We have all made mistakes when shopping on sale. We get carried away by the discounts as well as some good visual merchandising, and we often think that acquiring certain pieces will revolutionise our wardrobe, our style or even our life. And here’s the thing: I am now convinced that many of those pieces end up on our site and eventually get properly re-homed.

So, to help you with this, here are 5 easy tips that not only help you navigate any sale, including our bi-annual ones but also any form of shopping that you might do.

1. Know your inventory

Knowing what you already have in your closet and having it well organised helps you figure out what are the pieces that you clearly have way too many of. In my case, these would be jeans and white tops.

Taking a good look at your wardrobe and asking yourself what are the colours you seem to gravitate more to will help you identify the ones that you actually should be adding to your collection. When taking in your inventory., don’t forget to take in the pieces that you have re-homed and the reason you did so. This will help you to not make the same mistake twice.

2. Shop with your missing piece in mind

We all have some pieces that we love but don’t seem to be able to wear because we are missing a part of the puzzle.At the moment, for me, I’m looking out for white shorts that aren’t too short but also not too long. Plus, they have to be not too translucent. I’m also looking for some light blazers or jackets in beige and blue. Lastly, I am always on the look-out for a good pair of simple black or nude pointy pumps - preferably in a not so high heels because, sadly, I can’t do high heels anymore.

To make sure I don’t get distracted by the amazing promotion, I keep a wish list on a Trello board, so it is accessible from anywhere. I always make sure to keep it updated and, more importantly, check it when I am out shopping.

3. Know yourself

Apart from taking inventory of what you owned and use, make sure you know yourself.

Know your measurements for easy online shopping and never trust a size label. Try it on if you are in physical store and do not purchase something that you need to alter if you already have a pile of items that never made it to alterations. I have nothing against alterations but I know that some of us don’t have the discipline/time to actually get it done. This also goes to items that you think are going to need to lose a few pounds on - don’t buy it now.

And, finally, trends are great but in order to not make purchases that end up in regrets, remember that you need to incorporate these trends into your own personal style. So, don’t just blindly follow them.

4. Work for it

What I mean by that is to do your homework. From window shopping, to scrolling your favourite social media channel, publication and site you need to know what is out there and what the prices are before you commit to purchasing it on sale. The easiest way for me who rarely has the time to go out shopping after a long week at work is to subscribe to my favourite brand’s newsletters as well as follow a few style accounts on instagram. I also have a Pinterest board of looks I would love to emulate - which brings me back to tip number 2: the missing piece.

5.Take your time

Even if it is on sale and you risk missing out on that piece, take your time before checking out and check all the above tips to see if it is really worth it. And while we are on the time topic, set some time on your own to shop with no distractions so you are sure you are making the right decisions without the “hurry up” factor just because you are multitasking.

As for when you shop on THE FIFTH COLLECTION, I will say to reach out to us on the chat if you have any questions on any of the pieces you see available. As we have what we sell, we are always happy to help. And, yes, sign up for our newsletter and build your love list to be the first to know when an item gets on sale

How about you? Do you have any tips on how you shop on sale or not?