By Laurie Montoya

Shopping the winter clearance sales is an eagerly anticipated event for the seasoned shopper. Those who don’t mind digging a little can usually find bargains for sometimes as much as 75 percent off of great finds. Sale shopping in late winter also helps you to maintain your New Year’s resolution to be fabulous and stylish in all seasons. And this year,  retailers are coming off a lackluster December so many cold-weather treasures are a click of the “Clearance” button away.

Before you surf, put your game plan together. Stick to basic, classic items — something you will wear and enjoy for years makes a good deal even better.

On the other hand, if you typically gravitate to classic styles, now’s the time to consider stepping outside your box to buy something a bit more trendy. Plus, grabbing a trendy item that is for sale at a big discount is always a good feeling. Certainly you shouldn’t put something in your virtual shopping cart that you know you’ll only wear once. If you carefully pick something age appropriate that works with items already in your closet, you’ll have safely updated your wardrobe. Take serious stock of your closet in advance of the hunt so you can assess where the winter fashion holes are. Making that list can keep you from getting caught up in sale fever and ending up with your fifth black turtleneck or a pair of boots that look suspiciously like several you already own.

When it comes to fit, if there’s any doubt, buy a size up and have the garment tailored. The money you save buying something on the markdown racks can be put toward the price of alterations and it’s worth it if you end up with a great piece that you wear often.

Be mindful of return policies as they vary from website to website. Sale items are frequently “no return,” so consider all the possible pitfalls before you type in that MasterCard number. The longer you wait, the slimmer the selections in your size or color. So don’t get too attached until you click on the drop down menu to see what’s available.

Keep in mind that the selections and prices on these sale items change almost daily, so some of our links below may be sold out by the time you get around to shopping. But shop around on that site or the others we mention, and you might find similar styles in the discount bin. 

Outerwear: It’s not too late to pick up that chic little trench coat or casual cropped jacket. Outerwear that is still on virtual store racks this time of the year can generally be had for at least 40 percent off the original price. Coats and jackets are akin to accessories in their ability to finish an outfit. Check your closet first and remove anything that looks worn or outdated, then begin your search for something more current to wear now, next year and beyond. This lightweight Mike and Chris canvas gray trench at Luvcharlie.com is a versatile piece that you can layer in various ways. Another nice piece to snap up is be this Julie Haus black Carnaby swing coat. It has a peacoat vibe with a vintage silhouette. If what you need is something with a little more edge, consider something like this Robert Rodriguez cropped patent peacoat (at left) on sale for $555. Bloomingdale’s has knocked down a lot of prices, such as this great looking black Milli wool cape is down $45 to $135. Or maybe you are craving the punch of color that this Echo chunky texture capelet (pictured above) gives at $72.99. The sunset orange color is revitalizing at a reasonable price point.

Party clothes: The best time to buy a party dress is when you don’t need one. Buying evening wear is easier when you’re not under the pressure of a looming event. Cocktail clothes put on sale after Christmas are like wallflowers at the school dance. Nobody is looking at them so it’s an exceptional opportunity to stock up on dressy attire. If you are really lucky and have a good eye, you can score serious markdowns on some fabulous finds that you’ll wear year round. At White House Black Market this Midnight cocktail dress was on sale for $50. Over at Luvcharlie.com, this Development button placket tunic dress ($150) is rendered dressy with its satin bow detail. Bergdorf Goodman has pages of evening wear on sale right now including a black Milly ruffled dress ($200) that you could wear to formal events all year. Equally stylish is a Cynthia Rowley tiered shift dress pictured here, ($258). Or maybe you’d prefer this Robert Rodriguez fuchsia satin V-neck dress ($144). If a dressy suit would fill a gap in your closet, then take a look at this black satin ensemble from Theory. The strapless dress is on sale for $151 and the matching jacket is marked down to $160. All of these Bergdorf items are priced at over 50 percent off.

Boots: If you’ve been reading along so far, we really don’t have to explain the whole footwear obsession thing, do we? There’s no such thing as too many shoes. But there are times when even the biggest footwear fanatic feels a little light in the boot department. Focus on colors and textures you don’t already own. Sale time is the best time to replenish your shabby suedes and these Italian dark green mid-calf boots ($183) by Scorah Pattullo on Shopbop are a good find. Rubbers are handy this time of the year – a cute pair can lift your spirits on a rainy gray day. Check out the fun varieties of Yogini rain boots  at Nine West for $40. If riding boots are something you’ve been thinking about, these dark brown kidskin Buckups ($90) are worth a look. Maybe you’re in the mood to splurge on a pair of really nice boots. Then head over to Net-A-Porter where you’ll find a large selection of big-name designers on sale (albeit in limited sizes) including these Marc Jacobs brown suede and leather knee-high boots for $976 and these tall Chloe leather buckle boots for $836. If your current boot stock is calling for a pair of short boots, then these Chloe brown leather ankle boots, at left, marked down to $591 might have your name on them.

Belts: Here’s where your homework is especially important since you’ll know what you could use. Belts are a particularly good buy right now, since becoming such an essential component in fashion — designers continue to show belts with everything from coats to shirts to dresses. Shopbop is currently loaded with belts on sale. This four buckle chocolate patent leather belt (at right, $118) is available for a deeply discounted 70 percent off. Also on sale is this white double ring patent wrap ($120) belt in ivory. Geren Ford’s long leather skinny belt ($93) would a fun and different addition to your belt collection. If it’s basic patent leather you’re after, Bloomingdale’s has these colorful Avignon patent belts for a mere $89. At that price you may want to stock up with a few colors: coose among denim blue, chocolate or cherry red.

Gloves: Long gloves look great with all the three quarter sleeved coats and jackets that have been prominent this fall and winter. Since gloves are something you don’t wear all year, it’s earned a place on our list of Great Things to Buy on Sale. These solid leather gloves in tobacco brown ($104) at Bergdorf Goodman are half off their original price. Also on sale at Bergdorf are these long GIM patent leather gloves ($79). The black was sold out when we went shopping, but we still found pairs in dark brown, green or gray. If you’d prefer something in cashmere, take a look at these long Juicy Couture gloves ($69 — 60 percent off) on sale at Nordstrom. Better still, snap up this set of cashmere gloves and matching scarf , at left, for $55.90 in your choice of black, camel, cheesecake or posh red. With deals like these why not do some multi-tasking and buy a few extra sets to tuck in your gift closet for birthdays or Christmas.