To ask what you would spend £1k on in Bicester Village?

[Mum2KSS]

I took out a women’s cancer insurance around 15 years ago and just got my premiums back as I thankfully didn’t need to claim for anything. I now have £1k which i don’t want to absorb into the household bills as I feel I should celebrate the fact that I’m healthy! I can get to Bicester Village and was wondering if I should spend it there? I’m not usually into designer clothes so this would be a real treat..what investment pieces would you buy? I work full time in an office but can wear smart casual there...usually in jeans and tops at the weekend and don’t like to bare legs or chest..

Tods have a sale online at the moment too. Nearly 50% off!

At BV, last season's shoes are often discounted by 75%.

If you buy their 'ordinary' shoes i.e. not driving shoes, they can be re-soled. I have an old and beloved pair that have been re-soled 3 times now. That's how long they last!

If you want something stunning to wear at work with smart casual clothes, they are hard to beat.

Sigh. I must not even look...

Hmm a personal shopper day sounds very tempting - now to lose that surplus 30lbs...!!

No! Have your special day now, and buy a few pieces that fit you now. Life is too short to wait for the ideal.

Shoes, a bag and scarf fit you well at any time. A cashmere jumper or two will be pleasingly oversized if you lose a bit of weight. A carefully chosen coat would likely still fit you quite well if you go down a size (don’t spend too much on that though, just in case it doesn’t).

Do you have some nice make up? Otherwise a new palette and some luxuriant lipstick would be a great treat for yourself.

Very true ninkanink

Rather than a coat you could get a wool cape or poncho (if you like that sort of thing). Barbour, Fairfax and Favor, Dubarry, for example.

Think about jewellery too. My favourite is Georg Jensen. Monica Vinader and Missoma are very popular now but more trend-driven.

@Mum2KSS it’s a very important lesson to learn, took me a while but I’m converted now!

Thank you for all your words of wisdom everyone - I’m overwhelmed by everyone’s responses

Oh OP what a lovely dilemma to have and my best pom-pom waves for being healthy! I wasn’t in quite the same boat but bought a really beautiful pair of manolo blahnik shoes when I got the all-clear. I’d agree with PP that this is something to take to a fancy-pants shop and enjoy the experience! Harvey Nichols and Fortnum and Mason have been lovely to me. Regarding the latter - maybe a lovely new perfume too?

Mulberry really dates

It really doesn’t. The Bayswater will never be out of date.

I like the idea floated by a PP about having a piece of jewellery designed and made for you - that would really be special.

You can book a Peronsal Shopping appointment at Bicester village held in a beautiful space called ’The Apartment’. Get what you’re after brought to you!

I’ve found the experience at BV to be lovely as long as you arrive early to beat the crowds. It’s always so satisfying getting such big discounts there! It’s a fun day if you’re browsing - for me I don’t go with an exact thing in mind I want, I’m more open to what I’ll see. Go, look at handbags or jewellery, and just buy what you like! I’d go for 9am, then have brunch at the Wolesely :) Enjoy!

Be really, really fussy. Only buy something if it is PERFECT - it has to look so good that you would feel excited to wear it because you feel great in it.

I try to follow this rule with all of my clothes.

Have a nice time.

I'd give it to cancer research.

I’d buy some antique jewellery

Not familiar with Bicester but agree - a really good coat and some good quality boots - they will both last you years. I have a rule of thumb with unexpected windfalls - spend 10% on other people, splurge half of the rest and put the rest away for a rainy day. Maybe take a friend and treat them to something while you're at it?

A couple of DVF wrap dresses - you should have change for a nice leather something too! Also check out cashmere jumpers/scarves- don’t date - always great. Great that you’ve had the all clear and lovely to treat yourself! You can sometimes organise a personal shopper at BV and this shopper can usually arrange for further discounts and help you save time by pre-selecting items that might work. I did this a few years ago and had excellent value from a similar budget.

Why are you set on an investment piece? It doesn’t really make any sense in terms of spending 1k on mid-level high end fashion. Most of the things on sale in there, as mentioned, are either seconds or last season. There are seldom true investment pieces there, and if so they’re reductions are negligible. The common answer of a mulberry bag is absolutely uninspired - despite being a fan, unless you have preexisting notion of the bag or a particular penchant, it serves no purpose, nor does mulberry as a brand carry the same weight. They’re beautiful, but if you hadn’t clocked it before it seems redundant. If you did want to enjoy the experience, spend half of that money going down to london, get a hotel and a really nice meal, and have a genuine shopping experience in Selfridges or your chosen retailer. Or get a personal shopper. So much of the market value of fashion is arguably understanding the weight of the label too, so if that’s lost, why are you spending it at that retailer and to what means?

Also, arguably 1k is not enough to buy a true investment piece in high end fashion, but it depends what your definition of investment is. But if you’re truly talking about “pay per wear” - go shopping without heed to the brand, find what you truly love, will use everyday and bring you joy, and that’s what you should buy.

Suddenly coming into money doesn’t necessarily you should go spend it at once at a place deemed to be of value socially - what will bring you the most joy and value in spending that money? From what you’ve mentioned so-called investment piece is not it. You talk about “A real treat” for you, and yet that is defined not by fashion or trends or advice from people who don’t know what makes you tick. It absolutely does not necessarily fall into line with buying an “investment piece”. These are two different things. You also mentioned that perhaps people might assume that it’s fake as you dress “normally” - then why feign spending a significant amount of money on an industry which isn’t going to bring you proven value? Work our what you want and would make you happy. Good luck!