Score Big Savings: Your Ultimate 2024 Holiday Style + Fashion Buyer’s Guide
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The holidays herald a season of cheerful gatherings, festive spirit, and, to the delight of many, shopping extravaganzas. But beneath the allure of promotional emails and the excitement of sales lies a responsibility we all share: being conscious consumers. At the heart of this holiday shopping bonanza is a vital conversation about mindful purchases, hidden costs, and intentional gift-giving. Today, we dive deep into a guide that not only helps you navigate the often overwhelming shopping landscape but does so with authenticity, intention, and style.
The Seasonal Sales Calendar: What to Look For in Clothing
As the holiday season approaches, major sales days dominate our calendars
—Black Friday, Fri, Nov 29, 2024
—Cyber Monday, Monday, December 2, 2024
—New Year sales, kicking off on January 1, 2025
In-Store vs. Online Shopping for Your Wardrobe
When deciding whether to shop in-store or online, both options have their distinct advantages. Online shopping offers unparalleled convenience, allowing consumers to compare prices quickly, while in-person shopping often comes with exclusive in-store deals to enhance the overall experience. Plus, you can try things on immediately (assuming the “fitting room” line isn’t out the door).
We actually recommend trying on your prospective pieces at home (so make sure the read the Return Policy first), and checking that you can incorporate the piece at least six other ways in your closet. And, of course, you won’t be bamboozled by fitting room lighting and mirrors.
So, regardless of whether you’re shopping in-person or online, just make sure you’re truly sitting on your purchases before buying.
The Corporate Sale Dilemma
Although these sales promise deep discounts across a wide range of items, it's essential to recognize where these reductions come from. Many beloved brands may not participate in these massive sales, leaving shoppers with a list of corporate names often associated with synthetic materials and questionable labor practices.
Brands that typically hold blanket sales for Black Friday include:
And MANY more . . . . (as your inbox likely tells you!)
Websites like J. Crew already have their holiday sales up, as of early November.
The Allure of “Big Sales” on Clothing During the Holidays
While it can be tempting to head towards these giants for shopping, conscious consumers understand that these sales can sometimes cloud the true value of the items being purchased.
A helpful tip for staying on track is to create a Strategic Shopping List. Before getting swept up in the flurry of holiday sales, spend time identifying what you truly need, whether those items are for you or loved ones. This list serves as your anchor amid the chaos of holiday promotions, ensuring that every purchase aligns with your personal style and values.
“If something rocks, it will still rock in six months.”
–Natalie Tincher
Natalie Tincher, BU Style Principal Stylist and Founder, reminds us that if a piece truly is amazing, you won’t mind buying out of season and wearing it when the correct weather rolls around. It will still be perfect for you, if you’ve shopped strategically!
Mindful Shopping: Tools for Savvy Consumers and a Smarter Closet
With your Strategic Shopping List in hand, how can you ensure you're making informed purchasing decisions?
Track Prices. One popular method involves utilizing Chrome extensions like Honey or Camelizer, which track price history and alert you to price drops. Many companies inflate prices before big sales to create the illusion of discounts, making these tools incredibly handy.
Fight the Urge! As you shop, remember that many online retailers employ various tactics that entice impulsive buying—limited available stock, countdown timers, and flash sales. Fight these urges by reminding yourself that thoughtful shopping leads to better long-term satisfaction. Grasp the saying "buy better, buy less, wear longer" and apply it rigorously to your shopping decisions.
Sign Up for Alerts. Subscribe to retailers' newsletters and enable push notifications to stay informed about upcoming sales and stock availability on coveted items. But, again, remembering to do this in combination with the price tracking tools above, so you can avoid being hustled!
Use Credit Card Rewards. Shopping with a credit card can yield rewards points or cash back opportunities. Some retailers provide exclusive offers for specific cards; leverage these incentives to maximize your savings. This is an underutilized tool!
Check Return Policies. Understand the return policy before making a purchase, particularly for items requiring careful sizing, such as clothing. It might give you an opportunity to take the item home, wear it with everything you have, and truly sit on it for a week. Make sure you really love the item before deciding to keep it.
Visualize the Item. This is a fun test. If you’ve bought an item, or you’re thinking of buying an item, visualize it. If you can’t picture the material, the details, the fit, how it will be on your body, and how it will make you feel, then don’t buy it. It’s not the one you’re looking for. This is a great way to make sure you’re not just in it for the thrill of buying something. Make sure you’re buying exactly what you need.
Timing Opportunities with Style Inventory
Image from Unsplash
Another illuminating aspect of holiday shopping is realizing when to wait. If you're picking up items for yourself or opportunities arise that aren’t gifts, consider holding off until January when retailers are eager to clear out inventory for spring arrivals. Items like coats, boots, and hats that may not be deeply discounted now often face markdowns in the new year, allowing you to invest wisely. This is the biggest turn-around of stock in retail, so why not wait? If an item truly is perfect, it will still be perfect the next time the season rolls around.
Similarly, if you’re looking for summer apparel and didn’t get it right away, wait until the end of July or August. That time often brings significant markdowns.
But how will you know what to buy during sales season? Create a Strategic Shopping List!
Hero Pieces Are Key
The lesson is simple: Having a plan limits impulse buys, particularly during holiday sales. Too often, we wander into stores with visions of savings and end up tacking on an assortment of unintentional purchases. Seeking hero pieces—those must-have items you’ll wear constantly—should be your focus. And the temptation is even greater during sales times! It’s a lot, and sometimes when we’re on these websites and we sort from “low to high” and scroll through mindlessly, your cart can wind up full of fabulous deals on clothes you won’t really care about. And that can be a momentary dopamine hit that winds up leaving you empty. Before making a purchase this season, particularly if it’s one of those amazing deals you’ve encountered, ask yourself if the timing is right. Patience can yield profound savings when January rolls around. The most liberating feeling is knowing that what you are buying serves a purpose rather than simply jamming your closet full of stuff!
Instead, cultivate your shopping list over a period of time and shop with intention. For best results, you want to aim for shoes, bags, and outerwear during holiday sales as they often see discounts because they’re in high demand. Similarly, hats, scarves, and gloves are often sold at lower prices during holiday sales too, as these gifts are methodically marketed to consumers during this season.
Creating Your Strategic Shopping List to Fill Your Wardrobe
When brainstorming items for your own Strategic Shopping List, consider these essential categories:
1. Investment Pieces: These should be quality items that you know will stand the test of time. Focus on classic shoes, boots, coats, and bags that elevate your wardrobe without dwelling on trendy, ephemeral styles.
2. Supplementary Accessories: Hats, scarves, and gloves are typically more affordable and often included in holiday sales, helping you elevate your winter wardrobe with minimal spending.
3. Thoughtful Gifts: If you’re gifting someone else, consider items they’ll cherish and use long after the season's end. Strategic gifting can mean the difference between a thoughtful present and a mere placeholder. Remember, gift cards can also be a practical solution. We suggest pairing them with a heartfelt note about why you chose them. Or may we suggest considering a learning experience, like our Q the Makeup Artist or a Q the Stylist services?
Inside a Stylist's Mind: Natalie’s Strategic Fashion Shopping List
As a stylist who prides herself on intentional choices, Natalie’s personal shopping list for the fall and winter season is refreshingly simple—only five items long. This reduction stems from years of careful curation of foundational pieces that resonate with her personal style.
Natalie carefully looking for her hero pieces.
1. An Interesting Belt: Belts are a powerful accessory that can transform an outfit. She is hunting for a unique addition to her collection, ideally with an interesting detail like studs or a vintage-inspired buckle.
2. A Barn Jacket: Perfect for this season, especially in a secondhand find. These jackets have a broken-in quality that’s hard to replicate with new purchases, making used options more appealing.
3. Layering Jewelry: With an eye on versatile pieces, Natalie is looking for necklaces that add character to her outfits, whether for casual days or stylish nights out.
4. Over-the-Knee Boots: A much-needed staple, these boots offer comfort and style combined, seamlessly elevating her wardrobe.
5. A Mini Skirt: Embracing Magnetic style, Natalie wants a mini skirt that plays well with oversized blazers or cozy sweaters.
Each of these items is grounded in her lifestyle, allowing her to shop without becoming overwhelmed by seasonal sales. It could be any time of year.
The Bigger Picture: Sustainable Practices in Fashion
As we immerse ourselves in the holiday shopping frenzy, it’s crucial to keep the broader consequences of our purchases in sight. Large-scale sales events like Black Friday often promote an unsustainable consumer culture, one that can lead to regrettable choices and negative environmental impacts. This season, try to approach shopping from a place of thoughtfulness.
Supporting small businesses during the holiday season is an excellent way to contribute positively to local economies. Consider shopping on Small Business Saturday, ensuring that you uplift hardworking local artisans and retailers. These businesses often cannot afford to provide hefty discounts, but the quality, craftsmanship, and community support they offer are well worth the investment.
Additionally, Giving Tuesday presents a fantastic opportunity. Instead of racing to haul home multiple discounted items, consider donating to a cause you believe in, fostering a spirit of giving far beyond material possessions.
Cost Per Wear: Consider This for Each Article of Clothing
When you're out shopping, keep this phrase on repeat: “Buy better. Buy less. Wear longer.” Consider the long-term value of what you're purchasing. If you're investing, for example, in a classic winter coat that you’ll wear for years, the upfront cost might be high, but the lifetime cost per wear becomes lower!
And remember, if you’re buying gifts, ask yourself if the recipient will genuinely appreciate and use that item or if you’re just buying it for the sake of having something wrapped under the tree. You can’t assume somebody else’s Cost Per Wear formula, right? Exactly.
What’s the Cost Per Wear for that scarf your sister bought you that’s sitting in the back of your closet? Yeah, we thought so.
Embrace Conscious Consumerism
The holiday season can beckon us toward excess, encouraging a culture of unconsidered purchases. Yet, being a conscious consumer—reflecting on what we truly need and the implications of our buying behavior—empowers us to shape a more sustainable future. As you embark on this year’s shopping journey, let your thoughtful analysis guide your choices.
In summary, use your Strategic Shopping List as your compass through the overwhelming holiday sales; leverage tools to identify genuine bargains; and embrace the value of quality over quantity. Mindful shopping doesn’t just benefit you personally—it benefits our planet and communities as well, making every purchase a ripple of positive change. Happy shopping, and may your holiday season be filled with joy and intentionality!