Surviving the Sales

Many shy away from the post-Christmas sales (otherwise known as the shopping version of ‘The Hunger Games’. Ruthless streaks suddenly appear in people who usually encapsulate the phrase ‘wouldn’t hurt a fly’, especially when faced with the prospect of losing that gorgeous half-price top. The fact that she is ripping it out of the hands of the nice brunette she was happily chatting to in the queue outside the shop earlier doesn’t matter. Sales change people.

Now before you start to think that I am anti-sales, I should be clear that I love the sales. There is always a moment of ecstatic joy when you find a great item in the sales. You have the usual excitement of discovering a chic item which actually fits (shock horror for most of us) but then you also have that added feeling of cheating the system, or at least cheating the people who bought that same item just before Christmas for double the price, which is only possible with a sale item.

However, it is pretty much expected that some of people’s ‘please and thank you’ etiquette (which the British are so well known for) will fly head first out of the nearest window when they are both competing for the same object. Reminiscent of Hugh Grant and Colin Firth crashing out of a restaurant window in the Bridget Jones’s Diary movie.

There are always a number of suggestions volunteered during this period by experienced family and friends on how to avoid the ‘dangers’ of the post-Christmas sales. ‘Shop online’, ‘go later in the sales once all the crazy bargain buyers have been and gone’ and yes the semi-serious suggestion of ‘wrap yourself in bubble wrap’.  A nice layer of bubble wrap will protect you from the other bargain-hunters and could also gain you a little extra space as people don’t want to get too close to the crazy lady covered in bubble wrap.

The most difficult prospect you must face upon entering any beloved store with a sale on is undoubtedly the discovery of a significantly reduced item which you have previously bought for full price. Oh the heartbreak! Of course, you could also find the missing component to an outfit you just couldn’t afford before…

The sales are continuing on through January and one thing I would suggest is to do your research online which clothes you might want to try on beforehand. Then you can hunt for the specific colour or pattern of that item among the masses of garments.

Image by Gerard Stolk courtesy of Flickr