Last weekend, Plenty held their warehouse sale at the Vancouver Convention Centre. In spite of my brain-fog from Saturday night, I decided (with a little persuading from a friend) that I would make an appearance.
I prayed to the shopping gods that it wouldn’t be anything like the Aritzia Warehouse Sale – and my prayers were answered. No lines, friendly staff, well-organized and some great deals; what more could you ask for?
For readers outside of Vancouver, Plenty is one of our quintessential West Coast shopping destinations. You can find them throughout the greater area (their two-storey flagship in Kitsilano is a must-see) and they specialize in high-quality, fashion-forward pieces (women and men). They have some great in-house brands with my personal favourite being Monk & Lou – beautiful light-knits and pieces that radiate a subtle sexiness, like this Vest Pullover and Racerback Dress.
However, it wasn’t Monk & Lou pieces that had me pulling out my VISA this visit. I found this gorgeous open-knit cardigan that was perfect for the sunny weather we were experiencing over the weekend.
The sweater, by John & Jenn was originally priced at $165 and I scored it for just $60- I also came out with another great sweater and a pair of black cigarette pants that will be great for the office. Needless to say, I’m already looking forward to next year’s warehouse sale, speaking of which…
Here are three tips to make the most out of shopping at any warehouse sale:
Dress appropriately
Plan your outfit, right down to your underwear. Most of the time you will be in a communal change room so check your modesty at the door and leave the granny panties at home. Also, wear clothing that is easy to slip in and out of; if you have a simple tank top on, that might be enough to throw items on over it and avoid the change room all together.
Be rational
It’s easy to get excited and try to justify the “great deals” and “amount of money I’m saving” but, do you really need another white blouse, or maybe three pairs of the same heels all in different colours? Try to keep in mind what you will actually wear, and what will work with the wardrobe you already have. Make sure you ask yourself, “Do I love it?” and “Am I excited about the piece, or am I excited about the savings?” If you’re just excited about the “deal” and not necessarily the item, you’ll probably end up with something that just sits in your closet.
Have patience
Warehouse sales are not typically the most organized events and it takes a long time to sift through all the racks, so if you’re an impatient person, a Warehouse Sale, might not be your jam. Beyond the sifting there can also be a lot of waiting: waiting in lines, waiting for change rooms, waiting to find something…anything, you may be interested in. Oh, and that’s not even diving into the patience needed to handle the throngs of people around you, so just remember, “Patience is a virtue.
Sweater- Plenty. T-Shirt- Old Navy. Jeans- Banana Republic. Purse (old)- Leather Market in Florence, Italy
Sweater not longer available at Plenty. However, I did find it on sale at The Bay.
