Weirdest Shopping Experience - Ever
Approximately one year ago I decided to avoid fast fashion and cheap high street stores because my wardrobe and closets were full to the brim with junk. Earlier this year I finally cut back on purposeless vintage shopping as well. An important part of my shopping rehab experience was to get rid of all the useless things so during the spring I sold and auctioned off three fourths of my clothes. Finally I can proudly say I’m stuff-free!
Yesterday, at long last, I went shopping. I had with me a shopping list of truly indispensable items and money to burn. Funnily enough, I came back empty handed. I couldn’t find anything that would have made me 100% satisfied. The clothes I tried on were somehow off; they felt impersonal or they were of poor quality. Back in the days these things wouldn’t have prevented me from buying some of these items since the clou of shopping was always the event of purchase or the image or the look I was after. Suitability or quality were completely secondary issues for me. But not yesterday.
It seems my blossoming shopping addiction is finally dying back and I’m slowly beating the stuff problem. Yay! Kudos to me! Today I will travel to Helsinki to see what the capital has to offer. This time I’m ready to make the effort and I won’t be content with something less than perfect. As Madonna once put it (well, she was talking about men but it fits for clothes as well): You deserve the best in life, so if the time isn’t right then move on. Second best is never enough, you’ll do much better baby on your own.
Sanna 26. June 2008 | Shopping | Comment [4]
January Sales Are Here
January sales started right after Christmas and they have hit high street stores big time. There are some brilliant bargains on offer as the department and designer stores slash up to 70% off their prices. I decided to steer clear of sales this time around as I simply suck in sales. I have to admit I’m one of those people who go for “nearly there” items just because they are on sale. I have a nasty tendency to chose purchases based on their reduced price more than anything else which is so not good. There are, fortunately, a few tips that can make anyone – even those hopeless cases like yours truly – a wiser and firmer bargain hunter.
Bargain hunting is shopping taken to the next level. The key to successful sale shopping is to choose wisely. You should come away with a couple of key pieces, not 6 pairs of shoes, dozen of ill fitting blouses and 4 bags. Instead of purchasing the whole damn lot, you could think about going for a couple of classic items.
Another great tip is to go for excellent quality pieces you possibly couldn’t afford before. If your wardrobe is 99 per cent Hennes & Mauritz, Zara and Topshop – think accessories. One fabulous bag from a posh designer store can lift an entire outfit, same goes for shoes.
Always, always know your size. Ill fitting clothes are a huge fashion faux pas and you really don’t want to be seen in unflattering outfits. Resist the temptation to buy one size smaller you usually wear no matter how gorgeous the item is. Better stick to what lays nicely on your body. Repeat after me: Smooth lines, smooth lines, smooth lines. . .
Finally, you will need some support while queuing, fitting, swearing and sweating in crowded stores. Take a fashion-minded friend with you and leave your boyfriend/husband/live-in lover at home.
Did you already hit the sales? What did you find?
(photo via mètrogirl)
Sanna 5. January 2008 | Shopping | Comment [5]
Top 10 Reasons to Give Vintage Gifts This Holiday Season
Lulu’s Vintage has wonderfully inspiring post on top ten good reasons to choose vintage gifts this holiday season. Her ideas are exhilarating especially for those who want their presents to be eco-friendly, unique and authentic. So what are you waiting for? Go green, invest in vintage and remember your beloved ones with a gift with thought!
10. It is the ultimate eco-gift! No landfill packaging. No new use of resources or labour.
9. Craftsmanship. Vintage items were made out of high quality materials and feature unique design details.
8. History. You are buying an item that has proved to be fashionable throughout history.
7. History (part 2). It is fun to own something vintage and think of how a person from a whole other generation appreciated it as well.
6. Uniqueness. No chance of hitting the streets with a new scarf only to see three other people with the same one!
5. Supporting a small business. Instead of lining the pockets of big box stores, you can support an independent business owner.
4. Authenticity. Why buy rip-offs of old designs, when you can get the original.
3. Authenticity (part 2). Why buy something that has been “distressed” to look old when you can get something that has genuine patina.
2. Save some cash. Vintage items are often times much less expensive than new.
1. Don’t participate in the mad rush to the mall. Vintage is easy to find off the beaten path.
Sanna 17. December 2007 | Shopping Vintage | Comment [4]
How to Get Your Money's Worth?
I have always believed that I’m able to build a relatively cheap, highly personal, practical and wearable wardrobe by going vintage. As vintage gets trendier, the prices are going up. For quite some time now I have wanted to make every single euro I spend count, so when vintage hunting, I have kept the following questions in mind:
How will the clothing look on me?
I don’t want to look silly so I want to make sure that the garment fits with my personality. Also, I want to keep in mind that I buy something for right now, not for when I lose weight, change my hair cut or buy new specs.
Will it go with other pieces in your closet?
I have learnt the hard way that even the most spectacular blouse is not a good buy if I don’t have the skirt, shoes or other accessories to go with it.
Do I really know what I’m getting?
I want to make sure that I’m aware of any pinholes, stains, rips or repairs on the piece. Imperfections are not necessarily deal breakers with vintage clothing, but I want to be aware of any issues before I make the purchase. If possible, I also want to inspect the fabric and seams to make sure the garment will not fall apart after only a few wearings.
Can I keep up with the maintenance?
Been there, done that. Pieces that are only dry clean or handwash can become a prickly issue. If I see something gorgeous that needs some special maintenance, I try to think twice to evaluate if the piece is really worth the trouble.
Is it really vintage or just butt-ugly?
Not everything labelled vintage is a wise purchase, I should be the first one to admit that. I want to be certain I enjoy a piece for itself, not because it is labelled vintage, collectible or a designer item.
Last but not least, I want to make sure I’m going to wear the garment in question frequently. Any piece of clothing is only worth its cost if it’s regularly worn so I want to be certain I’ll be getting a good return on my shopping investment.
What are your tips to get your money’s worth?
Sanna 11. October 2007 | How to? Shopping | Comment
Those God Damn Sales!
In July I found out that my wardrobe was filled with a whooping 151 items. The craziest thing here was that almost every day I actually cursed I had absolutely nothing to wear. Don’t get me wrong, I had plenty of pretty nice items but something in them wasn’t quite right. Either the colour was a bit off or some garment’s cut wasn’t working for me as it should have. I need to feel comfy in my clothes in order to feel confident, so all these “nearly there” items didn’t really do the trick for me. And where did I get the most of these garments? Yup, until recently I was one hell of an eager beaver at high street sales.
I dare to claim that people tend to buy clothes that don’t quite fit because they were on sale. At high street sales many of us go completely crazy and chose purchases based on their reduced price more than anything else. We don’t consider ill fitting clothes to be a totally bad idea as long as they are on sale. Sales make us think that we’re actually saving money instead of using it.
Well, here’s one lesson I learned the hard way: any piece of clothing is only worth its cost if it’s regularly worn. Having 50% off of a 100€ to have ill fitting trousers (a total turn-off, by the way!) or a dress in the wrong colour is a terrible deal, really. It took me a while to understand that if I spent 50€ on something I’ll hardly use, I didn’t save 50€. I lost it.
After going through my wardrobe’s content there’s only one decent resolution I can possibly make: No more reckless shopping at high street sales for this gal!
Have you made some decent bargains at high street sales?
Sanna 27. August 2007 | Shopping | Comment [1]
