What was the last thing you did for play or fun?

Earlier today, a friend and I went to Chatswood and Bondi. I picked up my David Jones orders. Gotta use those two Christmas vouchers. Before heading to DJ in revamped Chatswood Chase, we passed by festival stores. They were around for the whole weekend. We bought cane lemon, basically lemonade made with sugar cane. They had a queue. My friend purchased the lot gozleme while I got chicken and calamari paella. The suburb was bustling with people, especially with the start of school holidays. We had no time to duck in to TK Maxx.

Mr Tee

The Ralph Lauren tee was colour block in a classic fit. This is their most generous one, with longer sleeves and a looser cut. Go for a size down from your usual. I also have a blue classic fit fleece jumper, also in S. The rest are custom slim fit. Based on the online guide, the next size was nightgown territory. I got the right one. My fourth blue tee, I wonder if it was the right choice. A classic case of buyer’s remorse. Maybe downsizing my wardrobe was better.

Most of my RL stuff is from DJ. Only this green bear jumper was off The Iconic. RL is a dad brand, their preppy vibe appealing to a more mature market. You could say the same of Tommy, Superdry, and Country Road. They are all my faves.

The logo

RL uses high quality cotton and their garments wash well. My top also has a contrast pocket with the polo logo. This was on the pricey side but makes me look younger. Their designs are minimalist. A unicoloured tee or polo or jumper with a small logo. Then, you’re on the hook for over $100. Minus the branding, it’s a $10 garment. Thankfully, none of my RL outfits has that minute logo. I’d lose more weight if that were the case.

Bondi Buhay

After DJ, we didn’t browse any other stores and took the metro to Martin Place. We changed for a train to Bondi Junction. It was mid afternoon when we reached Westfield. I collected the second order, a black G-Star Raw tee with a burger print. I tried it on in store and medium was spot on. They used organic cotton in a nod to sustainability. I did not bother browsing at either DJ as they were hawking only 20 to 25 percent off. Besides, I’m swamped with summer stuff. The hot weather only lasts from November to February. There’s no need to shop up a storm.

Both of these were discounted, meaning more savings for Topher. Business wasn’t good for Chatswood and Bondi retailers. The bookstore was ignored, people seeing bestsellers as luxuries. Small and medium clothing stores were evaded. Strandbags had no one browsing their leather items. People have bigger issues than shopping for clothes. Why bother when you can get gold at Temu.

Vale, Castle Hill

Two days ago, DJ announced the closing of two branches, including Castle Hill. They’ve traded there for 3 decades. In a month, these will be history. They likewise downsized their Burwood store. We visited Castle Hill recently, where we skipped DJ. Seems like they’re following Myer’s path. Lately, their rival has shuttered in Hornsby and Blacktown. Their Eastgarden outlet should be next on the chopping block. Online shopping might spell the end of window shopping. It’s just more convenient and practical. Loads of options too.

Online Shopper

Even with 30 or 40% off, these department stores cannot compete with online retailers. No overhead costs will always win. Case in point: Black Friday. The offers were bad and the crowds just weren’t there.

The food court seems like the shopping apocalypse’s last holdout. However, both Bondi and Chatswood are posh areas. Their meal deals wouldn’t feed the masses. Dining would sink along with the small businesses. In the end, a mall couldn’t escape Doomsday if only the food court is serviceable. People desire good value. Even food stalls would close if they don’t offer this.

At JB HiFi, I topped up on supplies. Granted, it was mid afternoon but the clientele was thin. Finally, I headed to Coles where I shopped for fresh produce, beef, and essentials. I bought bananas for potassium. My Kazakh mates need them. See also: Borat.

A humid Saturday, I wore a Levi’s tee and green linen pants. Bondi was quite airy though Chatswood wasn’t as breezy. Today was sunny, perfect for beachgoers and ice cream. In spite of the recent tragedy, Bondi beach was the hottest ticket in town.

26/12

Boxing Day would be interesting. Typically the year’s busiest shopping day, our version of Black Friday. Will DJ slice their prices? What can we expect when they open before dawn? I remember turning up at 9am in their CBD store. There were lots of shoppers, not all of them toting DJ bags. How much reductions will Myer offer? Anyhow, I couldn’t picture myself going in at five am. One, I have loads of stuff. Two, there’s so much more these days than bricks and mortar stores.