Me and the Shopping...

Dress and scarf Zara. Long Pendant ASOS

Finally here I am, after quite a while.

I'm having problems with an eye (mainly a bad pain) and I couldn't draw and stay at the computer for a long time for days (this also means no make-up and contact lenses = very angry Al).

I still have pain so I'll put aside drawings for a while and I'll try to save my energies for work and a stupid 1 hour-long presentation I have to prepare for friday (I. Hate. It)

But yesterday it was the last day of sales here in Gent and my friend Jolien and I couldn't say no (even half blind) to a last tour of bargain hunting. 

You have to know that here in Belgium sales are amazing: they last exactly one month, and every week-end prices go down. You start from a 30% (and something at 50%) the first week and you end up with 70% almost everywhere. Good thing is that since the sales period is rather short and "organized" many people wait until the last days and this means you can find quite a lot of good stuff at incredible prices in the end.

When I was living in Italy I used to show my mom my shopping as soon as I got home. 

It was an incredible pleasure for me to take out from the bag item after item, show them to her and explain her how I found them and how much I payed them. A colleague and friend of mine, Anouk, told me that it is scientifically proven that when you shop you have a double release of endorphines (the molecules responsbile for the feeling of happiness and satisfaction, released also when you're in love, have sex... or a good pice of chocolate ahah): once when you actually pay the items and once when, at home, you take them out of the bags and packages.

So lately I really miss the second release of endorphines, I suppose. 

You already saw the dress in the first pic, but I would like to show you a few more pieces that I got yesterday and in the past days:

This was a real bargain, believe me.

I got this beautiful Delvaux bag for 20 euros! It was buried under a pile of miscellaneous stuff in a very small vintage shop in Gent where I went just by chance with my friend Liza the last day of 2010. I immediately fell in love with this bag but I don't know why I didn't take it immediately (the strap is slightly consumed but it's almost invisible). The following Saturday I ran to the shop again, sure that my little bag would have been taken by someone else.

The woman saw me arrive, she smiled and took the bag out from under the counter "I knew that you would have come back, I kept it for you!"

When they say I am an open book....

(It's also a very good idea to always be friendly and nice with shop owners and shop assistants, believe me...)

These beautiful flats were abandoned in a corner of Zara.

In spring and summer I wear flats a lot and lately I was starting to search for a nice (and not expensive) pair of black ones.

So I spotted this pair just by chance yesterday, hidden under a table covered with a mountain of T-shirts, I grabbed them and they happened to be my size. The last pair. They are hyper soft and made of a very beautiful leather. I ran to the register to ask how much were they (the price tag was gone). 19.90 euros. Mine!

These two beauties, necklace and shoes, come from Massimo Dutti. 

Necklace was 39,90 and I payed it 11,99. The shoes were 120 euros and I payed them 34,90 (the last pair. I've never been so happy to wear size 40 in all my life).

Oh sorry I stop a moment, I am having a massive endorphine release that is about to make me faint.

Ok... 

So, I coveted that kind of boots for months and I bought them now just because it was the perfect colour, the perfect soft leather and the perfect low price. Problem is, that I am totally not able to walk in heels and these wedges are 10 cm tall... I am exercising at home (you should have seen me this morning: glasses on, heels and pijama preparing breakfast... ehm...) but I will talk about this matter soon again: it's a big issue for me and I'll need all your heel-walking secrets.

And here's another recent love:

The Holga 35 mm camera!! 

If you don't know it, it is a LOMO camera: they are basically plastic cameras (and for this reason they are called "toy cameras") and thanks to their plastic lens they produce strange photos with different effects. The Holga gives pictures with black corners and a vintage feel (you can see some examples here)

As soon as I develop the first roll I'll show you some pics, if they come out well.

Click!

Ah, I was almost about to forget! The scarves in the last four pictures come from the Spitalfields market in London: 1 £ each, wohoo! I love them!

Now I am going to rest my eyes a bit before working on my presentation, have a look at this while I am away:

It's a movie of a part of the Light Festival in Gent which took place this week-end (but I didn't take it, my camera was not good enough!). 

It was so amazing that the video, even if it is good quality, isn't really able to show all the beauty and magic of the situation, but still, have a look!

Have a very good Sunday!

Al