Isn’t it exciting when you go on holiday, buy something fabulous, and then get complimented on it whenever you wear it or use it back in the UK! It’s your own portable holiday memory and the envy of your friends all wrapped up into one nice package.
Well we here at dealchecker know that whatever your budget, you still want to look fab and dress to impress so we’re playing personal shopper today. We’ve picked out the best destinations to go depending on whether you want to splurge the cash, save the pennies or scrimp the pounds on some of the most desirable holiday purchases.
Leather
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/conchur/
This luxurious fabric can be made into just about anything from shoes to clothes to car interiors and is still highly sought after despite the wide variety of synthetic alternatives.
Splurge: Milan, where you can head to the flagship stores of the big designers to scoop up the very best in Italian leather in the very latest designs.
Save: Sharm El Sheikh, where you can get handcrafted leathers made by the local Bedouins whilst enjoying a luxurious holiday.
Scrimp: Turkey, where leather exports are big business and you can grab some great bargains at the weekly markets
Designer Labels
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmandevin/
Who can resist the lure of a designer label, especially if it’s something you picked up on your travels!
Splurge: Harvey Nichols offers a designer shopping experience like no other, and why not head to the Dublin store to do a little sightseeing or sink a few pints of Guinness whilst you’re there?
Save: Paris is still a chic shopping destination, great for getting your hands on all sorts of designer goodies.
Scrimp: Bicester Village, close to lovely Oxford, where you get huge reductions on a wide range of designer goodies, just don’t tell your friends!
Gold
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/
What could be better than treating yourself to a new piece of gold jewellery to remember your holiday by? Well, other than someone else treating you to it of course!
Splurge: Dubai Gold Souk, where over 300 retailers sell everything you can imagine made of gold.
Save: Turkey is well known for being quite cheap to buy gold, but check out some place reviews online before you head off the spend that cash.
Scrimp: Scotland is an up-and-coming player in designer gold jewellery so save on travel and invest in a pretty piece.
Fabrics
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/hisgett/
I tend to get a bit carried away on holiday when I see fabrics, imagining I’ll cover everything in my house and buying far too much! So go for quality, not quantity…
Splurge: Tessuti Fabrics in Australia, home to some of the most beautiful fabrics on the planet.
Save: Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market, where three floors of fabrics await, complete with a horde of tailors to whip you up things on the double.
Scrimp: Bull Ring Rag Market, Birmingham, has long been famous for the sheer variety of fabrics on offer so head here for a thrifty purchase or two.
Chocolate
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagould/5239443223/
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciagould/
Ok, so it might not be wearable, or that long-lasting, but who hasn’t eaten some delicious holiday chocolates brought back from exotic locations and turned green with jealousy?
Splurge: Donnely’s Chocolates in Santa Cruz in California are all the rage with the rich and richer in the US at the moment.
Save: Teuscher’s of Switzerland have stores in Geneva or Zurich and a long legacy of happy customers.
Scrimp: Rumsey’s in the Buckinghamshire village of Wendover, boasting on-site chocolatiers you can watch hard at work whilst enjoying tasty treats.
Top image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwp-roger/3155147413/