I don't care for sales. Sorry. The Sales. It is given the capitals and 'the' simply because of the relevance and complete madness it brings out in people, especially at this time of year, post Christmas.


I get it. Christmas has gone, but its not the end of the world and it certainly doesnt alllow for the behaviour, craziness and general lunacy that The January Sales bring out in some people. I have worked in retail for many years and so maybe it is that which makes me want to run the other way from Sale land, but i simply don't get it.


'But its a bargain!' i hear you cry! 'Its 70% off" 'Its real silk/wool/cashmere/goat etc etc'.  Well let me set the record straight.  It is a bargain, but its only a bargain if it fits into either of these categories:  


1) You wanted it and longed and lusted after it many times in the shop for weeks and weeks and resisted the urge to buy it, and now its more than half its price, and you know you will love it and wear it forever.


2) You have a genuine need for it.  This is different from merely wanting it.  It means you have an event coming up which requires such a garment, such as a wedding, christening, ball, important party etc etc. This is good as you feel extravagant splashing out alot of cash on something you will wear only once or twice and then sell on ebay or similar.  Here you have saved the money and been extra thrifty.


It is not a bargain, or saving you money if you will never ever wear it, never ever have the occasion to wear it to, it is not your size or something you would ever normally wear.  It does not matter if it is so reduced that its damn near free, do not buy it.  


By this point i feel as if i am ranting and you will assume by this that i never ever set foot in a sale, and that would be untrue.  I think i do not find The January Sales such a great thing because i get rather a generous discount as part of my job, and i don't very often have cause to shop elsewhere. This does make me very lucky, and probably part of the exception.  But on the other hand, i only really buy items that i have truley fallen in love with.  Items that i just know i will wear to death, will wear many different ways and will love until they fall aprt.  


And really if you think about it, yes you can get a great bargain reduced from £100 to £25, but then that £25 dress/top/jumper/blouse etc might sit in your wardrobe and never ever be worn.  Far better to think about 'PPW' Price Per Wear.  You can pay £50 for a dress but if you wear it twenty times this year, thats £2 per wear….now who's got the bargain?!?