Durban - I flung my arms around Lynne McMaster in an embrace which, judging from the look on her face, she wasn’t expecting.
But by now I am sure the stylist, image and fashion consultant is accustomed to emotional outbursts from clients after a thrilling day’s shopping in central Durban.
In today’s cash-strapped economy, I felt I owed it to readers to go shopping all day. Or rather, bargain-hunting on an expedition through downtown Durban, which had less to do with my standpoint on cheap Chinese imports and more to do with supplementing a trendless wardrobe on a tight budget.
Don’t expect the sterility of a suburban mall. We encountered alleys which smelt like urinals, double-jointed beggars trying to draw our attention, hooting taxis and pollution. But don’t expect it to be dreadful either – it’s an adventure and most of the people you encounter are just trying to make a living. I had a great time.
The idea first came to McMaster in 2010. She had started up her image consultancy, Dressbylynne, years before, but discovered during the recession that people’s budgets were limited.
“At the same time I was inspired by African women – even my domestic worker – as they dressed so beautifully and did it with very little money. When I asked where they shopped the common answer was ‘town’”.
And so the “Shopping the City” experience was born.
McMaster is super-organised and tuned-in to trends. She knows Durban central like the back of her hand, is familiar with the shop owners and offers the pleasure of shopping on a shoestring budget with your own personal stylist at your side.
Preparation is imperative to the process. Our group of 10 women all received clear e-mailed instructions.
These included where to park and what it would cost (so you don’t spend every last cent before you’ve paid for parking).
We were advised to wear flat shoes and a vest and leggings to allow for trying on items in the absence of change rooms.
Other advice included pointers such as: leave loyalty cards at home, do not wear valuable jewellery and bring along carry bags, as the thin plastic packets you receive don’t always suffice.
The aim of the consultation is to show you where to find inexpensive clothes and to select items which suit you – in terms of colour, look and style.
McMaster’s golden rule is “if you want it, try it on”. (She also makes suggestions which are great if you’re not quite sure what you should be wearing.)
This environment can be overwhelming, so trying something on is an excellent way to single out an item and help you judge its merits. It is also essential to try on garments because in certain shops you can be a standard size and in others you can be a small or an XXXL.
McMaster suggests avoiding buying basics in town. “I would rather invest money in good quality basics such as black pants, a classic white shirt and a genuine leather jacket as I want these to last a long time. It’s worth the money,” she says.
She advises shopping in town for trendy items such as tops, faux leather jackets, jerseys, and on-trend shoes – provided they are comfortable. There are also great accessories such as scarves, handbags, sunglasses and costume jewellery galore.
Jeans, surprisingly, come in between R90 and R160.
McMaster does not suggest buying leggings in town either – they’re everywhere, even on the side of the street, but their low lycra content means they quickly become misshapen.
McMaster is all about smart shopping and the difference between shopping with her and on your own is you have a stylist helping you make good choices and not just cheap buys. Colours must complement your skin tone and silhouettes must enhance your shape.
On our expedition she pointed out some great looks, such as narrow double-breasted jackets, narrow/skinny pants silhouettes and pencil skirts to suit.
The result was an incredible volume of purchases and fantastic value for money.
For about R1 500 you can buy about 20 items. One shopper spent R3 250 and took home 54 items.
* To find out more, e-mail [email protected].
Colour combo tips
Wear colours which suit you near your face. The colour on the lower half of your body is more relative to the size of your hips – slim hips can wear light colours and broad hips dark colours for a slimming effect.
Colours for a cool skin tone:
White; grey/charcoal; dark chocolate brown; navy; black; emerald green – the pantone colour for 2013; mint green; “blood” red; burgundy; berry; pink; pink-coral; cobalt blue; blue; purple
Colours for a warm skin tone:
Ivory/cream; brown; navy; “fire engine” red; orange; peach; rust; stone/khaki/caramel/camel; coral; powder blue; turquoise; teal; purple; lime green; apple green; olive green. - The Mercury
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