Tuesday 29 March 2011

Ferragamo Fabulous....



If you keep up with fashion in the Northern Hemisphere, you'll have seen Ferragamo's hot summer sandals, perfect for their impending season of fun in the sun.
For us mere southern mortals however, winter is looming....and while I'm counting down the sleeps 'til I can crack out my new suede 'n' studded knee-high boots, there is still a yearning for that special summer feeling of a fresh pedicure, presented in an even fresher looking pair of designer sandals.

If Ferragamo is a little beyond reach, check out these little hotties SWLS Sleuth found at Rubi Shoes. 
Ahhh Rubi, little sister brand to much-loved Cotton On and Typo (both of whom will be receiving ample coverage in this blog for their fast and fabulous fashion & stationary respectively!)

Rubi has emerged as another little shopping gem, perhaps not quite up to speed yet in the jewellery stakes, but a great stop-off if you're looking for a quick and fashionable foot-fix without breaking into the princess fund.

These Ferragamo-esque sandals are actually on sale for a whole $20 - that's right, add another zero and perhaps a few more hundreds and that's how much the originals will set you back, so not too bad for a sneaky little end-of-season purchase! You'll have to hurry in to Rubi though, as sizing will get more and more limited as fashion revelers and our very own Shopistas see the great offers currently in-store.

x Happy Shopping!

Salute this (next for us!) summer's Salvatore....
Rubi's canvas summer sandal - divine with a splash of orange toe polish.....

and brown faux leather with brass finishing - for stores - Rubi Shoes


Friday 25 March 2011

A COTTON HERMES? Let the Shopista stampede begin!


Poor plastic, it’s been on the out for some time now. With Adelaide about to charge for all plastic bags, and most of us waiting for the kitchen cupboard to explode with the green enviro bags we have stored up (and yet ALWAYS forget to take it to the supermarket!), in steps another green-yet-chic bag to get our pulses racing and set our minds at ease for the environment.

Now I would never tend to promote ‘anti-status’, as lets face it, a SWLS Shopista is someone who loves to make gorgeous purchases, and stand out in a crowd.
However my latest crave turns 'status' on its head, as being aptly dubbed the ‘anti-status’ bag, it does anything but shy away from attention.

This season’s shopping hottie is the ‘anti-status’ Together bag by Thursday-Friday. 
Rather than fork out $8,000-plus for an original Hermes bag (the ultimate Powerball purchase!!), SWLS Shopistas can have the new trend look for just $59 ($69 for the limited edition fuchsia colour). 
This isn’t the first quirky cotton bag that has had Shopistas the world over salivating at the mere sight of it, if you remember a few seasons back to the ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’ (designed by bag queen Anya Hindmarch) which had us all swinging our grocery purchases proudly from side to side – and who could forget the Michelle Obama Mighty Shopper, introduced post-inauguration, this bag was an international sell-out… and as the proud owner of one, who wouldn’t want to be the First Lady Of Fabulous!?

A personal favourite, website miijo.com is taking pre-orders for end April delivery, so get your skates on my fellow Shopistas, and I look forward to seeing you in the grocery isles looking very 'Together'!

x Happy Shopping



The Thursday-Friday Together Bag - available in a range of colours from www.miijo.com

Anya Hindmarch's 'I'm Not A Plastic Bag'

The Michelle Obama Mighty Shopper - available at Boutique Fabulous

Shopista designer ALERT @ Westfield Sydney this Thursday! (31.03)

Calling all SWLS Shopistas!!


If you haven't already been, this is a perfect opportunity to enter Sydney's latest fashion coven, Westfield Sydney City.
To celebrate the opening of the new designer level, Grazia magazine is hosting a shopping night this Thursday March 31 from 5-9pm.
SWLS Sleuth's fave offers are 20% off at Sass & Bide, 20% off & free nail polish at Peep Toes Shoes, 15% off at Zimmermann & 15% off at Fleur Wood (with many more!)
Plus there is the chance to meet a slew of designers, from Hussy's Marie Ritchie & Thurley's Helen O'Connor to Jamie Blakey from One Teaspoon (who'll be customising shorts in-store) to Genevieve & Alexandra of Ginger & Smart - SWLS loves meeting the lovely ladies who bring us our coveted Aussie fashion!


So if your wardrobe needs a designer pep in its step, head down to Westfield Sydney this Thursday and stock up on some fab new-season trends.


x Happy shopping!



Monday 21 March 2011

Getting 'visionary' with online shopping...(and cheaper designer sunnies)

We are in a new era of shopping ladies. Once upon a time we’d hit the streets looking for instant retail gratification, searching for the perfect purchase, our hard-earned cash literally burning holes through our Miu Miu purses.
My, how times have changed! No longer is said purchase tried on, instantly rung up at the register, swathed in tissue and escorted from the store by yours truly…..
Instead, the real hunt begins.
The Internet has become a Shopista’s best friend. We’re now able to compare prices both locally and internationally, check out different colours and variations, and even get our size that was no longer available in-store.
So rather than listening to your pinching toes and instead to the store assistant and going down half a size because you HAVE TO HAVE those heels, you’re now able to have the RIGHT size (aka they’ll we worn more than once!) shipped to your doorstep with just the click of a few computer keys and the deliverance of your credit card number (memorised, of course!)
I recently fell for a gorgeous pair of Dior sunglasses, and instead of basking in the compliments of the store staff and sliding my card discreetly across the counter, I bottled all my inner ‘your-life-is-not-complete-without-these-sunnies’ thoughts, and headed home to surf the online shopping mecca.
And wow, did it produce!
www.visiondirect.com.au is an international site with an Australian home page that deals in hundreds of designer prescription glasses and sunglasses. Their mission statement is to provide 100% authentic designer sunnies for much less than the recommended retail. So rather than paying $550 which is what the store had been asking, I paid $230 for my ‘can’t-live-without’ Dior’s.
And while some ‘designer’ sites often only stock the raggy end of last season’s collection that stores couldn’t sell, VD has many of the latest & more recent collections from a myriad of designers - from Tom Ford, Dior, Fendi, Gucci & Prada to Ray Ban, Bvlgari,  YSL, Cavalli and so many more….
Admittedly, I had ordered around Christmas so what would usually take 2 weeks ended up being nearly a month for delivery – however when you are looking at halving costs, a little bit of waiting never hurt, it merely makes you love the postman even more when he delivers!
Happy shopping x
p.s. Shopistas, peek below for some pics off the vision direct website x



ALL HAIL McQUEEN – for under $40

What better way to kick off a shopping blog than with the amazing Knuckle Box Clutch by the late (and amazingly great), Alexander McQueen.
But before you scoff at my proposal of you spending $2,195 on this piece of amazing clutch couture, thanks to our friends at Collette Accessories (www.collette.com.au), this gorgeous clutch can be yours for $39.95 – that’s right, I haven’t misplaced a decimal point, this fabulous replica can be sitting on your fingers for under forty dollars!
Available in both black (with gold trim) and pewter, this is a trans-seasonal must have for your right hand while holding a cocktail in your left. 

The fabulous Colette Accessories clutch - just $39.95

Some of the original McQueen Box Clutch masterpieces


Quick fashion fix!

Kick your heels into gear and get to Nine West to receive 25% off all new season boots and bags…you’ll have to fight me for the Louboutin-inspired booties!
          - Hurry as this offer is for a limited time only!

A little about She Who Loves Shopping (SWLS).....

After a decade in the ragtrader industry, I’ve run the ‘mill’ and worked with all types of clothing & accessory brands. From high-end designer, to mid-weight fashion, to cheaper-than-chips clothing with a fashionable edge.
There is much to be said about fashion, particularly the dreamy kind of fashion from designers that often have price tags likened to a yearly electricity bill. But what about the amazing clothing, accessories and shoes that are now affordable & available both on our shores and on the web, and are yet still unknown to my sister shopistas?  There is so much out there within reach, sometimes you just need to know where to look, or dig a bit deeper – which is where I come in as your SWLS sleuth!
This won’t be a blog about ‘bargain buys’, (although they’ll be in there thick & strong), rather it will be showing you great purchases you can make on a variety of budgets, so that you too can feel great about what you wear. 
A strong wardrobe is about investing in key pieces, and mixing them back with some great bargain buys (that have the look of high-end designer!) so that you have a rounded look for each season without breaking the bank. I’ll also be looking at the monthly glossies from around the globe to see what insights they can bestow on our search for the perfect look.
Having been a fashion insider for so long, I’ll also bring you tips and tricks on how to bargain hunt without the risk of losing teeth at the next Ginger & Smart sample sale (mind you, they are so fab, you might want to consider investing in a mouthguard…)
The amount of comments I receive on great pieces I have picked up for an even greater price has lead me to want to share my secrets. So armed with my (Kate-Spade-clad) Iphone camera, this SWLS sleuth is going to take the hard work out of the fashion trawl, and bring you amazing fashion finds that I think are worthy of our admiration!
If you are a fellow shopista, I hope you enjoy my posts about all things fashion, and please feel free to contact me with feedback and suggestions, as you may have a little fashion nugget of gold you want to share with your fellow shopping comrades!
Happy purchasing!
x Lauren