Shops buy stock months ahead and need to clear it before the next season arrives. That creates a predictable rhythm: prices are highest when a season's clothes first appear, and lowest just as most people stop thinking about them. If you can buy slightly out of step with everyone else, you pay less for the same thing.

The basic rule: buy at the end of the season

The largest reductions arrive when a retailer needs the floor space. Winter stock is marked down while it is still cold, and summer stock is marked down while it is still warm. You get less choice in sizes and colours, but the classic pieces that do not date are often still there.

This works best for items that look the same year after year: a wool coat, a plain knit, a pair of boots, a simple swimsuit. It works badly for anything trend-led, because next year it may feel out of date.

A rough calendar

Exact dates vary by retailer and by country, and seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere, so treat this as a pattern rather than a timetable.

  • Mid to late winter: coats, knitwear, boots and thermals are reduced as spring stock arrives.
  • Late spring: light jackets and rainwear, as shops move to summer ranges.
  • Mid to late summer: swimwear, sandals, shorts and linen.
  • Early autumn: the last of the summer stock, and often denim and back-to-school basics.
  • Late November: Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers across most categories.
  • After the winter holidays: broad clearance sales, including gift sets and partywear.

When waiting is a mistake

Waiting only pays if your size will still be in stock. If you are an unusual size, or you want one specific colour, the saving may not be worth the risk of missing out. The same goes for something you need now. A coat bought at full price and worn all winter is better value than a cheaper one that arrives when the cold has gone.

Mid-season sales and one-day events

Between the main clearances, many retailers run shorter promotions: a mid-season sale, a member event, or a weekend offer. The discounts are usually smaller, but the choice of sizes is far better. These are the best moments to buy current-season pieces you will wear straight away.

Stack a code on top of the sale

A sale price is not always the final price. Some retailers let you add a promo code to already reduced items, and many offer a code for a first order or for joining a mailing list. It takes a minute to check, and it is the easiest saving there is.

Before you pay, look at our current coupon codes or find the retailer in our store list. Read the terms on the code, since some exclude sale items or need a minimum spend.

Keep a short wish list

The calendar only helps if you know what you want. Keep a list of the two or three things your wardrobe is missing, and note the price you have seen them at. When a sale starts, you will know at once whether the discount is real, and you will be less tempted by reductions on things you never needed.