Happy New Year, here we go again! Whether you are deflated and exhausted or pumped and ready for action to complete your New Year’s resolutions, there is no denying that January is the bleakest of months…but it will pass. We have had some wonderful dry and cold weather, perfect for wearing those beautiful long wool coats. Does anyone else find that packing away Christmas decorations has a ripple effect and leads to clearing away unworn clothes too? If the bug bites you, go for it! We all have too much ‘stuff’. As a result, the ‘sale’ shopper has become more picky, more cautious and less inclined to just buy something because it is 50 per cent off – now, we think carefully about waste and clutter.
The savvy shopper knows that a good cut will last as long as your body shape doesn’t change, that is if you take care of your clothes. Think ‘timeless’ all the time. Sale time becomes a calculated journey of sifting through quality pieces at a fraction of the cost and being realistic about what will work well with your current wardrobe. Having the confidence to leave something behind because it’s ‘just not right’ rather than ‘I might be able to make this work even though…’ is paramount. Undoubtedly there are bits and pieces that we all want and need or should replace and if you can find it in a sale, that’s fantastic! Better still if you have vouchers for your favourite shops, you might just make a killing.
Coats will always be a really big deal and tend to be much sought-after in sales. Our weather is so unpredictable that we need something warm but breathable and lightweight and waterproof that is also stylish. The best way is to buy a few coats…between all of them, they will tick all of the boxes! A faux fur bomber-style jacket won’t work for a walk in the rain but it will make you feel a million dollars on an evening out. Jeans that fit like a glove or the perfect baggy pair offer practicality and style so if they are available for a fraction of the regular price, buy them. Of course you simply must check out all of your local boutiques, they need to ‘shift’ everything as they don’t have huge warehouses to store surplus clothes. Space is paramount and this is where you just might find some ‘to die for’ deals before new stock takes over. Always push yourself a little bit outside your comfort zone but keep in mind that an unusual piece does need to be able to work comfortably into your capsule wardrobe. Impulse buying is unsustainable behaviour so make a wish list of what you need and regularly check it when you are shopping. The bigger ‘high street’ shops have a way of bamboozling the brain with clever advertising and layout and massive reductions that might just have you splurging on something beyond ridiculous. Don’t beat yourself up if you have fallen for this on more than one occasion – when you donate it to a charity shop later on, it might just bring so much joy to someone else!
When I shop in the sales, I try to buy designer pieces, as they have the ability to elevate any ‘high street buys’ when worn together. Ballet flats are firmly back for Spring but I have spotted lots of gorgeous pairs in the sales also. A gorgeous tuxedo-style black jacket you might think would only be worn a few times a year but something like this is an investment piece that you will wear year after year. Wear it with jeans and a white tee shirt anytime for effortless glam.
Sparkly or sequin clothes, especially silver or gold pieces, are great to snap up now. Traditionally, we only wore this type of glam for Christmas parties or New Year’s but I find I’m wearing them a lot more now. As an avid concert-goer and music festival queen, I love adding wow any time of year with a sparkly jacket. The bottom line is that life has become way too serious and glitter or sparkle is exactly the right amount of fun that we all need from time to time. Make sure to dedicate a section of your wardrobe to ‘fun’ clothes, you know those pieces that make you giggle. A Santa suit made an appearance in our house on Christmas Day, it was what we all needed after a November and December of huge losses. A fun section in your wardrobe is as critical as good fitting knickers!
Layering necklaces have been ‘the thing’ for a while and we are loving them. Whether you love silver or gold, both look incredible and some three-in-one combo’s offer a mix of the two. Don’t forget to have a browse in your local jewellery shop, exactly what you love might just be on sale.
Runners, trainers, sneakers – whatever you call them, it’s a super time to add to your collection. Now worn with absolutely everything, you can never have too many pairs. Don’t feel bad about having a selection because minding your feet and keeping them cosy and comfortable is beyond important. You might not win this argument with Jimmy Choo’s or Manola’s but runners, yes, always!
I have always had a thing for umbrella’s, we do live in a country where it rains a hell of a lot so my ‘thing’ makes sense. What I can never understand is why so many people, especially women, rely on a cheap €5 umbrella. They only last five minutes and rip or crack or won’t open. I bought a really good one about 10 years ago, it has a wooden hook handle so if it doesn’t fit in my bag, it can hang on the strap of it. The same goes for my big umbrella – on the outside it’s a plain grey but on the inside there are sketches of animals and it makes me smile every time I open it.
Who doesn’t have a big basket full of hats? A great woolly hat is an instant statement piece and adds a cosy flair to any winter outfit, whether you are going for a casual or a more polished look. They allow us to express our unique fashion sense and perfectly merge fashion with function. Sometimes a hat can be the only pop of colour in an otherwise dark ensemble and they are great for hiding bad hair days or for protecting a blowdry from the wind or rain. So finish off any outfit with a hat and fill your basket this January.
