Non-Frenzied Sale Shopping

I think I've nailed shopping the sales responsibly. Maybe. Probably.

My mother came to visit. We indulged the traditional mother daughter bonding experience - shopping. Time spent this way offers opportunity for mutual detente from bickering, plus, although she probably doesn’t know it, she is the only person on this earth that I can comfortably shop for myself with. Anyway, I had accumulated a bit of a list of things I had my eye on, and A Good Thing Happened (more on that in a later post) that gave me a few extra pounds to play with plus I had some birthday money burning a hole, so I picked up a few bits. OBVIOUSLY I’m keen to share.

My shopping habits have changed over the past few years. It comes with the change of lifestyle I guess. I deliberate more before making a purchase, and wonder more about very responsible grown up things like if I’ll still want to wear it in a year from now, and if it will wash well. Personal growth comes in the most odd of ways.

Also I’ve seen a fair bit on Substack this past while about influencing, and affiliate links and all that palaver. I think for the curious minded (not nosey, curious minded) it’s great to see what other people buy and how they arrive at the decision to make a purchase. Influencing professionally is a much different thing - it must be hard to retain, or discern, the integrity of recommendation with the obvious conflict of interest. That isn’t to say that influencers are void of integrity - just to say that seeking, or offering inspiration can hardly be considered promoting wanton consumerism as professional influencing sometimes is. Or at least I hope not. Probably a subject for a longer, Sunday post.

On with the show!

All Saints

So I’ve been in the market for a small white bag since falling in love with this ridiculously expensive YSL one a while ago in Selfridges. It remains on the aspirational list for now (lols - forever, pending lottery win), but I did spy this one online in All Saints so I took the opportunity to have a feel when out and about. And I love it. It was half price and already I have used it loads.

This bag is giving Dragon Diffusion vibes, and again was half price. I wanted to update my existing tote - A big ol’ JW Anderson felt one that was looking bit worn - and I’m pretty dang pleased with myself with it - it isn’t as red in real life as it is showing up in my photo, and it is light too meaning chance of injury when lugging about multiple laptops is lessened.

Massimo Dutti

It took all I had to resist buying everything I saw in Massimo Dutti before the sale started, so it’s no surprise I was keen to hit it up. Mother dear did well in there too, but here is what I left with:

Waistcoat Trousers

The pinstripe suit that I wore to work last week. I’d rather go without the vest underneath, but alas it was necessary for the day that was in it, or so I felt. I’ll wear the waistcoat in real life too, with denim shorts - probably like this Levis pair from years ago, which look strange here I feel, but in the context of sunshine I think makes better sense.

Skirt Top

I love an all black ensemble, and this caught my eye. Well reduced, I feel nice in it, and of course works as separates too. It will get worn to work soon. I picked up the bangle set in Zara (new season) and I 90% love them, 10% have a flashback to that bad date I had (read about it here) and wonder if he would deem them “gaudy”. I mean, screw him and his opinions, but also…does he have a point? Dunno. My mum picked up the other colour way in them - same conflicted thought pattern applies.

Lastly from Massimo I picked up these shorts - mainly because I immediately had the vision to wear with the brown silk blouse and heels when the weather picked up a little. And I did, and I loved it. I’m raging to have missed out on the matching waistoat but the shopping gods were not smiling upon me. Pesky shopping gods.

Red

I have an all red ensemble habit, that I really should knock on the head as I’ve been reverting to it for “what to wear?” moments since roughly forever. Anyhow, I tried on these red trousers way back in Lisbon, and loved them, but thought they were overpriced for a pair of Zara trousers, so left them. When they hit the sale, I hit purchase. The top came from Cos, and I feel this shape is easy to wear and the silhollete would go well with my barrel leg jeans, or under a shirt, or with these camel coloured trousers, so decided it was worth it too. But lo and behold, don’t they go well together! I’ve since swapped the top for the size down as there was some excess fabric to the sides, so it fits better now too.

Zara New In

zara jumper and Stripe One Shoulder Shirt

Yes, not in the sale, but two pieces that deserve an honorary mention. The colour of this jumper is just not something I can walk past - especially since I’m continually banging on about the colour blue. This one shoulder top you may well go back - I’m not totally sold on it - I think I like the idea of it more than the execution? Let me know your thoughts. I get that a lot - where my vision of a look doesn’t fully materialise when I put it together but I guess what’s where the science of getting dressed meets the art. I’ll play with accessories a bit and see.

Does anyone else feel the urge in sale times? There was a time I would loose my mind in a shopping frenzy, using the reduction as justification for all the purchases that I had resisted for the entire previous season. Does anyone not feel that, even a small bit? If you don’t I deem you superhuman.

Until Sunday

Big Love

Una

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