Going going gone...the mischief of on-line shopping

It’s gone! That cute little white dress with the blue geometric print on p42 of the latest "Shop Til You Drop" mag has gone. Never to be repeated. None, zilch, zero. I am gutted, how did this happen? I had already resolved in the early hours of this morning that the very minute I settled BB2 down for a nap and put BB1 in front of the big screen, I would log onto shoptilyoudrop.com.au and buy it. I was brimming with excitement about my impending purchase. I had already decided where I would wear it first – lunch with the girls, how I would dress it up - my favourite elastic cinch belt with the faux black patent leather trim ($39.95 from Sussans) and new t-bar platties from Wittner, and how I would dress it down – cream ballet flats and turquoise gypsy pendent I purchased at a steal ($5) from Ritual at Harbour Town, WA. But, not only could I not find the dress, I could not find Alibi, the on-line boutique from which I was to buy. It wasn’t where it usually is... under the eboutique section of the STYD website – although I did find a couple of other cute little eboutiques you all might like, but that’s for another day, and I was fast becoming frustrated. I was about to reach for the phone and give my favourite new publication a piece of my thwarted mind. Fancy teasing us with such a stylish wonder at an affordable price only to deny its very on-line existence. Thankfully in a excellent show of self-control, I dialled the number printed on the promo instead and was delivered the bad news. Nooooo....

In a desperate attempt to suppress my disappointment, I spent the next half an hour scoping all my favourite e-boutiques’ in the hope I would find something that would come close to bringing such joy that I know this frock would have brought. Until my three year old screamed at me that she wanted a tissue that is and wanted it now! It wasn’t until I tore my frantic fingers away from my keyboard that I realised no matter how many flashy fashion sites I visited that all boasted cut-price options with one click, none would extinguish the grief I felt at losing my new best friend, and that perhaps BB1s tantrum was a blessing in disguise, lest I found myself checking out with something that was only ever going to be second best.

So, my advice to you is if you see something you really like, don’t delay. Don’t stop to ponder how fabulous you are sure to look and then wait for an opinion from your loyal readers. Log-on immediately and buy it. It is far better than losing it and spending your hard earned coffee money on a poor replica that you are sure to dislike the moment it arrives.

HOT TIP: There is nothing quite so exciting than buying on-line and receiving your package wrapped up with a smile from the postie. But beware...you are clearly buying what you see in one-dimension only, and usually hanging off a super slim glamorous supermodel. In order to shop successfully on-line particularly if you are going in for high-end bargains, then you MUST MUST MUST know your body shape, so you can take one look at the happy snap of your next big purchase and be confident that it is the right look for you.

Whoops, I nearly did it again!

There I was on my way to the local supermarket to restock on bananas when I happened to by-pass one of my favourite ready-to-wear chain stores. With time to spare I wandered in for an innocent look when I came across a cute little white business shirt with purple pin-stripe and waist belt for the bargain price of $19.95. With much excitement, I crammed myself, BB1 and BB2 into the pint sized changing cubical with business shirt in my grasp and began the almost impossible task of shimming out of my clothes and into my potential new purchase whilst keeping up a continuous monologue about how good girls get chippies lest one of us launch ourselves into a major meltdown. As I further engaged BB1 in a game of ‘how pretty does mummy look’ and continued to marvel at the heavily reduced price, I suddenly remembered that I had purchased a new business shirt barely two weeks earlier. Three of them in fact. From Cue, and lets face it, did I really need another business shirt especially as I had yet to wear the ones I had just bought. I know, I know…this from the girl who was frequently quoted as saying “Need? Want? What’s your point?”

Well, my point is, how many of us have been so blinded by a bargain that we’ve completely forgotten what wonders lay within the depths of our all-too crowded wardrobe. Moreover, how many of us have been so blinded by said bargain that not only have we completely forgotten what lays within our wardrobe, but also forgotten how many of those wonders still have their tags attached to their collars!! Guilty? Yep, me too. So, what you do about it? Easy, follow Milla's guide to restyling your wardrobe and let the fun begin. Stay tuned!

So what if I look like a Sardine

Oh my lord, it's come to my attention that I may just be a hypocrit in the style department! Just a few short weeks after advising if its blue and black take it back, I very nearly did take it back. All the way back from Harbour Town, WA to my wardrobe!! Yep, even I succumbed to the temptation of a heavily reduced number from Ojay (with bling) in all the wrong shades.! My only saving grace, those damned post-baby E cups and a zip that refused to do up!

Now before you roll your eyes, ignore my advice and run off to scoop up your own post Christmas sales in the most inappropriate of colours, I have a few things I would like to say in my defence…

1. It was a complete bargain…reduced from something ludicrous like $99.95 to $19.95...and as a result, I was quite clearly blindsided by temptation;
2. I had not been shopping in a week and was desperate, and
3. The cut and design was simply divine.

Yes, fabulous people, this was a perfect example of compromise whereby the look and fit of the garment was so far beyond the colour, nobody would care if my skin tone took on the look of a well packaged sardine. So, the next time you find yourself standing in front of the reduced rack in Ojay and come across a gorgeous black satin top with inch thick navy shoulder straps and trim, and supported by a crest of silver and pearl bling…buy it! Then think of me…

HOT TIP: The sales at Ojay are particularly impressive this post Chrissie season. Like most stores, the good old GFC (as in global financial crisis, not Geelong Football Club) is prompting retailers to bring their prices down more than the norm in an attempt to persuade shoppers to spend. No further encouragement needed really!! Keep your eyes peeled for some good quality clothes between $30 and $100.00. If you are lucky there will be an extra 20%-30% off the already reduced price, and if you are near a direct factory outlet or a Harbour Town even better. Happy shopping.