Tibi Sale: To Participate or Not to Participate?

That's the question

The semi-annual Tibi sale is supposed to start today, and as an experienced Tibi fan, I’ve found that it no longer feels like an exciting event - it’s become more of a stressful period of planning, consideration, and weighing options. The FOMO, the misalignment with my wardrobe goals or timing, and the fact that most purchases are final sale (although most Tibi purchases are final sale for us Tibi fans in Europe) made me question whether it even makes sense to participate this time. So I started thinking through my options.

Option 1: Skip the sale altogether.

I actually skipped the last sale - and guess what? My life stayed perfectly on track. Sure, I missed out on a few pieces I loved (hello, snail skirt!), but nothing disastrous happened. I still have plenty to wear from the more expansive acquisitions I made a few years ago. I also picked up a few things from the outlet later (tip: definitely check the last page of the outlet - they sometimes bring back gems like the Ali pants, which I’m seriously eyeing). There are also plenty of great listings on Cleowave and The RealReal that can be reacquired later. Remember the zipper jogger craze? Now it’s easy to find them secondhand. As I’ve said before, most of these pieces reappear. When the sale frenzy fades, you can shop at your own pace - when you truly need the item.

On the other hand…

Tibi is one of the few brands whose pieces I still love after dozens - sometimes hundreds - of wears. When it works, it really works. There are only a few brands I feel that way about: Tibi, The Curated, and a handful of COS pieces. They have the modernity and/or quality that makes me want to rewear them - not just tolerate them. And realistically, full-price Tibi is still out of reach for me, no matter how strong the cost-per-wear argument. So yes, the sale is still a rare opportunity to get something I genuinely want.

Option 2: Wait for the second half of the sale.

I came up with a plan to avoid diving in immediately. I’d set a few personal goals for the next month and then allow myself a few purchases as a reward. This would help avoid the early sale madness, leave budget for shoes (if any are available), and still allow me to track down missing pieces secondhand on my own timeline.

I was pretty committed to this plan - or even skipping the sale altogether - until I found out I’ll be in New York during the sale. That almost never happens. How can I pass this up? No duties, the chance to try everything on, and the best way to pick only the most flattering and functional Tibi pieces.

And yet…

Part of me still resents that this takes away my sense of timing and control. It makes the opportunity so compelling, it’s hard to resist. But it would feel a bit ridiculous to pass up this chance, only to buy the same pieces a month later, with duties and guessing involved.

So here are my picks for the sale - or at least the ones I’m most eager to try on (note: I don’t know which of these will actually be included in the sale):

4-Ply Silk T-Shirt Dress, Shirred Nylon Paneled Skirt, Eco Poplin Bubble Hem Shirt Jacket, Bio Twill Riding Skirt, Cavalier Twill Shrunken Blazer, Rohan Sweatpant, Lloyd Tote Bag (unlikely to be on sale but I am still considering it), Baby Rain Bootie, Tropical Wool Short.

I hope the Tibi store doesn’t work its usual magic on me - and that I walk out with a great try-on experience and just a couple of truly loved pieces, rather than everything.

In the meantime, I wish you all the best if you’re participating in the Tibi sale - and strength if you’re not!