Shops

I am a real shopper. It goes far beyond my tastes or whatever’s on my shopping list. For me, it really comes down to a love for the physical act of shopping; sifting through racks, scooting from store to store, checking out new trends, window displays, the whole lot. Whether it’s finding a MUST-HAVE or picking up something as basic as black mascara, I’m into it. 100%. I look so forward to a Saturday or Sunday morning when I can wake-up, grab a latte, and take a trip to Yorkdale (it’s really a home away from home), Queen Street (East and/or West), Kensington, or even Value Village (tried, tested, and true).

With all this shop-talk, you must assume I have deep pockets. Not so. Anyone who works in corporate retail will tell you; fun times on the job front, entirely different story in the bank account. So what is an avid shopper – working in fashion (trend reports from the Paris/London/NYC shows are like mini-shots to the heart when you can barely afford to read the email) – with a taste for the finer things TO DO? Get thrifty!

No coupon cutting involved, I assure you. Ask anyone who knows me, a deal and I never seem to meet at the same cash register. So how/what/where you wonder? I say browse OFTEN and shop ONLINE! Hit the malls, street shops, THE BAY. Browse, check out the displays, see what’s new and coming. THEN, wait a few weeks and suddenly, like magic, your fav items will start to appear online and at MUCH better prices. It’s a way to get the tangible + virtual shopping experience at a better price!

Don’t get me wrong. I realize this isn't the solution for everything on our shopping lists and perusing the malls often means time most of us don’t have. But for the right items, you can shop online in your pj’s before bed or over your breakfast cereal. Now for a real shopper like me, whether I’m ringing in at the cash or not, it’s the act of the SHOP that I can’t do without so a morning trip to the mall is a must. I need to touch the merchandise to fall in love. But for anyone who shops for necessity/to stay relatively on trend, online should tickle your fancy just fine.

Oh! One more thing. Important! Considering I work for the country’s oldest department store, you’d think I wouldn’t encourage the online shop (foot traffic and sales in-store pretty much equate to me having a future pay cheque). But guess what!?!? The Bay is launching online, WOOT!

Visit www.thebay.com to check out everything we’ve already got goin’ on, and into the spring/summer and fall for even more great items right at your finger tips.

And just for fun, although there are too many to count, here are a few great online sites for your shopping delights!

www.Shopbop.com
www.etsy.com
www.myideeli.com
www.dailycandy.com

Happy shops xo