Soldes, soldes!!!

Together with the sun and the good weather. this morning the so-awaited invitations to the soldes privées (a.k.a. the private sales) for the loyal customers have arrived! The official sales begin here in Paris on June 30th, but those who are lucky and know the right people, receive these precious cards that allow them to get from - 20% to -50% off before everyone else... Heaven on Earth for the fashionistas! Those cards are supposed to be personal and not transferable... but we, women, can do the impossible!

Practically all stores go on sale, from the luxurious ones, such as Prada, Dior, Chanel, to big department stores as Galeries Lafayette or Printemps. Gap and H&M too. And don't forget the -20% offered by Sephora and Marionnaud, the biggest stores for fragrances and beauty products in Paris.

Just imagine the horde of mad buyers fighting over a lotion or a reduced lipstick!

The wiser ones follow a "sale protocol": they visit the stores some days in advance, single out the pieces they'll want and even try to befriend store employees so that they secretly put apart the desired stuff for them.

Of course, there are those who just lose their heads and buy a size 34 when they are a size 38 or 40, just because it's on sale...!

A tip from an expert: wear something comfortable, that you can easily take off in fitting rooms, carry a bottle of water and be objective... Don't buy just for buying! It's a time for being reasonable...