You can shop for September without writing off August. These are the discounted pieces that work in the heat now and keep working once it breaks.
There are weeks of summer left, and still the eye starts drifting towards autumn. Not out of any real longing for cold mornings and layers, though that has its own appeal. It is more that most summer wardrobes are settled by this point, whether the rest of the season means the beach, the city or a slow return to work.
The useful thing about the big summer sale is that it isn’t all swimwear and hot-weather pieces. Plenty of what’s discounted right now is the sort of thing that works through late summer, into autumn and across the awkward stretch in between. Below are the pieces and accessories worth catching now, chosen to make an August return to the office feel relaxed rather than stiff, and to still make sense in November.
The best sale buys for late summer and autumn 2026
1. Cardigan with pockets, Arket. The three-button cardigan with patch pockets has been in the Arket lineup for years, which tells you most of what you need to know about it.
2. Large suede bag, Toteme. A tote with room for everything you actually carry, plus the things you only think you need.
3. Flared jeans with pockets, & Other Stories. Pressed creases and front pockets make these read closer to trousers than denim. They hold up under a romantic blouse or a plain T-shirt equally well.
4. Croc-embossed sneakers, Adidas. Two autumn trends in one Samba: croc-embossed leather and purple.
5. Suit vest, & Other Stories. The answer to wanting a tailored look while it’s still too hot for a blazer. Wear it in place of one.
6. Belt, Khaite. A good belt lifts everything it’s put through, and this is a very good belt.
7. Organic cotton jeans, By Malene Birger. Light-wash and genuinely versatile, which is rarer in jeans than it sounds. Dress them up or down as required.
8. Mocha loafers, Arket. Brown suede loafers are the default jeans shoe from September through spring. They also work as office indoor shoes once the weather turns properly grim.
9. Tailored set, Toteme. A tailored top and classic suit trousers, sold separately and functioning either way. Worn together they read as a suit; split up they disappear into the rest of your wardrobe.
10. Striped pink shirt, & Other Stories. Colour, in an oversized cut, for anyone whose autumn basics have gone entirely neutral.
11. Leather bag, DeMellier. An everyday bag with enough character to work after dark as well as during the day.
12. Pleated skirt, & Other Stories. The mini works now with flat loafers and a light knit, and later with boots and a coat. Few skirts stretch that far.
13. Linen jacket, & Other Stories. Tailoring in a fabric you can still wear at the end of August.
