BY DYLAN BILES
Media General News Service
Published: December 23, 2008So, we’re coming down to it now. The holiday shopping season is in the last stretch and, like a marathon runner who has run 26 miles and is just trying to get through those final two-tenths, you have almost made it.
Now you are faced with braving the malls, fighting the throng of last-minute shoppers as you try to find the few items you’ve been putting off and have yet to buy.
Or maybe you are among those who have to guess what their friends and family want because, even after weeks of prodding and pleading, they never sent their gift wish list. In my family we have a hard and fast rule: If you don’t tell anyone what you want, you get underwear.
Over the past couple of weeks we have talked about the hottest trends and deals in electronics and in toys. This week, as you are crossing off the last few items on your shopping list, we’ll consider some of the options, trends and fantastic finds in the world of clothing and apparel. And I promise we will talk about more than underwear.
In general, this is the time to buy clothes of all types. Clothing is a necessity but the amount of savings that you can find sometimes gets lost in a sea of Nintendo Wii’s, plasma TVs and Tickle Me Elmos during the holiday season. Between now and the end of the year, buying clothing is one of the best ways to save money.
First of all, most stores will have amazing deals on non-name brand clothes. This is a holiday staple as consistent as a 24-hour marathon of “A Christmas Story.”

Socks and T-shirts (and, yes, underwear) can be found for rock bottom prices in most stores. This means that you can stock up on the essentials without paying an arm and a leg.
This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to settle for non-name brand quality. Department stores this year are offering some great sales that are available both in-store and online. Prices for name-brand apparel and accessories (including purses and jewelry) are readily available for the lowest prices we’ve seen this year.
What this means to you is that you can stock up on Polo, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica and the other brands whose higher quality normally require you to draw more deeply from your checking account. If you need a wardrobe upgrade, then this provides you with plenty of options.
But let’s say that designer brands are more your taste and, while you are willing to part with a few hundred dollars for a killer business outfit or a “knock-their-socks-off” party dress, you’ve found that the past few years have made those purchases harder for you to make. High-end designers are feeling the pinch too and, during the past couple of months, they have been offering discounts of 50 percent-70 percent on many of their lines.
In the last few days, we’ve noticed at DealTaker.com that stores selling items such as Tory Burch handbags, Ugg boots, Apple Bottoms jeans and others have really stepped up to the plate in regards to the amount they are willing to knock down their prices.
Mostly, however, apparel and accessory retailers are offering across-the-board, storewide discounts. For online stores these are coupled with lots of free shipping coupons. At most of your favorite clothing stores, like Gap, Old Navy and Aéropostale, you can find either coupons for up to 20 percent off your purchase, free shipping coupons on all orders or some combination of both.
So, whether you are buying new school clothes for your kids, stocking up on the essentials for the entire family or are just in dire need of an upgrade to your work (and play) wardrobe: Now is the time to buy.
Dylan Biles is a moderator and bargain-hunter for DealTaker.com, an online shopping Web site owned by Media General.