It has been reported that the average woman spends £97,000 in a lifetime on clothes. Sound a lot?
HE STOOD outside smoking a cigarette looking around in fret and taking small paces up and down, outside the shop. “I’m just going to pay for these and I’m coming,” I signalled to my boyfriend, not even sure he could see me behind the pile of clothes I was swamped by. As you can imagine, we got into a huge fight, which went something like this: “You haven’t even paid your car loan in the last two months, you’ve still got your phone bill to pay and you’ve already got a pair of shoes like that…” Sound familiar? Every time, I try to explain my self in a few simple words: “I’M A WOMAN!”
Apparently, women spend about £97,000 in a lifetime on clothes and accessories, a new survey has showed. Well, although to my family and friends I look like the kind of woman who would spend a bit more than that in a lifetime, I am proud to say that there are cases that are far worse than mine. Cases that spend nearly £100,000 in one month and if you are wondering what this woman could have been buying for a month to come to that amount, it’s simple: designer gear. Gucci, Prada, Versace, Marc Jacobs and many more are the reason women tend to spend huge amounts of money on clothes. Britain’s Daily Mail spoke to four women who had a different approach to clothes. One particular lady spent £97,000 in one month and explained how in one shopping spree she bought five Marc Jacobs tailored suits, costing £2,000 each. She feels that wonderful, expensive clothes are the reward for all the hard work she’s put into her company. Whatever makes you happy. But there are other women who are happy to shop at places like Topshop and Zara that make very good copies.
There are women who need more than one wardrobe to accommodate their clothes and I must admit I am among those but nothing in my collection of blouses, trousers, skirts, dresses, shoes and belts costs more then £200. I can’t imagine spending more than that amount on a piece of clothing unless it’s for a very special occasion, like my engagement or my wedding. However, not many women have the same perception as me when it comes to clothes and although there are women in London who have no problem wearing non-designer clothes, in Cyprus this is not quite the case.
“When you live on a small island like Cyprus where everybody knows everybody’s business you feel you are under pressure to look your best,” explained Maria Irakleous, a businesswoman, “and because women in Cyprus tend to talk and show off a lot, you feel you are not performing well if you are not dressed in designer clothes.” English and American magazines acknowledge the fact that it is difficult to be dressed up to the nines every ten seconds, so women are informed that it is OK to wear something from Camden market. “If you look at Cypriot womens’ magazines there is a huge difference,” said Isabella Leonidou, manager at a boutique, “women are pressured into buying expensive clothes because if you don’t then you are cheap.”
Flicking these said magazines it is apparent that not one page of clothes advertisements contained anything under ?200. But why is there such a gap? Is it different stages of class or do women just want to look good? “When you buy designer clothes, whether it’s a blouse or a skirt or even a belt, you immediately notice the difference between them and high street clothes,” said Lina Georgiou, lawyer, “and whoever buys designer clothes will tell you this.” She went on to explain that the material, stitching, texture are all different and long lasting. “There is no way a pair of designer trousers will shrink or bloat out after several wearings,” Lina stressed, “and that is why I prefer to buy expensive clothes.” Somehow Lina almost convinced me that there’s nothing wrong with buying a ?300 blouse but the argument on the other side was equally strong. “I really don’t understand why women go and buy all those expensive clothes,” argued Xenia Kalogirou, psychologist, “because let’s face it, we don’t exactly wear the same clothes more then two or three times, so I think the best idea is to buy a blouse worth ?30 and be able to buy a lot more for ?300.”
There is the possibility that the women who buy two pairs of trousers, a pair of shoes, four blouses and a belt have more than women who end up buying just one item. However, that isn’t always the case because at the end of the day there are women who can buy all these clothes and accessories costing at least ?1,000, therefore building a wardrobe worth a Porsche. And although this conclusion does sound amazing, the truth is that deep down every single woman would love to be able to spend all that money in one month, one year or in ten years; it’s just a matter of being OK with less than that. I know I am but deep down I am still hoping that one day my wardrobe will be graced with a lovely pair of pink Manlos. It’s all right to dream, isn’t it?
FIVE MOST EXPENSIVE DRESSES
On one hand I was overjoyed at having the opportunity to look at all the beauties Cyprus has to offer but on the other hand I couldn’t help but wonder: When will I be able to buy one of these? Almost forgetting that I was there in a professional capacity, I settled into that dream we were talking about earlier. So, I had a look around, called the most popular boutiques that host designer wear and came up with these. So if you are looking for that special little number for whatever occasion or just want to know how to spend such large amounts of money in Cyprus, these are the places to go. Unfortunately, due to the Cyprus market being small, our choices were limited but far from tasteless. I’ve got the best for you!
Labels: A stunning dress, not as expensive as I thought despite the signature of Ferre £280
Must: A boutique must for those with expensive tastes, Must has every designer you know and don’t. A beautiful Diane Von Furstenberg dress, hand made and stitched has a three-figure number. £385
Gucci: If you haven’t heard of these designer numbers then you must have been living on Mars for the last 20 years. Gucci is a well-known and expensive label and what are among the most expensive dresses in Cyprus are here. £1.400 (now on half price sale)
Moda In: This specific boutique has much to offer, including many designer clothes, but if you are looking for the top then you can find a perfect dress from the Couture line. £1,500
Alain Manoukian: One of my favourite shops as I don’t suffer from a panic attack when I walk out plus the name is a name and Alain Manoukian has an adorable red silk dress. Go and have a look because the £13 blouses’ll surprise you. £120
