Retailer test next trends in the sales
Sales serve to get the old merchandise out to make space for the new items. Often retailers add already items from the upcoming season to test what sells and what doesn’t. It helps them to gauge the market for a big, less risky order later into the year. Often these items are sold for their regular price or just slightly reduced in price. Some retailers, however, stock up on cheap items for the sales.
Identify the sales that are worth your money
The latter sales are not the ones you want to shop ever. Cheap can be very expensive, when you calculate the cost per wear. A splurge, however, can be very cheap when you do the math. Timeless classics, high quality basic clothes may fall into this category. They are worth buying when on sale. The “trends” of next season may look expensive as compared to items of same quality, but belong to last season. However, the new trends of the next season may be still less expensive than when the official season start.
Pro tip: Look for and stock up on high quality timeless basics in your neutral colors when you can find them on sale. Click To Tweet
Spring trends to look for in the sales
The new items for spring will not have a 50% or more off price tag. They may be just 10% off, 15% when you are lucky. To err on the safe side, you could go for just classics with a twist. However, when you want to get spring trends for less, here are some tips of what to look for.
Look for items with
- Fringe everything. Play it safe and go for pieces that are classic fringe pieces like a fringe suede purse, a fringe leather clutch, or a Russian silk fringe wool scarf.
- Lavender colored clothes. If this color belongs to your flattering color palette; otherwise skip this color. This pastel version of purple gets you into Old Lady territory when it fails to look flattering on you. Furthermore, pastels add pounds, remember? You can find more on how to style pastels here.
- Very light pink. Remember, pastels add pounds. Pink like red adds pounds. Only wear this trend, when this cold, light pink belongs to your flattering fashion colors. Otherwise you will look washed out, unhealthy, and so Old Lady.
- Art-inspired prints like Andy Warhol faces like Marilyn Monroe, animals like Andy Warhol’s famous cows, Picasso-inspired graphic prints, and comic figures are a big trend. Be aware, this trend is risky in midlife! To play it safe when you absolutely love this trend, a graphic Tee or a shopping tote are good options. But skip Mickey Mouse and co. They are only cute on kids. See this post for tips on how to style a graphic T-shirt in midlife.
- Retro-inspired floral prints in bold fashion colors on neutral or color family background in sizes between 2 inch (5 cm) and hand-size. You can find information which floral prints look effortlessly stylish in midlife at this link.
- Dark denim everything. You can read how to style the denim trend at this link.
- Plaid everything. Since plaid is a classic, stock up on high quality pieces in wool like a skirt, shirt, coat, or blazer in plaid. But go for classic plaid colors or the neutral colors of your color palette. You can find tips to look sophisticated in the plaid trend over 40 at this link.
- White dresses. Recall white can wash you out when you are not tanned and/or the white is not the white color of your color palette. Try to get your little white dress in the white that flatters you.
- Plastic clothes. Here not the yarn is plastic like from recycled bottles, but the entire is sewn from a nice, pretty looking plastic sheet. Remember? We had seen that trend before – in the 70s. In case you wore it back then, you may recall sweating like a pig. It wasn’t fun back then, and for sure it isn’t fun now. Hot-flashes are enough!
- Posh workout clothes not made for the gym. This trend screams comfy. However, it is tricky to style in midlife. Read: It can easily look frumpy. Thus, when you join this trend, style your athleisure with classics like recommended here.
- Trench coats with fringe, ruffles and other embellishment that ridicule the classic trench and its origin, ok, ok, I may be biased as I am married with a veteran. Independent of this personal opinion, for ageless and timeless style in midlife, skip the fringe, ruffles and other embellishment, and go for the highest quality original you can get your hand on and afford. A classic trench coat is a great wardrobe investment. You can find what to look for in a trench coat here.
What trends are still a go
Trends to keep:
- Extra long belts
- White accessories like bags, booties
- Sparkle
- Tailored clothes
- Trench coats
- Power pastels
Trends not to buy…
… or to ditch when you have them:
- One cold shoulder dresses and tops
- The Carmen or both cold shoulder look seems to wind down, but are still a do.
- Corset belts, but I guess, nobody of us has this trend in her closet anyway.
- Pom poms on everything. Tip: Just remove them from your beach bag or sweater.
- T-shirts with unicorns or meant to be funny sayings.
- Bomber jackets in other materials than the classic leather
Trendy pieces I like
1 StyleWe designer fringe scarf, 2 StyleWe designer Graphic Tee, 3 Margaret floral print Karina Dress, 4 Megan retro inspired graphic print Karina Dress, 5 Just Fashion Now long posh plaid coat, 6 Megan lavender Karina Dress
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