So, first blog post, let’s do this. It’s not been easy, let me tell you. My husband has been pretty patient with the thankless task of trying to teach me how to do this technical shit. There have been raised voices and tears (all mine) it’s been reminiscent of the time my Mum ‘taught’ me how to drive. I ended up driving her car straight over a mini-roundabout and smack into a lamp post.…but I passed eventually, so to that end, bear with me.
I’m going to start with a general guide to my favourite hobby. I always get in a sweaty panic if I’m ever asked to list my ‘hobbies’ as there really is only one…S.H.O.P.P.I.N.G
IF YOU CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT BUY IT
No point pining over something for months on end. Just buy it. Or at least go to the actual shops and try it on. Chances are what you think you’d look like in it (that 26 year old blogger/model you follow on Instagram) is not reality. In reality you are a 43 year old mother of 2 who could do with losing a bit around the waist* so that Isabel Marant mini-dress with the ruffles was never going to cut it… but on the positive side, the torture of wanting it has now gone and when you send it back it’s like you’ve actually MADE money. On the flip-side, you might buy it, love it and wear forever more, like these Gucci shoes that I love and would buy again tomorrow if anything happened to my pair.
*when I say you , I mean me obvs.
IMPULSE BUYING IS NOT TO BE FROWNED UPON
Impulse buying gets a bad rap. I don’t hold any sway with this opinion. Some of my best buys have been spur-of-the-moment-must-have-it-now buys. Best case scenario you look da bomb, worst case scenario 1, You can take it back if you get regret. Worst case scenario 2, You can sell it on eBay and at least get some of your money back, which leads me nicely onto…
EBAY IS YOUR FRIEND
A treasure trove. Maybe not as great for bargains as it once was, but there are diamonds to be found in a sea of shite if you focus your efforts. Also, you can sell all those spur-of-the-moment-must-have-it-now buys that didn’t make the grade. I like to recycle my wardrobe every few months, it makes me feel good and generates funds for more shopping. A win win situation. My top tip for selling is have your items end on a Sunday evening (always seems to get the best price) and start the listing at the lowest price you’d be happy to sell them for. Keep your expectations on the low side and you’ll be pleasantly surprised I promise you. (One day I’ll do a full guide to eBay selling. It got me through 2 maternity leaves when strapped for clothes-buying cash)
For buying, if you are after something specific, search it, if it’s not there put an alert on it, eBay will then notify you when it comes on for auction. I have got some of my favourite things this way – at bargain prices. Talking of bargain prices…
SHOPSTYLE FOR SALES ALERTS
This website has also been my friend. Those Chloe Susanna Boots that at full price cost more than my leather sofa and that I love almost as much as my first born, came through this method:
1. Go to ShopStyle, find all the beautiful things you wish to one day be yours.
2. Put a sale alert on them.
3. Wait.
4. You have to play the long game, it took a year for those boots to go on sale, but patience pays out in the end for high-price items. Either that or just sell the sofa and buy the shoes full price. Who needs a place to sit when you can stand tall in beautiful shoes…
THE SALES
Generally I’m not a fan of the sales, the shops look a mess and most of it is all the crap you never wanted in the first place. Some of my worst buys have been in a rush of ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe this slightly too small, too short, fully see-through Christopher Kane top is now 90% off, I must buy now and never ever wear it’ BUT like eBay there are diamonds to be found if you follow a few simple rules:
1. Only buy it in the sales if you contemplated buying at full price
2. Online is your friend, especially with the high street shops
3. Online you can search by size/designer/style/price/length of sleeve/will it make me look like a twat
4. If you must go to the shops, stick to the nice ones, Liberty, Selfridges, Harvey Nics
5. Go on a Friday morning if you can, as soon as the shops open so you miss the hoards
6. Never go with your friends, your children or your partner, get in, and get out, get home, have a nice sit down and an iced bun
That said, here’s a few of the things I like from of the sales that are on now.
1. Silver Espadrilles (were £110, now £85) Whistles
2. Bella Freud Grey Wool Jumper (was £270, now £162) Matches
3. Pink satin bomber jacket (was £39.99, now £19.99) Zara
4. Black midi dress with Gold Tiger embroidery (was £125, now £63.00) &Other Stories
And here are some things NOT in the sales that I also love. (Mostly Zara as they are ripping off paying a nice homage to Gucci right now…
1. Embroidered short parka jacket £69.99 — Zara
2. Gold metallic fine pleated midi skirt £39.99 — Zara
3. Ankle tie rope sandals £19.99 — H&M
4. Cropped embroidered jeans £39.99 — Zara
That’s it for now, sorry I’ve just realised it’s quite long. I will try and self edit more next time, and work on layouts and photos etc…
Thanks for reading!
K x
