BELIEVE it or not, despite this week’s awful weather (that hardly feels like mid-July), the summer sales have begun.
For many, the thought of sifting through messy rails marked with bold red sale signage is far from enjoyable.
And the sheer number of items available online can be quite overwhelming.
If you find yourself endlessly scrolling endlessly through the sale section and need some guidance on which pieces are truly worth buying, keep reading.
Our fashion team has done all the hard work for you, curating a selection of top sale picks that we highly recommend checking out.
Tracey Lea Sayer, 52, Fashion Director
- Sandals, were £139, now £89.40, Arket – YOU SAVE £49.60 – BUY NOW
- Swimsuit, was £57, now £34.20, Arket – YOU SAVE £22.80 – BUY NOW
- White trousers, were £95, now £45, COS – YOU SAVE £50 – BUY NOW
- Bag, was £97, now £58.20, Arket – YOU SAVE £38.80 – BUY NOW
- Jumper, was £345, now £173, Soft Goat – YOU SAVE £172 – BUY NOW
I love sale shopping, and can waste a whole afternoon scrolling on the Net-a-Porter sale, filling my fantasy fashion basket with lovely designer pieces!
But in reality I still can’t afford them, so I mainly shop the high street sales with the odd splurge on The Outnet – Net-A-Porter’s outlet site.
My first tip when sale shopping is to only buy pieces that you know you will wear for years to come.
A tinfoil puff ball dress may seem like a good idea because it has been reduced by 60%, but in reality you will wear it once in a blue moon.
I try to drop love hearts on items I love throughout the season and then get an alert once they are reduced.
If I still like them four months later when they drop in price I know they are not just a flash-in-the-pan piece.
I tend to shop for great cashmere even in summer, because out-of-season knitwear is even cheaper, plus swimwear, leather sandals that won’t date and other classic items like well-cut trousers and a great do-it-all bag.
These pieces will take me through to Autumn easily and have saved me £333.20, so I’m winning!
Abby McHale, 29, Deputy Fashion Editor
- Trousers, were £35.99, now £12.99, Zara – YOU SAVE £23 – BUY NOW
- Trainers, were £110, now £74.99, Schuh – YOU SAVE £35.01 – BUY NOW
- Jacket, was £195, now £110, Kitri – YOU SAVE £85 – BUY NOW
- T-shirt, was £45, now £23, & Other Stories – YOU SAVE £22 – BUY NOW
- Bag, was £35.99, now £22.99, Mango – YOU SAVE £13 – BUY NOW
While I love a bargain, sale shopping is not something I have much patience for, especially in store.
However, online sale shopping is a bit more manageable, as there is some order to it, rather than it looking like a jumble sale, which in store often does.
I’ve used this sale season as an opportunity to look at brands I might not always buy from because of the price.
For example, I love Kitri and have been obsessing over this quilted jacket for a while now, so I was very pleased to see it in the sale.
And it’s the same for & Other Stories – I love a graphic T-shirt and this one is no exception.
Zara always does a great sale and these trousers are an absolute bargain at just £12.99.
Trainers, especially branded ones, are hard to come by in the sale, so I was very pleased to see this New Balance pair with over £30 off.
And I think this Mango raffia bag is adorable!
Clemmie Fieldsend, 34, Fashion Editor
- Trousers, were £168, now £88, Reiss – YOU SAVE £80 – BUY NOW
- Bag, was £119, now £59, All Saints at Selfridges – YOU SAVE £60 – BUY NOW
- Jacket, was £169, now £85, Arket – YOU SAVE £84 – BUY NOW
- Boots, were £222, now, £110, Jigsaw – YOU SAVE £112 – BUY NOW
- Jumper, was £84.99, now £41, H&M – YOU SAVE £43.99 – BUY NOW
Sales are a serious business for me, and I always go in with a plan.
And that plan is to buy big-ticket pieces that I’ll get use out of next season.
My summer holiday is already a distant memory and the current weather isn’t making me reach for linens, so instead I’m turning my attention to leather, wool and cashmere.
I am in love with this big, cosy jacket from Arket and I wouldn’t have considered it for £169, but for £85 it would be rude not to!
I’ve wanted to get myself some cream boots for a couple of years, but have never been bold enough to commit – but I love this pair from Jigsaw, and with over a £100 saving, it just makes girl math sense.
I usually get knitwear in the summer sales, too, as pieces are always priced so high for the rest of the year, and you’ll usually find a big selection of sizes available, too.
Emily Regan, 24, Fashion Assistant
- Dress, was £235, now £165, Ganni at Flannels – YOU SAVE £70 – BUY NOW
- Coat, was £109, now £49.99, Zara – YOU SAVE £59.01 – BUY NOW
- Denim Waistcoat, was £89, now £39, Mint Velvet – YOU SAVE £50 – BUY NOW
- Cropped shirt, was £29.99, now £17.99, Zara – YOU SAVE £12 – BUY NOW
- Bag, was £49.99, now £19.99, Zara – YOU SAVE £30 – BUY NOW
Working in the fashion department every day means I constantly discover new pieces I love but can’t always afford.
With limited wardrobe space at home, I try to choose timeless items that I’ll wear repeatedly and, therefore, I usually wait patiently for the sales before making new purchases.
A top tip from me is to buy your winter coat or jacket now – I’m in need of a new trench and this one from Zara is slightly thicker so will see me well into the colder season.
If you’re a fan of leopard print, you’ll know Ganni does it best, and while it’s a trendy print this summer, the print never really goes out of style.
Read more on the Irish Sun
Ganni dresses are usually beyond my budget, but this one has been on my wish list for a while, so I’m treating myself this time.
I’ve also been obsessed with this striped tote bag since it launched last month – I think it’ll sell out quickly, so act fast!