The difference between style and fashion is quality.

Hello, my name is Hayley and I am addicted to striped shirts.

Honestly though, I am a not-so-secret Francophile when it comes to shopping.  If a cool Parisian girl would wear it, then you can be sure that it will appear on my credit card statement at the end of the month.  Striped shirts, berets and lacy underthings?  Oui oui!

Unlike Ish, I don't have a lot in my wardrobe that I don't wear.  And unlike Tris, wearing everything in my wardrobe wouldn't take more than a few weeks. A couple of years ago, I did a serious purge of all the things that I had bought that just weren't quite right.  Since then, I've enjoyed shopping much more!  I know what I have, and what I want.  I find it incredibly satisfying to find a piece that I know will go *just so* with what I have.  I also keep a list on my iPhone of fundamental things I don't have that I haven't found the perfect version of yet.  I give myself permission to buy any of these things if I find them, with money being (almost) no object.  I've been looking for some of them for so long that I know that when I find them, they will be worth every penny.  I'd much rather spend more on one dress that is perfect and that I love, than on ten that don't really satisfy me.

Some of the things on my list are incredibly aspirational.  I will probably never buy a genuine Chanel jacket.  But I'm always on the lookout for something similar that's well-made and suits me.  Other things on the list are a specific brand not readily available in Australia, which means a lot of eBay lurking (or another trip to Europe.)  The point of the list, though, is to ensure that a few years from now, I will have a wardrobe that is complete to my needs and full of quality.  I don't mind spending time on this investment - to my mind, the more considered it is, the better.

So, here's the list as it currently stands.

• Cashmere sweaters in white, black and navy.
• A new pair of perfect black patent pumps.
• Perfect nude leather pumps.  (Harder than it sounds because I am so pale.)
• An unimpeachable LBD.
• For summer, an equally awesome Little White Dress.
• Chanel jacket.
• Castaner espadrilles.  (Still undecided on the colour.)
• Real fur capelet.
• Black Eres one-piece bathers.
• Hermes scarf.  (Again, undecided on colour, otherwise I would already have bought this.)
• A really fabulous cocktail ring.
• A 2.55 bag.  I'm not going to compromise with brand on this.  Chanel or nothing.

The list gets added to as I manage to cross items off, but this group of twelve is enough for now.  I might be crossing off the LBD soon - the new Review catalogue landed in my mailbox yesterday, and I think their lace-yoked offering might be The One.  I won't know for sure until I see it in person, though.

So, that's a brief introduction to me and my approach to clothes shopping.  Just wait til you see how I approach books, homewares, makeup...

- Hayley xoxo

PS  Yes, I'm the wordy one.  Sorry.
PPS  Did you guess the quote in the title? It's the inimitable Giorgio Armani.