Article by Ceri Wheeldon
I love clothes, and in the past have been known to be little excessive in my clothes spending. But times – and my priorities and budget have changed. I still like to dress well , but I am spending more wisely – especially when it comes to buying for summer holidays.
I always watch out for items I like coming up in the sales – and I do buy duplicates of well fitting trousers and jeans.
When the main sales are on I invest in the higher priced items – such as coats and boots. I look at ‘cost per wear’ .
I pop into TK Maxx frequently – in fact I bought my favourite Ralph Lauren jeans there recently – a perfect fit and a fraction of their original price. I sign up to newsletters for my favourite brands to be the first to know about special promotions and flash sales and I also sign up to discount designer sites. I bought a fabulous jersey dress from Ceme London for just £18 recently in a flash sale.
One of the discount sites I signed up to ages ago and was reminded of recently is Cocosa. Cocosa tends to hold time limited sales big brands. You never know what brands are going to be on offer next, and you do have purchase quite quickly as each sale is only held for a couple of days.
I recently trawled the high street for a pair of trainer type shoes with a more pointed heel (I just don’t like rounded toes) . I failed miserably in my search – and then found just what I was looking for on Cocosa for just £15.
I also found a Baukjen top for £15 (originally priced at around £60) which I was absolutely thrilled with. It was perfect for a trip I was just about to make.
They have fabulous bags in the sales. I thought this Just Cavalli tote was great fun for taking on holiday – and was far less than the original cost of more than £200 which I would not even have thought about paying.
Although my everyday bags are far more conservative! When I’m away I like to wear things that are a little different.
The only thing I would say is to check the projected delivery dates when ordering – the Baukjen dress was dispatched immediately- as they had indicated it would be when I ordered – but the shoes took longer and arrived on the last date of their projected delivery timescales given. I had taken a risk in ordering these as I was going away – unfortunately they arrived the day after I had left. So it is worth keeping in mind if you are ordering with a specific occasion in mind – the savings are great but speed of delivery can vary.
And of course I love to search for accessories in markets when I’m away – you never know what little gems you might find.
If you know your own style, I really think you can look stylish over 50 without spending a fortune – it’s just a question of knowing where to shop to spot the bargains.
Ceri Wheeldon
Ceri is Founder and Editor of Fabafterfifty.co.uk She is a frequent speaker at events and in the media on topics related to women over 50 , including style and living agelessly. With 20+ years experience as a headhunter Ceri also now helps support those looking to extend their working lives.
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