A home worker hits the sales
Today’s guest post is by Margaret Chamberlain, a children’s book illustrator who works from home. Marg is a super-stylish dresser and has strong views on fashion and style. You may have seen her photos on the Home working style pages.
‘Since I was a very small child I have associated January with the excitement of the sales. Christmas thrills were nothing compared to the pleasure of buying bargains. The thing is, I am still a devoted bargainista and seldom buy anything full-price.
‘In every fashion advice column published around this time of year you will read tips like ‘….now is the time to buy those classic and vital timeless items such as a good quality tailoring … use the opportunity to create that capsule wardrobe ie perfect black trousers, white shirt, camel coat, navy blazer.’ Yes, I know about all that, that is obvious, I do those things, I am a sensible hawk-eyed shopper most of the time.
‘HOWEVER …the fun really starts when I see a crazy garment, a jazzy-coloured piece, covered in jingly jangly dangles. Do I need it? No, of course not. Does it go with anything? No. Do I love it? YES and hey! it’s a bargain, maybe I’ll save a lot of money, and sure as eggs are eggs I would never have bought it if it wasn’t in the sale.
‘There are shops that I would never enter UNLESS THE SALE IS ON. In the past I have bought things simply because they were cheap, there have been mistakes ( but never expensive ones), I am the first to admit it. Now I am a mature bargainista and have a very full wardrobe, something has to be really really STUNNINGLY amazing and a bargain for me to buy it.
‘I have a rule that for every new item I buy, I take something to the charity shop. This way I theoretically provide myself with the space for the new thing. Over the years I have accumulated some fabulous items of clothing, and I am proud of my wardrobe of clothes. I seldom buy ‘this year’s fashion’, I buy what I like and stick to what suits me.
‘I know that many people are the opposite to me, they get no pleasure trawling through racks of last season’s cast off bits and pieces, they hate the crowds, and they can’t be bothered. They want instant recognisable labels, they want new stuff every year and they want to keep up with fashion. I’m pleased about that – because of them there will always be a rich seam of leftovers for the magpies like me.’
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I think most women are going to relate to this – especially the satisfaction of clinching a bargain from a shop you would deem too expensive out of sale. I’ve applied the strategy of donating an item of clothing to charity each time another bargain is secured in the past, lately, I taken to selling items on online auction sites in an effort to boost cashflow! Only problem with this is you’re tempted to buy even more bargains from other sellers – kind of defeats the object!
I take stuff to a local dress agency that passes it on to charity if it doesn’t sell within a certain time. I’ve found that I’m very bad at predicting what will sell – the items I think will fly out usually end up going to charity and vice versa! Of course you get back a fraction of what the clothes cost new, but at least it helps to salve the conscience!