Bargain Bins
Coming up...Buying cheap rubbish: the where and the how. And other good intentions. Mark has specially requested a review of New Look. (Well done Mark! Didn't see that coming!) Any other requests?
I'll take that as a no then. I went into Kookai again today so obviously I'd rather be writing about that, but I've promised so must deliver.
New Look: You know how sometimes you see someone in town, or at a party, or wherever, and immediately find yourself thinking, if not actually saying, "I can really see what you've tried to do there" ?? That's how I feel about New Look. I can see what it's tried to do, with its slightly wonky mock-wrap cardis; its a-bit-too-garish swimwear; its sunglasses with glued-on sequins, oh god don't even get me started on the shoes.
See New Look is cheap, but it's not as cheap as it should be. Their sequined pumps look cheap but you won't get much change from £20. Don't let the almost completely random layout of the shop or the overwhelming sense you're in some kind of discount supermarket, fool you into a false sense that you're getting a good bargain. I do think this is the first low-price shop that's actually tried to offer high street trends and had some initial success: but it's just not cheap enough.
You should never, ever, go to New Look for something fashionable. It can't just be me that can spot a New Look boot cut pinstripe a mile off- or a cartoon t shirt, ghastly plastic sandal or impractically high heeled plasticky "fashion shoe". If you need a basic, "classic" (sorry) T Shirt, vest, or even checked short sleeved blouse, get it from here rather than the market. But really, if you're buying stuff for work, stuff that you don't want people to immediately recognise as New Look, stuff that you don't want to shrink or change colour when you least expect it, pay the extra fiver and cross the road to Top Shop.
Good: underwear; socks; accessories; "disposable" winter boots; winter coats; basics.
Bad: work clothes; colours; fitting; styling; rip-off denim styles; anything smart; fabrics; originality; clientelle.
posted by Maus | 1:23 PM
18 Comments:
they have a "theme" thing going on, as you can see from their unfortunate website. The clothes are classed by things like "prairie girl" and "hippy dippy". The marketing is dismal, but I stand by my case for the exceptional beauteousness of a many of the pieces.
Hooray! Just two days from request to fulfillment. That's what I call service!
Unfortunately my high street clothes shop knowledge is strictly limited to New Look and that's only because their shop windows are plastered with huge pink "Get [huge number] of [garment] for [absurdly low price]" that are so I loud can't ignore them.
Oh, maybe you could review Next, though I only know about their mens stuff. And the thing I know about their mens stuff is that almost everything they make has a big number on it somewhere (like 69 for instance), a bit like the baseball jacket of a highschool "jock".
I'm wearing a Next suit jacket now (yes, on a Sunday, and no, I'm not an estate agent) and you've scared me. Is there a number on it that everyone can see but me? Is that why they point and laugh?
It truly is the Emperor's new math.
Ah, the case for the defence, thanks :D It's like me about heels on your blog.
You think Angela looks like me?! Does she have a foam beard?
yes, i had just got out of the bath, and was sporting an hilarious beard of bubbles. I'm going to change the pic back now though, it's not so funny today somehow.
Well, you can! It's on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomstuart
P.S. everyone has a theory on my appearance, but the truth of the matter is, the only person I really look like is Robert Llewelyn in the 1970s
Great! I think it suits me.
Here's Robert "Scrapheap challenge" Llewelyn again then...
thanks.
Certainly the most arch choice to fancy from the 4 stars of Red Dwarf.
Primark is *amazing* for knickers (£1 - £2 for posh ones.)
And its owned by British Foods or something similar...
(haven't tried the bras).
Yey thanks for the tip-off. See, I really need to do this as a proper website where all these gems can be assembled and searched.
A website would be great as this site is the best ever.
Please keep the brown wallpaper tho!
heh thanks! :)
I am excited about it, and am planning it in my head, in my "spare" time. I think this could actually be the proper website I've been meaning to do for the past 5 years
RE: Bargain bins.
Traid Wembley is perfect. If you can cope with the one song on loop (usually R. Kelly), Al Jazeera coffee shop learing blokes "pretty, pretty" and rats waving farewell from the railway tracks, it's the most brilliant shop...
Examples:
(not sale)
- Boxfresh pleat skirt £4.50
- Hennes grey shift dress £3.50
- M+S Per Una suit jacket £6.75
- GAP grey wool skirt £3.75
(Sale - crazy, unpredictable weeks when everything's suddenley, irrationally £2)
- black velvet jacket £2
- no-label cream linen trousers £2
- Espirit white wrap shirt £2
- Andrews Sisters CD (Boogy-woogy bugle boy etc) 50p.
Location: Round the back of wembley central station, between boarded up somalian phone card shops and an iceland-kwik save partnership.
Brixton has a Traid too, but it's a bit pricey for me (has trendy types with half their hair shaved off behind the counter and "reclaimed" t-shirts customised by art students).
Example:
- 70's flat sandals £14.00
- H+M gypsy top £6.75
Traid Wembley also has a wide selection of swimwear and lingerie for those braver than I.
Dear Jane,
If I could pay, I would give you a job here.
P.S. Did you buy the Boxfresh skirt? What colour is it?
Bought all the above... and a Kaliko purple sheeny dress for £3 which I will wear to see the Queen next tues when my dad collects his MBE. Currently trying to find a hat for £3.
The boxfresh skirt is khaki with a mini leather belt as a side tie - is a bit like a kilt. Don't wear it often as it means *ironing*.
oh I see, I can imagine the skirt very well now thank you.
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