Summer sales 2024, a guide to how to shop wisely
To not get disappointed with impulse buying decisions during sales
G-Club
July 5th, 2024
July 5th, 2024
Buying less but buying better, this is the promise made by those who are sensitive to the theme of sustainability and a mode of purchase conscious, away from the compulsive rhythm of new trends. With the beginning of the hottest season, the time of the summer sale returns, which will be active in stationary retail all over the peninsula for about 6 weeks from 6 July, depending on the decision of each Italian region, while they are already active for a while online on e-commerce as Luisa Via Roma and Farfetch. The dopamine released by shopping in combination with the need for revenge spending caused by the pandemic situation is likely to make even the most "woke" forget for a moment all the conversation about environmental sustainability activated in 2021 by activism and all the steps taken towards a fashion sector, which is still responsible for 8-10% of global carbon emissions according to United Nations, and all the sustainable practices activated by brands to get closer to the needs and desires of Gen-Zer consumers sensitive to the environmental issue. So how to avoid the hype of sales and make informed purchases taking advantage of low prices without feeling guilty? Here is a short guide.
Ask yourself the right questions
Like you should never go shopping on an empty stomach, you should never go shopping without knowing what you already have in the closet. "Do I already have something like that?" or "How many times would I wear it?" are two smart questions to ask yourself before clicking "Add to cart" or going to checkout. Marie Kondo has given the world the "Guide to tidying up to live happily", and although her practices are now trite and rhythmic, they work: before buying the ideal would be to know and recognize the value of the leaders possessed, the strengths and outline the weaknesses in the closet, making it easier to have good in mind what to avoid and what to possibly buy.
Always read the labels
To buy less but better the ideal is to read the label of a garment, both at the treatment level and at the composition level, especially if you are not a buyer able to recognize a yarn to the touch. To make a conscious purchase that lasts over time the composition of an item should be either based on natural yarns, such as cotton, silk, wool or synthetic derived fibers such as tencel, lyocel, viscose or modal as long as they are treated sustainably (and when it happens the information is well in sight, because it increases - and justifies - the cost of the garment).
Follow your own personal style
It is not easy to always buy clothes in line with your personal style given the exorbitant amount of proposals on the market and at the pace with which the trends change, now two weeks in two weeks. Being yourself in terms of fashion is the only rule, and making a conscious purchase during the sales also means selecting what represents a chosen aesthetic, as in the creation of a moodboard. If Dua Lipa wears a pair of silk gloves and all the fashion magazines talk about it, it is not said that, despite the 50% discount, the purchase is a must.
Investing in fundamentals
If Carrie Bradshaw’s famous joke "I like my money where I can see them, hanging in my closet" (I love my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet) sounds familiar, then the sales are a good time to make an investment in basic clothes to keep in the closet. Although the staples of the brands in neutral tones rarely go on sale, opt for a more eclectic nuance but that still reflects your taste of a coat, A boot, a ram or a bag for everyday is a good strategy to buy consciously.
Consider the vintage
In the varied scenario of purchase platforms for many product categories should be taken into account the ability to amortize the cost of a garment by purchasing on Vinted, Depop or in trusted vintage stores. In addition to supporting respect for the garments and the virtuous circle that increases their life-span, buying vintage is a good alternative to find interesting garments in excellent condition without submitting to the mechanisms and times of retail, trying to subvert them, encouraging the expansion of a market linked to a highly successful type of retail, which attracts younger consumers.