Shopping in Sydney (Hints & Tips)

Many can tell you that I am always up for a bargain. Having lived by myself in Sydney I have come to be a avid bargain hunter, not only for fashion but for food, entertainment and sightseeing activities. I thought I would share my knowledge with you.

Fashion

The one main tip I have learnt is that when it is winter in Australia it is summer everywhere else. Meaning that the winter fashion will go on sale in winter, making way for the summer fashion to come in at the start of winter! Crazy?! I guess this is because Australia is keeping up with the overseas fashion season. But this is fantastic news for us. This means that we can nab a great bargain on that gorgeous coat we first saw come into the store in summer.

The massive sale seasons are usually; Boxing Day, New Year (January/ February), EOFY (June), and occassionally November (Pre Xmas sales). However, you will normally notice that stores will always have a sale section.

But definately do your research before you hit the sales as some 'bargains' will hardly save you anything at all.

Places to shop

China Town Paddy's Market- great place for unique fashion and also where you can bargain with the shop keepers (note: this is not accepted at all stalls in Paddy's Market). Also a great place to get cheap fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember to bring trolley like your nan uses as you might get a bit carried away....

Oxford Street- Bustling Oxford Street is lined with fashion and shoe boutiques, as well as homeware stores, cafés and restaurants. Just up the road is the trendy Queen Street, famous for its array of antique shops, art galleries and jewellery shops. Great place to find all your high end fashion names. Hint: plan your shopping before you go as there are lots of little boutiques down the side streets. Also remember to stop in at Max Brenner for a quick sugar fix.

Fox Studios Entertainment Quarter- not only can you watch a movie and have dinner here, but the shops stay open quite late. One of my fav shops is Funky Femme where you will find some cute pieces for under $100! Psst.. they also hold secret Sass & Bide sales as well as Fashion Auctions. So grab your BFF and get out for a night of dinner, a movie and some seriously fun shopping!

CBD- there is the obvious choice of Pitt Street Mall, however I prefer to shop indoors (there is less smokers and people hounding you). The CBD offers QVB and Strand Arcade for the shopper that likes a bit of history and culture. The main bargains you'll find are during sale season. But I would recommend it for the atmosphere.

Markets- in particular Paddingtion, Bondi, Glebe, Surry Hills, Rozelle, Balmain, the Rocks and Manly. A great way to find 'vintage' and handmade pieces. Also a great way to spend the whole day out doors in the fresh air.

Westfield- my absolute favorite Westfields in Sydney is Bondi Junction. There are 2 sections- the old section and the new section. The new section has a trendy food court that overlooks Sydney city, it also boasts the high end fashion labels. The older section is home to Target and different homewares stores. Great place to spot celebrities!

Hints & Tips:

• research before you go shopping- know what shops you want to visit and where they are
  
• have a budget in mind and leave your credit cards at home (remember don't spend money you don't have)
• clean through your wardrobe to see what you need
• write a shopping list
• eat before you go- this will stop you from eating out
• rehydrate- take a bottle of water and some snacks (e.g. nuts and fruit)
• wear comfortable and easy to change clothes

I will keep you updated with more bargain hints and tips to help you through. Think of this as a ressionista proof plan.

Happy Shopping!

xxx

Pet Peeves

Ok, so I need to get it off my chest. Ever since I started living in Sydney I have become a bitter, complaining, nagging, whinging, negative person. I have yelled at kids in the movies, covered my nose in disgust as people smoke near me, and then complain loudly on the phone whenever someone is walking on the wrong side of the footpath! Is it just me, or is this city living up to the name the 'Big Smoke'?

So as I mentioned earlier, I yelled at a few kids in the movies. Normally I wouldn't mind, however it was a scary movie and they were imaturelly giggling. Also I had paid $18.50 for the ticket, not to mention $15 for popcorn and a coke, then to top it all off I sat on a wet seat! Ah, I'm not normally so snappy, but suddenly I just snapped!

As for the smoking, don't get me started... I mean aren't there suppose to be anti-smoking laws for certain areas... like.. ah, don't know.... the beach for starters and parks... oh, and bus stops, and where people are eating. I purposely run past people smoking covering my mouth just so I don't have to breath in that horrible tar. I don't need to be a smoker just because you like it! Can't you do it somewhere else, like far away from normal people. Preferably not where there are children, people enjoying the fresh air, people eating, people exercising or where there are people at all. I mean don't get me wrong, I realize that smokers also think smoking is bad and that it is a hard habit to kick, but think about this... if you quit today you will be saving the environment, your health and not to mention you will be saving yourself listening to people like me nagging you to stop. So there you go, stop smoking!

As for the footpath scenario... well, its kinda like driving a car, you stick to one side, drive in the slow lane if you are a learner, indicate and look before turning. If only it were this simple walking on a footpath. I mean please walk to the left hand side, if your slow please do not take up the entire footpath as people may want to get past, and if you feel like turning, please check if there isn't someone in your way! Is that too hard to ask?

Well, thats about all from me today. I'm not normally one to vent, but this really took the cake, I mean the whole cake!

Peace & Love xx