The Tastemaker’s expert advice to find the smartest sale buys, giving both luxury and longevity …
When it comes to sales shopping, you either go big or go home, and that means the Designer Room at Brown Thomas Dublin. Where else are you going to get your hands on the pieces you’ve been lusting over all season, all at devilishly good discounts? Yes, I’m here to tempt you, but this isn’t about designer shopping for the sake of it. It’s strategic, sustainable shopping for quality pieces to take you through to the next season and beyond. Here are some guidelines to help reign you in!
Be clear on what you already own as we tend to be drawn to familiar colours and silhouettes. My number one tip is, rather than buying more of the same, try to fill genuine gaps in your wardrobe.
Then it’s all about timing. Let the sales madness subside and the prices drop further to allow the true bargains to shine through. Then identify the pieces that you thought about more than once. For me, it was this bright red Loewe knit (€980, now €475). Remember that, designer or not, a bargain still needs to flatter you … no matter the markdown!
Look for quality accessories to enhance an outfit in any season, particularly leather bags, belts or shoes. I selected three bags in the sales: an olive green suede “Victor Hobo’’ from Victoria Beckham (€1,190, now €675), a black Jaquemus clutch with a silver and gold clasp (€1,290, now €750) and a JW Anderson loafer cabas bag in black and sage green (€2,150, now €1,095).
With a clear focus on transeasonal pieces, I moved on to womenswear collections. I tried on a black swing skirt from Bite Studios (€650, now €275) and a seriously soft leather top in a rich biscuit colour from Yves Salomon (€1,850, now €495).
To go with my Loewe knit, I chose a pair of Adanola trackpants (€80, now €45). I love a sporty look elevated with a coat, so I picked an Issey Miyake tan trench (€2,290 now €995), which is a great colour to go with red.
The absolute favourite pieces I found were a pair of cream silk combat trousers from Phoebe Philo (€1,600, now €960) that I paired with a black satin shirt from The Frankie Shop (€275, now €110).
The top three hero pieces were this divine coat from Khaite (€3,620, now €1,095).
A khaki streamlined blazer from Prada (€2,300, now €695).
And a Ralph Lauren olive green puffa jacket at only €295, down from €795 – all seasonal staples to transition into autumn when the time comes.
I ended up with a capsule of luxurious pieces that I can wear over and over again. This brings me to my final piece of advice: try to choose sustainable style over forgettable fast fashion. Buy less, buy better.
SEE MORE: Tales From My Wardrobe – Edel Kinane
