And C&Js Belgrave, best casual shoe I have ever bought, also not in sale.

Historically I've never been motivated to buy stuff in sales, but the exception now is T&A shirts. Of course, you're getting the resplendent stripes and not the plain shirts, but I just couldn't pay full wack for T&A shirt, not at 265 quid or 425 or whatever it is for the Viyella ones.

If you go for the known quality manufacturers you'll be in the best in class zone everytime, albeit the usual considerations of fit, size and what suits you comes into play. I've had few recent regrets, although I went a bit bonkers and bought a load of Dockers chinos because I liked the cloth during the first half of 2015. I might add I was on strong medication at the time, so consider those purchases an aberration under the influence.

I've noticed some lasts of C&J's and also Foster & Sons benefit from a thicker sock and seem to be slightly larger than an E fitting.

Ferragamo ties, no Beestonplace, no! But in saying that, rather than sales, it's airport terminals I go bonkers in: many a time I've come back with all kinds of shirts, jackets and exotic booze I would never normally buy. Ermenegildo Zegna use to be top of the list for airport purchases back in the 2000s.

The best watch I've purchased recently is an Ole Mathieson with roman numerals - relatively cheap as chips, but looks the part and stands out in its simple plain and unadulterated glory.

Interesting thread; what I'm getting out of it is that good quality, classic items always repay the outlay on them whether it's full or reduced price. Also never buy on impulse because something is reduced, only buy if you really like it and it fits/ suits you - all easier said than done of course.

There is very little that I need, my wardrobe is replete so I am in the business of replacing or upgrading when the opportunity arises. I have a strong aversion to paying the full price for anything, we all know the huge markups that go on in clothing retail, so where possible I wait until things are on sale. Retailers have different approaches to discounting, some never discount their classic staple items while others discount across the board at sale time. My favourite shops are Allen Edmonds for shoes and J Press for suits, jackets and trousers, both of whom discount widely a couple of times a year. So those Leeds shoes Patrick mentioned are currently 15% cheaper than normal. Top of the range $1350 J Press suits are down 60% to $540 at the moment, I've bought three of their classic suits in this way during the last few years.

I feel like starting a fight

With all the retailers who tried to sell me their leftovers ,

An accountant mate of mine does the books for one of the up market mens wear/pseudo-tailors here in the Netherlands - they have shops in Rotterdam, the Hague and Amsterdam. He says they make a profit two times a year: the post-Christmas and summer sales. The rest of the year, they kind of break even, but even with their 40-60% discounts they still have a massive mark-up and make a good profit.

It makes sense to buy in sales actually, but of course, certain sellers and non-seasonal stuff are not going to be in a sale.

The retail market here in the Netherlands is changing rapidly, the middle players are going bankrupt i.e. V&A and the others are either going up-market into sub-Harvey Nicks territory i.e. the Bijenkorpf and then you have cheap as chips Primark.

The menswear stores are not immune from this either: a couple of chains have reinvented themselves as MTM suit and shirt makers. A couple of bespoke shirt makers have set themselves up in the Hague in the last 6 or 7 years and seem to be doing well, especially considering the rip-off prices and mediocre cloths. The King's tailor is now owned by three shareholders and is extending their shop and especially good for Hermes style ties for between €69-89. The company my mucca does the books for use to be very popular with the Dutch MP's, but like other organisations, the dress code in parliament has changed and he says they're are now shopping for cheaper alternatives.

In any event, sales are no bad thing and why buy something one week when you know in a few weeks time it will be discounted at 40-60%? It makes no sense, we don't live in a world where fashion is that fickle and short term anymore.

The T&A sales stuff is their seasonal ranges at the end of the line, they're not specially made as a lower grade sales collection. Of course Ralphy boy started the sales collection with his Chaps range and has been in enraptured to the lowest common denominator ever since.