I save over £1.2k a year shopping in the high street sales

Chantelle Znideric, 44, a personal stylist and professional shopper, loves nothing more than finding a high street bargain. Here the mum-of-two from Devon reveals how she built a dream wardrobe on a tight budget.

Standing in front of my wardrobe, I’m spoilt for choice, torn between whether to wear the red French Connection jumpsuit or the black Oliver Bonas dress. Whatever I choose, I know one thing for sure. I’m guaranteed to be wearing a high street bargain.

I’ve always loved searching for great clothes at a knock-down price. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, money was tight, and my parents didn’t understand my passion for fashion. If I wanted to get the latest looks, I had to be creative about it.

At markets and charity shops I’d hunt for hours for the outfits I craved, taking basics like jeans, trainers and sweatshirts and styling them in my own unique way.

On a non-uniform day at school one year, when I was 14, I rocked up in a white shirt, tie and velvet jacket that I’d bought for just a few pounds. I was thrilled when people said I looked like Madonna. It was so validating to know that people thought I looked good without splashing the cash. I’d been bitten by the bargain-hunting bug.

That was also the era when certain high street brands became iconic in their own right. Everyone was obsessed with Levi’s and I was desperate to own a pair. But they were totally out of my price range.

When my dad spotted that famous red label in a supermarket in France, on our family holiday, my heart soared. Then he bought them for me, and it was such an amazing feeling. I had that little red label of my own.

But despite leaving my Madonna era long ago, high street brands stayed close to my heart.

In 2006, I started a fashion blog as a hobby, alongside my job as a graphic designer. It felt like the perfect way to write about the things I loved.

I’d help readers with their fashion dilemmas, review products and highlight the sales. It was amazing to help people find a look they loved without breaking the bank. In 2007, at 28, I took the leap into personal styling full-time, setting up Personal-stylist.co.uk.

Now, as a busy mum to my daughters Suuki, 12, and Marni, 10, my look is bright, vibrant and practical. I have the same strategies for my own wardrobe as I do for the clients I help – the tips and tricks that mean I save over £1,200 a year on high street bargains.

First, I’m tactical. I organise my wardrobe so I can see everything and know what’s in there. On one side are my tops and the other are trousers, skirts, jackets and blazers. I have a separate hanging space for all my full-length dresses and accessories.

I hang as much as I can. Not only are you more likely to wear something if you can see it, it also helps you see what’s missing.

Patience is the key to bagging a bargain. I always have a list of items in my head of things that I want to get, and I make myself wait until I see exactly the right thing at the right price.

In 2008 I’d been on the hunt for a leather jacket for ages, when I spotted one in Oasis while rummaging through the sale rails.

It was a black bomber and as soon as I tried it on, I knew it was perfect. Especially when I saw the price, £150 down to £18 – an amazing £132 saving. Even 15 years later, I still wear it.

Another huge win for me was my John Lewis coat. A few years ago, I’d wanted to inject a splash of colour to my wardrobe and felt like everyone was wearing black coats that winter.

Browsing online I saw this pop of pink, and as soon as I saw it was £35, down from £229, I snapped it up. But the price was only half the story. I knew it would have longevity. It was warm enough for winter but light enough to slip off in the tube or in a hot shop with clients. You have to shop with your head as much as your heart.

Over the years I’ve realised that some high street items are a false economy. Knitwear is tricky because, while it can be cheap, if it bobbles after the first wash it’s not money well spent. Especially as it’s worn on the top half of your body, the part other people are most likely to notice.

Jeans on the other hand can be amazing from high street brands and I love jumpsuits. Two of my favourites are from French Connection, a red one that was £18 and a black one for £20. I snapped up both in store and each were reduced from £75.

Dresses are another high street win. I picked up a lovely Never Fully Dressed cotton printed maxi dress for just £27. The full price was £100 so I saved £73. And every woman needs a little black dress. Mine came from Oliver Bonas for £22.50, down from £65.

They are staples for me and worn year-round. But not every item needs to be for every season.

My Kitri navy polka dot dress, which was down from £125 to £19 online, is more of an evening look. As a busy mum, there aren’t as many nights out as there used to be, but it rolls up and doesn’t crease, so is perfect for summer holidays. It always gets so many compliments.

Accessories are a perfect way to dip your toe into bargain-hunting. My Finery bag, which I got for £20, reduced from £69, looks great with anything.

But even with accessories I make sure I’m patient in getting the very best price. A few years ago, I saw a pair of Each x Other sandals that I fell in love with at TK Maxx. The original price was £400, and they were down to £100. But I still couldn’t justify the spend.

I scoured the internet for months, knowing that I’d find them eventually. One day on the second-hand shopping app Vinted there they were, at just £5. I couldn’t buy them fast enough.

Vinted is also the place I bagged my French Connection red suit. The trousers were £15, down from £85 and the blazer £15, down from £95. On the site if you filter items by ‘new with tags’ it’s going to be the same as what you’d find in-store but with a steep saving.

The fact is that while I still love an old-school rummage in a charity shop or a sale rails – just ask my husband Hayden and daughters who I’m always begging for five minutes after spotting something in a shop window – online has been a game changer for bargains.

I personally don’t bother with store cards, the 10% discount off a first purchase really isn’t that much. But make sure you sign up to all of your favourite online retailers. Often, you’ll find out when they’re about to have a sale, and you’ll get early access to what’s on offer.

Browsing first gives you the chance to consult the mental list of what you’re looking for, and not get flustered and make a panic purchase.

It can also be worth hanging on even longer. If you hold your nerve, two or three weeks after the sale begins, items often have an extra 10-20% off.

Not sure what to put on your must-have list? It sounds obvious but revisit your existing wardrobe and try things on. That’s the best way to not only remember what you have but remember what suits you and makes you feel good.

Before you fall for an amazing price reduction, make sure that it goes with five things you already own. In some clients’ homes I’ll see sales items with tags still on them that they’ve never worn, because they don’t work with what they already have.

If in doubt, stick to fashion staples like jeans and really good t-shirts. But whatever the piece, only buy in your size. Don’t be seduced into something too big or small. It won’t fit you properly or make you feel good, so you won’t wear it, however little it cost you.

But get it right and, like me, you can slip on a beautiful high street bargain and feel that incredible endorphin boost. After all, saving money on something special is always in fashion.