5 things that annoy me about Black Friday

November 29, 2016

Obviously I’m not averse to money off deals, because that would be really stupid, but I’m so sick of hearing about Black Friday!

black-friday

Here’s why:

The clue’s in the name. Friday. If you’re still advertising Black Friday deals the following Tuesday, you clearly don’t understand the Gregorian calendar. The same goes for pre-Black Friday deals. If you’re doing them early then it’s just a sale.
It’s a US tradition (and has been since 1952, according to Wikipedia) that the UK has latched on to, seemingly just for the hell of it, to keep up with our American cousins. Stores can’t just have a pre-Christmas sale now, it has to be a Black Friday discount. Why?
A lot of the Black Friday deals really aren’t all that. Surely the idea is to issue a massive discount on products that is only available once a year? Not 20% off and free delivery from High Street stores, who regularly issue discount codes and sale offers. Make it 30% plus and it might look attractive and different to you usual discounts
It creates a furor of activity, anger and rudeness in stores, as people fight over a new TV (that they probably don’t need) or trample each other to get to cheap Christmas toys for their kids
It’s now spawning other stupid and pretend days, like Cyber Monday! Which is fine, if it was just cyber deals, but I’ve had emails from clothes shops advertising Cyber Monday deals too. Stop jumping on the bloody bandwagon!

Although I’d love to see any Black Friday bargains you guys have bought, let me know!

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

5 not so great things about internet shopping

December 8, 20155 Comments

OK, I extolled the virtues of online shopping yesterday, and I stand by those things.

Online shopping

But as a prolific online shopper (which sounds better than over-orderer!) there are things that I hate too…

1) Getting your hopes up on the perfect dress/top/playsuit, and then it turns up and looks (and feels) like one of your Nan’s tea-towels. Who said the camera doesn’t lie?

2) Not being able to judge the sizing by holding an item up on the hanger and therefore having to order 3 sizes in everything just to be sure.

3) The look you get at the post office when you turn up regularly with 73 parcels to return – the customers hate you for slowing the queue and the postmaster judges you for shopping again

4) Keeping track of refunds – did New Look/Dorothy Perkins/H&M process all of the orders I’ve sent back in the last 2 weeks?

5) When you can only return items to store, so have to spend AGES at the till while the cashier refunds what seemed like a small order online, but in reality is half your monthly salary.

Of course it’s a small price to pay, so I’m not going to be quitting any time soon…

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

5 great things about internet shopping

December 7, 2015

I hardly ever go real life shopping anymore. I find it such a drag. Internet shopping is so much better; especially at Christmas. Who wants to brave the crowds of marauding stressed out shoppers buying things for the sake of it? And getting hot then cold then hot then cold as you wander in and out of shops? Urgh!

Online-Shopping

Here are my favourite things about shopping online.

1) You don’t have to squeeze into tiny changing rooms (H&M Bullring, I’m looking at you!), or changing rooms with the curtain hanging off and bits of old coathanger and chewing gum on the floor (Primark Birmingham, you’re guilty).

2) You don’t have to keep getting in and out of your jeans or shoes when trying things on (just do it all before bed time then get into your PJs, genius).

3) You can order loads of stuff because you don’t have to carry the bags, hurrah! And ordering more usually qualifies for free delivery, so technically it’s economising (but take pity on your courier when he’s delivering yet another haul to your front door).

4) You can do it any time of day (or night) whatever you look like.

Online shopping wine

5) You don’t have to mix with other people (I’m not anti-social but Saturday shopping crowds and queues for the escalator/fitting room/till? Er, no).

How did we ever cope without it?!

Are you an online or real life shopper?

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

This little piggy went to market

April 10, 20153 Comments

Specifically the Birmingham Rag Market.

This has been in my life for as long as I can remember. As a kid, going into town on the train with my Mom to purchase fabric for curtains (she was a keen seamstress), as a teenager buying clubbing clothes from some of the independent traders, and into my 20s buying antique and vintage jewellery from 2 kooky old ladies.

I haven’t been to the market for quite a while. It’s rare I shop in real life any more! And the only chance I get to go into town is on Saturdays and Sundays – the market is closed on Sundays and Saturday are just hellish – why would you?!

Anyway, I digress. The rag market is still a hive of tatt and treasures. Hats, masks, bargain branded make up, fancy dress, sparkly jewellery, cheap shoes, patterned tights, bright coloured fabrics, vintage clothes and mobile phone accessories sit alongside each other seamlessly.

There’s always a gem to be had if you’re patient. I wasn’t in the market (geddit!) for anything, but the key is having an open mind.

So, what did I score?

Some costume jewellery – £1 each!

The red one looks like a jewelled fruit depending which way you wear it, and the “pearl” one has a petty diamante trim. I can’t get a good close up of the black one, but it has marcasite effect hearts on the side.

I spotted a rail of 70s looking leather and suede jackets on one of the vintage stalls. I’ve wanted a 70s tan jacket for a while, and never found the right one. This looked like it might fit the bill.

But it was ever so slightly too small and wouldn’t fasten. 70s women were a lot smaller(and I’m not the waif I once was…) Despite the stall owner telling me I could have it for £15 (a tenner discount from the marked up price of £25) I decided not to impulse buy.

However, after thinking about it all day (and seeking the husband’s opinion via the medium of picture message) I decided to go for it. After all, who wears their jackets “done up” anyway?

Here it is; a total bargain and a great shape/colour combo.