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Summer came and went, as it always does, waaay too fast. I am consoling my end of summer blues the only way I know how, which is by going through every Labor Day sale worth opening.
There’s a lot of them. Most are not worth your time. What follows is the shorter list, the stores I actually clicked into and stayed in, sorted by what they’re good for rather than by who is shouting the loudest.
One note before you scroll. Labor Day is the transitional sale of the year, which makes it the best one for buying things you’ll wear in six weeks and the worst one for buying things you will wear next July. Shop it like it’s October.
What I’m buying (and what I already own)
Five things, not fifty. These are the ones I have opinions about.
The Perfect Crewneck Tee in Allday Jersey from Madewell I already own this in both black and white, and this weekend I’m buying more colors, which is about the most honest endorsement I can give a plain tee. You stop experimenting once something works and start collecting it instead. One thing worth getting right: Madewell makes this tee in a few different fabrics and the Allday Jersey is the one I mean. They do not feel the same, so check before you add to cart.
Kitchen runner from Ruggable This is the one I recommend more than anything else in my house. Kitchen floors are where rugs go to die, and a rug you can throw in the washing machine is the only kind that survives in front of a sink. Honest history though: the original two-piece version was a bit of a pain lining both pieces up again. Ruggable has since updated my exact runner to a single piece, so I bought it again, and it’s great. If you’re choosing between versions, get the tufted all in one piece.
Cropped barn jacket in ecru denim, J.Crew This one’s in my cart right now – I’m crazy about this color. A barn jacket is normally the most practical thing you own, and ecru denim is not a practical color, which is exactly why I want it. It is a genuinely transitional piece too, the kind of jacket I will wear in three weeks and then again in April instead of for one month a year. The only thing stopping me is that it is ecru and I know exactly what I’m going to spill on it.:)
Woven vases, McGee & Co.Our family room mantel is need of a decor refresh and these are the strongest contender so far. Texture is what a mantel usually needs and rarely has, and a pair of woven vases does more for one than another candlestick ever will. I haven’t committed yet so I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But a McGee sale is exactly when I stop deliberating and start buying, which is how most of the decisions in my house get made.
Open Diamond Wrap Ring, Ring Concierge I love how this one wraps around the finger, almost like a snake ring but more modern. A pinky ring is a fun little indulgence and that’s the whole reason I bought it, no other justification needed. One honest thing: it doesn’t really stack with my other rings as well as I had hoped. If you’re picturing it in a stack, picture it on its own instead, because it is stunning that way.
Start here
If you only open three tabs, make it these.
McGee & Co. My favorite of the weekend, and the one I look forward to. Their sitewide events are not frequent, so this is the window for the pieces you’ve had sitting in a cart since spring. Lighting and the smaller accent furniture are where I always end up on this site.
J.McLaughlin The sale section is the whole story here. Their prints and classic pieces never look dated, which means a J.McLaughlin sale buy is still in rotation three autumns from now. This is not true for most of what goes on sale this weekend.
Ring Concierge Fine jewelry rarely goes on sale, so when it does I pay attention. The everyday pieces are what to look at, the studs and the huggies and the stacking rings you’ll actually wear on any given Tuesday.
For your closet
Madewell Their fall event is the one I wouldn’t skip. Denim first, then the sweaters. Madewell fits me better in fall pieces than summer ones and this is where I tend to stock up.
J.Crew Cashmere and blazers. J.Crew sales are worth digging through rather than skimming, because the good things are not always the ones on the landing page.
Tuckernuck The classic pieces, and this is the moment for anything you need for a fall wedding or a holiday party you haven’t thought about yet. Because you’ll think about it in November and then it’ll be gone.
Boden British, colorful, and the best place on this list for prints and brights. If you’ve been wanting one piece with some personality in it, Boden is where I’d look.
Pistola Denim, and the kind that works across seasons. If you buy one pair of jeans this fall, this is a good weekend to do it.
Lands’ End The sleeper of the group. Nobody expects Lands’ End to be good and then you find the coat. Outerwear and the layering basics, and their size range is wider than most of this list, which matters.
For your house
Lulu & Georgia Rugs and decor. The pieces that make a room look finished rather than furnished.
Ruggable Washable rugs, which sounds like a gimmick until you have one in a kitchen or under a dining table. Their sales are the time to buy, because the rug and the pad add up quickly at full price.
Kathy Kuo Home So many gorgeous luxury pieces, I especially love the throw pillow selection here.
Crate & Barrel Kitchen and entertaining. If you are hosting anything between now and January, buy it now rather than in a panic the week before.
Beauty and the rest
Kosas They’re known for the most beautiful blushes, now is a great time to try one.
Ritual Supplements, and a site wide event. This one is a stock-up rather than a treat. I love the Magnesium + powder.
How I shop a holiday weekend sale
Four rules I actually follow, for whatever they are worth.
Buy the thing you already wanted. Sales are terrible at making you want new things and excellent at getting you a discount on the thing you have been circling for a month. If it was not in your head before Thursday, be suspicious of it.
Shop your own closet first. Ten minutes going through what you own tells you what you are missing. I do this every single time and every single time it changes what I buy.
Check the return policy on sale items. Final sale is common on holiday weekends and it is where the regret lives. If you are unsure about a fit, check before you order rather than after.
Buy the transitional pieces, not the summer ones. The white dress at 60 percent off is not a deal if you cannot wear it for nine months. A cardigan you will put on in three weeks is.
Happy shopping, and tell me what you found. I love knowing what everyone is buying.
