How To Shop A Sample Sale - With Lulus.com

I love sample sales! They remind me a little of thrifting, because there's so many gems to be found, minus the millions of pairs of mom jeans and weird smells.

Last weekend was the annual Lulus.com sample sale. I met up with Stephanie Gaito of Lulu's Blogger Relations (the super cute girl checking out the purses in the photo below) to check it out. Here's a few tips and tricks for shopping a sample sale:

Go early: How early depends on the sale, but show up before they open to be one of the first ones through the doors. The earlier you get there the more great finds are to be had.

Or, go late. Last year I lined up on the first day of the Lulu's sale. I was one of the first people in the door and got some great things (like my favorite pink coat), but this year Stephanie and I went on Sunday, the second day. There were still a lot of people, but the crowds were significantly different. If you're looking for a specific item, go early, but if you want to avoid the crowds consider going the next day.

Know what you're looking for, but keep an open mind. In the hunt for a killer pair of heels, you might stumble upon the perfect Summer dress you didn't even know you needed.

Keep your outfit simple. All of the sample sales that I've been to haven't had dressing rooms. Some might, but be prepared to try clothes on over your clothes. The perfect outfit is leggings, a tank top, flats, and a cardigan that can be easily removed when trying things on.

Go with a friend. I'm not really an impulse shopper, but if you see something you love you have to buy it right away or it probably won't be there. Having a friend give their opinion and help with deciding whether or not to buy something is nice to have.

Bring cash. Most sample sales only take cash, so be prepared for that. Also, bringing cash is handy for setting a budget because you'll probably find a few too many things that you want to take home!

Have fun! Have you been to a sample sale? Which ones? What tips would you include?

I'm sure you're all already familiar with Lulu's, but just in case visit the shop and the blog.

This is a sponsored post by Lulus.com, but all content is original and opinions are mine.