The days after Christmas are a hustle and bustle of people searching for the perfect deal. You waited for the after Christmas sales to buy those shoes you’ve had your eye on or the bracelet you didn’t get as a gift. Maybe you got a mall gift card….so fun! And sometimes, you can find bigger markdowns. But the truth is, Christmas merchandise specifically is really all that will be drastically reduced. You can stock up on paper, ornaments, and dishes but the gorgeous cashmere sweater you wanted probably won’t go down in price too much until late January or early February. In fact, I was at Banana Republic before Christmas and they were running 40% off their clearance which is pretty doggone good. The manager told me that the sales wouldn’t be that good after Christmas, and he was telling the truth. Afterwards, it went down to 30% off, which still is pretty good but not 40%! Just an example of the misnomer of after Christmas sales.
The fact is, retailers are really trying to boost their holiday sales so sometimes offer much better deals the last couple of weeks leading up to Christmas. If you find your item at a price reasonable to you, I’d say get it. Because after Christmas, it becomes a bit of a gamble….do you wait and hope your size and desired color are still available when it becomes cheaper? Or, go ahead and buy, then watch the price go down three weeks later? Ahhh, what to do, what to do?? Many places offer percentages off their clearance merchandise on the weekends when the traffic is higher instead of actually marking the item down in red. That way, clearance can go back up during the week, as I mentioned before about BR. Actual red pen markdowns will start to occur toward the end of January. At that point cruise wear will be out and spring merchandise won’t be far behind and stores will be needing room. And, the extra percentages may still be offered from time to time.
But, I have included in this post a few items that I do think are good deals this soon after Christmas for their make and brand. And, it always pays to look around for that one great piece that was a late fall item and didn’t get snatched up during Christmas.
First is this precious skirt from Anthropologie. At $60, this wool skirt can certainly be considered a deal. It also appears to be a decent length so it’s not just for the younger gals. The tie is navy so it would fit in fab with the cruise wear season upon us. Don’t let the tie color throw you either…go ahead and put black pumps with it. Keep the top neutral, maybe a beige cardigan over a similar color shell. Or a navy turtleneck with nude heels. Keeping it more classic will be the easiest. Black flats will work well also.
Color blocked wool sweater skirt/ Anthropologie.com/ $59.59 from $118
Another good buy if you don’t own any is a pair of ankle boots or booties. I’d start with black….very easy to work with. Unfortunately, if your ankles are a bit on the thick side, stay away from these as they will not flatter you. To get the same look, opt for a shoe with the overtones of a bootie as the second picture shows. This first pic is a Nine West leather bootie. Smooth, supple leather for $54 dollars isn’t too shabby. And Nine West is a decent brand. This is a great no frills boot and will compliment many outfits. Classy.
Leather black ankle boot/ Nordstroms.com/ $54.90 on sale
This second pic is a great example of a boot/shoe to buy to get the same effect. If you do have wider ankles, buckles, straps and doodads will not be your friend. Notice the zipper here will draw the eye up lengthening your leg. Also, the higher the heel is and the pointier the toe will help to slim your ankle. I’ve kept it more casual; and remember, I’ve tried to find good sale shoes so both types can be found at higher prices and many more styles.
Aerosoles black suede bootie/ Piperlime.com/ $59.99 on sale from $99
My last example is from Talbots. And, fyi, they have been running 40% off their clearance for 2 weekends now. It may even be running through the week. I love this sweater. It’s really a 3 season item. So fabulous with browns and blacks for fall and then winter; come spring it’ll be beautiful with white. You may just wear it out. And let’s hear it…whoo hoo for the price…the deal of the day!! I don’t know how many are left online but there are several colors. Have at it!
Beige cotton/wool sweater/ Talbots.com/ $38.39
I hope you have great success with the after Christmas sales; just remember that more drastic markdowns will be coming for what ever merchandise continues to sit on the floor. If you like to gamble, this is your game! Of course, call me and I can pick through those sales, find the best pieces for you, and have it all ready and waiting in the dressing room. Ooooh, doesn’t that just sound fantastic?? Call me and thanks for reading…..
