I have to smile!

Copyright - Salvation Army Stores, WA

Yes, this countenance of mine sometimes breaks into a smile (lots of times into outright laughter).

You see the reason for my smiles this morning was the fact that I've been  receiving so many emails and reminders of fantastic New Year sales, that it seems to me that businesses haven't realised we're already into February. This brings me to a simple question.  If retailers are so over-stocked that they're pushing Christmas/New Year sales for more than three months now, (yes - they began back in November in the lead up to Christmas), then why aren't these garments available at a lower price all the time.   Then a lot more of us would be satisfied, wouldn't we?

Of course we LOVE the sales.   We wouldn't be intelligent, professional women if we didn't.  But there's another side to this "sale" business.

Where are all these clothes coming from?   I include the better known labels as well as the much less expensive little items that you can buy from your nearest shopping mall from little Asian store sprinkled around the place.  And don't get me wrong.  These little shops have some really great clothes at really great prices.

But all the clothing, whether it be the top labels or the cheaper offerings are all made overseas.  You can't get away from it.   Even if you disagree with the fact that "slave labour" has to be involved, and you go out of your way to buy something with a better label, and a higher price, thinking that well, it's an Australian label and therefore obviously is made here in Australia, you can be completely wrong!  (Take for instance the recent Sonja Kruger line which is made off-shore).

So let's get back to my "smile" this morning.  (And it wasn't because I thought of something funny).  

Dressing on a shoestring 

is the latest plug for buying sale garments.   A shoestring?  Do these people know the meaning of dressing on a shoe string?  Because they then go on to provide pages of garments all priced, wait for it, around $100.   Well that doesn't sound too bad, does it?   It's a very expensive shoe-string as far as I'm concerned.  But make your own mind up when you look at the garments.

Once again, inferior fabric and not too imaginative styles.  You could save your money and pop down to K Mart and get almost the same for around a quarter of the price.

Now don't get me wrong.   I'm all for patronising Australian retailers who provide good, well-made, well-thought-out styles and designs, in very good quality fabric.   This is why I highlight those that I believe fall into this higher category.  But there are others, with recognised names, who I don't always see eye to eye with.  

Not everyone has $100 to spend on a garment.   (Some of course have no budgetry constraints).  But let's face it, every woman likes to look good and feel good in what she wears.

Give the local smaller retailers a fair go - those who provide good quality garments with the plus-size woman's needs as far as styles, sizes and fabric are concerned.   They too, have "sales" and this is where a shrewd fashion buyer will spend her money.  

Money is getting somewhat tighter - no matter what we're told by the so-called economists (they're still earning $200K a year so what do they know?)  We know what's left in our purse at the end of a week.  And there are other options available to those of us who are plus-size and who can't quite find something that really takes our eye.   Op Shops and pre-loved boutiques are doing a thriving business, and so they should.   For it's here too, that we can find absolute bargains that enhance our wardrobes and certainly enhance our feelings of self-worth.  Do these clothes look or feel second-hand.  From my point of view - definitely not.