What items do you wait to go on sale (if any)? - YouLookFab Forum

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What items do you wait to go on sale (if any)?

Bijou

Veteran

I have noticed that I seem to have certain categories of clothing that I am quite happy to pay full price for to get the right item and others that I tend to wait to go on sale. I wondered if others had similar strategies for their wardrobes.

Items that I generally pay full price:
- Things that I LOVE...and just could not contemplate missing out on
- Inexpensive items, price discounting is not really relevant
- Comfy shoes that need to go the distance (I have a EU size 39 foot and that size seems to sell out, so if I want something specific I usually have to buy it)
- Jeans, getting the right fit can be hard, so I tend to buy them when I can
- Swimsuits - finding one that I look half-decent in is mortifying enough, so I usually don't worry too much about trying to get a bargain. I tend to keep my swimsuits for a few years.

Items that I buy on discount:
- Gear - sports wear (other than shoes) as I am only wearing at the gym and get out of it ASAP
- Underwear & hosiery - usually the brands I like regularly go on sale and I stock up
- My recreational clothing (other than jeans)
- Items that are nice to have but not required and are likely to be worn infrequently
- One or two items that I buy at the end of the season for a 'refresh' - a sort of bonus because it is in the sales. Sometimes I don't wear these immediately because I save them for the following year to wear.

Examples from my wardrobe and my spring / summer refresh:

Full Price
Cropped white jacket - a HEWI and will be a complete workhorse for work. Wore it to work the day after purchase.
Rainbow dress - full price because it was LOVE and I will wear to work
Uniqlo floral print blouse - full price because it was inexpensive
Comfy shoes that are work appropriate - black Paul Green sandals

Sale items
Nice to have, but not required - layered black skirt
Next season's refresh - dress bought on sale at end of last summer, wearing it now
Recreational wear - playsuit, I really like this, but there are likely to be other playsuits that would have the same purpose

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31 replies

Latest reply was from Barbara Diane

LaPed

Veteran

Almost everything, with just a few exceptions.

Handmade items, whether bought locally at artisan markets or online through Etsy, I'm happy to pay full price for.

Secondhand items -- what does full price even mean in that case? Anyway, if I see something at a secondhand store that fills a need and fits well, I generally buy it right away, no waiting for discounts. If I wait for whatever reason, it's usually gone by the time I go back for it.

There are a few brands I shop whose model is to price things more or less fairly and not run as many sales -- Everlane, for example -- and I am more inclined to buy items from them as soon as they are released and not wait for them to get marked down. Although Everlane does also send out promotional credits a few times a year, and now I time my purchases with those to some degree (not to mention I usually have store credits from returns floating around with Everlane, bad habit...).

With mainstream brands like Boden and J Crew, where a predictable discount cycle is built into their pricing, I tend to take advantage of promo codes and in general won't pay much more than 75% of the MSRP. I primarily shop online due to the dearth of retail in my region, and I use a browser app that automatically searches for promo codes, so getting items at a discount is a relatively painless process.

I am not a "need it now" type of person, and it's also rare that I get so attached to an item that I feel I'm "missing out" if it sells out. I'm also not opposed to stalking things -- either retail or secondhand -- that have gone out of stock.

Anonymous

No hard and fast rules here, but I usually buy gear-ish parkas/jackets in an annual sale. Our national department store - Hudson Bay - is so sales-oriented that it's crazy to buy anything there at full price unless you're desperate to have it. A sale is always around the corner. Oh, and , I'll usually wait to buy lingerie when it's on-sale.

Kathie

Veteran

Whether I pay full price depends mostly on the brand/retailer and not as much on the item. I pay full price for HEWIs, and also for brands that typically don’t go on sale- for example, MMLaFleur only does sales 1-2x/year, for about 48 hours, and the items on sale are usually colors and styles I wouldn’t wear. Same with Hispanitas shoes- if I find a pair that meets my needs, I buy them, because I don’t often see the styles I like at a discount. Boden, on the other hand, I wait for a 20-25% off code, because those come out so often, and while the clothes are still in season. I do use my Nordstrom’s wish list for items that would be fun to have, but maybe don’t meet an immediate need. It’s been interesting to track, because I’ve found that in fact, most of what I like at Nordstrom’s will sell out before it goes on sale, so it gives me a good sense that if I see something I really want, I should get it, and not worry about a discount later.

anne

Veteran

I try to snap up shoes since my size also often runs out .

Otherwise, I don't wait for sales as such, but often by the time I'm shopping the first sales of the season are up.

And in general there are so many sales around there's a good chance of jagging one!

I've had the occasional good end of season buy too (and the odd dud)

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

If I love something, I’ll buy it. If I don’t love it enough enough to pay full price, then I figure I probably don’t love it enough to own it.

I don’t like feeling cheated, though, so there are some exceptions. If I know a retailer regularly runs %-off sales, I wait for those. I also always search for coupon codes, and shop large sales like NAS for basics and essentials.

Anonymous

Theres always a sale, it seems. No hard rules for me, but i have maximums im comfortable paying for each category since my budget is limited. Rethinking categories now though due to heavy use, gear in particular, so will probably consciously allocate more for it.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Jenn said.

I am Queen WORST Stalker. I never wait for items to go on sale - my size is never available anyway, so there's that. I buy full price and save up for pricey pieces. When my budget is gone - it's gone. If I bump into something on sale - BONUS.

But with a BR card, I always get a discount, which is fab. And the NAS is my favourite sale of the year

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think I usually buy jeans on sale because I prefer some of the higher end brands these days but don't want to pay $150-200 for a pair. I guess handbags are also something I try to find on sale since again they can be pricey if you want a higher end brand name in leather.

Shoes are so important to me (fit and feel) that I rarely buy those on sale. When I find the "right" pair I'll pay quite a bit if I must.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I vary depending on the retailer but as I probably never NEED to buy any more clothes Iwill quite often wait until things go on Sale then if it’s gone in my size I wasn’t meant to have it.l also enjoy stalking clothes.My record so far is a jumper that I stalked for 2years before I finally bought it much discounted.

nemosmom

Veteran

I don't necessarily wait for a sale, but I rarely pay full price. If I am in need of an item in the moment, (e.g., going on vacation and discovering my swimsuit no longer fits), I will look for a deal, but not drive myself crazy trying to find one.

There isn't a ton of turnover in my wardrobe these days, and I am mostly happy with items in it. I don't really like to shop just for shopping's sake and I won't buy simply because something is on sale. That said, I can't refuse an occasional stroll into a thrift store....

I am very picky about jeans, and have identified specific brands/cuts that work for me. They are expensive and never on sale, and since I wear them daily, I try to find them secondhand. For gear, I tend to look for closeouts before buying current models.This is especially true when I shop for my 4 and 6yo.

rachylou

Veteran

I do seem to buy my Puffies on sale, but I can’t say I wait for sales or for specific items to go on sale. Sales signs attract my attention, but I feel I never know what will be there. Except maybe at REI for gear.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

For me, it depends more on the retailer than on the item. If I know they always have sales going on (BR, J. Crew, The Bay) I wait for a sale. If they rarely have sales and/or the item is a necessity, I buy it right away. My size tends to disappear.

A couple of exceptions: I buy all my lingerie at the NAS (so on sale). I also buy quite a lot of gear items during that sale (if needed).

I also like what Rachy said. Sales (can) attract my attention, so I might look...but whether I buy anything or not depends entirely on whether it catches my eye/ fills a need.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Almost everything Bijou. I will stalk, and if the item does not go on sale I *might* eventually get it, which is what I did with my Philosophy Australia olive snakeskin pants. I bought those at full price 11 months after first seeing them. The shop would not put them on sale, I did ask about a sale but they said they were the "Classic" range ( or something similar) and would never go on sale.
I think for me, I am hardly ever sure enough that I will wear whatever enough times, to buy it right away. And I like a lot of things. And have a big wardrobe.
A swimsuit, which I buy once every few years, is an exception. In the very good swimsuit shop I have bought the last 3 in, the point is to find something as flattering as possible in colours that I like.
Many things I love are already on sale by the time I see them so that is easier. The 3 outlet stores I frequent often ( genuine outlets at the head office of all three, one of which includes the factory where they actually make the clothes) are all already reduced.
There are plenty of items in NZ which just seem to me to be incredibly overpriced- it's polyester and you made it in China but you want how much for it? How much of that did the worker in China get?
I'm also trying to overall reduce my clothes shopping.
With the Philosophy Australia pants, I did like that they were made in Australia, that made me more willing to pay the full price eventually.

jussie

Veteran

Well if I find jeans I really like I’ll always nab them straight away... coz they are hewis. Other than that I almost always wait for a sale or stalk it on eBay... or buy thrift. I don’t mind putting things away for next season.
Unless it’s a special occasion that I need to shop for or I feel the items normal price is very reasnoble I just can’t justify the extra expense right now. For example my large floral print shift dress was $88 at full price, and my cream faux leather jacket was $90 at full price... they are both quite well made so I’d consider that fairly well priced so I bought those at full.

The Cat

Veteran

Boots, outerwear, knitwear, accessories.

shiny

Veteran

I think my list is similar in general but I really don't wait for sales for anything, nor allow sales to entice me in. Why? Years ago I realized that 90% of items I purchased on sale Because They Were On Sale ended up being wardrobe orphans. I figure now that anything on sale that is still in my size is on sale for a reason. I still buy stuff on sale, but the sale just happens to be going on when I see the item, so I'd have bought it anyway. I just generally try to avoid sale goggles, because it's done me wrong way too many times in the past.

I figure that there is usually a good reason I bypassed something when it was full price. Being half off shouldn't sway me. Unless I am willing to order it online with full intentions to return if it doesn't work out. But usually by the time I decide "why not just order and see" -- my size or color preference is all sold out anyway.

Gigi

Veteran

I'm with Suz. It depends more on the retailer. I shop frequently online and so know the typical frequency of sales at various retailers. If I know a retailer regularly runs a particular percentage off, I will wait the week or so until the sale materializes.

For retailers where sales do not usually take place (Anthro, Free People, Nordstrom), I generally pay full price, because my size is almost always sold out by the time the item goes on sale.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Nothing--I usually start with the sale stuff. I rarely buy anything at full price. A skirt and blazer I've just returned were full price. Another skirt I'm keeping is at a very modest discount (around 10% off). I generally look for bigger discounts than that.

Gigi, my experience is that those three stores, especially Nordy's and Anthro, have sales on all the time, and there's always the Rack. But if you're watching a specific item, as I recently did for the first time with a backpack/bag at Nordstrom's, I suppose there would be a lot of disappointment.

My latest temptation is on sale, but still more than I think I should pay (& might be too tomato-y anyway).

MJUS Schnürstiefelette

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Bijou

Veteran

Thank you for all the interesting comments and thoughts on this.

It makes sense to wait for sales but Angie and Jenn make a great point in that an item should be the right item, if you weren't prepared to pay full price, should it deserve a spot in your wardrobe? In addition, being sized out or finding items difficult to fit - means that pouncing when available make sense (swimwear, jeans, shoes and hard to find sizes - we all seem to have something that falls in this category),

Interestingly some of my most valuable wildcards were purchased on discount. The actual fact that they were discounted make me take a bit more of a style risk and then found those items to be most valuable players in my wardrobe. If I had of known how well they would work out I would have been happy to pay full price - it was just that at the time I did not know whether they would work or not.

Shops that regularly provide discounts JCrew, Boden etc, I can see why most wait for an item to go on sale with them. I am very much like that with my favourite underwear. I know the brands and styles I like and just stock up when they are discounted which happens about every 3 months.

Christina F.

Veteran

My feelings on this are evolving. I like to wait for sales if I know sales are going to happen, such as at LOFT, J Crew (nowadays especially), and other brands. I usually wait for a sale at Boden, just to ease the pain of their prices, but it's not always possible with some items. I spent years as a relatively poor grad student, though, so the waiting for sales is ingrained in me.

In other cases, especially with shoes, I am less willing to wait. A good pair of shoes is worth paying for. I guess it depends on how essential I see the item as being, but that's hard for me to know for certain until I get it home. It's guesswork.

Anonymous

Mostly I wait for sales if the vendor is consistent about sales. Otherwise, no.
Like I don’t have the patience for all of that
Anyway, things I do not wait for are:
-gear, because I just don’t like shopping for it
- bathing suits, because I don’t like shopping for them
- parkas, because they sell out quickly in my size and waiting means I get the dregs.
- snow boots, because they are already reasonably priced for the materials and construction used.

Anonymous

I very rarely wait for a sale if I really want it because of the times I missed out.
I love your two dresses!

The Cat

Veteran

... Also: gear, swimwear, wool underwear.

Of course, if any of the items I have mentioned here and above is inexpensive and I like it, I'll buy it right away and not wait for a sale.

On the other hand, if I really NEED a certain item NOW, I will buy it at full price--and do my best to find a good quality and a style I love. But in general, I try to foresee my needs and buy costly items when the price is reduced.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I hesitate to disagree with Angie and Jenn, both of whom are excellent shoppers... but what the heck, I do disagree. It seems nonsense to think about whether an item "deserves" its place in your wardrobe or not. Does the item have feelings ? ( I know I sometimes behave as though an item has feelings if it's a bit unloved and I try to wear it, but in the cold light of day that's ridiculous.) My reason for often wanting to pay less is partly because I cannot always be certain how much of a workhorse an item will be. I have got much more discerning since YLF, but even then something I tried really hard about may not work so well in practice.
I have an example of my bright floral top. I picked the colours really carefully to match my clothes, but in the end I don't like how the change to black sort of cuts me in half. And so I only wore it 12 times last summer. It cost $50 so that's about $4 a wear, but had it not been in the Designer Garage Sale it would have been way more per wear than that and I would be upset.
I think my upbringing made me a tight-wad ( older Depression-era parents) and I still lack a certain amount of fashion confidence at times even when sometimes having plenty.

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The Cat

Veteran

Jenni, I hear you.

The Cat

Veteran

A lot of items definitely DESERVE a place in my wardrobe. However, my funds are limited. So I have to use my mind before I use my money.

LaPed

Veteran

Jenni, I'm the same. Tightwad High Five!

Quaker upbringing coupled with the New England culture of "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without" makes me somewhat constitutionally incapable of impulse purchasing. I can pretty much always wait for a sale or a coupon. It's just stuff.

Bijou

Veteran

JenniNZ, The Cat and La Ped, I really like your sustainable approach. I must remind myself at times, “it’s just stuff”. Getting something of better quality than I would normally be prepared to pay because it is on sale is definitely welcome.

I think Jenn and Angie are probably not adverse to getting items on sale (such as NAS) but just are not lured to buy things simply because it is on sale “the sales goggles” issue.

JenniNZ, I really like the photo you posted, your yellow shoes and earrings look so great with your top.

anne

Veteran

Coming back to say, I would wait for Cue to go on sale!

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