1. Have a wardrobe clearout

Be honest.  If you don’t wear half your wardrobe it’s taking up valuable space for things you love.  Clear it out and move on.

2.  Plan your new wardrobe (and your budget).

We all buy those things that we like that we’ll never have anything to wear with or just end up buying the same thing with a slight variation.  Try planning your purchases for the seasons ahead.  Find out what you need, figure out what you want to spend and buy things that will make your new season wardrobe complete.

3.  Spend it wisely

Do you shy away from spending £100 on a top you love but then buy several tops you ‘quite like’ which then adds up to more anyway? Stop buying things you don’t really want!  Invest in something you’ll really love and get your money’s worth.

4. Be sale savvy

Shopping the sales well is an art form.  There are still plenty of great bargains out there but you do have to take the time to go through it.  Don’t buy something which is very seasonal because it will be ‘so last season’ before you’ve left the store. Think ahead and buy those good quality everyday essentials like jeans and boots in the sale.

5.  Refresh your make up kit

Some things may not have a sell by date but if  your blusher or fave eyeshadow is looking a bit tired it’s definitely time to upgrade.  You can get the same colour but you’ll find that a brand new version can make all the difference.

6.  Find your scent for the year

If this year’s about love try out a scent with floral hints to make you feel the romance all the time or if your new year’s resolution is career progression then why not try something with a little more punch to put a spring in your work step.

7. Try out a new look

So you always wear black or you always get your hair highlighted every 6 weeks and trimmed.  Try out something a little different (like Leighton Meester, pictured)  for the new year and see how it feels.  Maybe you’ll like yourself as a  brunette or rocking a bit of colour in your wardrobe.

These beauties are perfect for festivals and beach holidays.  Perfect paired with maxi dresses or a shorts,  these are four of our favourites on sale right now.

From top: French Connection wedge (was £52, is £49); Karvela Kuchina from Kurt Geiger (Was £150, is £89); Wizard orange striped wedges from Topshop (Was £70, Is £40); Carvela wedges at House of Fraser (was £140, is £69)

Investing in a quality trench like this one from Aquascutum will brighten up any rainy day (Was £495, is £225) while this Pied a Terre ‘Stella’ bag sold out in a matter of days when it first went on sale but now it’s available for a fraction of the cost  (was £115 , is £57.50); both from House of Fraser.

As Olivia Palermo pointed out recently, flats really are the chicest shoe and I’ve got my eyes on this pair of Jimmy Choos in gorgeous purple (£87.50, down from £125).  For ‘statement’ shoes the multi-coloured Carvela shoes with a touch of leopard print  from Kurt Geiger certainly make a statement (now £79.00, down from £130).

At Mulberry, the iconic Alexa and the new but equally desirable Tillie are both on sale now.  I love this mini Alexa in Watermelon, as a statement accessory (down from £525 to £367) and the Tillie in Chestnut,  which has to be the perfect compact every-day bag. 

>> Mulberry sale in The Village

Sticking with neutral shades get a whole smart-casual outfit out of sales which will take you very nicely from the British summer into autumn.

Timberland fitted chinos, was £65, now £45, House of Fraser; J by Jasper Conran Portafina shoes, was £65 , now £52, Craghoppers grey shirt, was £30 now £15, both Debenhams; Half windsor scarf, was £42.00 , £now 33.50, French Connection.

Right now, the sun is shining and people are smiling. Festival dressing is so much easier when it’s warm and dry. But looking good is made trickier by the camping and festival shower situation. Our advice is to aim for cool, comfy and relaxed styling.

Go for slouchy vest tops teamed with cute shorts or leggings. Add fringed or buckled ankle boots or Gladiator style flat sandals.

Left to right: Denim boyfriend shorts, Uniqlo £14.99; Felicity Gladiator sandal, Schuh was £29.99 now £20; Festival print vest, Republic £16.99; Mint ticking stripe short, Miss Selfridge at House of Fraser £25; Mai fringe bootee, Office £60 now £30; Black Logan cutout T-shirt, H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams £14.

Work the prairie look with ditsy print dresses and playsuits in florals or checks. Dresses can be long or short but remember that maxis may trail in the mud. Layer it up with a cropped denim jacket, crochet cardigan or relaxed denim shirt. Layers are the secret for festival dressing, you never know when those clouds and chilly breezes are going to come along.

Left to right: Cropped denim jacket, Dorothy Perkins £42; Floral playsuit, Next £20; Paisley print maxi dress, New Look £35 now £28; Denim shirt, Oasis £38 now £20; Cream crochet cropped cardigan, Miss Selfridge at House of Fraser £32.

Embellish and accessorise! Add some sparkle to a simple vest and tee combo with an embellished waistcoat and some tribal jewellery. Load up on chunky bracelets. Top it off with your must-have hat and don’t forget your sunnies and sunscreen.

And if the weather does turn rubbish – it is Britain after all - don’t forget your parka and wellies.

Left to right: Embellished waistcoat, River Island £24.99; Straw trilby, Next £5.50; Floral printed bangles, Accessorize £10; Black oversized sunglasses, Marks and Spencer £5; Batwing parka, Warehouse £55.

Need more inspiration? Steal Alexa Chung’s festival style!

The All Saints sale is always a good one for great bargains. From fabulous jeans to leather jackets, there’s something for everyone. We think this parka is one of the best bargains to be had, as it’s been reduced by 50% to £90.
Cardigans are still de rigeur for the fashionable boy around town and we really love this navy toggle one from Topman – not only will it look great with jeans, but it’s down from £30 to the very reasonable £15.
We know that you men share our obsession with footwear – you just prefer yours to be of the trainer variety. All trainer officiandos are going to want to snap up these Adidas Superstar check shoes from Schuh – reduced to £35.

Keep the cold at bay and look stylish with this stripe beanie from Burton. At £4, you can afford to buy yourself one for every day of the week!

The sales are a great time to buy classic items such as jeans. Bench has a great selection in their sale at the moment, like these Camden straight leg jeans, now reduced to £28.

First up is this sparkling statement necklace from Debenhams by Erickson Beamon from the Designers At Debenhams range. It’s perfect for blinging up your NYE outfit and now it’s reduced from £20 to £14, it won’t break the bank either!

If you haven’t already brought your winter woolies, the sale is the perfect time to splurge. The sequins on this Topshop beret elevate it to more than just a woollie hat – snap it up  now for just £10.
If you’re a designer diva, now is definitely the time to bag yourself a bargain. We’ve got our eye on this gorgeous Marc by Marc Jacobs bangle watch from House Of Fraser. It’s seriously stylish and has now been reduced from £137 to £109.
Scarves are a great way to update a boring old oufit and they don’t get much more glam than this sequin number from Dorothy Perkins, reduced from £15 to £10.
Inject a touch of vintage style into your wardrobe with this glass tassel belt from Monsoon, which has been reduced by 50% to a bargain £10.

Our pick from Warehouse is this hot pink jacket, which has been reduced from £90 to £50. Pink is the key colour for next season so invest now!

If you haven’t already snapped up a dress in the fabric of the season – velvet – then now’s the time to do it! Dorothy Perkins has this lovely petrol blue velvet dress on sale now – and is a bargain £17!

The Kurt Geiger sale is a must for all shoeaholics! Lace-up boots are a big trend this winter and this gorgeous skating-style pair have been massively reduced from £180 to £89.

We’ve already spotted the stars wearing embellished knitwear, so we’re going to snap up this beautiful beaded jumper from French Connection, which has been reduced from £110 to £73.

We’ve found the perfect party accessory from the Oasis sale. This emerald green sequin bag is just the right size for all your essentials and will add a touch of glamour to any little black dress. Reduced from £35 to £23.