So, shopping. I love it.  I do it all the time. One of my friends once said that I could spend money in an empty field.

But how do you like to actually do it? Would you rather go it alone? Or with a partner in crime? Which camp do you fall into?

In true school debating society style, let’s look at the advantages of each shall we?

Going It Alone

1. You can take your time, go to which-ever retail outlet takes your fancy at whatever time you feel like doing it. Less time talking, more time shopping.

2. Do I want to spend a whole hour in the accessories department of Selfridges? Yes maybe I do and if I go it alone there will not be anyone rushing me along when I’m checking the top-stitching of that Chloe Hudson bag that I may or may not actually buy. (I’m not buying it, I obviously can’t afford it but they don’t know that).

3. No need to wait for anyone outside the changing rooms, bored and then wondering if you should actually tell the truth about the badly fitting jeans your friend thinks are the bomb.

4. No need to worry what anyone else thinks, remember, you are strong independent woman, you know your own mind. You know you can’t really justify those enormous Stella McCartney flatforms, but by god you just WANT THEM and if you are alone who’s going to tell you that you can’t?

Going with a Partner

1. Someone to talk to and make the day a bit more sociable. Stop off for a spot of lunch, have a few glasses of fizz, egg each other on to spend more money. I have actually made some of my best buys when I’m three sheets to the wind.

2. Someone to take you to places you wouldn’t necessarily go to alone. I always  felt a little too not-thin-enough-and-maybe-not-French-enough to go to the Isabel Marant shop in London, but my friend took me there once and now I go all the time, well maybe not all the time, but when they have their annual 50% off sale I do.

3. Someone to maybe reign-in a foolish purchase.  Do I really NEED another pair of navy trousers that are just one inch longer/shorter than the 5 pairs I already own? No, probably not and that plus one will remind me of that.

4. The drinking thing – again in point 1.

Before I started writing this I would always have said I prefer to go it alone, but now that I think about it they both have their good points, but I would say that the majority of the time I do go alone. I don’t think my liver could take it if I took a friend every time!

Question:  What do you prefer?

By Kate Hiscox