January sales...how's that going?

The first salary of the year has come in!  Finally! 
The weeks between the last paycheck in December and the January pay feel very long especially if you, like me, played Mother Christmas over the holidays and traipsed around the country like one with unlimited funds. I always end up spending recklessly in December, no matter how much I tell myself I'll be wiser.

With this pay, there's overdrafts to be covered and debts to be paid back and as is always the case, when it rains it pours. I have already had two emergencies this month that required me to miraculously materialise copious amounts of rands from my always-willing-to-lend-money-with-ridiculous-interest institution, otherwise referred to as The Bank. 

Everyone is itching to go to the January sales and as was I on the weekend. Fortunately, there aren't 'ridiculous' sales yet...by these I mean the YDE R100 sale, Woolies sale etc. I did buy a few things over the weekend and am extremely proud of how well I shop- if I have to say so myself. You know what the trick is? Choose your favourite show (or celebrity or nicely styled person you know), as you shop, ask yourself 'Would the stylist dress the women in the show in this item? If the answer is "most definitely ', grab it; if nay-drop it. This weekend I used the women on White Collar for inspiration. So its all sleek dresses and skirts in classic colours.
Some may insist they don't need celebrity inspiration cos mos they are celebrities themselves...to them and their 3000 Facebook friends. Well, that's ok. However, me being aware that those people on White Collar have an entire division with the best stylists in the game running around to make sure she has the correct accessories or colour combinations... I learn from them rather.

Living in Cape Town, I have to remember that autumn is just a few short weeks away and whatever I grab at these sales should be wearable then. There were lots of sandals on sale, sandals I had been lusting after for months. I held back...well, I stood in the shop for an hour before putting the shoes down like a proper mature lady who has control and left the shop in search of closed shoes.

I'm quite impressed that I did that. Even with dresses, its best to get shift dresses or shirts that you can layer on. For work, black, white, beige and grey are always on point and those items can be swapped and worn together throughout the year. If you are a print person...animals are always in cos...well, God makes the best patterns and if he put it on a cheetah-you can wear it with pride til the next millennium!

Another thing to look out for in this year's sales is green-emerald green to be exact. I haven't yet found an item I could die for in the colour though. If you do, please mail me so I can also check it out. We're thankfully moving away from the cobalt blue and the dreaded colour blocking towards calmer things in life. 
Of course a pop of neon here and there always works, however, it can seem a bit childish if there's too much 'pop of colour', especially for work. 

That's my rundown of the January shopping ohhs and woes. 
 
What are you guys on the lookout for in the sales? Boots?- try get leather while they're still reasonably prized. Coats? A nice black or tan trench is for life. Lets talk.