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.

Super slim knickers, a good bra and away you go

Still on capsule collections. The best way to buy a CC is when you have a legitimate reason for a overhauling your wardrobe. And I do mean overhaul, not your regular pop to the shop for a new top kind of thing. No, I’m talking new job, first job, post baby. Even “nothing fits” is a good enough for me. This keeps you focused on the job at hand, and you are less likely to go wandering off into Adairs for a new set of sheets you do not need. Unless you are like me, a self-proclaimed shop-a-holic who does know the difference between need and want, but just chooses to ignore it. Capsule collections are also a fabulous way of maximizing value when you only have a limited amount to spend and are doing your best to avoid your credit card in case you catch something serious. Like the plague or worse…your husband finds out.
Here are my hot tips on buying your very own:

1. Establish your primary reason for your capsule spend (see above, we’ve already covered it). This will give you a good idea of which shops to hit and will help keep you focused. Really, how many times have you nipped out for a new suit for that next big meeting and come home with an evening dress? Or, is that just me?

2. Stick to a pre-determined number of items. Same benefits apply as above.

3. Try to buy at least half of your collection in one store to maximize your opportunity to coordinate your pieces. It also saves value shopping minutes and leaves you ample time for that decaf soy flat white you’ve been craving since breakfast.

4. Grab as many items as you can in one try-on frenzy. The more items, the greater ability you have to put together multiple outfits. Most stores only allow 5-6 items at a time, but are happy to hold your left-overs and bring them to you when you need them. Better yet, take a friend and share a booth.

5. Include belts and bling in that grab. They change the look of any outfit. Do not treat them as add-ons…treat them as essentials.

6. Take shoes with you - one high, one flat. Like belts and bling, shoes can change a casual item into a formal one and vice versa. This is particularly important when buying skirts and dresses, because unless you are shopping for the latest in bohemian hippy, skirts and dresses look weird without the right shoes. Socks and runners do not count.

7. Invest in a pair of super-slim magic knickers and wear them. These will change your life. Not necessarily your sex life, because they really aren’t that attractive in the boudoir, but they will help you get into that pair of size 12 jeans you‘ve been lusting after since June. Kmart sell bust-to-thigh magic knickers for under $20.00...they are comfortable and they work.

8. Before you shop, get your bra fitted and wear it. I'm big on this...fanatical almost, just ask my mum. A good fitting bra will make any women look great and feel fantastic and when you are trying on 9000 pieces of clothing…you need fantastic

9. Know you body shape. There is no point wasting all this time and effort on clothes that do not work for you.

And finally, always keep in the back of your mind which of the current items in your wardrobe can be integrated into your new collection. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN have too many pairs of jeans.


CHECK IT OUT: Did you know that pregnant women have been connoisseurs of the CC since clothes were in vogue without even knowing it. Really. The minimum amount of the clothes for the maximum amount of wear for a specific reason. Need I say any more.