Being a fashion girl is hard…and expensive. It’s funny — as my wishlist gets longer, prices seem to get higher and I never get richer. So, you ask, how does a broke b***h have a closet full of designer labels? Let me break it down for you and share the art of mastering the sample sale.
Sample sales are like shopping on X-Games mode. There are many factors to consider, such as long lines and packed stores. If I were a soldier a sample sale would be my battlefield, and yesterday I almost lost the war. I went to the Diesel sale and made two rookie mistakes (more on that below). My misfortune inspired me to create this handy guide to help my fellow shoppers avoid the same sample sale mishaps.
Step 1: be in the loop
In order to shop sample sales you have to hear about them. The most well-known sales are through 260 Sample Sale with locations in New York, L.A. and Miami. 260 has monopolized the sample sale arena. I’ve gone to Vivienne Westwood, Diesel, Marc Jacobs, Staud, and WARDROBE.NYC sales through 260 just to name a few. Follow their Instagram to stay updated. I also sign up for brand’s newsletters and find out about sales through social media (thanks TikTok).
step 2: Have a pre-sale strategy
You’ve found a sale, now it’s time to talk strategy. It’s hard to go into a sample sale with exact pieces that you want. You never truly know what they’ll have and things go fast. But, I suggest researching the brand to get a feel for what you like. When it came to the Diesel sale, I knew I wanted interesting denim, moto-inspired leather, and a sporty track jacket.
STEP 3: What you wear iS incredibly important
There are no dressing rooms at these sales. The space is typically chaotic with people changing out in the open. In the summer, wear a sports bra and biker shorts, in the winter, leggings and a tight tank. The key is to wear minimal clothing to try on over what you are wearing. Unfortunately, at the Diesel sale, I was dressed up for work in a chunky sweater and dress which made it hard to try things on over my clothes. I hoped for the best size wise which resulted in rookie mistake #1.
step 4: be prepared to wait…for a long ass time
Thanks to TikTok these sales tend to get swarmed, especially for the super-popular brands. Diesel opened at 10 a.m, I got there at 9 a.m. and didn’t get in until almost 11 a.m. 260 has multi-day sales and I’ve learned that the more “hype” around the brand the more important it is to go first-thing in the morning. If it’s a one-day sale, get there early. The key is if you can get there hours early, do it.
step 5: do not let the prices or other people cloud your judgement!
Like I said, yesterday I made two rookie mistakes. The downfall of a sample sale is that it’s super easy to make impulse purchases. Whether it be the insanely discounted price, the fact that you waited four hours and feel the need to buy (even if there’s nothing you like), the stressful environment clouding your judgement, and crowds of people. For the Diesel sale, I was the second group allowed into the store so a lot of the good stuff was already snatched up. I found this leather jacket hidden behind a rack and I grabbed it. It was a bomber style men’s leather jacket with a hood (I HATE LEATHER JACKETS WITH HOODS.) It was too big and I’ve been wanting a super slim moto jacket, not something oversized. I already have a leather bomber and simply did not need another one. Since it was the last one, people kept coming up to me asking me where I found it and if I wanted it. People ogling over the jacket along with the $100 price-tag (amazing for a leather jacket) I ignored my gut. I immediately regretted it and listed it on Poshmark that day.
step 6: avoid impulse purchases
Sample sales are usually final sale. Now I’m saddled with this leather jacket that I don’t want, so allow this to be a cautionary tale. While I shop I like to think of three different outfits I can make with an item. Then I reference my wishlist — for example a slim moto jacket is high up on mine (the men’s bomber made no sense.) I take a step back and ask myself “do I like this? or is the price just good?” And I always go with my gut (well, almost always) if you are questioning it in the store you will hate it at home…I promise.
Step 7: Remember, You Can Always Resell
In the end, remember, you always have handy sites like Poshmark and Depop to resell things you regret buying. (You can find that Diesel men’s leather jacket size small on Poshmark @shelbycomroe!)
