Big list of summer sales dates

June 25th, 2009 by Penny Golightly

I’m going to list all the dates of sales I’ve found that look half decent or better, in A-Z format. Most of these sales have 50% off selected items, although Selfridges have up to 75% off, and Debenhams have up to 70% off.

NB: This does NOT include one-day events, pop-up boutiques, sample sales, or vintage sales, please look elsewhere on the site to find those – they’re mostly hiding in the forums. Please add your own posts below if you find any more sales.

                    BIG BAD SALES LIST

                    Agent Provocateur
                    Now – ?

                    Agnés B 
                    Jun 25-Jul 26

                    Alexander McQueen 
                    Now – Sun Aug 16

                    All Saints
                    Now – ?

                    Antoni & Alison 
                    Jul 20-31

                    Aquascutum 
                    Now – ?

                    Argos
                    Now – ?

                    ASOS
                    Now – ?

                    b Store 
                    Now – Sat Jul 11

                    Banana Republic 
                    Thu Jun 18 – ?

                    Ben Sherman 
                    Now – ?

                    Boots
                    Now – ?

                    The Body Shop
                    Now – ?

                    Bread & Honey 
                    Jul 3-31

                    Brora 
                    Now – Jul 26

                    Browns 
                    Now – Sat Jul 18

                    Cath Kidston
                    25 Jun – ?

                    Celine 
                    Now – Sun Jul 5

                    Chanel
                    Jun 27 – Jul 11

                    Chiara Fashion
                    Now – ?

                    Chloé 
                    Now – Jul 25

                    Christian Louboutin 
                    Now – ?

                    The Conran Shop 
                    Thu Jul 9 – ?

                    Cos
                    Now – ?

                    Daks
                    25 Jun – ?

                    Debenhams
                    Now – ?

                    Designers Guild
                    27 Jun – ?

                    Dorothy Perkins
                    Now – ?

                    Dover Street Market 
                    Now – Sat Jul 11

                    Emma Hope 
                    Now – ?

                    Fenwick 
                    Jun 23-Jul 22

                    French Connection
                    Now – ?

                    Folli Follie
                    Now – ?

                    G -Star
                    Now -?

                    Gap 
                    Now – ?

                    Georgina Goodman 
                    Now – Sat Jul 11

                    Gina 
                    Now – Jul 15

                    Gucci 
                    Now – Wed Jul 1

                    Habitat
                    Now – ?

                    Harrods 
                    Jun 27 – Jul 19

                    Harvey Nichols 
                    Wed Jun 24 – ?

                    Heals
                    Now to Fri Jun 26

                    House of Fraser
                    Now – ?

                    Hub 
                    Sat Jul 4 – ?

                    Hugo Boss
                    25 Jun – ?

                    Ikea
                    Now – ?

                    Isabella Oliver
                    Now – ?

                    Jaeger 
                    Now – ?

                    Jimmy Choo 
                    Now – ?

                    John Lewis 
                    Jun 26 – Jul 19

                    Joseph
                    Now – ?

                    Karen Millen
                    Now – ?

                    Kays
                    Now – ?

                    KJ’s Laundry 
                    Jun 26 – Jul 12

                    Kurt Geiger
                    Now – ?

                    L K Bennet
                    Now – ?

                    La Senza
                    Now – ?

                    Liberty 
                    Now – Sun Jul 19

                    Luella 
                    Now – ?

                    Matches 
                    Now – ?

                    Miss Selfridge
                    Now – ?

                    Miu Miu 
                    Now – Sun Jul 12

                    Moschino 
                    Jun 27 – Aug 29

                    Mulberry 
                    Thu Jun 25 – ?

                    Myla
                    Now – ?

                    New Look 
                    Jul 6 – 26

                    Oasis 
                    Now – ?

                    Office
                    Now – ?

                    Original Penguin Clothing
                    Now – ?

                    Play.com
                    Now – ?

                    Purves & Purves 
                    Jun 27 – Jul 31

                    Reiss
                    25 Jun – ?

                    Rupert Sanderson
                    Now – ?

                    SCP 
                    27 Jun – 26 Jul

                    Selfridges 
                    Now – Sun Jul 19

                    Sonia Rykiel 
                    Now – Sat Jun 27

                    Start boutiques
                    Now – Sun Jul 19

                    Stella McCartney 
                    Now – Jul 18

                    Topshop
                    They’re being coy and not saying when. Oh come on.

                    Twentytwentyone 
                    Now – Jul 31

                    Urban Outfitters 
                    Now – ?

                    USC
                    Now – ?

                    Viaduct 
                    Jun 27 – Jul 11

                    Warehouse
                    Now – ?

                    Warren Evans
                    Now – midnight Jun 28

                    Whistles
                    Now – ?

                    Yoji Yamamoto
                    Now – ?

                    Zadig & Voltaire 
                    Now – Sat Jul 18

Did I miss any out? Let me know.

The REAL sale rules

June 24th, 2009 by Penny Golightly

The summer sale season is in full swing now, with offers all over the place. What’s the best way to do the sales without putting your blood pressure through the roof or maxing out the credit card on items you’ll hardly ever use?

Rule 1: Think about what you need
Is there anything in your home or wardrobe that needs replacing, or might need replacing in the next few months? Electrical goods, clothes, bedlinen, towels, glassware and crockery tend to be on my list. Do you have any occasions coming up where you’re expecting to give a gift of some sort?

Rule 2: Find the item that ‘pulls it all together’
One small purchase might help you to make better use of the things in your wardrobe: perhaps you already have a great skirt or pair of trousers but you never wear them because they need a belt/ a shirt/ the right pair of shoes that you don’t have. An amazing ornament might pull your home design together and complete the look. A baking dish, a lunch box or some freezer boxes might make it easier for you to have friends round for dinner or cook more economically. You get the idea.

Rule 3: Know what you can afford
You aren’t saving yourself money if you overdo it and get into debt. Make a rough budget, and rank items you want in order of priority. I confess that I always build something completely frivolous into the budget so there’s something fun to look forward to, even if it’s just a tiny treat. I also allow myself a ‘discretionary overspill’ – if the perfect interview suit turns up, for example, I’ll go up to a certain amount on the credit card and pay it off before the charges come rolling in.

Rule 4: Make a shopping list
It reminds you of the important things that you need, so that you don’t get dazzled by all the other pretty things in the shops.

Rule 5: Know what things are worth
A little internet research will show you who’s got your favourite things at the right price. You might also be able to buy online and save yourself a journey. Also find out which clothing trends are set to continue for the next few seasons, and you’ll get a lot more wear out of what you buy.

Rule 6: Plan your route and timing
Check the  Hurry, hurry, hurry pages on the Penny Golightly forum to work out what’s on where. There’s a limit to how much ground you can cover in one day, or one lunch break. If it’s likely to be a popular sale go early or go during an off-peak time if you can. Camping on the pavement for two days to save £50 on a telly is insanity, however. Wear the right outfit: comfortable shoes to get around quicker, and if you’re looking for clothes then wear plain underwear and things you can whip on and off quickly.

Rule 7: Go alone
It’s so much faster, you don’t have to worry about being democratic or taking umpteen extra loo breaks, nor will you end up having a bun fight with your friend who wears the same size clothes and shoes as you.

Rule 8: Be nice to the shop assistants
Seriously. They’ve already been run ragged by assorted needy, greedy and rude people since the sales began. Treat them nicely and they’re more likely to nip back to the stock room for the last size whatever, or do you a discount for that missing button or broken zip.

Rule 9: Know your rights
If you buy something you know to be faulty then your chances of being able to return it are slim to none. All other goods, regardless of discount, if sold as non-faulty must be fit for purpose – if something goes wrong with them then you’re entitled to a full refund (you don’t have to settle for vouchers or exchanges if you don’t want to). If in doubt, buy from established retailers who have a good reputation for after-sales service, such as John Lewis.

Rule 10: Don’t get sale fever
It’s easy to become mesmerised by items that would fit perfectly into your fantasy life. Oooh, a ballgown! Sorry, got a little distracted there, and I don’t fancy going to a ball. Oooh, £500 off an £800 designer bag!! Hang on, I don’t have £300 to spend on a bag right now. Quick, let me have another look at that shopping list so I don’t forget what I came in here for. Also avoid: things that might go off if you’re planning on keeping them for a while, this season’s fad, technology that’s about to be replaced by something better, clothes that you’re hoping you can slim into in the next few months, anything that needs several other purchases to make it useable/wearable, and anything that needs mending/altering unless you’re the sort of person who sorts that out right away. But you’ve budgeted for at least one fun purchase, haven’t you? I’ll be the one in the lime green diamante sunglasses, ciao.

It’s murder out there, good luck.

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