Ten Moderate-to-High'ly Exciting Purchases from Savers.

1. Red 70's Trench coat with ribbon trim on neck and sleeves. Love it. Wearing it all the time now that it is cold, and its hundred percent polyesterness and never-have-to-iron-ability means I can just throw it in the wash when it gets dirty—unlike my last wool coat, which, although fabulous and woolly, does sport some seriously suspicious stains. Add dry-cleaning to my conspiracy list.
2. Grey, French dress coat. This is a beautiful sartorial item. It is a grey wool with amazing pink detailing throughout. I love it to bits but unfortunately don't fit into it. Its in the vacuum bags of shame that are under my bed waiting for me to lose weight.
3. Black Skirt. This doesn't sound exciting—although a good black skirt can never be under-rated, as can not a good black cardigan—but this skirt is different. Woven fabric with an elastic stretch to it, it has a wide, possibly fold over waistband, and I actually wear it as a dress. It becomes sleeveless but looks good with a shirt with a nice collar or sleeves underneath: just below knee length. I have had lots of wear out of it, and it smarts up very well!
4. Grey off-off-the-shoulder swinglet. I love this top. It has the most delicious feeling cotton, silky. It covers all manner of nasty body parts. It has a gathered waist with an incredibly long tie at the front waist area which, although totally impractical, I like for some reason. Comfy and two types of cool.
5. J-Lo jeans. I'm not a branded type of girl, but there is something about purchasing a branded item for five dollars that makes it infinitely more exciting that spending five hundred. And when the brandee promotes a large arse in jeans, all the better. It also has a sparkly button.
6. Sherlock Holmes Cloak. It is a year of cloaks and I should be getting off my bottom, instead of sitting here day in and day out writing blogs and thesii, and actually sew buttons on cloaks and inner warm linings on other cloaks, so that I can take advantage of the four I have on permanent display on my clothes rack (never on my actual clothes-horse body). This one is tweedy and collaresque like I would imagine Sher to wear around and about Baker Street. Just needs a couple of buttons and I will be out there looking more unusual than I ever could believe myself to look. (Benefit of never looking in mirrors—you think you look fabulous. Disadvantage of never looking in mirrors—when you see yourself outside, in a random reflective surface such as a window or pond or magic silvery portal, it's too late to do anything about it.)
7. M.E.L. Waistcoat. Again, branded quality in great fabrics and stunning design (not always the case with brands of course). A tu-tu-esque frill makes it but it's the attention to details that makes it lovely. Now just have to wear it once or twice and I'll be happier.
8. Denim skirts. Somehow a trip to Savers seems incomplete without a denim skirt. I have done it, but it is rare. And for the most part the skirts get worn about eight hundred times each. My current favourite is a mid calf length one with a wide turned up hem. I wear it more than my pyjamas. Goes with absolutely everything.
9. Blue swing top. This is again a lovely cotton, soft and warm. I like the detail in this top. The neckline has tiny concertinaed pleats and the sleeves have a join just below the elbow which allows for a fuller, gathered lower sleeve. I have to stop myself from wearing this all the time in case it runs out.
10. My last item is a homage. I have had my black cardigan for about fifteen years. Its cost per wear is an atom. I no longer wear it very often but can't bring myself to sending it away. It is still not pilled, and although it has been repaired a few times, it is still in great shape. This is a miracle in a world of instant gratification and latest trends. Thank you black cardigan—you are a star!