Harvey Nichols have released their summer sale ads and while they are not quite as controversial as last year’s wetting-pants images, it is still an eye-catching campaign featuring elegantly attired headless chickens. 

Of course, the trick to sales is to be the very opposite of a headless chicken. You must plan and plot meticulously, you need to go into the battle of the sales knowing what you want to buy, what size you need it in and exactly how much you are prepared to spend. 

Either strike early in this organised fashion, or wait until the end of the sales when the crowds have subsided and there is 70 per cent off.

What you want to avoid at all costs is a situation where you spend money you don’t have on a dress that doesn’t fit.

So when do the sales start? 

Harvey Nichols starts online at 10am Tuesday 11 June and in-store on Wednesday 12 June, with up to 50 per cent off.
Liberty starts on 13 June.
Matches starts on 12 June, with up to 50 per cent off. 
Browns starts on 14 June. 
LN-CC starts on 14 June, with 30 per cent off all brands and 40 per cent off selected brands. 
Harrods starts on 15 June. 
Selfridges and Net-a-Porter are being coy and keeping schtum on when their sales start but they won’t want to lag behind so you can expect them to go into sale in mid-June too. 

So get ready for jabbing elbows and untidy fitting rooms – it’s almost sale time.