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"We&amp;#x27;re fast approaching the season where that dress that&amp;#x27;s been out of reach for months is suddenly within reach...yes gals, we&amp;#x27;re talking end-of-the-year sales, and there are a few simple tips and tricks to learn to get the most out of &amp;#x27;em. The New York Times caught up with a few very serious shoppers (or as I like to refer to us, &amp;quot;Bargain-hunting ninjas&amp;quot;) to discuss their tactics for making sale season worth your while. When everything is marked down, everything can seem like a bargain...but unless you would have wanted it at full price, it&amp;#x27;s not. So how do you avoid falling into the trap and instead, get the goods you&amp;#x27;re really lusting after? Here are some genius things we learned from Natalie Leeds Leventhal, Tammy Eckenswiller, Annelise Peterson, and Samantha Kain: 1. Make friends with salespeople: &amp;quot;So well acquainted are some sales associates with Ms. Peterson&amp;amp;#8217;s predilection for subtle prints, luxurious cashmere and well-cut coats that they call or text her days before her quarry reaches the racks,&amp;quot; the Times reports. How&amp;#x27;s that for service!? Natalie Leeds Leventhal&amp;#x27;s experience echoes this: &amp;quot;There is an amazing man at Nordstrom in Seattle,&amp;amp;#8221; she tells the paper. &amp;amp;#8220;It&amp;amp;#8217;s the flagship, and they have every designer imaginable. He is constantly texting me with pictures of new arrivals on sale.&amp;amp;#8221; How can you get the same star treatment? Start by buddying up early in the season, being loyal with whom you purchase from (remember that little thing called commission?), and bringing in goodies like chocolates or macaroons for sharing! 2. Test your mettle: &amp;quot;If I can walk away the first time, it means I can live without it,&amp;amp;#8221; Peterson says. My personal rule is a variation on that theme--I walk away and give myself 24 hours. If I&amp;#x27;m still thinking about the item, I know I have to have it. 3. Seek out investment pieces. Before you pull the trigger on a purchase, hold it up to a strict set of standards. Does it fit? (This is a rather important one!). Is it a flash-in-the-pan trend or what Peterson calls a &amp;quot;signature&amp;quot; piece (ie a print by Proenza Schouler or a delicious party frock by Lanvin)? Can you see yourself wanting to wear it in five years? Be honest with yourself and only buy if you can answer all of the questions favorably. Aren&amp;#x27;t these rules for sale season pretty great? How do you keep yourself from making regrettable purchases? What are your tips and tricks for making sure you score what you want at a discount? Discuss! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/fashion/blogs/dressed/2012/12/how-to-shop-sale-season-3-geni>