Navigating a Sale

I have a little food for thought today... how do you feel about all of these flash sale sights that keep popping up?  Gilt groupe, Ideeli, Hautelook, etc - I don't even know how many there are, they just keep appearing.  Even Nordstrom's and Sak's have gotten into the flash sales game, and it is starting to get annoying.  I will preface this by saying that there is nothing wrong with these sights and you can definitely find some great deals, but there are few things that just irk me...

One, my whole motto is about identifying your style and shopping smart.  Well, the problem with any type of sale is that you can be lured in with the idea that you are getting a great bargain (up to 50% off anyone???) and then you forget all about shopping smart because you just want the deal.  Two, some brands are simply designing for these sites, just like a lot of brands out there make clothes just for the outlets.  Therefore, you may not be getting that great of a deal because the clothing was designed to sell at that price anyway.  And three, after you make your purchase, what are the chances that this is going to sit in your closet with the tags on it for the next year???

So, in order to make sure that your great bargain does turn into a big waste of money, there is something that you must do before shopping these sites or any outlet... make a list!  Hopefully, you have identified your style and what is appropriate for your body type.  From there, make a list of things that you would like to add to your wardrobe... flare/trouser jeans, maxi dress, a striped something, etc.  Make this list your bible for the season.  If you are flipping through magazines, rip out pieces or styles that you like and add these to your list.  You are creating a shopping guide, and in order to shop smart you need to follow this guide.

Obviously this guide is not set in stone.  You can edit/add pieces as it suits your mood and lifestyle, but you need to make sure that the additions that you would like to make are going to fit into your existing wardrobe.  You should be able to mix and match these pieces several different ways to make them worth the money.  Once you have gotten your guide squared away, you can visit these sites (or go outlet shopping) with the intention of trying to fill the voids that you have identified on your list.  And, it is very important to remember not to buy anything that you wouldn't buy if it were full price!

Okay, that is it!  I am done with my rant... I just couldn't take it anymore after I saw the same pair of jeans on about 5 different sites, seriously that is not a deal!

Happy Shopping!

                        - Allison