How long has it been since I last made a lookbook post?? Months, probably. As the weather heats up in Brisbane, I’m sure that everyone cannot think of a better thing to do than to stay indoors under the ever-vigilant air conditioner. I can literally feel the perspiration rising up to the surface of my skin the very second I step outside, and I’m always conscious of my hair slowly beginning to flatten and stick to my scalp. Not a good look. But still, that’s hardly an excuse for keeping my readers in the dark. Yes, it’s hot; yes, I’m lazy, but I have a duty to fulfill–a duty towards my readers and their wallets in this economic climate of ours!

Okay, enough ranting and raving.

This is one of my favorite outfits as of late. As you know, I like pastels; they just perfectly mesh with my skintone and hair so I find any excuse I can to wear pastel ensembles while gallivanting around town. Boy, have I bought a lot of pastels for Summer.

Here’s the rundown in front of you:

Chain NecklaceAliExpress, $2

Flower Embroidered Blouse – Valleygirl, $15

Lemon Polka Dot 3/4 Blazer – Chicabooti, $16

Triple Ring PackASOS, $5 (Oh my GOD these rings are to die for, they go with everything)

Pink & Gold Bow Belt – Colette, $5 (I absolutely love this belt, it has a faint sparkle in the sunlight and you know I can’t resist sparkle)

Pink Flower Embroidered Scalloped Shorts – Valleygirl, $15

“Joy” Nude Bow HeelsNovo Shoes, $35 (I call these flats because these are about as flat as I can wear my shoes. These have a squishy soft leather lining!)

Total: $93.

Yeek, I’m cutting it fine with my own rules! It’s the shoes’ fault, they’re too damn expensive. I wouldn’t have even bought them if I wasn’t for the fact that I needed a cute, neutral pair of low-heeled shoes and no matter where I looked, these were the best that fit the bill and didn’t display an obscene amount of toe cleavage. Hate toe cleavage, especially because I have absurdly high arches so it’s bound to happen with most of the “flats” out there…

Anyways, I digress. Throw in a mint bowknot handbag (AliExpress, $15) and you’re styling! I actually have an interesting story about this bag.. I saw suspiciously similar bags on display at Dangerfield and Kitten D’Amour. I was caught off-guard, thinking that I must have bought a cheaper replica of some sort, but no, they’re all made out of the same PU material, have faults in the same places, and even the hardware was the same.

(Pictured: My bags on the left, then Dangerfield on top, followed by Kitten D’Amour)

They’re all from a similar “line” produced in China, except that buying directly from AliExpress, I paid $15, and anyone who buys from those two stores are going to be paying upwards of $60 per bag! Absolute insanity. Oh… and here’s the exact same red Kitten D’Amour bag from AliExpress, if you were interested (it also comes in bright yellow, orange, and black, from the listings I’ve seen floating around). So there, to all the haters who look down their nose at me because I refuse to go to those high end stores and buy the same product for 500% more because it suddenly has a brand name attached to it.

More notes about my purchases: I’ve been looking for a pale yellow blazer for what seems like forever. I found the aforementioned one at Chicabooti for $16, but it was in a very small size 8, and I was so torn! The sleeves were crazy tight on my arms and I couldn’t button it up at the front, but I bought it anyways and chucked it in the DIY pile. Only last night did I get around to letting out the arms and the darts in the back with my sewing machine and it fits perfectly now. If it comes unstitched though, I might just.. die. Because it’s taken me a whole year to find something like this and I don’t wanna let it go! Only now I’m feeling like I should be cautious about how often I wear it because realistically, when is the next time I’ll ever grab a score like this again??

Are there any items you own that are a one-of-a-kind and you’re too scared to wear out? I used to scoff at people who do this with brand name handbags and I feel sort of pathetic that I’m doing it over a $16 blazer, but oh well..

Keep cool and wear sunscreen, frugalistas!

6 Comments

  1. This website makes me really sad. Why don’t you just save all the money you spend on buying cheap stuff and buyer fewer, better things that aren’t responsible for serious human rights violations and environmental problems? You might be “fashionably” dressed, but your clothes and jewellery look cheap. I am not trying to be a jerk, and I don’t mean to offend you. Maybe you can explain this?

    • Demi

      I’m not sure what I need to explain or answer for. Do you post this sort of comment to every non-“environmentally-friendly” blogger that you come across? As far as I’m aware, buying expensive clothes when you’re unaware of the conditions they originate from is no better or worse than buying cheap clothes that come from the same circumstances.

      I buy lots of cheap clothing in lieu of buying few expensive pieces because I like to have a wardrobe full of different choices when I get dressed in the morning and simply because.. it’s fun. I don’t know why I need to answer for doing things that millions of Australian women do every day, just with a lower price tag attached.

    • I’m not talking about just buying expensive things.., I’m talking about buying things where you know the origin. I completely agree that just buying more expensive things isn’t the answer- that is even more pointless.

      I’m sorry, I am not trying to be a jerk. I just wonder if you consider the consequences of thinking about clothing this way. I’m not asking you to answer for everyone else- just yourself. You have, after all, published a blog dedicated to teaching people how to purchase cheap Chinese wares.

      No, I don’t post to every environmentally un-friendly blog I come across. In fact, I never post to blogs. But this isn’t just about the environment- it’s about the people who are being abused so that we can have “fun”.

      Obviously, you aren’t going to respond to this, and I don’t expect you too, nor will I bother you again. I came across this blog looking for something else, and thought your face looked familiar. It bothered me and I stopped to reply.

      Cheers.

    • Demi

      Why wouldn’t I respond to it; I don’t recall a situation where I have not responded to someone’s comments. Everyone can have their own opinion on whatever they’d like, it’s a free country (well, sort of).

      I don’t have the slightest of political agendas with my blogging, I blog for myself and for other broke university students living on Cup-O-Noodle soups, not for people who can afford to buy bespoke clothing and wares from overpriced home-grown designer boutiques. No doubt they’d probably find me as cheap-looking as you do, but that’s okay with me because I’m not blogging for them.

      I guess that’s why I’m confused why you commented, too.

      What would you like me to do about the disenfranchised in China producing these clothes? Perhaps send off a letter to the United Nations in regards to the working conditions there?–Or about the waste generated from others purchasing those clothes? Continually berate the masses about throwing away perfectly good clothing before they’ve lived a fruitful life in someone’s cupboard? I already donate clothes to charities and I have a constant stream of friends begging for and borrowing clothes from my cupboard (jokes on them, I guess, since my clothes and jewelry apparently look cheap), so I don’t know what more I can do to reduce my environmental footprint and still live within my means.

      I’ve my own ethical standards that I live up to. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but when I do, I don’t buy any from companies that conduct animal testing. I don’t buy fur or snakeskin products because I’m dubious about the conditions from where they come from. I donate to charities when I can.

      But avoiding purchasing things from China with totally questionable and most of the time completely unknown information about the living standards of the person who made the item? I might as well never step foot into a shopping centre again.

  2. anastasiastarz Reply

    If you have friends going to asian you could always get them to get that blazer replicated – as long as you can find the same fabric. Though do tell your friends to tell the stores that if it’s not like the original you’re not paying for it. ;)

    • Demi

      Haha, that’s a good tip! I may have to try it…

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