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| 10 lira sweater + 3 lira scarf + 2 lira earrings = 15 lira outfit! |
“What cute earrings,” your friend says.
And you say, “I got these for two lira on the street the other day.”
One of the perks of life in my Aegean city is fun fashion finds for cheap. A few weekends ago, my daughter and I went shopping at our Saturday pazar (market). People from all over town come to our pazar for its treasures: costume jewelry, cheap perfume, jeans, sweaters, coats, scarves, sweat suits, and designer factory rejects. It’s best to get there early because by 12 noon you can hardly push through the crowd. You have to be really committed to the concept of fashion finds for cheap to brave the afternoon mob.
My daughter and I ambled around for an hour, getting lost a couple of times in the maze of stalls and examining countless treasures. We ended up with sweaters for 10 Lira (US$ 6.66) and matching 3 lira scarves. Practically a new outfit for $13 lira!
Of course I don’t know how long we’ll be able to wear these sweaters, but they’re fun and didn’t unravel in the first wash. Even if they fall apart by spring, I won’t care. I can wear anything happily for only one season if I paid just 10 lira for it. And you never know; six years ago I found a tailored burgundy blouse for 7 lira at the same market, and I still get compliments when I wear it. While home on furlough two years ago I found two sweaters in favorite colors, royal blue and emerald green, for $5 on a sale rack at Target, and they’ve made it through two winters.
Personally, my life is so busy that I have to stumble upon clothing bargains. I don’t have time to drive all over town looking for the cheapest thing. Sometimes I pay more for the sake of simplicity. Get what you need NOW, and then you’re done. So it’s doubly fun when I run across something I like for cheap.
What’s the best fashion bargain you’ve found recently? Did you find it while travelling or living abroad?
4 comments:
i love those earrings! and we love bargains too! since the Philippines is a country where some American brand goods are made, we occasionally stumble across items that didn't quite pass muster - like the $5 Ann Taylor T's we found recently :) or the Banana Republic bermuda shorts for another $5... love those deals! enjoy your sweater weather!! ;)
Love them! And I love to tell people how cheap I find things! I actually bought stuff both in Thailand and South Africa last year that people always comment on and they were really cheap.
I love a good bargain! And your outfit is so cute.
We went to Mexico after Christmas and I found some cute earrings for just 18 pesos.
It's great to hear about your bargain finds too! Barbara, with the textile industry in the Philippines, I'm not surprised you find such great deals.
And Shanda, I don't know why, but I also love telling people when I got something for cheap.
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