<<<…Choosing which one???!!!...>>> 
Clever Shopping and ‘The Sales'
Have you ever wondered why after the end of the ales ebay is overflowing with more special offers then usual or that your wardrobe is somewhat fuller but still you don’t have anything to wear? When faced with a great ‘steal’ don’t we all feel the vibration coming from deep within our wallets from this little plastic card called Visa, coughing miserably ‘I need to breath, I need air, and I’m suffocating in this leather coffin of a wallet you keep me in all the time, take me OUT!!!’? To silence this plastic friend of ours here are a couple of thoughts that might help:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
When faced with a real bargain of something that you really needed/wanted but just doesn’t quite fit since your size is sold out, you are faced with 3 options:
1) RUN – in the direction you entered from!!! That might be the most sensible of all the three, although it sounds the least appealing, I admit.
2) If available, immediately call for the in-house tailor and get the problem fixed right here and there. But if he tells you it’s impossible, thank him for his honest input, leave the bargain behind and proceed to the exit sign.
3) In case number 2) is not an option: the next stop – and this is non-negotiable – has to be your alteration tailor’s shop. No, no, an excuse like ‘Oh, the shops will close soon and I haven’t checked out all the ones I had on my list, I just might find something else that I should take there, anyway.’ won’t work since chances are, if you don’t get the garment fitted before taking it home, you might never wear your new purchase at all and it was a complete waste of money, effort of schlepping it back home and of precious wardrobe space!
Although it’s always a clever idea to stock up on basics of very good quality on the sales, one question still remains: do you already have this item and do you need another one of the same kind? Let’s say for the sake of argument, yes, a black turtleneck cashmere sweater, an evergreen … You already have one in your wardrobe? But this one is 75% off and of superb quality (as is the one at home) – and what if the moths get to the one you have?!!! You will always be quite upset that you didn’t snap up this great offer! Well, tell you what: if the moths decide to move into your closet they won’t make a distinction between the old and the new one, they’ll eat ‘em up both! So instead of buying a new sweater you might want to invest in moth-protection-strips instead! For sure they’re still cheaper than the great bargain you just spotted and left behind!
Take a girlfriend along with you on the shopping spree, one of the ‘honesty straight between the eyes, without sugarcoating’-type. First of all it’s more fun to do shopping together, it’s convenient since one can fetch stuff while the other one is trying it on, she’ll protect you from the ever persuading sales pitch of the shop assistant and most importantly she’ll tell you straight what suits & fits you and what doesn’t and spot flaws that you didn’t see for yourself.
The latest fashion item that you just purely buy for the heck of it, because fancy strikes you, you simply want it as it might be a fun thing to wear once in a while, it spruces up your usual style but it isn’t something you would regularly wear, I recommend you get this piece of fun at a cheap place like H&M since you don’t want it to live in your wardrobe forever anyway. It’s just an item to experiment with, spice up your existing clothes and it’s best bought at the beginning of the season.
My secret of looking slim: The correct size is not what one can just about squeeze into. If fabric cuts into your skin it always looks like you’re bulging out of the garment, ergo you look big no matter how small you really are. So I suggest clothes shouldn’t fit too tightly but rather cling and be ever so slightly loose. The only exception I make is with jeans (if they have less than 10% stretch) which I buy almost so tight that I need the assistance of pliers to get the zip closed while lying flat on the changing room floor. The first couple of wears are sheer agony but since jeans fabric always loosens up quite significantly after a couple of wears & washes and I want them to still cling to me rather than fall off, I endure this procedure.
If you find something that you soooo much liked on the window display, you were lucky enough that it’s still available in you size, you try it on, it seems to fit but as you stand in front of the changing room mirror you start fidgeting by adjusting seams, pocket linings or the likes, ignore the siren sing song of your credit card that sounds something like ‘I need to play, I’m so bored and lonely’ and make for the nearest exit, FAST! This garment obviously wasn’t meant for you!
Another good point to think about is the ‘price per wear’ ratio. Although E 350 for a really nice, well fitting pair of jeans seems exorbitant, the same amount spent for yet another little black cocktail dress is considered a steal. What makes more sense to splash out on? The jeans that you’re practically going to live in every day (only giving it a break while anxiously waiting for the washing machine and dryer to be done with their job) till they fall apart or the dress that you might wear to cousin Emma’s wedding in June if it isn’t too hot, oh, hold on a minute, actually, black is not a color to wear for weddings, but anyhow some occasion you’ll surely find to give this simply stunning new dress of yours an outing …
