If you can’t shop on holidays what’s the point of going on one right? One of  the reasons I love shopping on holidays is because you often find unique and different things that you might not find in your own city.

There are different stores, different types of inspirations and different bank accounts! (what? my overseas shopping still comes out of my normal life, New Zealand account!?? Oh I’m stuffed….)

Credit card bills aside, I always feel like I have a little bit more of an excuse to shop while I’m on holidays and Thailand was no exception. So wanna see what I got??

The amazing wedding of one of my besties was in Phuket, but I still managed to squeeze in a little shopping while we were there. Under advice of a local (thanks Riss, we owe you big time) I wasn’t tempted by all the *ehm* imitation bags that lined the streets of Phuket (although they were very tempting). I was told by said local that there would be many MORE for LESS in Bangkok, so I held fast.

What I DID find, however, was a WHOLE STORE of one of my favourite brands – Melissa shoes! I am impressed at my own restraint in only purchasing one pair. On Sale. NZ$40. Boom!

A whole store of one of my fave shoe brands! Squeeeee!

Here are my gorgeous new shoes…..

My newest (or is it?!) additon to my shoe-drobe – Melissa jelly wedges

But Phuket was just me warming up…. (too much time laying by the pool with my amazing friends who I got to see because of the wedding – see some things DO take priority over shopping…. sometimes). It was time to get my shop on…….

THE BIG SMOKE – BANGKOK

Thanks to my ex-pat (shopping expert) local friend Marissa, no time was wasted before we hit the shops! First stop, Siam Paragon – just like you regular, run-of-the mill mall… but with H&M, Zara and Mango oh my! (For those non-kiwi readers, these stores are a novelty to us ok? We only just got the 7-day shopping week here!)

THE HIGH STREET STORES

First stop (after we got rid of the boys, who headed straight for Zara Man just FYI…..) H&M. I have to admit, I was an H&M virgin, but I was soon over that, and straight into the change rooms – this is what I came out with!

My H&M purchases – another maxi dress (because I don’t have enough) and a boob-tube dress I’ll wear as a skirt (thanks Miss Riss for the idea!!)

For those of you playing along at home, H&M is a little like nothing we have here in NZ – it’s a bit more grown up that Glassons, but not as $$ as Witchery and Country Road, between it and Zara, it was high street heaven!

Next stop Zara…. I had been coveting a pair of shoes after seeing them on a friends blog, but once I got there, practical Cait pipped up (I know, where did she come from at a time like this!) and I just didn’t think I would wear them much! In fact, after all my excitement about shopping at Zara, I didn’t really find anything that inspired me…. so I walked away empty-handed…..

Never fear! I made it up in the very next store…… Mango. Fell in love with a pair of printed pants but they didn’t have my size so I bagged this cute little textured skirt on the sale rack instead:

My cute little new skirt from Mango has an awesome texture to it! (plus it’s lined) – great for dressing up with heels, or down with sandals or trainers!

THE MARKETS

That was only day 1……there was 3 days to go! Next stop, Chatuchak outdoor markets. Isn’t that the understatement of the year! Here is the map!

The day had only just begun…..

I think we only covered about 10% of the stalls but were there some things to see! I picked up these two cute little singlets from 100 baht each (approx NZ$4 – I know right?) I’m still trying to decide whether to wear them, or frame them! I love the illustration so much.

Do I wear them? Or frame them! I’m heading in the framing direction – I love them so much I want to see them every day!

THE BAGS…..

I also couldn’t help myself when Marissa spotted the exact clutch I had been wanting! I fell in love at first sight – which is bad news in Thailand because you have to keep your wits about you when battering down the price. Once again, thanks to trusty local Marissa, we got the seller from 2300 baht down to 1600 (approx NZ$60) I was happy with that for a genuine leather *ehm* imitation Mulberry clutch – first bag purchase under the belt!

One bag down, you’ll find out how many to go! And conveniently, it matched the Target shoes I already owned! Coincidence? I don’t think so Tim!

Oh the bags…… well this first purchase has well and truly started a new obsession. I was never much a bag girl before (MUCH more into shoes) but I have seen the light!

There were so many colours and shapes to choose from! For those of you who HAVE been to Bangkok I have three letters for you. M…. B….. K. For those of you who haven’t been? GO! And visit MBK! Floors and floors of accessories, electronics, jewellery (no I didn’t come home with a diamond ring….). It was bag heaven!

I think I was very restrained in only buying three more…..

Thailand bag purchase number two…… This “Jimmy Choo” was approx NZ$200 – real leather and all!

Yep – it’s pretty much the same clutch as the pink one…. and I’ll be putting in orders for more colours! LOVE it! This little “Mulberry” number set me back approx NZ$50

Mulberry seems to be the flavour of the month! I just loved the clean, sophisticated shapes and simple styles – once again, I got this for a steal at NZ$50 – bartered my way down from about $150!! go me! (Oh and Marissa who did most of the bartering)

EXCESS BAGGAGE? 

See….. it’s not that much! Well I didn’t think so until The Boy tried to lift my bag as we were leaving the hotel to head home. He thought I was in trouble! (I had also packed some of my spoils in HIS bag….). So we asked the hotel to weigh our bags…. Mine weighed less! By 1 kg – and I wouldn’t let him forget it!

Where is your favourite place to shop overseas? Any tips for us travellers? I’d love you to share where you shop when you head overseas – let me know in the comments section below!

Cait xoxo

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