Thursday 8 September 2011

Pre-Fashion Week Shakes

So it is a week before London Fashion Week (yes, I know fashion month has started already but I ignore NYFW because 1) it's really far away and 2) it's a bit MEH) and the fretting has begun. Whose shows will I be invited to, or will I have to jump the (not so) proverbial fence. How am I going to get there and stay for as little money as possible to maximise potential spending (Greyhound - YUCK and spare room of sympathisers). Obviously the most important question is, what the fuck am I going to wear???

Living in Edinburgh, I rely heavily on the internet for a lot of my special sartorial needs, which has developed in me a keeness for comparison shopping. An usual evening looks like this:
8pm: Feeling the need to revisit /renew interest in a specific item - usually shoes or bags
8.15: Scrolling through eBay and the millions of fakes, find a few good bargains but too impatient to wait the 4 days when the auction ends, annoyed at stupid BIN prices.
8.30: Proceed to trawl through the vast expanses of Google with lame key words that either turn up too many or not enough search results.
8.45: Reconsult eBay, then back to Google, eBay. Repeat.
12.30am: Pretty knackered at this point, watching an extra 10000 items on eBay, similar amount in wish lists on various websites.
Repeat the whole process for weeks, at a bit more frantic pace when fashion week approaches and the only option becomes next day international shipping...

Sometimes it does seem I would be happier without the "choice" of internet shopping. I often find myself being much more spontaneous when I shop in person - once I try those shoes on...there is no going back and I'm determined to walk home with them. No time to worry about where else I can get them, or whether it's free delivery over £100. No wallowing in inexplicable grief when the internet taunts me with the ghosts of shoes and bags already sold out, at sale price..

And my recent results and achievements?
The one I'm most excited about and ashamed to have only discovered them recently is LD Tuttle. An American designer with an impressive range of interesting footwear, with dark names like The Hunt, and The Empty. After a chance encounter with an amazing pair of mummy-like wrap wedges on Matches, I proceeded to investigate further, and came across a pair of shoes that stirred something in my, er, heart.
The Haunt definitely sent a chill, but of the thrilling kind. The blood-red layers of bandaged leather, the concealed wedge and the back zip is the most exciting combination I've seen in ages.
The bad news is, I couldn't find any European retailers that stock these, so to get the from the US, one would have to pay a whopping $200something customs fee. Ouch. The internet giveth, and it taketh away..


This next label I was very reluctant to like, due to the fact that you can't turn the page quick enough to avoid Cheryl Cole's over-exposed face and not notice that she is in one of these. All the time, seemingly. I wouldn't be surprised if she sleeps in them.
So with all that in mind, I tried very hard to look away from the slim-fit, washed and aged lamb leather variations, with cut and style inspirations from Rick Owens to Julius.
Will I be able to resist the pull of lamb leather and raw edge seams at reasonable prices..?
See what the fuss is all about at the Muubaa website.



So what have we learned from this analysis of my shopping habits? Ignorance is bliss and the virtual knife that twists as you realise you've just missed out on a flash sale, or that you want something that was discontinued months or years ago is a difficult pain to bear.

On the other hand, where else would you get a 6 seasons old bag you've wanted ever since you discovered its existence 4 seasons ago, with the added bonus of yanking it from the clutches of a few dozen other women who you know wanted it just as much, in the comfort of your own home?

Internet shopping - 1, Physical shopping - 0.

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