Ladies, it’s August. Time for summer sales. Okay, slow down…and I mean slow down. Sales can be tempting. Cheap, cheap, cheap clothing, shoes, accessories–everywhere you look. But beware. Buying simply for the sake of buying can be be detrimental to your pocketbook and even worse… to your closet.

Janna and I just published an article in the Huffington Post titled “How to Become Your Own Fashion Editor.” In it, we point out the importance of being a ruthless editor when it comes to shopping.

The definition of edit is: to oversee, manage, control.

We are besieged with online sales and advertising. And virtual shopping is just a click away. It’s easy to “load up” on sale items and bargain fashions. But are the clothes we’re buying really considered ‘A+’ outfits, or are they simply mediocre garments at a phenomenal price?

Clothing is so inexpensive these days that it can almost be considered disposable. Except that we never seem to dispose of it. Quintessential Style readers tell us one of the most memorable lines from our book is: “Your closet is a river, Not the Dead Sea.”

Be your own ruthless fashion editor when it comes to shopping. Whether you are buying in a department store or online, if you know yourself, you can search out garments with the specific criteria that ‘fits you perfectly,’ rather than become a slave to trends and bargains. Try not to be blinded by the flash of fashion (and cheap clothing).

Having said all this, there are some items that may be valuable to stock up on during sale season:

• Basic pieces like t-shirts, tank tops, and jeans
• Underwear and lingerie
• Pajamas/robes you can wear all year-round

The later in the season, the more the discount. But the shorter the time you have to wear your bargains.  Summer will be soon be over. Remember, you have to store all those clothes and all those flip flops somewhere.

I learned my lesson–too late–when I went through my own swimsuit drawer recently. I had picked up bargain swimsuits on sale every summer–for years. Before I knew it, I had more swimsuits than my drawer could hold. (Check out my blog from last week and find out how I reorganized them.) Did I really love that swimwear? Nah. Looking back, I  probably just thought I couldn’t pass up a super deal.

Maybe you can learn from my mistake. Don’t be lured into purchasing just because something seems like a steal. Or you might be stuck will a load of stuff that you don’t really love. And chances are, you’ll love it even less next year.

Recently I saw this garage sale sign on the side of the road.

I laughed out loud, until I realized this could totally be my sign!