[header] How to find cocktail dresses on sale [title] Shop clearance racks. [step] Instead of heading for the full priced dresses, find the racks that contain marked down dresses. Most department stores will mark down merchandise anywhere from 20%-80% off the original price. 
[substeps] Racks are usually grouped according to percentage off. Start with the racks containing the most mark downs if you are on a tight budget.