For pearllene!! :D
many people always wonder how i shop....
where i get my stuff from.
coz i always seem to have new stuff. but actually i like to pay little and buy alot more.
so here goes!
1. salvation armies/ secondhand shops
i used to get really good buys from salvation armies but not so much now. if you wish to purchase a bowtie, go to salvation army! coz i think most shops are selling way overpriced for ties.
and House of Japan at haji lane's nice too. maybe try going there once every month.
2. mother and mother's relatives' old cast-offs
because im the skinniest, and one of the known members to wear castoffs, they like to give them to my mum coz either they outgrown them or they think i can carry them off.
some of my nice vintage are from them!
3. online websites like livejournal communities
i get some cheap cast-offs or brand new stuff from sgselltrade and sgflea.
and other blog shops as well. mostly theyre livejournal. i used to be really online shopping fanatic but not anymore, after i closed my i-banking account! yeah! felt proud of myself coz i dont shop so much online now. however i still subscribe to their mailing lists in order to find out whats the latest trends (wrap skirts, maxi dresses??) and to see what kind of clothes are super common and to compare prices amongst the items.
4. sales at shops
i always look through the $10-$15 or those "behind" racks to see what if there's any hidden treasures. most people dont coz they think lose face. but whatever.
and not forgetting the Great Singapore Sale! so save up! coz i really do get good buys during that period. like novo's melissas shoes and etc. of course, you have to shop regularly and eye those pieces you really like and cross your fingers that they will be discounted during special periods like GSS or seasonal sales.
5. bugis street has good buys if you scour once every 2-3 weeks
most of the time stocks come in on weekly basis. not monthly, not daily.. so i pretty much like going down to bugis street like fortnightly coz i see whats the new stuff and then wait for the next week so that prices will drop.
i restrained myself from getting very trendy stuff coz i always know that prices will drop soon. coz demand-supply theory! if the item is high in demand, they will make more of it, supply more, and then prices will drop. most noted trendy stuff are skinnies, jelly shoes, little mr and miss shirts, cardigans, etc. basically if you see many ah lians wearing them around, you should have a signal in your head that this is a trendy item.
it's also good to make relationships with shop owners. like smile at them and talk to them. it always pay to be nice. they will in turn recommend stuff to you. or if you ask (sweetly) for discounts then they will be more willing to give it to you. or at the very least you can feel secured in knowing that they wont give you clothes that has flaws in them.
maybe not all times that they will remember you, so sometimes you can remind them. "i came here the other day and i saw your shirt, very nice! no more already ah!?" this way you flatter them coz they rejoice in knowing they have great taste in picking clothes etc.
6. flea markets (the lime one's not bad)
i got some very nice stuff there. :D so i would recommend.
smu bazaars too. you have to keep a lookout for bazaars.
as repeated, you have to thicken your skin to search through the stuff. and ask for discount! dont ask timidly coz they will sure think you easy to bully. dont ask fiercely coz they wont want to sell to you otherwise. ask winsomely!! think winsome attitude! think like a politician-- flash that smile.
7. cheapooo shops
there are some well-known shops that associates itself to being auntie/ cheapo.
eg. This Fashion. Song&song.
i dont really shop much at this fashion now coz i think the costs have been quite expensive, comparable to some far east plaza shops. of course, when shopping there, you MUST must try on the stuff coz they always look nice, but may not look good on otherwise.
Song&song is actually a factory outlet kinda shop which is quite poorly known, sad to say. factory outlet meaning the stuff are branded, and have quite good quality. i always see blog shops selling stuff from song&song at like exorbitant prices!
8. departmental stores
departmental stores are always deemed old-fashioned and no trendy clique of girls would really want to be caught dead in one, unless they're with their family members etc.
think: OG, isetan wisma, BMG bugis etc.
you need not fear about the quality when shopping there coz theyre good. sometimes they have exchange policies so it's not bad.
i like isetan wisma. i find their stuff really upmarket. nice designs. i got a $13.90 cardigan from a brand which targets middle-aged women or mothers-aged women but it was a pretty trendy design! so it was a very good buy.
OK so reading through the whole thing, one would think that i have a cheapo. hahah yeah true to a extent coz i dont see why i should spent $40+ on something every other girl might be wearing. i like topshop stuff but i dont like people to know "hey thats from topshop" or "hey i know a girl who also have the same blouse as you" etc.
and there's this cost-per-wear theory. if lets say you buy something expensive, you have to make sure you wear it often to stretch its value. it doesnt make sense to pay so much when you know you would wear it only once in a while. and for me, i dont really like to wear the same thing frequently, unless theyre basics of course. like skinnies jeans, school shoes, denim mini skirts. yeah these things you can afford to splurge if you know you'll be wearing them often!
that's all! the end!
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