Showing posts with label Women Fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Women Fashion. Show all posts

10/20/2014

Her Message (Claremont WA, Australia)

Shop 3, 50 Bayview Terrace
Old Theatre Lane
Claremont WA 6010
Phone: 0430 065 152
Website

Located in the cute Old Theatre Lane, Her Message is a cute shop selling cute things by a cute lady. They specialise in cult-following shoe brands: the Brazilian brand  Zaxy's jelly shoes, and the Venezuelan brand "Chocolaticas" (Hot Chocolate Design). They are statement comfortable unique shoes. They also have some others flats and ballerina shoes that I like a lot. They also have children shoes, a few items of jewellery, canvas totes, and similar things.


Hot Chocolate Design shoes are canvas arty painted shoes. They are not only trendy, unique and beautiful, they are also super-comfortable to walk around and perfect for travelling without sacrificing style. Zaxy are wonderful summer silicone shoes, that look classy and elegant, utterly feminine, very comfortable and are water proof, also perfect for travelling and for the summer months.  

The lady behind the counter was wonderful, very attentive, helpful, and Keen to make business by offering me further discounts if buying more than one pair or just helping me to purchase. If they don't have your sizing or favourite style, they will take your phone number and SMS you when your pair size is in.

Prices were good for Perth and having into account that these are imported shoes. I found the jelly shoes cheaper than in other places, while the canvas ones are at the same prices you will find them at the Fremantle Markets.  

They receive new stock almost every month. So,  Her Message... is.... Come and visit me!

5/17/2013

ASOS (Online Shop, UK)


ASOS is an international online retailer shop settled in the UK that sells a great range of men and female fashion, beauty and jewellery products at great prices. Young people, from 16 to 34 y.o.a. are their preferred target. They cater for all sizes, from petite to oversized. In a way, ASOS is a "very fashionable right now" sort of shop, although they also sell items from well-known designers like Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney, Dita Von Teese, Ralph Lauren, and Armani Exchange among others. They even have a marketplace area to buy/sell pre-owned, second hand and vintage clothing.  

Although usually ASOS is not my cup of tea, this is a great place to shop from, and I especially like their lingerie and hosiery areas. I bought a couple of fancy tights, which are ridiculously expensive in Australia, for a very good price.

ASOS offers free shipping to Australia on all standard orders, no matter how much (or how little) you spend. This is great, always, especially if you just fancy little cheap things, which you would not buy if you had to add a shipping fee.

ASOS' website is very easy to browse, very simple and clean to the eye, still very well organised and extremely informative. They even have a corner devoted to fashion trends. The photos are zoomable, their refining search system fantastic, and Australian sizing and prices are shown all the time as the ASOS Australia online site is where you are automatically directed if you live in Australia.

Major credit/debit cards and PayPal are accepted for payment, but you will need to register before checking out. ASOS stands out, to me, for the great service and diligence with which they fulfil your orders. I placed my order on a Sunday, and the parcel was posted that very  day! This is the first time that an online shop does that, and I buy online a lot. Confirmation order and tracking link were provided a immediately, and the tracking link was updated and emailed to me once the parcel was handed over to Australia Post. My parcel (normal standard shipping) took less than a week to reach my place in Western Australia from the UK. That is... how to put it?... wow! That is what usually takes parcels from the Eastern States to reach WA.

I will definitely order from them again.

3/10/2013

Simone Pérèle Outlet (Harbor Town, Perth WA)

Harbour Town
840 Wellington Rd
West Perth Western Australia 6005
(08) 9481 2345
Facebook
Opening Hours
   Mo-Thu: 9-17.30
   Fri: 9-21
   Sat: 9-17
   Sun: 11-17

Simon Pérèle is the quintessence of femininity and class in the underwear world, perhaps because it is a brand created by a female corset maker, who knew what I woman wants and needs. Their lingerie is colourful, delicate, classy, sexy, with attention to the detail, and enhancing of your body assets. I do not know you, but I would like to wear Simon Pérèle every day if I could afford it. 

The Simone Pérèle Outlet at Harbour Town Perth has provided me with innumerable moments of "ohmygoshness" and delight in the last three years. Even with the discount, the pieces are pricey, but they are affordable enough to feed your inner "hottie" now and then. They have regular discounts on full-priced items and on discounted ones, too, so it is a matter of being lucky when you visit, or visiting often to find real bargains. The cheapest prices are always on the items at the entrance racks. You get 15% off full priced items when you spend +50 bucks, which is easy.

The shop always has a mix range of styles, colours and prices, from the boring shapewear and invisible items to the movie-star-like lingerie. As in any outlet shop, finding your size might be a problem, or finding the matching pants of the bra of your choice, too.

The shop has four theatrically curtained spacious fitting rooms, which I love, but the space between racks is a bit narrow and uncomfortable to browse.

The staff members have always been helpful and welcoming. They let you browse around if that is what you want, or will give you a personalised attention if you decide to try anything, and they are very good helping with finding your perfect fit bra.

The shop has a VIP system that will inform you of discounts, exclusive events, and will give you a voucher for your birthday.

Simone Pérèle Outlet is one of my must fashion stops at Harbour Town Perth, together with the Oroton and Alanah Hill outlets. They always make my day.

2/15/2013

Modalu (Online Shop, UK)

Modalu is a British brand that specialises in good quality, hand-crafted classic-style stylish leather goods. They do not stock large products of each item, but the ones they have are the classic Pippa handbags, and some more seasonal and dressy bags and wallets. They usually have simple designs, appropriate for work and formal events, although some of the bags have seasonal colours and can be worn casually.  

Modalu's products have very good quality leather, beautiful greyish inner lining, and simple but catchy golden metal-ware touches.

Despite the quality of the products and the classy design, the pricing is quite affordable, even  "cheap", especially if you are purchasing from Australia, and from Perth, where any leather good costs a fortune. 

The brand has a great deal of stockists in UK, Ireland, and a good part of Western Europe, but not in Australia. Their online shop, however, is great.
 
Modalu's website is very clean and easy to navigate, and the ordering system is very simple. You can pay by credit card or Paypal. They charge you a tax fee depending on the area of the world where they are shipping and the weight of the product. Delivery and returns within the UK are free, but shipping to Australia and other  non-European destinations has a flat fee of 15 Pounds.

The shipping and delivery by courier is fast, and takes about  4-7 working days for Australia. The orders are not traceable, but they are delivered so fast that I didn't find this to be a problem. If you register, you can check the status of your order, and see whether your parcel has been dispatched or not.

Customer service is very good. I had to cancel an order on a waiting-list item in the past, and they were very understanding and refunded me immediately without hesitation or questions asked. 

The colours on the photos are very similar to what you get, but a bit toned down, I would say. 

They do have discounts, at the change of season, and online offers. Check the site often, because you could a great leather bag for half its original price.

10/09/2012

Boticca (Online Shop, UK, USA)-REBRANDED

My fashion motto is "Who wants to wear vintage when you can wear the future?"  Then I found Boticca, and she told me "I'd rather wear a unique story" and the friendship was born.

Boticca's motto conveys well the spirit and philosophy of this chic, independent and artistic-oriented market-inspired website that sells unique accessories from emerging International designers.


What Do they Sell?
Boticca has a great selection of unusual creative jewels, handbags and accessories: quirky, daring, shocking, odd, artsy, sophisticated and timeless depending on the pieces.They have an stress on ethnicity and world-wide design, so you can get things from Sudafrica, Lithuania, UAE, Venezuela, Israel, France or USA, just to put mention some countries from where the stuff comes from.

The quality of the pieces and designs is good, classy and edgy. The articles on sale are sold in very limited quantities (1-10 pieces usually) so there are many chances that you get something unique or unique-ish. 

Generally speaking, most pieces are overpriced, although you can find things for 30-40 bucks. There are many things incredibly cheap, but most o them are pricey or expensive. If you are not too carried away by your fashion low passions, wait!


How Does the Place Works?
The place works as a market where the different designers set their stalls and rules. However, they are subject to Boticca's stamp of approval regarding the quality of the design and Customer Service. 

Each designer has different preferences regarding shipping (free or not) and how they ship, which are specified in their personal space; you can always contact them directly for shipping methods, size customisation, ask for out-of-stock items, and any other thing. In "Your Account" area you can easily check the date of order, date of dispatch, find your tracking URL, "received" button, and "leave feedback" button. 

The three items I have bought so far are true to the photo and description of the items on the website, and except for one, they were affordable and good value for money. 




What Makes Boticca Different?
There are similar shopping places on the Internetosphere (new word's alert!!!!), but they sell from well established luxury brands or emerging artists that are chaperoned by the same brands and fashion holdings, not truly independent.

Boticca is in a way, a posh well-groomed Etsy, and shares many things with that vintage and handmade market: internationality, direct contact with the designer, secure-payment, order tracking, clear product details and photos, free customisation, among other things. However, Boticca is more an avant-garde high-design boutique than a handicrafts social-global market. Many designers have accounts both in Boticca and Etsy, but Boticca has a specific market niche and the place is curated by a group of designers, collectors and fashion experts, so it looks and feels different - but it is also way more expensive.

The Dark Side
$$$ As mentioned above, most things are overpriced. In some cases the materials and design justify the prices; however, in most cases they are not justified at all. Sorry, my opinion. Overpricing is a marketing technique I have already mentioned in this blog, so you can get awesome sales when the price is right. This is a global marketing sin, so we have to surf this ocean of nonsense to get to the place we want.

$$$ Many of the items are sent by regular registered mail, so they can take three weeks to get to your place, plus the period required by the designer for customisation if you choose a ring or something sizeable. If you need faster shipping, contact the designer in advance to arrange things differently.  

$$$ They have a small selection of men stuff, but I find it a bit limited and boring. Still, if you are a man, decide by yourself.

$$$ They have a few email notifications options, and they are ticked on by default, so you are going to receive tons of emails from Boticca. They should be unticked by default! They inform of sales, price reductions, new items, and so on, but this is a constant incitation to purchase. Not good for impulsive shoppers and shopaholics!

Tips for Saving
1/ You can get some discount coupons if you invite friends and they join and/or purchase. 

2/ Wait for Boticca's regular free world-wide shipping weekends.

3/ Wait for private sales by the designer of your devotion. Private sales are held on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays; you access to the latter by pushing the "fan" button of each designer you fancy. The sales are regularly scheduled and emailed about, last for 48 hours, and the discounts go from 20-50% and are worth the wait, especially if you are after expensive-ish items. Beware that the sales are not on everything the designer sells, so you could be unlucky and not find what you want discounted.

3/ They give you discount vouchers after your first purchase to use in your next check out. Another invitation to shop, a thing that Boticca does perfectly well.

4/ Sometimes they offer discount vouchers just for joining the site.  

5/ The same item can suffer slight modifications in the price, for reasons that nobody has been able to explain to me. Like, you see a bag one day at X dollars, and next day is 55 more, or vice versa. Sometimes nothing changes, but sometimes it does. I have experienced it myself, so do keep an eye on your prey! 

***
If you want to splurge on unique pieces of jewellery and bags that will not be worn by hundred of women in the city, this is your place to shop from. This is a special need for Perth fashionistas, who have not many high-design places in the city and most of the hand-crafted jewellery is traditional, way too expensive, and mostly branded. To be honest, I think that my fav jewellers in Perth should be selling at Boticca, so the world meets them.
 
Boticca is the sort of secret you do not want to share with your frenemy, because it is way too cool for her, and you could not bear her wearing anything that is very much you. So I am just telling you, not your frenemy. Please, if you buy from Boticca, comment on your experience and the pieces you are buying, so we do not end wearing the same stuff at the Oscars. Mind you?

UPDATE
Boticca was swallowed by Wolf&Badger. It works pretty much the same. But I haven't bought from them since the change.  

9/21/2012

Trenery (Online Shop, Australia)


Trenery is an Australian brand and online shop managed and operated by the same firm that created Country Road, of which is a sort of spin-off. Trenery, like its sister, offers simple, almost minimal, women and men fashion clothing and accessories. They do have a limited selection of items and styles for sale, smart casual mostly, something that you can wear for more than a season, but nothing really wow or daring, still that sort of chic staple you want to have in your wardrobe for seasons to come and match with the trends in vogue. The quality of what they sell is good and the pricing medium.

Trenery's website is clean and no-fuss, easy to navigate, well organised with a good viewing system. You have to register to order, and they offer free shipping to Australia and order tracking. Your purchase is sent by courier, but will be taken to your nearest Post Office if you are not at home. I love this, as it saves you the nuissance of having to reschedule the delivery with the courier.  

Their Phone Customer Service is very friendly and helpful, and it is managed and operated from Australia and by Australians.

Returns are allowed within 14 days from receipt, and you can return the item by Post or via any Trenery shop in your city, if there is any.

I purchased the Juniper Satchel in Caramel and I am very satisfied with Trenery's service and the bag itself. The quality of the leather is good but not heavy, and it is very versatile as it can be worn and used as a small tote, as a cross-body or as an oversized foldable clutch. They have it in the very trendy royal blue and red. The downside is the mediocrity of the lining. The bag comes with a dust bag.

Trenery is not daring or avant-garde, but it is perfect for timeless trendy pieces that you will be wearing for more than a year. They have a simple practical website, fast free shipping within Australia, and a friendly customer service. They also deliver internationally.  

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
They need to improve the photographic views of the bags, showing at least one photo of the interior of the bag, and one on a person or mannequin (Nordstrom's style) to show how the bag falls on your body, and how big it is. 

9/01/2012

Portmans (Hay St, Perth WA)

661 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9321 2522
http://www.portmans.com.au/

THE GOOD
+ They have very girlie trendy classy stuff, with lots of colour, plus a good selection of work clothing.

+ Their accessories section is small, lovely and well priced, with pretty trendy pieces. Their scarves are among my favourite things here because, unlike other chain stores, they have texture, volume, the right length, and awesome fabrics. They always have a huge selection of belts.

+ The staff are a bunch of no-fuss, friendly and helpful girls, no matter the day or the hour you visit. I always prefer this shop to the one on Murray St just because of their terrific service and friendliness.

+ They open before 10am.

+ They have nice changing rooms.

+ They have an exchange policy of 14 days, so you can drop by, grab something without trying, and return it if the size or style does not suits you. This is especially convenient if you work most shopping hours and take advantage of your lunch break for shopping! So very convenient.

THE SO-SO
- The quality of the apparel and most complements is poor to medium, with a few exceptions. The fabrics are very thin and not good quality, although they look fantastic on. I have bought many things there, and except for the scarves, they tend to deteriorate soon. For example, I bought a couple of stockings this year, and they torn apart quicker than the ones I bought from Coles! Their belts are synthetic and very "plasticky" and the same can be said of their wallets, bags, and so on. They are so pretty, though!

- The prices are a too high for the quality of the products sold.
 
***

Good for fashion fixes and emergencies, Portmans at Hay St offers what other Portmans shops sell, but the shop is smaller and the service way better than in other branches of the chain.

8/06/2012

Nine West (Forrest Chase, Perth WA)

Forrest Chase Shopping Centre
207 Murray St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9325 5052
http://www.ninewest.com.au
Hours:
    Mon-Thu 9:00 - 17:30
    Fri 9:00 - 21:00
    Sat 9:00 - 17:00
    Sun 11:00 - 17:00 

The Nine West branch shop on Forrest Chase is an open shop that has always wonderful window displays. The interior has a very classy minimal celled wall showcasing their bags and shoes, and, to top up all, a great lighting that really makes the products on display look their best. In fact, the whole shop has an air of elite and luxury that is, however, very far from what it is. 

 
The design of their pieces is trendy and classy, with a good mix of classy flats and the latest trends in shoes, handbags, wallets and clutches. The pricing is fantastic for the handbags but a bit up for the shoes having into account that the materials and overall quality of the products is  medium in the best cases. Still they look like a million dollar! Kudos to Nine West. Still, plastic is plastic, no matter you call it faux-leather or synthetic. I would not mind the syntheticity of it, if the materials were softer in the shoes and less rigid in the bags.
The shop-attendants are welcoming and helpful, and let you wander around freely or approach you depending on your shopping aura and vibe.

Nine West is a perfect place for decently priced fashion seasonal fixes, especially for those that you do not want to spend much money on as they are not going to be trendy next year. Nine West is also a perfect place for Vegans and animal activists who do not use leather but want to look  "à la mode".

7/18/2012

Forever New (Perth WA)

Shop 0.04, 140 William St
 William Shopping Centre
 Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9481 2325
Website
Facebook
Hours:
    Mon-Thu 9:00 - 17:30
    Fri 9:00 - 21:00
    Sat 9:00 - 17:00
    Sun 11:00 - 17:00

Forever New is a  Australian women fashion brand, similar in concept to some high street European chains, that mirros the style of Australian brands Review and Alannah Hill. They sell retro-chic girly and trendy apparel, accessories and jewellery. It is very glamorous and quite cheap.  

They have a great range of dresses, from the every day simple one to the special occasion sparkly one, beautiful colourful jewellery, handbags, sandals, and techno-accessories at fantastic prices. Of course, you get you pay for, and the quality of the products is basic to medium, nothing to rave about, but bear in mind that you can pay the same in other chain shops for absolute crap. So Forever New gets it right.


The shop attendants are friendly but non-invasive, so they let you browse around unless you ask for help.

They put a lot of effort in the way the shop looks and how the products are showcased, and they have one of the most beautiful shop windows in the city centre. So much so, that it looks like a expensive chain shop, not the affordable one it is. Unlike other cheap chain stores, Forever New works hard to keep the shop tidy and organised, despite the small size of it and the many visitors. Their changing rooms are very nice. 

The main down of the shop is that they have a no-refunds policy, and they just allow exchanges, a practice that, in these days of free trade and high competitivity, is a bit outdated.



Their website is clean and very easy to navigate, and showcases their products  nicely with a browse-over zoom. This is not an American Style mega-store, but a small chain selling a few things online, so I do not understand why the description of the products is missing, and the products only have a frontal photo; bags and wallets would need at least three, and dresses at least two. On the positive side, they offer free delivery in Australia for orders over 80 bucks, which is stupendous.

4/02/2012

Nordstrom (Online Shop, USA)


Nordstrom is a upscale chain store that specialises in clothing, accessories and beauty products for men and women. They offer a huge selection of products that include medium-range designers and upper-range ones, plus their own brand products.

The online store is one of my favourites on the Internet because of the range of products and styles they have, from very cheap to very expensive, from classic to fashionista, their extraordinary customer service, their clear details about the products and shipment, and their formality.

Their website is very well structured, easily navigable, clean, and with an instant zoom system that really brings the products to life. Their photos of the products are extremely accurate and you get a very close idea of how the product looks like, and almost how it feels like. They rarely beautify the product. Their individual pages have, beyond the zoom and multiple angle views, a great written description of the product with accurate measurements of the same. The customers can leave their review of the item, and they usually do, so you get a good idea of some of the issues or virtues of the product you are interested in. There is also a section called discussion in the same page, where you can ask other customers for advice or details about the product. As good as it gets.

The accessories section (bags, watches, wallets, jewels, etc.) is fantastic, classy and a real must to fashion aficionados on a budget. If you don't have budget restrictions you still can go to the designers section and pay a fortune for your favourite designers and products. Each section is updated weekly, sometimes daily, and the sales section is constantly updated, too, with discounts that usually go from the 30-50%. A reason to keep an eye on Nordstrom.

Their online chat and customer service is outstanding. Their operators are friendly, honest and so very helpful. The best customer service ever. The HR team really does a good job at selecting the operators, as you feel like a royal when dealing with them. So well they treat you!!!

Moreover, they have a free international return policy that allows you to return your purchase if you don't like it or are not completely satisfied with it. This means that you can return an item that is not defective or faulty any time. Besides, you won't be paying any return fees. How cool is that?!

They have regular customer surveys asking for your opinion on the website, your level of satisfaction on different matters, and asking for improvement suggestions. They do really care about the customer.

The first down of the company is that the shipping and payment is done via a third company, called Fiftyone, a fact that slows down the shipping, as the payment has to be verified before the shipment order is accepted and transmitted to the shipment place. It can take up to two or three days and you could find that the product you have ordered is no longer available. Furthermore, each item you order is processed and packed independently, as if they were sold to two different people, so the shipment fees sky-rocket. That is so, because Nordstrom is not doing the shipment directly. Therefore, you will be subject to the practices, polices and restrictions of the brands you are shopping from. As a result, you think twice before ordering anything, as some of the shipping fees can be very high. Other companies selling of the net wave the shipping fees if the purchase is over 100 or 200 dollars, which really incentives the sales. This should be the aim of Nordstrom, too.

The second down, derived of the brands restrictions, is that those brands decide if they want to ship internationally or not, and some don't. Therefore, some brands for which you pay double in Australia cannot be purchased online, while others with limited sale places in the country can neither be ordered from. This is a great inconvenience, and a short-sighted policy that harms the sales of both Nordstrom and the brand company that is not selling internationally.

If Nordstrom took charge of shipping their products itself, and had a direct control on that, their shipping fees, shipping and delivery would improve, and the restrictions for the shopper would minimal. Both Nordstrom and the international customer would benefit.

Still this is a model online shop, and a model company that treats with care its customers and offers an awesome service and a great range of products.