Our tempers rose as we sweltered in the oppressive heat a few weeks ago while on a mission to find the clothes that you will see in the centrespread. (See Budget spree, SM12-SM13)

“We’re such mall rats,” hissed my colleague, Elaine, “Pounding the pavements in search for budget finds in this heat is insane.”

See how we suffer for our job? Although both of us aren’t teenagers, college kids or 20-somethings who can throw on a RM50 outfit and look trendy, we know that there’s plenty of great bargains out there which one can put together and look chic in.

As for what constituted “cheap’’, we figured that RM100 was too low and upped the budget significantly. However, our fashion editor, William Kee, told us that RM500 for an outfit is not everybody’s idea of a bargain and so we went back to the drawing board. Finally, we settled on RM200 with great difficulty.

But where do we find these items? Well, that was what we had to figure out. There are many mid-range boutiques out there and there is also Sungai Wang Plaza and Jalan Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur, where one can unearth great finds. Our target market, however, mostly shops in the vicinity of Bangsar, Mont Kiara and the Hartamas area in KL, and are used to a certain quality.

Keeping that in mind, we were surprised when we found some real gems after weeks of looking at clothes that were made from horrible material, badly cut with threads hanging out and that would last a max of three washes.

When you’re in your 30s, disposable fashion comes with higher price tags, and a RM80 top will look like an RM80 top. Youth allows cheap and chic – everyone else just looks cheap.

For high fashion, you only have to look at Zara, Topshop, etc, to know that you’re going to spend a few hundred ringgit for things that will go out of style next week. (That’s why I always say accessories are the key, but we still have to invest in really good classics. )

My niece, Kamelia Nisha, has the amazing ability to throw on anything and look good and she even modifies her clothes when she gets bored of them. Then again, she’s 15 and gorgeous.

What I did in the end was to try to find items that didn’t look too much like what they cost, as I am a great believer in the maxim “it’s not what you wear, but the way you wear it’’.

The thing is, the people I know would spend RM200 on earrings alone, or maybe a bangle. But there’s an economic crisis going on, so we all have to learn how to save money and shop for less. Go shopping in your own closet if you have to, and investigate your fabulous friends’ closets too.

When it comes to sticking to a budget, think of cost-per-wear and that should help you decide whether an item is worth the price.

Source:

The Star
Sunday May 17, 2009
Stretching your dollar
Sense of Style
By DZIREENA MAHADZIR