You may have noticed some posts from our friends at the Strategist on the Cut. They’ll be dropping in every now and again, sharing their expertise on the basics you don’t have time to research and the weird and wonderful things you don’t yet know you need.
A lot of very good sales started this week ahead of the Fourth of July. A few of our writers put together guides on how to shop some of the best ones, including Everlane’s summer sale, Girlfriend’s rare sitewide sale, and the mind-bogglingly good sale at Zara. But there are many, many more, which I’ve rounded up in my guide to the best Fourth of July sales. And Amazon officially launched its (very) early Prime Day deals this week. I’ve collected some of the best ones so far, and my fellow writers Dominique Pariso and Amelia Jerden have pulled their favorite early deals under $50 and early sleep deals, too. For my end-of-week wrapup, I picked out what I think are some of the best of these early sales below, and added in other excellent discounts I noticed popping up, like some rarely-on-sale Emeco and Kartell furniture. The stuff is still a bit pricey, though, so I also found some not-so-expensive bath linens and bedding from Cold Picnic, Piglet in Bed, and West Elm.
Sales in the beauty department were a bit light this week, but Net-a-Porter has some nice luxury beauty from Pat McGrath and Tata Harper at normal-people prices, and all of La Roche-Posay’s sunscreens are on sale at both Amazon and Ulta.
As always, make sure to sign up for our email newsletter for even more sales coverage — including extra deals each Friday hand-selected by yours truly.
Our favorite sunscreen serum has a thin texture that wears well under makeup without being oily on the skin.
For even more sun protection, this straw bucket hat is quite cute (and half off).
Lots of designer beauty up to 60 percent off at Net-a-Porter, but I’m most swayed by the cache of Pat McGrath makeup on sale.
This comes in three summery shades: berry red (pictured here), mauve, and bright pink.
Our most-recommended dental floss is 20 percent off with the code COCOSUMMER. (It’s also a favorite of Danielle Duboise, Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional, and several Strategist staffers.)
The epilator we’ve been raving about for years (it makes your legs feel like they “have never even grown hair”) is $30 off right now. This version comes with a shaver head, three trimmer caps, and a bikini styler.
Never been a better time to get the bug-bite-suction doodad. It instantly soothes all manner of stings and bites.
And to keep mosquitoes away in the first place, writer Kat Gillespie recommends the Thermacell in her best bug repeller roundup. It creates a 20-foot protective field — no smoke or flames required — that keeps bugs away for about five hours.
I just bought this $20 version, which covers a smaller zone (about 15 feet).
There’s a buy-more-save-more sale going on at Great Jones right now. Everything is 15 percent off; orders over $100 are 20 percent off; and orders over $200 are 25 percent off. I say grab this two-set of Great Jones’ best-selling nonstick sheet trays, which are bundled with two reusable baking mats for extra-easy cleanup.
In her guide to the best strollers, Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo crowned the Ergobaby Metro+ Deluxe her favorite less-expensive option for city living. “I am able to quickly carry it up subway stairs with my son sitting in it,” she says.
The “It” pencils of my youth are very on sale, for kids who still take physical notes.
Zara’s summer sale is extremely good, and especially in the kids’ section. Kinda wish these rainbow sandals came in my size.
There’s also lots of great kids’ clothing on sale at Hanna Andersson, like this breezy sundress — with pockets!
A very inexpensive rash guard for the kids who simply hate sunscreen.
Classic Hanna Andersson pajamas in a summer-friendly tee-and-shorts combo. There are plenty of patterns, from zoo animals to ice-cream cones.
And for adults: this organic-cotton muslin robe that’s a pretty close look-alike of Parachute’s (much more expensive) Cloud Cotton robe. It comes in four colors.
Girlfriend Collective hasn’t had a sale in a while, so I was delighted to see that full-priced items are 25 percent off and sale items are up to 70 percent off. I love the brand’s bike shorts, especially now that the seasonal shades — the one pictured here is Prism — are only $17. For even more finds, see Gillespie’s favorite picks from the sale.
This swishy dress from Eloquii — which comes in sizes 14 through 32 — is a great casual dress on extra-hot days, but it would also make a nice wedding-guest dress.
Everlane’s (really good) summer sale has a lot of office-appropriate dresses and tops, including this remarkably priced linen shirtdress.
I like that this linen shirt doesn’t button all the way down.
At Madewell, sale items are an extra 30 percent off with the code COOLDOWN — so now’s an excellent time to stock up on the brand’s best-in-class jeans for under $100.
I’m still very into the carpenter pants-slash-shorts trend, especially at this price.
Our managing editor, Kelsie Schrader, just bought these front-pocket shorts, which she says are a nice length. (She’s five-feet-two.)
Sustainable denim brand Warp + Weft’s Warehouse Sale recently started. Strangely, you can’t tell what the percentage off will be until checkout, but I added a bunch of stuff to my cart and found pretty much all the discounts to be steep. This ivory-and-blue stripy pattern is fun, and it’s also available as a structured vest and a baby-doll dress. (It also has pant sizes 00–14.)
For best-in-class shapewear, you can’t go wrong with Spanx.
Strategist fashion writer Ambar Pardilla has been testing (and likes!) these pants.
Some shockingly cheap Salomons on sale at Nordstrom Rack.
Missoma makes some of our favorite stud earrings, and right now hundreds of earrings, necklaces, and even a few sunglasses are up to 50 percent off. Strategist senior editor Ailbhe Malone is eyeing these claw charm hoops.
Yes, you can swear scarves in the summer. (The dress in this picture is on sale, too.)
And here’s a version for stripe savants. (I like this blue-and-red option, too.)
Cuyana is having a rare and rather good sale. This is the non-zippered version of Mya Gelber’s top work tote pick, on sale in the color Biscuit.
A promising-looking waterproof phone pouch that’ll be useful for warm-weather adventuring.
Early Amazon Prime Day deals are already live, and so far, the best discounts are on Amazon’s in-house products. Our tech writer, Jordan McMahon, tested Blink’s home-security system and was impressed with its simplicity. “For every component (doorbell, indoor camera, and outdoor camera) that I tested, setup was as easy as logging into the app, scanning a few QR codes, and putting the equipment in place”, he says.
Everything at P.F. Candle Co. is up to 30 percent off through July 3, and orders over $75 get free shipping. According to candle influencer Kudzi Chikumbu, the brand’s Black Fig candle is a very convincing dupe of Figuier from Diptyque.
The only sticks that my incense-averse boyfriend actually likes.
It’s officially lightweight quilt season. I’m deeply interested in this heritage-y patchwork option from Ralph Lauren.
Last week, I wrote about Piglet in Bed’s sale in our newsletter (reminder: sign up!), and plenty of stuff is still on sale. This hand towel makes me think of blackberry ice cream.
Another excellent bathroom deal: this cheerful bath mat from Cold Picnic for just $50.
I’ve been writing about mid-century-modern furniture and décor since 2017, so trust me when I say this: While 15 percent off isn’t a huge discount, it is about as good as you’ll get for Jasper Morrison–designed stuff.
Also a pretty good deal on Kartell’s iconic modular storage units.
But now I’m smitten with this cheery two-level unit!
Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst attests that despite the steep price tag, this sculptural side table is worth the money. “It holds a ton of crap that can be hidden by simply turning it around, and despite having drinks left on top of it and all manner of liquids and creams spilled on it, it still looks virtually brand-new,” she writes.
Our kitchen writer Emma Wartzman’s favorite coasters are 40 percent off (and come in a rainbow of colors).
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
