[Part 1] 25. Crazy shopping day

What I saw along my way to the shuttle bus stop

I had so much fun today even though I went shopping on my own!

I set off for Seomyun at around 1pm and went in search of Pandora to test my latest design idea of adding Murano glass charms to my bracelet. The Pandora in Seomyun is located on B1 of Lotte Department Store. I didn’t quite like the service provided though because the sales assistant was so dao and the prices here in Korea are way too steep as compared to Singapore and the US. The charms are selling for $54 in SG’s DFS and US$45 in the States. But here, one charm costs 75,000원!
Anyway, I really love my Pandora bracelet. It’s my favourite of all my recent buys and I wear it almost everyday. The alarm clock represents the time value of money. Pandora charms are not cheap and if I have the means, I want to fill up the whole bracelet. But I realised that having it half bare is also nice and I should just buy charms that mean the most to me. There is a money bag charm available but since the clock says it all- the importance of time, making full use of time, punctuality and the time value of money, I chose it. I love flowers, so I got the flower charm. The heart’s supposed to be from J and that’s why I don’t have it yet haha. The Murano glass charms will remind me of Italy, my grad trip, so I’m thinking of getting them but definitely not from Korea! But once I get the 3 more charms, I can’t buy anymore because my bracelet will be too tight. The SA in Ion Orchard was right. I insisted on getting the smallest-sized bracelet but she advised me to go one size up for the future charms that I will add to my collection. But I told her that I only want to buy one more charm so the 17cm was fine. And now I’m looking at 2 more glass charms -.-

My ideal design 

My current bracelet

This weekend is the last one before Chuseok 추석, Korea’s Thanksgiving, which is on next Sunday. So everywhere was pretty much crowded with people doing their last minute shopping. And that also meant that stores were offering sales which included ARITAUM ㅠㅜㅜㅜㅜ I had spent more than 100,000원 there recently and now they were offering 20-30% off storewide. If you’re going to be in Korea for an extended period, hold off your purchases from Aritaum, Etude House, Nature Republic and the likes until their sale periods. I have learnt my lesson. So since there was a sale, I went in to stock up on the Laneige purifying masks and also got myself the firming sleeping pack and pore peeling gel. Bought something for my mum too :) There was a storewide 20% off for Laneige products. I wanted to get an Aritaum membership card but I need my Alien Registration Card number which won’t be out till next month.

Got a free body kit and 3 samples

The Body Kit

Popped by Nature Republic to shop too since there was also a storewide 30-50% discount.

I ventured outside of the underground shopping area for a while to explore more of Seomyun but there wasn’t much on the streets other than eateries and phone shops. As I walked past a phone shop, one of the male store employees standing outside grabbed my hand and asked me to help him. I couldn’t be bothered to listen to what he wanted me to do and I just replied in English that I didn’t understand him so that I could get away. But he was so insistent and I had to keep saying that I wasn’t interested and that I didn’t understand a heck of what he was saying before he let me go. Shall stay in the underground shopping centre and not venture out anymore.

I wanted to check out the C boutique in Busan for the longest time, especially now that the latest collection is out but the one in Centum City is always crowded with a long queue outside so I decided to check out the one in Seomyun which was on the 8th floor of Lotte Hotel. Unfortunately, I forgot about the fact that it was on the DFS level and that I needed my passport and a fixed departure schedule before I was allowed to make any purchases :( After getting giddy with excitement on seeing the beautiful designs in the store, I finally decided on a pair of earrings only to be told that I needed my passport and departure schedule which I didn’t have at all -.- I was so disappointed! The other 2 C boutiques in Busan are under a different management from the one at Lotte (because it’s a DFS boutique) and the SA couldn’t check on the stock availability for me. Also, I wouldn’t be able to buy the earrings at the DFS price :( She told me to try my luck at the boutique at Hyundai Department Store at Beomildong which was just 2 subway stops away but I thought since I couldn’t buy it there and then, maybe it’s a sign from God that I shouldn’t be buying it at all. But since I was out and all I could think of was the earrings, I decided to make the trip down to Beomildong just to try my luck and I was so glad that I did because I had such a great time at the boutique! And I even managed to find a Hana Bank branch to update my passbook.

Not only did I find the earrings, I also fell in love with a ring. This time round, I bought seasonal items because I already have the classic designs. While I know that prices here in Asia are more expensive, my philosophy now is that if you see a design that you like, buy it, even if the price is higher, especially for C items. When I was in Paris during my grad trip, I went to C almost everyday. On my 2nd last day there, I was even the 1st to enter the Ave Montaigne boutique because a kind SA at Printemps had told me the day before that Montaigne would be receiving new stock the next morning so I went early to make sure I had the first look at the new stock.

At Ave Montaigne

But nothing (referring to C accessories) caught my eye and I left empty handed. Mel wanted to buy the classic pair of earrings I have which I had bought in SG at the start of the year. But we couldn’t even find a single pair in Europe during our trip there.
Anyway, I had a great time at the boutique because of the SAs there. They were so nice and they asked me if I had any friends in Busan. Other than my buddy and Won Woo oppa, I don’t have any other Korean friends here in Busan. They asked me to go clubbing with them and to visit them in the boutique often and/or whenever I’m bored (they are all females btw). It’s good to make friends with the SAs right? Maybe they’ll let me know of new arrivals of CJ via Kakaotalk or something next time haha. But no, I have spent my savings for this month and next month. And I promised Samy that I will not make anymore extravagant expenditures again.
Oh yes, I must add that I REALLY LOVE my YSL arty ring. It’s such a conversation starter everywhere, from Italy to France to London to Singapore and to Korea. The people who have asked me about the ring were all intrigued by it. It’s the beautiful blue colour :P
This year has been one crazy accessories year for me!

Finally found you! 

After spending so much at the boutique, I came back to Sasang straight away to buy some groceries from E-mart before taking the shuttle bus back to my dorm. I think I shouldn’t go out anymore. I spend so much whenever I’m out! How can I go out without shopping -.- I should just stay in dorm everyday and if I really have to go out, only for meals and maybe a drink at a cafe. Nothing else. 

Wore it with the pearl add-on I made myself

The rose gold colour goes very nicely with my Balenciaga bracelet