ways to wear what I already have, perhaps by altering it.

ETA: many people I know irl don't need to make those kinds of choices, and I certainly know moms who think I'm "brave" (or crazy) because of how much I enjoy the rough and tumble play with my son (Having him was just an excuse to go sledding/to the waterpark/rafting). No shade on anyone for having different preferences than I do. We each like what we like, and set our own course accordingly.

I can not see why some people don't want to only buy from the sales rack. As Angie said, the size may be gone and you would assume the best merchandise are less likely to be in the sale racks. And it takes a lot of time/patience to look for what you like. For this reason, I almost never shop at TJ MAXX or Nordstrom Rack. I simply don't have the time.

I do, however, wait for sales (the 40% off entire store variety) at the Loft, BR, etc. It seems too impatient not to do that when the next sale is literally around the next minor holiday (real or made up). I think this is very different than the first variety of bargain hunting. I may risk missing out something. But the risk is very very small. I don't stalk at all. I just wait for the next email announcing the sales to come to my inbox.

As far as why retailers do the percentage off game, it simply makes economic sense. This is what economists called "price discrimination." Each individual consumer has different reservation value for an item. If the retailed set too low a price, it missed out extracting more profit from those who would be willing to pay more. Coupons/sales separate the consumers who are willing to pay more from those who are only willing to pay the sale prices, and the retailer gets to maximize profit this way. Grocery stores has coupons for those who is willing to spend some time to cut/use them, clothing stores made it easy for most of us to take advantage of them. But for those selected few who needed something fashionable that day, they ended up paying more.

I'm not sure if this is what Thistle experienced , but what I was running into was , this week tops were on sale. Next week, pants. Then certain random items might go to sale rack, then the next week there'd be another % off of whatever was there.
Maybe I shop differently from some people but I often like to go into a store and really see the fabrics and try on 3 sizes. So then leaving the store, watching my e- mail, returning to store, finding size gone and going online- that to me is " chasing" or" stalking " and using a lot of bandwidth. Sometimes I have that available and sometimes I don't. Again, if I don't really care about getting it, it may not be something I even need, so that goes into my thought process as well.

Unfrumped, yes, I think we just do it differently. That process of watching emails, going to stores, etc sounds like too much work to me. I shop online, at sites that have stores in my area. I order enough stuff to get free shipping, let UPS be the sales associate who brings clothes to the fitting room, try it on at home, set some things aside immediately, think on others for a few weeks, then take most of it (usually) back to the physical store.

If you want to go to the physical store in the first place, then I can see how the sales racks would be frustrating; they'd have much less selection, skip lots of sizes, and you'd have to weed through everything instead of only looking at red or multicolored shorts or blush long sleeved knit tops or whatever in your size, like you can online. That would burn up time and be irritating.

Hmmm. Calling Thistle! Twists and turns of the thread, indeed. Once again I think it may also depend on where you are in a wardrobe strategy. When I first started recording what I was spending, which was perhaps 2010 (?), I think that was because I had a vague feeling that the clothes buying may get out of control. I did see the stylist that year as I had gained extra weight and was scared I didn't have enough clothes that were at least somewhat flattering. And I was still recovering from some bullying and psychological issues from 2008. So between feeling lesser due to those, and weight gain around menopause which is so common for women in Western society and which doesn't tend to make said women feel great ( a generalisation I know, but one I have a fair experience with in my line of work) , I didn't feel too good at all. And I didn't want to feel worse about "wasting" the family's money on too many clothes. So I was shopping sales. We have been blessed or lucky or whatever word you prefer to become somewhat richer over time since 2010. I fully realise that isn't the case for everyone.

The last couple of years, I have hardly "found" anything in the sales, so hunting for sales bargains has been disappointing.

However, this year, I started shopping fall items early, and to my surprise I have found several quality AND inexpensive items, some of which I have been wanting since long:
- 1 dress (teal)
- 2 skirts (taupe and silver grey)
- 2 round-neck pullovers (light blue and light grey)
- 1 pair of special occasions pumps (silver grey)
- 1 long cardigan (offwhite)
- 1 crossbody bag (silver grey)

I don't assume any of these items will be left in the stores for the next sale. And now, I will enjoy being able to use them from the very start of the new season.

Fashiontern, it looks lIke you misread my post.
1. It wasn't directed at you, and
2. There was no implication that a paying customer becomes the employer.

Krishnidoux and Laura G, thank you, your descriptions of true sale/clearance merchandise are excellent.

Alexandra, ok, you said "akin to" instead of literally employing them. Got it.

Laura G, the "frenzy" thing still eludes me. I can't for the life of me see why you'd keep something you don't need. I have started learning about building a wardrobe and style on YLF--that's why I'm still here. So far I don't see a contradiction between shopping at sales and looking to fill holes, but I'm still learning and going through my closet.

Sales is a farce used by brands to attract customers and dupe them into buying over priced items at a discounted price. In addition to these they also offer many types of combo deals that lure customers into buying multiple items.