r.bartlett

my mate came back late last yr and said

you could buy any clothes you like as long as it was a check shirt jeans and made out of wool


cheers

richard

BritboyNZ

Jeans and T shirts are all very well for weekends & the summer, however my job is Very client facing & I deal with people at senior levels in many organisations, looking smart is an absolute must for me. More than a few times I have been out on a saturday looking for a decent business or casual shirt, nice pair of trousers and come home frustrated/empty handed having spent the entire day trekking around Chancery/high street/newmarket. And this is auckland. god knows what business men/women do for clothes in wellington/christchurch.

My advice - if you work for a company where shirt & tie is de rigeur, stock up before you leave home.

russ

southerner

I'm a kiwi who has been in the UK for the past 10 years, and I think Wilf is spot on about the Warehouse. I would only go there if a) quality did not matter; ie I wanted something cheap and cheerful, or b) it was a standard product available in all stores but could be got cheaper at the warehouse.

For example, I was visiting my parents in April, and they needed a new vacuum cleaner. Based on my experience in UK I wanted a good German make such as Miele, and we spotted one in Warehouse at a good price compared to other retailers.

But in other ways the shop is full of cheap rubbish. But that seems to be what the people want, as the company is expanding like mad.

Back to the main thread - I never had any problems buying whatever clothes I wanted in NZ. OK you might not get all the European fashion houses represented, but that personally was not an issue to me.

Compared to other things, clothes and shoes in NZ are not really much cheaper than in the UK. What is more, the kiwi lifestyle places less emphasis on wearing the most fashionable clothes. Go to the pub or a restaurant and they're liking to be wearing jeans and a rugby shirt. You might not agree with this, but it is part of the kiwi psych. A person is no better because of the clothes he wears.

However, if you are into clothes, I am sure you can buy what you want to wear. It might take a bit more effort, but you will certainly stand out from the crowd. And like recommended by other posters, if it matters that much maybe you should stock up in UK before you migrate.

Regards

Scarlett G

Bless 'Farmers'........... I forgot all about them....yes I would agree, quite like BHS for clothes, good kids clothes, good for shirts, skirts, work clothes for everyday wear.


As for what to wear in August, well it will still feel quite mild to you going from UK but will be chilly to Nz'ers. Take a fleece and you should be ok.

umfaan

So what if the NZ fashion is "inferior" to what you are accustomed to..... Stay where you are if it is really such an important issue!
In winter, UG-BOOTS are highly fashionable...... keep feet toastie warm.
Newmarket has a few "top-range" retail outlets, as does Remuera, etc.

Blessings
Umfaan

Pastor Flaps

Please dont tell me you cant get surfing or boarding clothes like O'Neil, Quiksilver, Oakley, Bilabong in New Zealand.

I was hoping for a new wardrobe once we arrived.

Paul

gOD

You can get those. For anything else, there were a *few* nice shops on the back of Queen Street (World, if it is still there!!!), otherwise, save your money, get a cheap flight over to melbourne and do your chothes shopping there. That is what I did!!

Pastor Flaps

Good tip.
We will probably do a stop over in Brisbane on the way over, so should get some clothes there.

Paul

onetwothree

I always find it amusing how some people fret about having to buy this year's fashions. Are they sheep who have to keep up with the new trend? Do they not have their own strong identity that means they can be happy regardless of whether they have the latest clothes?

sad, sad people

The people I have met in my life who are like this, are shallow & artificial people.

grahamclan

The shopping in Auckland is better than in Brisbane

icklepickle

For me the lack of designer fashion is quite reassuring, it suggests that maybe people have better things to worry about than keeping up with the Jones.

... maybe I will change my mind when I have been out there and actually seen what is on offer though.

We don't have many shops here (even have to drive for 45 minutes to get to B&Q or Woolworths) so I can't imagine that it could be worse.

Regards,

gOD

It is not about designer fashion at all, it is about the RANGE of clothes and styles.

grubelice

Well said. I haven't been to NZ but what I found difficult in Adelaide was the lack of well made and designed (as opposed to designer) clothes in decent fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk (cos lets face it polyester makes you smelly - especially as now they say we can't wear deoderant cos it can cause breast cancer). I don't keep up with fashion slavishly, on the other hand I don't want to look as if I shop in charity outlets - way behind the times with that washed out look. Cheap sweatshop clothes look like rags after a couple of washes. Some people don't care what they look like - and that's OK. Equally others like to dress well and may not be obsessed with fashion and designer labels but still want to look attractive. After all one style doesn't suit all. I am trying to stock up before I go on things that will look smart in the heat, such as linen suits and silk dresses as will need to look reasonable when job hunting. In addition I believe mode of dress in Adelaide is fairly conservative. However I have no intention going about dressed looking like a building society clerk (with all due respect to the Bradford & Bingley) in polyester suit and blouses - which is largely what seemed to be on offer in Adelaide. Guess that makes me shallow.

Elaine