5 winter jackets for RM 235
When Jean was in Shanghai last month, we did not get to visit the clothes shops at Qipu Rd. properly due to the limited time and terrible crowds. Still, she needed a winter jacket, so I was tasked with buying her a jacket.
Tricky.
I was given a thorough briefing on the kind of details she wanted. The button types, the cutting, the length, the colour, the hood style, the simplicity, the amount of faux fur… The detailed scope made life much easier. I could glance at the stuff hanging on the walls and on display and gauge if the shop’s style held any potential, and if promising enough I would march in, quickly thumb through the black and grey jackets to inspect the potential for suitable jackets.
This being close to the end of the winter shopping period (it’s about mid winter now, and anyone who wants a winter jacket would already have one), and the jackets were selling for really good prices. 150 to 250 RMB was the typical price range.
After combing through the first and second floors, I came on a rather good looking jacket for a mere 135 RMB. Amazing! Then when the shop keeper found out I was only buying one, she said it’s 185 RMB. She had assumed I was a trader looking to buy by the hundreds. Fine, 180 (after haggling a little over 5 RMB).
On the way out, I saw something in a completely different style to what the style manual suggested. It looked good, and was only 80 RMB. After a brief consultation via text messages, I got that too.
The black one was 180 RMB; the green one, 80 RMB
May heard of my adventures (it seems I tell her everything) and wanted a jacket too. We went through the same ritual: She specified the button types, the cutting, the length, the colour, the hood style, the simplicity, the amount of faux fur…
On Monday, I rushed to Qipu Rd. after work. It was just about closing time, so I did not have the luxury of combing thorough 2 floors. Still, I managed to get a jacket that almost met the specifications, for 160 RMB.
160 RMB
This was going along rather well, until I saw a hawker on the pedestrian bridge selling jackets for 30 RMB each. Absurd! This I cannot resist. At 15 MYR each, it’s worth it even if they jackets were worn twice.
And so I got two more for a total of 50 RMB.
Click here for large size image
Both for 25 RMB each
In total, 5 winter jackets for 470 RMB, equivalent to 235 MYR. Average of 47 MYR a jacket. Not bad at all.
Except that with 5 thick and long jackets, my suitcase has not much space left for my own stuff.
The things I do for you two!
Tricky.
I was given a thorough briefing on the kind of details she wanted. The button types, the cutting, the length, the colour, the hood style, the simplicity, the amount of faux fur… The detailed scope made life much easier. I could glance at the stuff hanging on the walls and on display and gauge if the shop’s style held any potential, and if promising enough I would march in, quickly thumb through the black and grey jackets to inspect the potential for suitable jackets.
This being close to the end of the winter shopping period (it’s about mid winter now, and anyone who wants a winter jacket would already have one), and the jackets were selling for really good prices. 150 to 250 RMB was the typical price range.
After combing through the first and second floors, I came on a rather good looking jacket for a mere 135 RMB. Amazing! Then when the shop keeper found out I was only buying one, she said it’s 185 RMB. She had assumed I was a trader looking to buy by the hundreds. Fine, 180 (after haggling a little over 5 RMB).
On the way out, I saw something in a completely different style to what the style manual suggested. It looked good, and was only 80 RMB. After a brief consultation via text messages, I got that too.
The black one was 180 RMB; the green one, 80 RMB
May heard of my adventures (it seems I tell her everything) and wanted a jacket too. We went through the same ritual: She specified the button types, the cutting, the length, the colour, the hood style, the simplicity, the amount of faux fur…
On Monday, I rushed to Qipu Rd. after work. It was just about closing time, so I did not have the luxury of combing thorough 2 floors. Still, I managed to get a jacket that almost met the specifications, for 160 RMB.
160 RMB
This was going along rather well, until I saw a hawker on the pedestrian bridge selling jackets for 30 RMB each. Absurd! This I cannot resist. At 15 MYR each, it’s worth it even if they jackets were worn twice.
And so I got two more for a total of 50 RMB.
Click here for large size image
Both for 25 RMB each
In total, 5 winter jackets for 470 RMB, equivalent to 235 MYR. Average of 47 MYR a jacket. Not bad at all.
Except that with 5 thick and long jackets, my suitcase has not much space left for my own stuff.
The things I do for you two!
posted by Tan Yee Wei at 1/21/2009 09:57:00 pm
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