As the ultimate bargain hunter – it is actually rare that I ever pay full price for anything and I love it! I completely come in to my own when it comes to sale shopping – mainly online unless it’s really worth rummaging for – like the recent Sophia Webster sample sale I went to where everything was priced at £100 and under!!! Yes I know bloody amazing isn’t it!
I feel the art to nabbing the best bargains is to know your body shape, what suits you and what doesn’t, also knowing your favourite brands so you can keep an eye on certain websites.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to get on those MAILING LISTS!
Just this summer, I bought 12 Self Portrait dresses – one of my all time fave designers. Every single dress was half price, I don’t have 12 events to go to but over the year there will always be things that come up that I need an outfit for and I only have to go as far as my wardrobe! #winning
I also bought 10 pairs of Sophia Webster shoes all for £100 each and under. I didn’t even have to pull any special strings I’m just on their mailing list. I got an invite to the sample sale in regents street in my inbox, so I booked my time slot and went along, needless to say it was worth the 3hr lunch break and trudging 10 shoes boxes home on the train. For a £3000+ saving 😀
Another tip – if you purchase well you can always resell! I’m forever clearing out and making money out of the items I don’t want anymore using Depop and Ebay. My rule is if I haven’t worn it in a year it goes. Then I never feel too bad about buying new if I’ve sold a few things.
I’ve bought 10 Calvin Klein bikinis this summer – I love their vibrant stand out swim wear, and their sale did not disappoint. I also got lucky and used a 10% off discount code they give to new customers on top of the sale price. Each bikini worked out half price at £50 per set, I was over the moon.
The good thing about stocking up in the sales is I never end up actually needing anything, I always have stuff so it’s like I just replenish. It cuts out any last minute stressful shopping, and we all know you never find anything you’re looking for in those circumstances. Plus you can end up paying more for things when you panic buy.
Another stand out purchase this summer has been the 5 pairs of Ash sandals I bought. I know you may be thinking I’m slightly mad but Ash sandals are gorgeous, well made and very Valentino looking. Last summer I really wanted a gold pair but wasn’t prepared to pay full price at £180. So I waited for them to go down in the sale and unfortunately waited a little too long as they went back up to full price again. So this year I bagged 5 pairs at 50% off in black, white, gold and tan, and I couldn’t resist the heels too! They will last forever and now I have a sandal for every outfit!
Sunglasses – I always buy from secret sales. I truly believe the price of sunglasses nowadays have gone through the roof! £400-£500 I think is shocking considering they constantly fall off my head and can end up getting scratched. Secret sales do Tom Ford, Celine, Tiffany, Bvlgari, RayBans, Prada etc. Prices range from £80-£150. This year I got another pair of Tom Fords and a Fendi pair, secretsales is a website worth checking daily though.
If you are someone that hates receiving a ton of promotional emails, you can create a folder in your inbox, and choose selected email addresses to automatically fall in to that folder, which saves your inbox from getting clogged up.
Unfortunately classic handbags and shoes from the best brands never go on sale, which is why it is even more worth it to make the most of the things that do!
Another FYI – in Essex we love a boutique and I do hugely support small businesses. However many boutiques now stock a large selection of cheaper styles, that can usually be picked up at the market for almost half the price. I find the markets great for fur, lounge wear and little summer casual outfits like co ords and maxi dresses, things that you can throw on that are easy and comfortable to wear.
Sometimes a trip to the market once every 3 months can bring some good finds at a great price! I believe boutiques are for finding niche treasures!
I hope I inspired someone to shop a little smarter in future as it works for me!
Stay tuned for more tips and tricks XOXO
Emma Mack MUA 