Am I the only person who has a hard time buying sweaters in August?
And yet as soon as the Back To School signs go up, retailers are jammed full of clothes designed to keep you warm.
Ignore the mannequins in tweed at the front of the store! Now is the perfect time to stock up on summer seasonals (even if you don't live in Florida like me). Head to the clearance racks in the back of the store and load up!
Where will you get the most bang for your buck?
5 Summer Styles You Should Stock Up On At The End Of The Season
1. Tank tops. I wear a tank top nearly every day. I wore them even more often when I lived in the frozen tundra known as Iowa In The Winter. Tank tops and camisoles are perfect for layering. Put them under jackets and v-necks. Wear a long tank under a shorter shirt for added coverage. A laced camisole is an easy way to add the right amount of visual interest (and appropriateness) to a low cut blouse.
I have an entire drawer filled with tanks and camisoles in every style and color. I didn't pay more than $5 for a single one of them. I wouldn't pay more than $5 because they are just tank tops! But you can never have enough of them. If I see them on sale, I buy them – and there are plenty to be found on the clearance racks right now!
2. Workout Clothes. Now, I'm not talking about real workout clothes here – the kind that come with name brand emblems and a hefty price tag year round. Who needs designer duds (at designer prices) to sweat in?
At the end of the summer you can find a plethora of t-shirts and shorts (in cotton, jersey or mesh) that are perfect for when you finally break out that exercise video you've been avoiding all summer. These are also great for pajamas if you are too hot for the flannel variety.
I can't imagine paying $20+ for something I'm going to sweat in for an hour and then throw in the wash.
3. A Little Black Dress. Everyone knows the LBD is most valuable because of it's versatility. It can be worn under a jacket or shrug in the cold, or on its own in the heat. The right little black dress is not only versatile, it's classic and timeless.
But that doesn't stop retailers from pushing them to the clearance section as they make room for the "fall" styles of THE SAME LITTLE BLACK DRESS! Check out Macy's to see what I mean.
4. A swimsuit. OK, OK, I should say think about investing in a swimsuit. This is NOT a good idea if you are doing any major dieting, obviously. But if you've nestled in at a fairly comfortable weight, you can't find a better price on swim wear than you will right now.
You should also think seriously about shopping for a swimsuit now if you do any traveling in the fall and winter. Finding yourself with a hotel pool (or a white sandy beach) in the middle of December is a guarantee that you'll stay out of the water or pay upwards of $40 for a flattering swimsuit.
5. Open toed shoes. I love my feet because they are the one part of my body that I know will be the exact same size next year as they are right now (barring any tootsie swelling pregnancies, of course).
At this time of year you can pay pennies on the dollar for great shoes.
If you're buying sandals, make sure you stay away from anything too
trendy that could be deemed "out" by the time next spring rolls
around. But you should still find plenty of strappy looks that you'll
wear for years to come.
It's also a good time to buy dress shoes. I will never understand why
a black peep toed pump is considered "summer wear" by major retailers,
but I know that come Christmas Party season I'll be grateful that I
don't have to pay full price for a pair of basic black dress heels.
Despite what major retailers would have you believe, you can still get plenty of use out of summer clothes purchased now. And of course, if you live in a moderate or warm climate – well, what are you doing here? Get out there and stock up!!
Is there anything you will only buy on sale? Share your tips with us in the forums!
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Miss Britt is reveling in the Summer Sales because she lives in Florida with her husband and two kids. Of course, you already know this if you read her blog.
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Nearly everything I buy is on sale! My favorite tank tops come from J. Crew and Target. I live in wife beaters year round. I have at least 5 little black dresses. But I definitely need more "work out" clothes – only I use those to live in at home, not necessarily work out in.
i really do need a new lbd. not happy with the material of my favorite and the others are ancient. thanks for the reminder!
as for those tank tops, oh yeah…i have kerjillions of em. you know me, always one under a long sleeved shirt!
(workout clothes? aaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!)
The thing about workout clothes is, you are going to sweat in them and then throw them in the wash, and they need to stand up to that. Cheapy workout clothes do not last long if you work out regularly. Good quality stuff lasts and the costs show that. I have work out shirt that were $25 each (got them for $18 on sale) and they are still in great shape 2 years later (I work out 2-3 times a week). The $5 from Wal Mart, didn't last an entire summer.
Stacey – you bring up a good point about how regularly you workout.
Me?
Well. Let's just say a couple of decent sports bras and shirts will do juuuuust fine. LOL
Fabulous post, Miss Britt.
Gotta agree with Stacey on the workout clothes. I workout five days a week so every piece of workout clothing I own gets washed frequently. But when I find a sale I stock up!
My favorite thing is to buy something that's just way too expensive when it's on clearance. I use shopittome.com to send me an email every week from stores like Gap, Nordstrom, Ann Taylor. They show me only the brands I like. Everything is on sale and many times you get shipping deals too. It's a great way to get some good designer pieces at good savings. I just bought two shirts that I will wear until they fall apart for $30 each, originally $60 each.