Category / Shopping

succesful-sale-shopping
By On In Shopping2,580 Comments

I am by no means a sale shopping expert. But of course that won’t stop me from sharing some tips for successful bargain hunting that always seem to do the trick for me. So read on if you looking to come home with fewer purchases that will ultimately find their way to the back of your closet.Let’s start with part #1. You know what they say, preparation is everything.

* Asses your wardrobe and make a list. Find out which gaps need to be filled and which items need to be replaced. It’s the perfect moment to either buy a statement piece from a high end brand that works well with the rest of your wardrobe and you weren’t able to afford before, or to replace some of your basics with luxurious fabrics. Oh, and don’t forget to take that list with you to keep you focused!

* Set a budget and stick to it. It’s easy to overspend when sale signs and discount tags are screaming buy me! at you. So take out your list and consider how much you’re willing to spend on each individual piece or simply decide on an overall budget and subtract every purchase while shopping.

* Try to find out when they restock. For instance, here in the Netherlands the H&M online shop restocks every morning around 6 am. Yeah, that’s early. But why not take a chance and set your alarm clock (and download the app to order from your bed). When it comes to other stores, just ask a sales assistant.

* Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Nothing worse than trying to get out of a pair of thigh-high lace up boots in a dressing room. At least, that’s what I imagine. Assuming you will want to get in and out of your clothes quickly without too much fuss, take that into account while your picking out your outfit for the day. The same goes for shoes of course. Flats, loafers or slip ons are my preferred options.

PS. I know, I promised to post my London purchases, but let’s consider this a sneak peek…
holiday-gift-guide
By On In Shopping1,593 Comments

Yes, another holiday gift guide! No wait… I promise it’s going to be good. I hate stuff that serves no purpose other than collecting dust in your house, so I’ve only selected things that actually come in handy, or someone would wear a lot.  Some are really affordable, others a bit more expensive. But it all depends on your budget of course. I know I would be happy with any one of these items, cheap or not, and perhaps you would be too (or your friends and loved ones). Let me take you through it. 1. Fashionology silver necklace (€35) – what’s not to love. Perfect for every day. 2. Topshop cashmere hat (€59) – I’m addicted to cashmere. I love how warm and soft it is. Quite expensive, but well worth your money. 3. APC cardholder (€85) – I could definitely use this cardholder. My wallet only has room for 4 cards and I always lose the rest. It’s also great for when you’re wearing a small bag that doesn’t fit a lot. 4. That same goes for the Comme des Garçons pouch (€70). 5. And finally a small mirror. My Balenciaga bag came with a small mirror, but when I’m carrying another bag, this would be great for when there’s an entire meal stuck between my teeth. 

holiday-gift-guide-16. HEMA longer lasting lipstick (€3,50) – a beautiful cool red matte color and super affordable. Seriously, if you’re not going to buy it as a gift, buy it for yourself. No regrets, I swear. 7. Case Scenario marble iPhone cover (€20) – anything marble is always a good idea. Right now I have a transparent iPhone cover that turns yellow after just a few weeks. This is already my second one, but I definitely need a replacement soon. 8. HAY comb (€11) – one of my favorite brands. I love their minimalist designs and would buy the entire collection if it wasn’t so darn expensive. This pretty comb is great for HAY lovers on a budget. 9. Malin & Goetz Cannabis candle (€14) – no, I’m not trying to sell you drugs! Although it’s easy to get addicted to the scent of this candle. Even my boyfriend loves it. The large one might be a little too much, price-wise, but the small one would make a nice, somewhat confusing, gift. 10. H&M leather gloves (€20) – are great for everyone, male or female. 11. Fashionology silver bar studs (€15) – small delicate jewelry is always on my wish list. I recently lost one of the only tiny silver studs I own. So a replacement like these would be nice.

H&M-Weekday-wool-scarf
By On In Shopping1,479 Comments

I’m back! And this time with 4 great alternatives for the uber expensive Acne Canada scarf. Yes, I do own one, but I got lucky a few years back and found mine on sale over at the mens department on Matches Fashion. Anyway, in case you’re looking to invest in a similar wool scarf that’s a little more affordable, check out the ones below. Most of them are 100% wool, except the one from COS that contains 10% cashmere (how awful, right?). But the very best part? They’re all under €60.

Left: H&M (€39,99), Right: Weekday (€45,00), Other options: COS (€39,00), & Other Stories (€55,00) 

Celine-luggage-bags
By On In Shopping6,513 Comments

I love buying new things,  if I could be a personal shopper it would be my favorite job in the world.

I’m always in touch with the latest products and news online and on magazines, always checking whats improving in the market, I currently work in a digital agency and this has helped me see so much in the advertising world when buying products, and determine the quality product.  The are several branding agencies that work in doing effective and real marketing campaigns and other who just talk and brand something to sell when it is a really bad service or product, but if you really want to promote a good product or service you should get marketing services as The Indexer to really help you with this.  So now that I know more of how it works I love to check the advertisement and follow it to go shopping or just go to the stores and find out more about the products while I relate them to their current market campaign.

Whenever I’m visiting the department store de Bijenkorf in Image result for shoppingAmsterdam, it’s pretty easy to locate me. I’m either trying out new stuff at the Kiehl’s stand or drooling over Céline bags in their bag department. Seriously, they sell the best bags.

But yesterday’s visit made me think about how blogs influence our shopping habits and how we always want more. Even though I already own two of my dream bags I couldn’t help but look around for the next possible purchase. I’m lucky that I can afford the occasional splurge now, but I still remember looking up to several blogs as a student. Seeing girls my own age, or maybe a few years younger even, spending thousands of dollars on designer handbags and buying new items every week, I wanted that too. But being a student and paying for everything yourself (housing, insurance, tuition, food etc.) by working in a supermarket, leaves little money for designer goods or clothes and accessories in general. Nevertheless, it’s really easy to get carried away with wanting all of the items posted on your favorite blogs.

Now that I have an actual grown-up job (I thought that would never happen after 11 years of studying), it’s great that I’m able to treat myself every once in a while. However, I do realize that posting expensive items on the internet on a regular basis may give the impression that I can afford it all. But trust me, I can’t. Buying luxury items is all a matter of prioritization. My salary is pretty average (but I really love my job so it’s all good) and then there’s the monthly bills of course. I live in a rented house with my boyfriend and we split everything 50/50. Bills get paid first and we have a monthly budget for groceries etc. The rest is ours to spend. Most of my money that’s left over goes into my savings account though, so I always have something to fall back on in case of emergencies or when I want to buy something expensive from my 5 piece French wardrobe list.

Speaking of the 5 piece French wardrobe, a little while ago I promised to post a list of my five must-have pieces that I’m planning to buy this season. Well, you know what, so far that list contains 0 items. I started one with a couple of things I liked (not loved) and a few really expensive things. You see, I have my eyes on a gorgeous Acne leather jacket and the Saint Laurent Lulu bag, but something is holding me back. I’m not yet convinced that they’re both timeless pieces that I can wear for a couple of years and I would hate to find out that I’m over them in 6 months. When I bought my Balenciaga bag, I knew I would love it forever. I bought one of it’s first knockoffs right after I saw it on Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in 2005 and was still madly in love with the design 7 years later. But these… what if I just caught the fashionblogger-bug and want them because I’ve seen them so often on other blogs and instagrams?

I really dislike the fact that I am not always indifferent to fashion blogs and the way they portray a perfect lifestyle filled with gorgeous expensive things. Let’s face it, nowadays some of these (full-time) top bloggers need to make a living and their blogs aren’t so different from commercial advertising. It’s hard not to get sucked in. I mean, would that pair of Acne Pop jeans or my Isabel Marant coat be hanging in my closet if blogs didn’t exist. Who knows. I probably wouldn’t have even known they existed. So to make sure I’m not making a huge mistake, I’m going to put that leather jacket and Saint Laurent bag on my wish list for a while and we’ll see how I feel about them in a couple of months.

So tell me, do fashion blogs have an influence on your shopping habits? And if you own a blog, do you ever feel pressured into buying new things in order to create posts and keep your readers interested?