So I may still be a student but there are certain things that I don’t think you should compromise on when it comes to quality. I recently read an article in Grazia about ‘Weekend Millionnaires’ – girls who will live in poverty all week, living off canapés from work events and bulk-bought pasta so that they can live it up on the weekend; spending hundreds of pounds on parties, clothes and beauty treatments.
While I may not take it to this extremity, I have been known to save money in some rather cringey ways, (refusing to make a purchase in stores or restaurants without a discount code or collecting loads of serum samples instead of purchasing a bottle) while splashing out on clothes and accessories. So whether your idea of a splurge is £50 or £5000 here is my list of things that are well worth splashing the cash on:
Outerwear – Whether you are a fan of the trench coat or aviator styles, a coat is something which you will wear for almost half of the year so cost per wear (Price / Number of times worn) works out really low.
Laptop – I struggled through the first year of uni on my vintage laptop, but since joining the rest of the world and getting iMac, I swear the quality of my work has improved and I no longer have to waste 10 minutes waiting for it to turn on!
Black Heels – Now I’m not saying that you should go out and drop hundreds on Louboutins, but instead of buying three cheaper pairs of shoes, save for one good quality pair of classic heels. You’ll need them for everything from doing the coffee run on your first day of interning, to presentations, to interviews.
Foundation – If you are going to splurge on any piece of Makeup, make it your foundation. Eye and Lip trends change but skin should always be perfect, so spend time finding the one that best suits your skin to avoid what I like to call ‘bad face days’.
Holidays – It may seem daunting, and a lot of money to spend on one week away, but by putting a little money aside each month you can afford a seriously special getaway. There is nothing worse that looking forward to a holiday and then finding yourself in some huge hotel with naff food! Some of my best memories have been from holidays – I even met my lovely boyfriend in the Maldives!
A Bed – You spend half of your life in it, so if you are still slumbering on that slab of Argos driftwood then use it as firewood (save on the heating) and invest in a decent bed and mattress and reap the rewards of a great nights sleep hereafter.
At Home Gel Nail Kit – While purchasing this kit is a bit of a one off investment, it saves you tons in the long run. See how to do gel nails at home here.
Perfume – A bit soppy – but I like the idea of having a signature scent, and a good quality perfume will last much longer than the One Direction spray currently on your Christmas Wishlist. (I’m looking at you Courtney! – My ten year old niece should know better.)
A Handbag – This depends hugely on your budget of course, but I think a designer handbag is one of the best investments a girl can make. You use it EVERYDAY and as shallow as it is, you can tell a lot about a girl from her handbag. Having said that, Topshop, Zara and even Accessorize have some seriously gorgeous ones in at the moment, but I would feel like I was cheating on my Mulberry.
Have I missed anything? Let me know your favourite things to splurge on!