What are the key pieces to look for in the sales then?

[Caz10]

I've got about £200 to spend in the sales and I'm so excited...now feeling under pressure to spend it wisely! Don't want to waste it, I want to get some wardrobe essentials - what must a girl have these days?!!

I thought maybe a good pair of jeans (someone on the other thread mentioned 7 jeans in the Next sale) - but what else?!!

Forget 'fashion' or what's (apparently) 'on trend' - try to buy items that suit and fit you. Then you'll not waste your money, and you'll wear the items for years.

IMO a good quality coat is a great investment.

Ditto a good pair of boots.

Coat and boots both very good suggestions. Basic tops from more expensive shops thatn you'd usually buy from. Cashmere jumpers and cardigans. Good underwear.

oooh coats and boots are really my thing, that is a good idea.

janeite i like the good tops idea too - mine are all Tesco and Primark - where would be a good more upmarket place for that kind of thing do you think?

Noa Noa?

They have v. good sales and their tops tend to be well-made, well-finished and in natural fabrics. En masse the shop can be quite, errm, artistic (?), which I like, but individual pieces would, I think, appeal to anyone and be a v. good wardrobe staple.

Comptoir de Cotonniers are lovely. Again, well-made, etc. and their sales are also bargainacious.

Both the above sell out quickly.

Fenwicks and Liberty have lovely womenswear sections but are pricier. However, I forecast amazing sales this year.

Agnes b is v. good for lovely basics. No idea about the sales though.

And lastly, Brora, for beautiful cashmere. Again, good sales but sells pretty fast for the more popular bits.

Coat, boots, bag, jeans.

zen i feel like a complete country bumpkin now, these are places i see in magazines but would never think to shop - going to see if any are online - fabulous suggestions thank you!

pavlov i'm basically going to follow your list and add tops if possible - think my budget may become a little elastic...

There is a cashmere coat in M&S down from £500 to £250 - could blow the lot in one go!

personally I always like a good jumper from the sales, plus a pair of jeans, I love the monsoon sale for fabby jumpers/tops.

I got a couple of basic long sleeved tops inthe fat face sale. they were £12 each , i think. i find that fat face stuff washes well.
What about Gap for basics too?
reiss have some nice stuff too and often have a good sale.

Caz10 - I'm just a city bumpkin. I walk between libraries in the centre of London and all those shops are basically my equivalent of fields and haystacks and bridges and cows. Sometimes I take the direct route home, sometimes the more scenic one, and maybe paddle in a stream or something.
That's how I can be so certain about the sales this year; all my little haystacks have been covered in sales stickers for the last two weeks, with assistants practically abducting would-be shoppers from the pavement outside.
And thank you for letting us play fantasy shopping with you - it's more fun than RL shopping, which always seems to start in high optimism and end in irritability and sore feet.
Hope you have fun!