today i love… the sales

It's that time of year again… Sales time. That time of year when you could potentially spend a hell of a lot of money on things you don't really want or need. It was while I was thinking about sales pitfalls that I happened upon an excellent article in Stylist magazine (download the app to get every issue for free if you haven't already - so good) about how to avoid feeling like you have nothing to wear. Spoiler alert: the main message was that women who look stylish every day tend to have a uniform which they rely on, rather than trying out new things all the time (reference: Emmanuelle Alt in blazers and skinny jeans). This is very true when you think about it, but also interesting in that it sheds new light on my own wardrobe dilemmas. Unlike the author of the article, who complained about buying things that don't go with anything else in her wardrobe and ending up never wearing them, I rarely ever buy anything I don't love and therefore there's hardly anything I own that I haven't worn. Quite the reverse: I feel like I wear everything to death. No matter how much I love an item when I first get it, after a few weeks of wearing it every few days, I feel like I've used up every possible outfit combination with it. And I hate wearing exactly the same outfit, so I inevitably get bored and want something new. But I agree with the article in that I definitely have a "uniform" myself, and rather than thinking maybe I'll stop getting bored of everything if I try out new trends/shapes etc., I should instead stick to it and just accept that I will always need to buy something new (hey, surely that's an inevitable side-effect of being obsessed with fashion).

So, with that in mind, sales season feels like the perfect time to stock up on all of my uniform classics at purse-friendly prices. I've thought about it and come up with a sort of formula for the way I dress and therefore the things I should be looking out for on the reduced rails. Hopefully it will be helpful to you when you're perusing the sales, too. I've also selected a few items which fall within the realms of my uniform and are the kind of thing I'll be looking out for this Boxing Day (some on sale, some not yet). Oh and if in doubt, buy beauty gift sets. Space NK is always my first port of call in the sales for true bargains that'll never go out of style.

1. Reiss Malin oversized roll-neck jumper / £89 (reduced from £125)

2. Topshop Moto mid-stone Hayden jeans / £42

3. & Other Stories basic t-shirt / £10 (reduced from £19)

4. Whistles Portland shearling backpack / £195 (reduced from £395)

5. Larsson & Jennings Liten small suede and gold-plated watch / £205

6. Dogeared gold-plated Balance spiky spear necklace / £32 (reduced from £47)

7. Topshop Ripple skinny strap sandals / £30 (reduced from £58)

8. Zara mesh court shoes / £49.99

classic basics

The crux of my "uniform" is what I'm calling classic basics. These are not necessarily expensive, but do need to be good quality. Knitwear is my number one essential at this time of year and it should be real cashmere and wool rather than polyester. Look for thin merino wool or cashmere jumpers (Whistles is always great for these), or chunky fisherman styles (try & Other Stories or Reiss) (1). Jeans don't have to break the bank, I find (mine are all Topshop or Zara); they just need to fit well. So far I haven't been parted from my skinny styles, but I'd like to find a good boyfriend pair in the sales (2). Good, simple t-shirts are another solid basic that are remarkably not that easy to find, but I love & Other Stories' selection of gimmick-free, classic cuts at incredibly good prices (3). Jackets - always, always buy leather jackets. I wear mine to death. The leather needs to be really butter soft though. Whistles' are hands down the best - great value for money and a wide selection of styles. I still haven't found the perfect blazer - black, single breasted, non-shiny - but that's high on my sales wish list.

standout accessories

I thought about using the word eye-catching here but that's not quite the vibe I'm going for. By standout I don't necessarily mean "look at me", nor particularly expensive. Nobody else needs to walk past you and do a double take because you've got the latest designer candy on your arm, or because it's neon. What I mean is good quality, beautiful pieces that make your heart stop a bit, and that's important, because you'll be wearing these a lot more often than any particular item of clothing. A bag that's timeless yet a little bit interesting, for example (4). Take my 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag. I'm convinced the reason I still love carrying it each and every time I do is because a) I literally gasped at how gorgeous it was when I unwrapped it and b) it's an utterly classic style but in a colour that's a little bit different. A nice watch falls into this category, too (5), or a simple necklace (6) you're happy to wear non-stop.

trend-led shoes

Aside from ankle boots, which make up part of my daily uniform and therefore fall more into the previous category for me (reference my beloved Marant Dickers and Acne Pistols), shoes are the item that I'm willing to experiment a little more on. I tend to keep them high street (most are from Zara or Whistles) and am not afraid to buy them more often and make them a little less classic (7 and 8). Case in point: my Zara mules. Totally of the moment when I bought them back in February and it's unlikely I'll wear them past next summer. But they were relatively cheap (still good quality though - that's what I love about Zara shoes) and they made every outfit I wore at the time look current, even if it was just jeans and a tee. And that's exactly what they should do. I don't like spending too much on heels because a) you'll never wear them every day, especially if they're painful, so won't feel like you're getting your money's worth, and b) shoes wear out in a way bags don't. You need to not be too heartbroken when you've scuffed all the corners off a pair.


Hope that helps… Happy shopping and a very merry Christmas to you all.


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