OMG! I love to shop...and all for under $200

I had every intention of telling you to rush out and buy the latest edition of Vogue – far be for me to take credit for a complete about-face on the hysterically high-end bells and whistles in favour for the much more affordable (not kidding, review on Sunday), but I had such a cracking weekend of shopping, I simply had to share. Now, everyone who knows me understands that I love to shop. It’s practically emblazoned across my forehead in thick black texta and when I die will be embossed on my headstone; here lies Milla, wife and mother who loves to shop. I can spot a sale at 100 feet and smell a bargain up-wind. When I get it into my head that I could do with something new the line between need vs want evaporates like perfume in an over-heated change-room that’s usually not much bigger than the smallest wardrobe in the world. And so I found myself at DFO South Wharf on Sunday with the wonderful Mel at my side. Nothing unusual about that except I was also there on Saturday helping my lovely friend Anna find a rocking outfit for an impending gig that would turn her from mum-on-a-budget into uber-edgie glamour puss.

Anyway, Mel and I had a hankering to find ourselves some half-price bling and spent a fabulous couple of hours wandering around our favourite stores. We hunted through bargains and marvelled at sales and spent 30-minute indulging in Veronika Maine with some of the most beautiful day dresses ever known to gorgeous girl-on-a-budget. Don’t you just love 50 per cent off sales? Ironically, neither a day-dress or bling-ring was in sight when we concluded our expedition, but I did acquaint Mel and reacquaint myself somewhat excitedly with the all-American icon of casual wear Abercrombie & Fitch, available at Frat House; a clearance store for the American-obsessed laid-back fashionista-at-home just like myself. I first fell in love with A&F and its little sister Hollister two years ago whilst on holiday to the USA. The 5th Avenue store in New York is something to behold with its night-club layout, lighting and pumping music and 20-something male models wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung jeans and an open jacket. Six-pack means a whole lot more than a few tins of beer when you are standing in line to secure yourself some style heaven!! As I don’t do ‘just around the house’, casual wear for me, as it should be for you is as important as what I wear on the street. Only with a lot less bling! Twenty minutes later I emerged with two, three-quarter length tee-shirts, one brown and one forest green, two lacy singlets in grey and brown and two tank tops in burgundy and blue. The latter of which I secured for a fabulous $5 each. Each item went a long way to fill the void created by the great cull that followed the birth of BB2. So satisfied was I by my purchases that I declared to Mel that I was ready for home! Two hours later however, I wandered into Sussan with a $50 voucher burning a hole in my pocket and walked out a pretty cotton teal trapeze top, french inspired striped and fitted tee-shirt with bat-wings and a checked fringe scarf. As for the bling, I brought it today...a simple but bedazzled pair of ear-rings, and black and gold square cut ring from Equip.

Hot tip: With A&F it is all about the layers, and this is the tip to looking uber-cool in a casual about-the-house kind of way. By adding a touch of lace and colour, you can style-up a day that would be otherwise be spent scrubbing the toilet and washing the floor. Add some bling and a big pair of sunglasses and you can walk out the door without worrying about what to wear next. The added advantages of any A&F purchase is most of their tee-shirts and singlets are long-lined and can be bunched about the waist to hide the post-baby belly, and the quality is fantastic. Feels like silk and rarely loses its shape even if you do wear it when you are nine months pregnant. Love it!