5 Shoe Sales You Should Know About

There are two times during the year that you can find designer shoes with slashed prices: at the end of June or during July and at the end of the year. I think post-Christmas sales are the most exciting, especially if you know when and where to look for deals. It’s the best time to stock up on boots and summer shoes as retailers try to clear out their inventory to make room for the new year. From 50 percent off to extra discounts at checkout, here’s my roundup of the top end-of-year shoe sales.

Nordstrom: If you’re a dedicated Nordstrom Rack shopper, you know to keep an eye out for those Clear the Rack sales, which happen a few times a year. And sometimes they actually coincide with the half-yearly sale or another event happening at Nordstrom. Right now, you can get shoes discounted up to 50% off their retail prices. But buy quickly! Top designers (think Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik) are being snatched up left and right and there are only a few sizes left in the available styles.

This amazing Jimmy Choo pom pom pump was marked down to from $995 to $397, but I was too late to snag a pair. And remember my post last week about winter shoe options? There are several great Aquatalia styles on sale, like these ankle boots.

On a tighter budget? No problem! The best thing about Nordstrom is that they carry a mix of options. So if you’re not ready to splurge on a high-end pair, there are plenty of fantastic shoes under $100 from brands like Cole Haan, Vince Camuto, and Marc Fisher.

Need comfort shoes? These classic slip on sneakers from Dr. Scholl’s get an upgrade with microstuds. Reviews on sizing are mixed though, so be sure to know your size or get to a store to try them on.

I also have a crush on these velvet wrap sandals by Kenneth Cole. And if you’re not into this plush fabric trend, this style comes in a lot of other materials and colors as well.

Neiman Marcus: If you’ve got time today or tomorrow, hurry over to you closest Neiman Marcus to get your designer shoes with a side of extra-33%-off. This is the sale I’ve had most luck with over the past couple years because my local stores always have designers shoes in smaller sizes available, including Louboutins. It also helps to befriend the sales associates so that they send you a head’s up.

Stuart Weitzman creates a lot of simple yet classic styles (that I’m aching to add to my closet) and I love it when those styles are elevated with rich details. Brightly color feathers elevate these sandals from basic black heels to statement sandals.

If you’re lucky, you can snag this classic Jimmy Choo evening sandal in pink glitter on sale. I love the sensually curving straps, but unfortunately this particular style doesn’t work on my feet because of my slightly high arches. If your size isn’t available online, pop into your local store. For those of you in DC, I saw several pairs at the Mazza Galleria location.

Don’t want to spend that much? Just like at Nordstrom, you’ll find other brands available online, including sneakers from Michael Kors. My budget pick is these this pair of adorable aqua blue lace up sandals. They’re almost sold out online, but you can also find them in other colors like pink or black.Saks Fifth Avenue: Like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, Saks is clearing out their inventory to make room for the next season. There were a lot more sale shoes to choose from earlier this week (yes, I’ve been checking out the sales every day) but you might still grab a great pair online. I’ve even spotted a few Louboutin styles, but those get sold out in a blink so you’ve gotta be fast to catch them. Tip: if you’re up at 5am, you have a better chance of getting what you want because that’s just before they send out their email promos. Don’t forget to check the Off 5th site as well! And if you’re not having a lot of luck online, you might actually be better of heading to a store to see what they’ve got!

Saks also gives you the option to add sold out items to your waitlist. This comes in handy during sale season as people return their gifts and other shoes pop up from forgotten crevices. I’ve got my eye on these studded slides from Joie.The Real Real: Not all great sales are restricted to brand new items. If you’ve never shopped for second hand treasures on The Real Real, now is a good time to start. They’ve taken up to 80% off some of their items for the year-end sale. Even though most of the shoes have been worn, all the items they consign go through careful inspection so you’re not going to get something shoddy. Many of the shoes are in near-perfect quality, despite having wear on the soles. So far, I’ve only purchased clothes from the site, but I’ve got my eye on a few pairs of shoes as well.

Ssense: This is the place to look for cult classics and funky finds on sale. They have everything—wacky sneakers, heels that look like sculptures, feminine frills, and minimalist favorites. But make sure you check out right after you decide what you want because styles sell out fast!

A final tip for shopping all these sales? Check all of the sites I mentioned above at the same time, and then again the next day. Quite often, you’ll find that they all carry the same styles on sale at competing prices. When Nordstrom might offer to take an extra 30% sale prices, Saks doesn’t—and vice versa. Don’t forget to set aside a full day to stop at all your local stores, and call ahead if you’ve made friends with a sales associate. Shopping end of seasons sales is a lot like a game. And if you find the exact style you want available in your size and also at an extra 30% off, you win!