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Black Friday arrives earlier every year. By the actual Friday, most of us have had forty emails and three countdown timers for a sale that started a fortnight ago.
A good discount is a good discount, and if something I've wanted since September drops by a third, I'll be first in the queue. But cheaper isn't the same as worth it. A piece you'd never have bought at full price doesn't become a bargain because it costs less. It just becomes something else in the drawer.
01
The basket test
Four questions before anything goes in. If a piece can't pass all four, the discount doesn't matter.
- Would I have wanted it at full price?
- Can I name three outfits I'd wear it with tomorrow, from what I already own?
- Have I bought this colour before? If not, is there a reason?
- Do I know this fit works on me, or is the price talking me into a gamble?
02
Three colour stories
Rather than a basket of odds and ends, I'd shop by colour. Pick one story, buy into it properly, and everything you add works together. There are enough reduced pieces here to build a whole week from a single story.
Cherry and wine
Deep reds are the easiest way to look put together in winter, and they're forgiving on dark mornings.
Start with Bo+Tee's seamless full-length leggings in dark cherry, down from £55 to £40. Gym King's 365 legging in deep cherry is £14 from £35 if you want a second pair without the second price tag.
For the top half, Gym King's 365 raglan funnel in deep cherry is £19.20 from £48, Never Fully Dressed's burgundy Diaz top is £29 from £79, and LSKD's cherry lacquer shelf-bra tank is £16 from £65.
Then the layers that make it look intentional: Gym King's Script fleece hoodie in deep cherry and cream is £22 from £55, the matching Script fleece jogger is £18 from £45, and the Script Mindset hoodie in scarlet is £22 from £55.
For runs, Gym King's ruby red mesh panel shorts are £15, half price, and the burnt cherry cycle short is £6.25 from £25. To finish, FILA's red Superbubble trainers are £42 instead of £70.
Forest green
Green is the colour I see people reach for, then talk themselves out of. A sale is the low-risk moment to try it.
Alo's Airlift leggings in spruce green are £102, down from £128, and they're the investment pair here. Cheaper ways in: Gym King's Elevate seamless legging in deep pine at £10.50 from £35, the Power lightweight seamless in pine green at £15.20 from £38, the Script jersey legging in green smoke at £10 from £25, and the 365 flared yoga legging in green mist at £15.20 from £38.
Pair them with District Vision's panelled long-sleeve tee in spring green, half price at £57.19, which works as well on a cold run as it does with jeans. Gym King's 365 fitted tee in deep forest is £8.80 from £22, and LSKD's Bend & FLX plunge bra in transformative teal is £25 from £65.
For the cold mornings, Gym King's Athletics Club hoodie in deep forest is £23.20 from £58, the Replenish peached seam hoodie in brushed sage is £16.50 from £55, and the Signature paper-bag trouser in dusky sage is £13.50 from £45.
For shorts, Gym King's seamless 3" in matcha are £11.20 and the 365 5" in green smoke are £11.20 from £28. Then FILA's green suede Ritmo trainers, £66 from £110, pull the whole thing together.
Stone and cream
The quiet story, and the one that works with everything else you own.
LSKD's On the Move trench in shale beige is the piece I'd buy first. It was £205 and is £125, which is £80 off something I'd wear most days until April. Under it, Alo's washed crop long sleeve in grey sky, £58 from £84.
For the weekend, Blakely's Briston oversized hoodie in cream is £39, down from £59, and Gym King's Restore knit crew in oatmeal marl is £18 from £60, with the matching straight-leg jogger at £16.50 from £55.
Then the everyday bits: Gym King's rib split-hem trouser in cream is £12.50 from £50, the Composure cropped crew in cream is £13.50 from £45, the Serenity rib square-neck long sleeve in grey marl is £7 from £28, and TALA's multiway beach knit top in ivory is £13.80 from £46.
03
Before you check out
Check the returns window, as some sale pieces are final sale. And check that the price has really dropped: a line through a number isn't always a saving.
Prices were correct when I wrote this and will change through the week, so confirm on the retailer's site before you buy.
Shop slowly, buy what you'll wear, and enjoy the money you didn't spend.
04
Shop the edit
- Bo+Tee seamless leggings in dark cherry
- Gym King 365 legging in deep cherry
- Gym King 365 raglan funnel in deep cherry
- Never Fully Dressed burgundy Diaz top
- LSKD cherry lacquer shelf-bra tank
- Gym King Script fleece hoodie in deep cherry and cream
- Gym King Script fleece jogger in deep cherry and cream
- Gym King Script Mindset hoodie in scarlet
- Gym King ruby red running shorts
- Gym King burnt cherry cycle short
- FILA red Superbubble trainers
- Alo Yoga Airlift leggings in spruce green
- Gym King Elevate seamless legging in deep pine
- Gym King Power lightweight seamless legging in pine green
- Gym King Script jersey legging in green smoke
- Gym King 365 flared yoga legging in green mist
- District Vision panelled long-sleeve tee in spring green
- Gym King 365 fitted tee in deep forest
- LSKD Bend & FLX plunge bra in transformative teal
- Gym King Athletics Club hoodie in deep forest
- Gym King Replenish peached seam hoodie in brushed sage
- Gym King Signature paper-bag trouser in dusky sage
- Gym King seamless 3" shorts in matcha
- Gym King 365 5" shorts in green smoke
- FILA green suede Ritmo trainers
- LSKD On the Move trench in shale beige
- Alo Yoga washed crop long sleeve in grey sky
- Blakely Briston oversized hoodie in cream
- Gym King Restore knit crew in oatmeal marl
- Gym King Restore knit straight-leg jogger in oatmeal marl
- Gym King rib split-hem trouser in cream
- Gym King Composure cropped crew in cream
- Gym King Serenity rib square-neck long sleeve in grey marl
- TALA multiway beach knit top in ivory
- FILA oyster grey Superbubble trainers
