Today I’m very, very late to my own party. I hosted last week’s Carnivale of Couture, in which I asked:

What is your best-ever bargain? Where did you find it, how much was it and why is it your favourite?

Due to extreme technical difficulties I’ve taken a little while to post mine. But here they are! And no, I couldn’t narrow it down to just one…

Gold heart necklace

I bought this necklace in an thrift shop for $6. It’s 925 silver with gold plating, probably only 14K but it still looks pretty. Of all my bargains, this is the most frequently used. When it’s warm enough to wear open shirts, this necklace gets worn about 4 times a week.

It looks pretty with everything and finishes off an outfit nicely, plus it just generally makes me feel happy whenever I wear it. Yay for pretty necklaces!

Kenneth Cole boots

My other best-ever bargain was a LOT more expensive. These Kenneth Cole boots were US$125 and I bought them five years ago when the exchange rate completely sucked, so they cost over $250 in Australian money. Eep!

So how are they still a bargain? Because they’ve been worn so many times that on a cost-per-wear basis they’re cheaper than any cheap shoes I’ve ever bought. They’re also incredibly comfortable and I LOVE attractive, comfortable shoes because I walk practically everywhere.

These are brilliant for both work and hiking, which is basically unheard-of in a shoe. Even in their current battered state, they shine up nicely enough to be acceptable under trousers in the office; plus I can walk miles in them without getting sore feet. That’s saved a lot of space in suitcases because I can wear these on the plane, tuck some shoe polish in my toiletries kit and know I’ll be acceptably shod for all but the most formal occasions. (Well, unless there’s hot weather…)

After five years and hundreds of miles, they’re just starting to wear out. They don’t look as great when they’re polished and the sole has worn away on one side, although they’re still super-comfy to walk in. Still, one day soon they’ll go to shoe heaven. They’re now saved for travel and long hikes in wet weather to try to preserve them a little longer, and I’m looking for replacements since Kenneth Cole don’t seem to make them any more. If they do ever make these again, I’ll buy three pairs on the spot, cost be damned!

And until then, I’m on the lookout for the perfect hiking boot. It must have tough leather on the outside and supple kid leather on the inside… preferably in purple like these. They must have a thinner, more flexible sole than standard hiking boots so I can feel and respond to changes in the ground, but also have fantastic grip… just like these. And lastly, they mustn’t be ugly like ‘real’ hiking boots invariably are. If you see anything that fits the bill then please, please let me know!

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