Shopping the sales -- how does it work, when does it happen, where do I go??

One thing to remember about sales is that they come in layers. When new merchandise is brought in (right now, Fall is coming in in most areas of North America) it's full price, with, perhaps, a special offer where you can buy multiple matching pieces and get a discount. Fall, though, is still a month away. In a month, by the time fall actually gets here, you'll start to see all that stuff marked down to the first level of saleness. It might be another buy several pieces and get X off, or a scratch and save event, or just a small discount on the items. This is a pretty decent time to buy any items that are likely to be trendy - you have time to wear them this year, because you aren't going to wear them next year. There will also likely be some new fall stuff that's still full price, though. By the time you're well into the season at hand, the next season is going to start coming into the store, and the earlier stuff is going to get it's next round of discounting. It's been moved to the middle of the store, and is slighly consolidated so you're not getting pretty displays anymore, but rather, stuff on separate racks. This is where the serious discounting happens, and is generally the best time to buy and get a decent discount (usually 25-50% off full price) coupled with a good selection of sizes and choices. This is the best time, in my experience, to buy quality basics. The last round of discounting you'll see in stores is when stuff gets super pressed into a couple of sale racks at the back of the store, and marked down again, or offered at 'take an additional X% off'. This is the cheapest you'll be able to buy this stuff in the mall stores, but it's a point at which selection is down to things that are weird sizes or slightly damaged, so shop with care. You can sometimes get great deals on great things at this point, but often it's stuff that'll be out of season in a week, and out of fashion next year.

I imagine your town has some nice consignment shops, where you'll be able to find contemporary business wear for less than the brand-new retail price.

Can i recommend something that no one has mentioned? PLEASE don't buy cheap suits. please. the cuts are not elegant, the material *looks* cheap, and they won't last. (Ann Taylor LOFT suits are horrendous, btw: what's the point on spending $100 on the pants and $150 on the jacket if it *looks* cheap? the pants are cut like a circus tent, and the jackets have badly-styled lapels that go out-of-style after one season.) what smart women do is spend $$$$ on 3 or 4 solid, timeless, elegant suits: you really only need black, gray, tan/white (brown, navy are optional). it's what you wear UNDERNEATH the suits is what people notice. This is where you can save your money. But you need to build your wardrobe around timeless suits. Then you can mix and match your blazers and pants very well. what i am telling you is to rethink your strategy, and put most of your budget towards very good suits: tahari, armani, bcbg, etc...even jcrew, brooks brothers have more decent cuts than zara, ann taylor, banana republic, et-al). SAVE your remaining money on the shoes, the turtlenecks, cardigans, separate skirts, accessories, etc., which you can find a-plenty at the bargain racks of banana republic, zara, the outlets, even h&m.

I think everything I was going to say is covered, but I wanted to reiterate that you can often get really good deals on nice work clothes at Department stores (Nordstrom during one of their sales, which I believe are in July and January like in Europe, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, etc.). Some of them carry really good brands (I like INC at Macy's & Bloomies, Jones New York is mostly "older" but sometimes they have nice things and it's always on sale). And also, you said you want everything to fit perfectly when you try it on -- this is SO rare, I suggest finding things you like, and classy versatile items, and having them tailored to fit you. Things look SO much nicer when they're shaped for your body...

I think your list looks good, but I too would leave off the dresses -- wait until you need evening/party wear. Spend the most you can afford on 'important' things (ie, stuff other women eye first and closely!) -- coats, jackets, shoes and bags, your hair! You can find bargains on slacks, skirts, sweaters, shirts, makeup, accessories -- and I'm also an advocate of the strategy of a try-on day in the field for those items, diligent note-taking, buying online.

This is awesome advice. I'm thinking I'll spend Saturday trying stuff on and taking notes of prices at the local mall, look stuff online that night, then check out the outlets Sunday before I decide what to buy. I'm going to keep the dresses on my list (I like dresses), but I'll make them my very bottom priority.

If you have a Macy's near you, keep your eye out for their sales. They have nice suits and you can sometimes get them as much as 50% (or more, depending) off.

crouton&c--i wouldn't take dresses off, particularly not if you're looking into suiting separates. a http://www.anntaylor.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&RestartFlow=t&Section_Id=8218&Product_Id=833991 is an extremely verstatile piece of a professional wardrobe: it goes under the jacket, or alone, or dressed-down with a cardigan or casual blazer, or dress-up with a nice wrap if you have to go to some sort of corporate vent or just out on a date after work. more casual dresses are less versatile in professional wardrobe, but i snatch up any suit i can find that has a dress instead of a skirt because the life span (and utilty over the life span) is higher.

("wouldn't take the dresses off the list"--i would, of course, take them off at the end of the day or when they need laundering)