In Season

• If you have your eye on a few items of clothing and can't wait for them to go out of season to purchase them on sale, you can still snag them at a better price by waiting 6 weeks from the time that the items were first introduced at the store. Then, after you've waited, hit the store on a Thursday night. Six weeks into the introduction is when most items go on sale, and Thursday is usually the first day of a sale. Don't wait until the weekend, because the store won't re-stock by then and the choices may be picked through, reducing your chances of getting the right size and style. If an item isn't in stock when you go to buy it, ask a sales associate if she knows when more might be in or to call other stores to see if they have it. Often, stores will ship it to you for free.
  
  

Out of Season

• If you're willing to wait until things go out of season, you can score some great deals. Remember that stores usually stock clothes according to the fashion seasons, which are always a month or two ahead of actual seasons. For instance, a spring line of clothing lasts from January to March, and summer lines are introduced in April. That means that by buying your spring clothes in April instead of January can net you big sales from stores trying to push out all of their old merchandise. You'll also be able to get great clothing by buying a year in advance. If you miss the winter season for clothes but want to buy winter clothes for a steal in March, just buy staple pieces, such as slacks and sweaters, that will still be in style for next year. This is especially helpful if you need to buy for children; just buy in a bigger size and store them. Hats, coats and sweaters may not work for the spring but are perfect for next winter.