"Practical" Clearance Rack Shopping!

End-of-season sales are here!  

As the hot, new spring merchandise rolls in, retailers everywhere are trying to shove most of their fall/winter merchandise out of the door. That's where we, the consumers, come in, of course! 

But how do we keep from "consuming" too much stuff that we don't really need? Like me, you have probably observed the clearance racks, and either a) shook your head and raced in the opposite direction, or b) decided to sift through, in the hopes of finding a great bargain. Am I right? 

For me, it really depends on the store and the upkeep of their clearance merchandise. (My experience as a department store manager has taught me a few things!) Anyway, I love a great bargain so oftentimes I am heading straight back to the clearance section to take a look. 

In the past, I would basically grab anything that fit, regardless of style or color-- I mean, it's on sale, right? Wrong. As a result, a lot of my clothing had what I call, "price tag" syndrome. You know what that is. Clothes that still hang in the closet or folded in the drawer with the price tag still attached. 

You may still be thinking, "Well, I didn't pay that much for it, at least!" That's true...but it's still taking up precious "real estate" in your wardrobe. Space that could be used for something fabulous that you will actually wear. 

So I came up with a plan for shopping clearance racks effectively. Since I did this, my clothes no longer develop the dreaded "price tag" syndrome!  

Here are my personal top 5 tips:

1. Find your size. Sounds simple, but this is very important. Because merchandise is end-of-season, there are a lot of broken sizes. In other words, the most common sizes for that store's market may be sold out already. However, don't settle for a size bigger or smaller, just because you like the item. Proper fit is very important for whatever you buy, clearance or not.  After all, if it fits well, there's a much better chance that you will actually wear it!
2. Look for flattering colors. Again, simple concept, but often one that is neglected for the sake of a "good sale."  Don't use clearance sales as an opportunity to "test" colors that could wash you out and drain the precious color from your face. Stick with your best colors. Otherwise, it's really not worth it.
3. Bypass "fad" merchandise and look for pieces that can be worn again next season. I'm always on the look out for tailored slacks and jackets, vests, jeans, cute skirts and dresses, and layering pieces such as solid knit or cotton tops. In other words, always get things that won't scream "clearance rack" a year from now.  
4. Ideally, the pieces that you buy should coordinate with something already existing in your current wardrobe. If it's not, you are just asking for the "price tag" syndrome diagnosis! 
5. Check out the return policy, just in case. You don't want to be "stuck" with something that looks very different when you get it home. (I also recommend trying it on before you leave the store. Some things really do look different on the body!) 

Well, those are my top five, but I could definitely add more to the list. These have helped me tremendously to keep my wardrobe streamlined. And I have more clothes to wear because everything works-- clearance or not! 

The same concepts work for home decor accessories, too, as I will cover in a later post.

So what about you-- Are there any useful tips that you have for shopping clearance sales?