The Super Saver is Here
The Minion has sapped my savings, so it's time to get crafty with my fashion purchases. Say hello to the Super Saver! A suit that's guaranteed to make sartorial and financial sense...
As the minion grows and develops, starts walking and spreading her wings, etcetera, etcetera I wanted to impart some wisdom I have learned over the course of her 16 months on planet earth. Having a child is a wonderful thing. It’s full of ups and downs, sleepless nights and happy first words and magical moments of love and delight. It also makes you broke.
I don’t think anybody realises just how expensive these little terrorists truly are. I’m sure someone has worked it out somewhere on the Interweb, but I’m too scared to go look for fear of then trying to get a full refund for my buddle of ‘joy’. Between the organic, sugar-free, multivitamin baby cereal and the baby gym classes (yes it’s a thing) you are permanently wondering what happened to your bank account. And that’s before school fees and sweet 16 birthday parties. And it doesn’t matter how much you earn (unless you are Jeff Bez-OFF or Kylie Jenner) or what you do, money just seems to disappear like water in the toilet, as my mom says. And I’m a gal who loves a mani. I like my hair to look done. I want to keep my wardrobe updated. But sadly that cash flow is being spent on nappies and top tots classes or yet another round of antibiotics. Because Minion keeps putting bits of fluff she finds on the floor into her mouth or else is constantly being licked by her equally germ infested friends.
Now I know why you hear people say, ‘Go treat yourself’ to getting a haircut. I’ve always found this term so odd because going to a 5 hour session to have my head pulled and teased is not my idea of ‘a treat’. But also surely that’s part of a normal middle class self care routine so why would it be deemed ‘a treat?’ Men don’t go ‘treat’ themselves to not look like werewolves so why should their female counterparts?
Men don’t go ‘treat’ themselves to not look like werewolves so why should their female counterparts?
I’m not even talking Kim Kardashian level of polished because that is a full time job. I’m talking the odd highlight and an eyebrow thread. The basics really.
Well yes dear reader, apparently this basic grooming routine is now ‘a treat’. Because for one, you have no time to spend a full Saturday getting yourself plucked and sprayed and waxed. Oh no you are too busy meal prepping and shuttling your minion to their endless social activities. But also you have already spent your haircut fund on an ergonomically correct baby chair for fear that your darling poppet will turn into Quasimodo with all the time they spend sitting while you hand mush edamame beans for their organic 3pm snack platter.
So I am trying to find ways and means of maximising the ‘treat’ fund. That being said there is no way I’m going to let the Hubster cut my hair for me so that ‘luxury’ will need to stay as is. BUT I’ve found other ways of not looking like the 105 year old that is often bursting to come out of me. Say hello to the 5 day a week Super Saver Suit. This is basically the Power Suit but I’m rechristening it to showcase its super cash-saving abilities.
To be clear I don’t literally wear it 5 days a week, but I have worked out that this little beauty will transform into exactly 987 outfit changes. And so I will save millions in ‘treat’ funds and look box fresh at the playdate pickups, work meetings and weekend lunch dates to name but a few. Side note it will also help save the planet as I am not partaking in the fast fashion circus that the planet is currently fighting Shein and friends on. [Smug high five to self.]
Now a few styling pointers on the Super Saver…
Spend a little to save a lot. Okay full disclosure - you might have to spend a lot. BUT there will be long term gain I promise. As we all know quality is expensive and if you are planning on keeping this little gem as a lifetime (fingers crossed) purchase, then you need to invest. Opt for natural fabrics - cotton, linen, wool. You do not want to go the poly-fire blend route. It will feel scratchy and hot. It will also catch alight at the next minion’s birthday party, thereby creating vast amounts of emotional trauma to all in attendance. Ain’t nobody got time to pay for trauma counselling on top of everything else - there is simply no budget left for that.
You do not want to go the poly-fire blend route. It will catch alight at the next minion’s birthday party, thereby creating vast amounts of emotional trauma to all in attendance.
Tailoring is a non-negotiable. We are not all the size of fit mannequins or models. The clothes we buy will never fit us perfectly. If they do you have found a miracle store and I need you to send me the details thereof immediately. But in all seriousness, nothing ruins the luxurious feeling of tailored separates if they are not - dum dum dum - tailored. Take them in with some of the shoes you will be pairing your suit with and get the leg length, blazer sleeves and trouser waist and hips taken in or out as required. Tailored = expensive, so even if your suit isn’t, the cut will make it look more luxe. And don’t take the tags off until an expert has told you that yes once they are done you will be able to reach for the top shelf without ripping your blazer or bend down to pick up Goosie for the millionth time without tearing a hole in your bottom. A comfortable fit is your friend. Unlike…
Colour is not your friend. I know silver blazers and highlighter tones are hot right now but there is just no point. You will get bored within one season (as will all the other mummies at the school gates) and the whole point of this little exercise is longevity. You don’t want anyone saying, “oh I just love how you recycle that suit , so CLEVER!” in that condescending tone (you know the one). I bought mine in navy but black, grey or a warmer tan is the way to go. A plaid or pinstripe option is also a good bet but keep it subtle. Avoid white at all costs. I feel like only A-list celebrities spending the afternoon at Wimbledon get away with white. Us mere mortals with our coffees and our grubby car seats simply do not.
Try a 3 Piece. Waistcoats are having a moment so try find a three piece suit that you can rev up your wardrobe in even more ways. Wear the waistcoat as a fitted top under the blazer or just the waistcoat on its own with your fav pair of weekender jeans for that dose of 90’s nostalgia.
Comfort is king. Go for a more masculine cut or looser fit so you can also wear your blazer over a fine knit jumper or turtleneck, thereby extending the Super Saver’s versatility. You also want to feel comfortable. Yes it must be tailored but not to within an inch of its life. This is not occasion wear, its your new best friend.
To illustrate my point, here is some sartorial inspiration for your Super Saver. It really is a one stop fashion shop…
Pair it with trainers…
Yes you can. You can now wear trainers with anything so doing it with a suit feels very Gen Z. Go chunky or keep it simple with some Vans or the good ole Converse. No need to go out and buy the latest Palace collab. We are trying to save after all!
Take it on a date…
Whether it’s just the blazer over a LBD or the business savvy waistcoat and trouser combo, a suit is a sexy alternative to yet another - yawn - dress.
Dare to bare…
While we are on the subject of date night, why not take your suit out on the town with a saucy bralette or crop top. Go on…I dare you…
Be a Multi-Hyphenate
So you got the school drop off, then a Zoom call, then the gym and an errand run? No problem. Make like a supermodel and pair your blazer with bike shorts and the accessories of your choice. It’s business up top, squat ready on the bottom. Nobody knows where the hell you are going, just that you will look fabulous when you get there…
A is for accessories…
Your suit, your rules. Try it with a neck scarf, a hat, slides or a tie. Remember there are 987 ways to wear it…
Masculine Rules
Be one of the boys with a more masculine edge. Keep the suit oversized and pair with brogues, boots and neutral tones.
Go Tonal
Keep your look uniform tight with one colour, head to toe.
Drape the Blazer
For fashion crowd approval, drape the blazer and throw on some oversized sunnies. Even if you aren’t sitting front row, you will be the most stylish soccer mom on the field.
Off Duty
Weekend Wear doesn’t always mean a denim jacket and ballerinas. Swap yours out for a blazer with slip ons or pair the suit trousers with trainers and a casual turtleneck. Comfy yet chic…
I love this piece Maja! I so aspire to be this woman and you may have inspired me to shop around. Would it be wishful thinking to hope for your next piece to include a few examples of such super savers available in SA? xx