When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Buy Lingerie?
By now, you’ve probably caught on that December is a stellar time to purchase electronics (thanks to Holiday sales), while August and September typically mean massive discounts on warm-weather essentials like air conditioners. Certainly, you can snag a better price tag on many items if you’re smart about when you shop for them. So when is the best time of year to buy lingerie?
If you’re looking to revamp your bra and panty collections, consider these tips to take maximum advantage of any deals.
Shop when the seasons change
There’s a reason why you’re bound to pay less for sweaters in late spring and swimsuits at the end of summer: When the seasons change, stores are eager to get rid of current inventory. So consider seasonal transitions, when stores may be bringing in new colors and styles, to get the best prices on lingerie.
The majority of lingerie brands design two collections per year — so the period of time post-holidays (January) and the mid-year point (June/July) are a great time to buy, as those collections are rotating.
Pro Tip:
Scope out sites like eBay after the holidays are over, as many people are trying to re-sell gifts they aren’t going to wear (and don’t have a receipt to return) — and that includes unworn lingerie with the tags still on.
The beauty of lingerie is that it doesn’t need to be drastically rotated like the rest of your wardrobe. While you may have certain pieces that are go-to’s for summer due to their bright colors or for winter due to their sparkly detailing, the fact is that lingerie never really goes out of style.
Related: 5 Shopping Tips That Will Change The Way You Buy Bras Online
Parfait Marion Unlined Wire Bra P5392 in Tango Red
Stay on top of annual sales
Some stores have developed special sales that they hold one to four times a year — and these tend to happen at the same time so customers know when to expect them. Keeping these dates in the back of your mind (or marking them on your calendar) is a solid strategy so you know precisely when to break out your wallet to invest in some new lingerie.
For example, Nordstrom holds an Anniversary Sale, which runs for about two weeks and boasts their best deals of the year, every summer. The store also offers a half-yearly sale every spring and fall. And at the off-price division Nordstrom Rack, you can save up to 70% off original prices on many brands. Look out for their ‘Clear the Rack’ sales, which happen between four and six times a year when seasons come to a close, and promise 25% off already reduced items.
Lord & Taylor, meanwhile, is known for its Friends & Family Sale, which tends to happen between mid-April and early June, and offers customers a 30% discount off regular, sale and clearance items both online and in-store.
Pro Tip:
Keeping track of when sales are launching can be difficult, so be sure to join any rewards programs and email newsletters that are available at your favorite lingerie retailers — by subscribing, you’ll often be the first to know when any sales kick off.
Also, getting to know a stylist or sales associate at your favorite local lingerie stores (both boutiques and department stores) can pay off: many will call clients to let them know when items or collections go on sale.
By following your favorite retailers’ social media accounts, you may also catch certain sales and discount codes you wouldn’t have otherwise been notified about.
Familiarize yourself with flash deal sites
There are a plethora of websites that offer sales on particular designers’ products for a short period of time (anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks). Make sure you check sites like HauteLook (Nordstrom’s flash deal site) Rue La La and Gilt (known for luxury fashion), all of which offer these online sample sales, which sometimes include lingerie brands.
No time to scour the Internet for deals? Don’t stress — Shop It to Me is designed for busy women. Simply fill out an online form naming your favorite designers and your sizes, and they’ll do all the deal hunting. Then, you can check your personalized sales either by hopping on the website or reading the email they send if you opt-in to alerts.
Related: How To Save Money On Bras
Parfait Carole Padded Bra 3101 in Lollipop Red
Take advantage of comparison tools
Savvy shoppers can benefit in a major way by leveraging certain price comparison and bargain hunting tools online.
Shoptagr is a super helpful Chrome extension, for example, as you can tag items you like (in your preferred color/size) and you’ll get instantly notified when it goes on sale.
Honey is another incredibly popular extension for saving money — when you’re about to check out on an online store, the app will scour for applicable coupons and better yet, automatically fill in the code for you.
Before placing an order, you may also want to check RetailMeNot, which aggregates a wealth of coupon codes (such as free shipping) that you can search by store.
Pro Tip:
Another thing to keep in mind is that some stores will match competitors’ prices. For example, if you find a lower advertised price on an item that you bought either in-store or online at Century 21, they’ll match it (as long as it’s within 14 days of your purchase).
Always keep your receipts and keep an eye out — as some retailers, like Barney’s Warehouse, also offer price adjustments. That means if you purchase lingerie that’s marked down soon afterward, you’ll be repaid the difference as long as it’s within 7 days (or at some stores, 14 days).
Related: 5 Tips To Keep Your Bras Looking New For Longer
We Highly Recommend
Whether you’re shopping for new everyday bras or lingerie for a special occasion, it’s always a good idea to seek out a second opinion. We know how hard it is to find bras that fit well and feel good, especially when you’re doing it on your own. If you’ve ever felt unsure about your bra size or you just don’t know where to go to find good bras, it’s time to let a bra fitter help.
Many specialty lingerie boutiques offer bra fittings. Their expert bra fitters will take the pain and frustration out of bra shopping and do all the work for you. Even better, their product knowledge can save you time and money. Plus, they know where all of the best bras are hiding.
If you’ve struggled with finding bras in the right size, it’s time to make a change. Visit our specialty store locator to find a store near you and schedule an appointment.
Happy bra shopping!
