Can I justify £115 for a blouse?

[Daughn]

Me+Em Swing blouse I bought a lovely cotton swing blouse in Monoprix when I was in France last year and the shape is lovely in this heat. I have been looking for one with short sleeves and a v neck and this is the only one I have been able to find. It's perfect but £115. I've tried searching using "cotton swing blouse" but nothing as perfect as this turns up. I am trying to rationalise it by thinking I will wear it a lot but can anyone suggest alternatives that are cotton, v-neck, short sleeve, and khaki colours? Up to £50.

I know, I know. But I came from a poor background and even though I have been in very well paid jobs for 40 years; I still hesitate before spending anything on non essentials.

I don't think it's an excessive amount of money for a well made item in a versatile colour that you will get tons of wear out of, but I'm not sure that particular blouse is it. It looks quite limiting in terms of what you would wear it with and how you could style it.

It's quite a memorable colour and shape and pattern so if you wore it a lot people would notice and it would seem like you were always in the same outfit. It's the opposite of a useful white tee or a little black dress in that regard.

But actually, if you can afford it and really like it then just have it. Better one thing you genuinely love than three things for 35 quid each which are poor quality and you feel ambivalent about.

I think I have the same Monoprix blouse and it’s brilliant. I get lots of compliments and it’s so cool to wear.
I also am a Me and Em fan and love the blouse. I buy one thing a season from them (funded by my Vinted selling savings!) and haven’t been disappointed yet although do look for premium fabrics when I choose, nothing synthetic.
Do let us know when it arrives and what it’s like!

Buy it. Cost per wear, it sounds like you
will get your money’s worth. If your heart wants it, nothing else is going to suffice!

Buy it! It's not that expensive.

Buy the blouse - it’ll be worth it

I'd order it and try it on and if it sparks joy - buy it! I buy most of my clothes from Uniqlo or similar, but sometimes spend considerably more in classier shops if I find something I really love.

I always think of cost per wear + feelgood factor. A £35 shirt that isn't right so you keep trying it on but never quite want to wear it, or wear it but feel uncomfortable in it (physically or mentally) is way more expensive than a perfect, expensive blouse you wear often and love and feel stylish and confident in.

I was in Me and Em yesterday. Get the blouse.
I don't live in the UK anymore, so don't often get chance to shop on the UK high street. I was shocked by the appalling quality of the fabric and construction of every single other place I looked (Jigsaw and Whistles, what happened to you? A polyester night-mare with shoddy sewing and dowdy design). But Me and Em was consistently lovely - well made, lovely fabric, worth the cost. I could have spent a fortune.

lol! It’s a weekly shop for me.

Love the top though, I really like that shape too.

Not necessarily a good thing. I’m of British heritage and could make her one like that in half a day. However, the materials and my labour alone would cost more than £15. Why is yours so cheap? Who is making it and why are they paid so little?

Is this the same one? On eBay, new, size 10, £95 +postage.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/206446264874?_skw=meandem+swing+blouse&itmmeta=01KYQ8NK63A75HDD6JPJ5XW5TA&hash=item301128022a:g:JUkAAeSwws5qZ485&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA0GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xD0lTiEQzHIsCzv%2BhBlMta4XyjIZRs5lS%2BIySjkcsg5Df3Kw%2FWpLDZPyF1XLyDz%2FNFnGhMkb3aoHOexSVcp3F0CpXrznENz88xnIZAf%2F%2B7rm9IZN8SlEMII6wiMj8%2FrRnPKxOsOmJ1FUemyGipE4TWyYRL%2BiXzWdtz68OgpEjyw4DqufJHyCXZs3T4c%2Fyp0y4iwzCEOb1ZakA9Ybz7nLfPQ947%2FlFUZNisGdkiuej78ZpLHaaZXrlnVd6ZHP3lS7Po%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6y01uj1Zw

Glad you bought it op, I’m in agreement with everyone else who says if an item makes you happy and you can afford it and will get the use out of it just buy it, Don’t buy several others hoping to scratch the itch.
I love the shape of the one you’ve linked to but I don’t like the print (more specifically I don’t really wear patterns other than stripes) so I’m disappointed not to see it in a few different options as I would have bought one too. Well, perhaps it’s a good thing, I’ve a few lovely shirts that sit in my wardrobe hoping to be worn but there is always the hurdle of ironing which I just don’t do 😂

Look at this one then and congratulate yourself for saving £75 🤣🤣🤣 https://navygrey.co/collections/the-shirts/products/the-easy-shirt-pale-blue?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ID+%7C+BAU+%7C+UK+%7C+META+%7C+PRO+%7C+AWA+%7C+BIDC+%7C+VIEW+CONTENT&utm_content=129_TOF,+MOF,+BOF_SS26_Shop+Now_Shirting_Image_Product_Lifestyle_July26&utm_term=ID+%7C+BAU+%7C+UK+%7C+PRO+%7C+TRAF+%7C+VCON+%7C+RFM+LOOKALIKES&utm_id=120233086879180524&fbclid=IwRlRTSATXDQ5wZG9mBWZkaWQWULfvWd-6CrKGE0mOTm1b651Fc8K6e2V4dG4DYWVtATAAYWRpZAGrNlgjsKJcc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHpnT9UHujwIV276TYCvx_YBq9Gbzl3JZ106dm2g1bDYS1lT62Ra6v-kyDf4y_aem_9hJzF8Ar15YKSBXudI-j9A

The code WELCOME5418 should take 10% off

Glad you’re buying it Op. 40 years of well paid jobs means you can buy yourself lovely things.

Brora have some lovely cotton blouses

www.broraonline.com/uk/liberty-print-organic-cotton-smock-shirt-rose-blossom-db2580km2615

Mint Velvet might have something similar; also, they do a try before you buy service where they send you the clothes and you have 5 days before they charge you for them.

Should have waited for the post 5pm contingent, haha.

Yes, that is the same one @Workingfromhomenow

@Queenage Thank you for that sentiment!

@Menopants yes, they are lovely too. That blouse was originally £215 - organic cotton, I suppose.

Yes I bought one last season. It feels wonderful to wear

It's beautiful OP. Buy it.
Some other possibilities in Wrap London: https://www.wraplondon.co.uk/fashion-ZK99-SMWSBL/colour-b-natural-pink/shirts-tops/gathered-jacquard-blouse.htm

I’m the wrong person to ask as I saw this Mint Velvet shirt in store on Saturday and loved it, although I think mine is ‘only’ £89. I’m trying to make myself sell a few things on Vinted to cobble together the money, silly really, but I do like a challenge and feel like I’ll appreciate my pricier clothes all the more if I’ve had to put a bit of effort in!
https://mintvelvet.com/products/blue-stripe-jacquard-shirt-1?channable=0504cf69640036323730313035363339333337358e&variant=62701056491679

That's cute. I've just been browsing the Mint Velvet website and realised I had dismissed them a few years ago but there are some interesting shapes and designs. There was a lyocel blouse in the sale I really liked but sold out in my size.