Passion, addiction, therapy. Whatever you call it, it's a love of many of us girls (and guys) out there, and as an Australian in 'the big apple' I was in shopping heaven. Below are a few of my favourite places to shop in the big city.
Uniqlo
We have recently opened up a few Uniqlo stores in Australia, though naturally everything is still cheaper in the US. Uniqlo was great for basics, and I'll be sure to visit one of the Aussie stores when i need to stock up on high quality basics at reasonable prices.
Brandy Melville
A brand that I'd heard raved about on YouTube and various blogs, Brandy Melville may just be the home of the softest and most comfortable clothes I've ever felt. Cute designs, lots of stripes (always a favourite of mine) and incredibly affordable prices led to leaving with about 20 new bits of clothing & jewellery. Sounds all too good to be true? The one catch is their 'one size fits all' sizing system. Most of their clothing is oversized and slouchy, which gives leeway for AU sizes 6-10, however it does cut out a huge range of customers - and would leave girls outside of that size range leaving disappointed.
Sephora
Sephora had to be my most anticipated store to shop at, and whilst I'm not usually that adventurous in the makeup I jumped at the chance to stock up on brands that cost an arm and a leg in Australia and also try a few that are not stocked in Australian stores. I would have looked like a bit of a hoarder carrying my incredible Sephora bag around the city, but no amount of weird looks could have stopped my need for ALL of the makeup. Sydney-siders would know that our own Sephora has recently opened, but since seeing what America had to offer I was somewhat disappointed. If you have the chance to shop in their stores abroad I would jump at it - the low prices and range of products far surpass what is currently on offer in the Sydney branch.
Footlocker
I have only recently gotten into the sport luxe trend, and my arms are open wide to accept wearing sneakers as a fashionable accessory. My first buy was a pair of Nike Air Max Thea's for the bargain price of $89.95. Not to mention the pair of baby Air Force One's I picked up for a friend who has recently had a child - they may just be the cutest things I've ever seen. If you're a footwear fanatic Footlocker will be your one stop shop for bagging a bargain on your next pair of sneakers.
Woodbury Commons
Ahh Woodbury Commons, the piece de resistance. Upon first researching shopping outlets in the New York area, the US$40 return trip to Woodbury commons seemed a bit steep, but upon high recommendations we decided to take the plunge. The cost covered the return bus trip and a booklet of coupons full of extra discounts. These discounts were so good we left with far more than we could have imagined and my mum even bought a new suitcase which we brought all our new purchases back to the city in. The highlight of my day was purchasing a classic black Burberry trench coat for approximately AUS$700 after tax. Need I say 'living the dream?'
Happy shopping!
-Melissa
