anchors away

Source: ZARA

The other day I was in Zara and happened upon the cutest nautical inspired suit with matching shorts. I swear it looks even sweeter in person and it comes with lovely anchor buttons. This is definitely on my Spring wish list.

suit + pumps

Source: my own/ Adrian Mesko for Vogue Australia March 2011

Okay, so I made a tiny bit of a mistake walking past a huge 70% OFF SALE sign at Zara the other day and not being able to continue walking by. Inside waiting for me were these patent, black pumps that I have been looking for, for ages!! Seriously you have no idea how hard it is to find a simple pump that fits your feet! Paired with a suit like shown above = proof that you don't have to bare all to be super sexy. 
Now I need to buy a suit...

One unsatisfied customer

Sorry to start this post on such a bad note but do I have to remind retailers that there is a reason why "high street fashion" exists in the world???!!! In Seoul this is apparently not so. Lotte company has completely over inflated the prices for Korean Zara. It's unbelievable I think they took it literally because it is very high indeed-in price.

I waltzed into the store yesterday as planned and was greeted with chic decor, ambient lights, good music plus functioning fitting rooms! As you can see in the few pics I snapped (for some reason I was under the impression that I wasen't supposed to take pics so I didn't take that many) the clothes were truly fabulous, colourful, above-average quality BUT were way too expensive for my budget. What is my budget you may ask? It's a normal, uni student, price-savvy attitude that I bring with myself budget when I go shopping. Bottom line is I cannot afford these clothes. I will not pay around thirty bucks for an itty-bitty tye-dye tank top. The silk, vibrant tops and flowing skirts were killing me! I liked this cool tone, halter-neck dress below for the summer but it retailed for about 200 dollars like the majority of the dresses on the hangers. No show here. I also liked this dress too but it was heavy on price and heavy on weight.Nowadays since I'm considerably more tight on the budget I was peeved that the clothes cost double (or more!) of their European counterparts. I was also annoyed about the fact that I could read the Euro price under the Korean price sticker and was murmuring to myself that "I would totally get this if it was in Euros and if I was in Europe". It's quite disappointing really. I was hoping that they wouldn't do another "Banana Republic on us again" but they did (when Banana Republic came into Lotte department stores they totally upped the prices). I'm not saying that the clothes quality doesn't meet up to the price but I thought Zara was a brand which prided on affordable, on-trend alternatives for smart and budget-smart fashionistas (guys too). I'm just really disappointed in Korean Zara, while career women may have the freedom to spluge on these clothes normal people like me do not have that privilege. If you want to push customers like me out of your retail list feel free to do so. But heck, that's just my opinion.