Following My Gut (and Vivienne Westwood)

photography by roz alcazar

Don’t you just love it when you find a little gem among a sea of options? That’s what happened when I stumbled into the recent Vivienne Westwood sample sale.

There’s been a shift in my shopping. Those who know me well know I’m a self-confessed shopaholic — but not a careless one. I choose carefully. These days, there’s just so much to choose from, maybe too much. The fashion industry remains one of the biggest polluters, and while it loves to talk about “slowing down,” fast fashion keeps sprinting.

So I’ve changed. I barely buy new items, I recycle more, upcycle what I can. I’ve become a little bit of a secondhand aficionada — and a loyal disciple of the sample sale. Why pay full price when you can get the same at half? Or a quarter? It doesn’t have to be new to be good.

I’ve always loved Vivienne Westwood. She was a fighter, a rebel, a romantic. A woman who lived wildly and stood for something. Maybe it’s the Catalan in me, but there’s a shared energy with the Scots — that spark of independence, the love of tartan, the bite beneath the beauty.

And her corsets… my weakness. Sexy, sculptural, unapologetic.
So when the sample sale came up, I had one mission: find a good one.

The Day

The day arrived, and I wasn’t feeling great. My stomach’s been giving me a hard time lately, and that morning was particularly rough. But I thought: maybe a little walk (and a sale) might help.

So off I went. The queue was long, the air was cold, but the sun was kind. I told myself I’d wait thirty minutes, tops. Thirty-five minutes later, I was in.

Inside, it was chaos: an army of fashion devotees hunting their treasures. But somehow, no one seemed to be after the corsets. And there it was, hidden behind some Anglomania: a tartan underwired corset, in my size. I didn’t hesitate. Straight to the till.

There was no signal inside, so I had no idea what it cost — or what it was worth. When the cashier told me £190, I tapped my card before she could change her mind.

Outside, I checked the retail price.
£1,000. Silk. Taffeta. Iconic!!! My friends, I almost fell to the pavement.

Sometimes, it’s worth following your gut — even when it’s the thing giving you trouble.

If you’re tempted to indulge in a good sample sale yourself, check out The Box, Arlettie, or the beautiful Second Life Markets that pop up around London. The latter isn’t a sample sale, but it’s a treasure chest of vintage and luxury finds.

Happy hunting, careless readers.
xx Lau Lau

WHAT I AM WEARING:

Vivienne Westwood Underwire Corset
Pull & Bear PVC Trousers
Diesel PVC Red Boots
COS White Shirt
Staud Bag

SIMILAR FITS HERE BELOW!