If you’re planning a visit to Europe this month, you may not get to enjoy the full experience of a long walk enjoying the greenery in the Borghese Gardens of Rome or the grounds of Versailles under a warm sun–but the annual sales might make up for the chilly weather and bare branches. The government-mandated sales period that starts in January and runs to about mid-February (there is another one in July) offers lots of chances to pick up super-chic clothes at a discount–which gets steeper as the weeks pass by. This is good news for Americans, who have been suffering from a low dollar for quite a while now.  Hotels also offer lower rates during this low season, and crowds are generally nonexistent at tourist sites. That might just be an incentive for you to snatch up a last-minute fare and head across the pond.

In Paris, I always check out the boutiques of my favorite French designers,  Isabel Marant in the gentrifying Bastille neighborhood (16, Rue Charonne) and Vanessa Bruno (my favorite location is at 25, rue St. Sulpice, a beautiful area for a stroll and “window-licking,” as the French say instead of “window shopping”). Colette (213, rue Saint-Honore), a bastion of cool and the prototype for “lifestyle boutiques” all over the world, is also a must. Check out this story in the New York Times for more info. If you go, bring back some macarons (I like the chocolate and salted caramel versions) from Pierre Herme for me!

In Italy my favorite store is probably Ethic, which offers unusually detailed or textured pieces at affordable prices. How I wish they offered online shopping! At the (much more) expensive end, I am a devotee of Marni, the appealingly girlish yet chic line by Consuelo Castiglioni. Stop by the flagship boutique in Milan’s “Golden Triangle,” a posh shopping neighborhood that’s home to the country’s most respected names in fashion.

Bon voyage!