Good bye shopping malls

Country road black knit top, androgynous style, black and white, mimco shoes, styling white shirt, fashion blog Australia

Country Road top and pants, Mimco shoes, Zambelli shirt, mini Prada bag

This is me at 6 pm in one of Sydney’s biggest shopping malls. It’s empty and everything except for Woolworths is closed. The thing I miss about Europe that most shops, restaurants and cafes are open till late or even 24/7. Sydney is much better in these terms than say, Brisbane where life stops after 7pm during the week. Seriously I do not understand how people who are working full time are supposed to go shopping or even banking if everything closes at 5pm (!?!). Additionally if you feel like eating at say 4 pm, it is difficult to find a restaurant that would serve you. Their kitchen hours are strictly 12-2pm for lunch and 6-9pm for dinner. I remember wondering through New Farm searching for a restaurant that would serve dinner after 9:30pm.

Blue nail polish, black and white style, styling business shirt, fahion blog australia, style for winter

Country road top,androgynous style, winter 2011 style, black and white, mimco shoes, styling white shirt, fashion blog Sydney

Mimco pink shoes, winter style, bright color trend, fashion blog Australia

The situation is worse with shops. During my corporate days in the CBD I had to run around like a maniac during my lunch break trying to fit my shopping adventures into a mere 30 minutes. But what if you are working and living far away from shops? You either go shopping during one allocated late night shopping or on a weekend.  Obviously, that is one major reason increasing numbers of people are turning to online shopping. It is much more convenient, you can literally do it any time.  No battling for expensive parking spaces, no time wasted in traffic and on top of all of that it is much cheaper.

So hello to online shopping and good bye shopping malls!

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Comments 22

 

Thank you for taking time to leave a comment! However, the comments section has been playing up recently. It's only working if you leave your name & email. Thanks for understanding, Maria xx

  1. Amalia August 8, 2011

    I shop online every single day- most notable reason because I live in a town with NO malls whatsoever!! But even when I go to a city, I find myself avoiding malls.. This week I am making an exception though- going to KaDeWe in Berlin!! You look beautiful and I loooove how you paired the pink with the black and white!!

  2. Charlotte August 8, 2011
  3. Monroe Steele August 8, 2011

    Great post..that sucks that everything closes so early. In NYC everything is always open.

    xoxo Monroe

    Fashion Steele NYC

  4. Katie August 8, 2011

    Love your shoes! I just moved to a city without any shopping malls and I miss being able to go to one building and look at a ton of stores! xo

  5. Haute Style August 8, 2011

    Totally agree, Maria. It’s a joke! I mean HONESTLY! I working massive long hours and if I need some retail therapy, I have to wait until Sunday! IT’S SO ANNOYING!
    We had to push so hard for the shops to be open on Sunday- it’s not even funny.
    BRING ON ONLINE SHOPPING! Maybe the retailers will stand up and take notice- stop with these stupid hours.

    PS- awesome outfit AGAIN. I LOOOOOVE black and white with a pop of pink!!

  6. Catherine *The Spring* August 8, 2011

    Maria, you’re looking great! I completely agree with you about how ridiculous opening hours are in Australia, and you’re so right to point out Brisbane as a particularly frustrating example. Yesterday (Sunday) my Mr. and I tried to go out for a romantic cup of coffee around 5pm, and after driving around the suburbs for about 30 minutes came home and put the kettle on – there was no where to go. Cafes close between 2-4, banks at 4:30, shops between 4:30-5. I’m hoping life in Sydney next year will be better, but you’re not giving me much hope… and I hate shopping malls!
    The blog is looking really great lately – life with the little one seems very productive for you! Congrats!
    – Catherine

  7. Stacey Kay August 8, 2011

    Those are the cutest flats! I love pointy toe flats.

    xoxo
    Stacey Kay
    “Runway Inspiration, Vintage Decoration”
    Enter ‘Who Wore It Best’ to get a free piece of clothing from Goodwill Huntingg!

  8. Pratishtha August 8, 2011

    Great outfit. And love the matching flats and lipstick. Gives your outfit so much character.

    Following your blog now. Would love it if you could check out my blog and follow it if you like.

  9. Cláudia Tavares August 8, 2011

    Hi there!
    I was shocked when I read this post. In Portugal and everywhere in Europe (as far as I know) shopping malls open from 10 a.m. to midnight (some closing at 10 p.m.), but this is everyday. Here they only close for Christmas Day and New Years Day and that’s it. How can people shop after work?? What about supermarkets, are they also closed after 7pm?
    No wonder people turn to online shopping, I love it, but sometimes you really need to try things on first.
    Love your flats and clutch.
    Xoxo

  10. msmadamemakeup August 8, 2011

    great post and u look fab!

  11. vanda August 8, 2011

    I really like the way you dress and the outfit you are wearing today! I could come dressed like that to the Office.
    You have very good taste, like your blog. Kisses from Greece!

  12. Mrs C August 9, 2011

    Super super cute shoes love it! What a fabulous outfit! Thanks for stopping by! Hope you see you again!

    http://www.MrsCapretta.com
    Recipes Fashion Marriage

  13. Marina August 9, 2011

    Girl I feel you about the mall and restaurant hours. I have a full time job and sometimes working OT is just hard to make it at a decent hour to the mall or a restaurant!!! I LOVE ONLINE SHOPPING ANYWAY!!!

    <3 Marina
    Fashion.MakeUp.LifeStyle

  14. lea August 9, 2011

    You look amazing!

  15. Lyddiegal August 9, 2011

    I feel like online shopping still has a long way to go before it can replace B&M stores.
    Better descriptions, accurate size charts, free returns and exchanges need to be across the board. There are so many times I’ve been burned by online shopping. Things might look fab on a model in a image 200 pixels wide but seem cheap and frumpy in reality. Then sometimes you are suck spending $12 on something you aren’t even keeping. ($6 to get it to you, $6 to return.)

    Plus, you miss out on the really great sales (things always get bigger price cuts in the B&M stores than they ever do online) and of course there are secondhand shops, which still haven’t truly found their place on the interwebs, with poor searching ability in places like etsy and impossible search ability among other bloggers who often list their seconds for their readers.

    So no, I’m not ready to give up shopping in real life just yet.

  16. Kate L. August 9, 2011

    Great outfit. The flats are adorable and it’s just a lovely touch:)

    Fashion Cat
    http://www.firstlookbook.blogspot.com

  17. caramellitsa August 10, 2011

    first of all you look so elegant!
    i dont shop at malls generally i prefer small local stores or just ordinary stores…
    kisses <3

  18. coco August 13, 2011

    i have the same sentiments about shop opening hours in australia. they open when most people go to work and close when most people finish work. i often wonder how they make money, apart from charging us at least 2x as much as oversea competitors. thanks to online shopping! the only thing i can’t buy online are fashion and shoes, i must try them on before i buy because it’s hard to find something that fit me.

  19. My Styleadvisor August 14, 2011

    That’s a really nice outfit! I like your blog. I shop a lot online, as there is more variety.

  20. Polly August 25, 2011

    Hey, I love this shoes! They are amazing! I madly want them! :)))
    You look great, dear, do you wanna follow each other? :)
    Kiss,
    Polly

  21. theresa August 26, 2011

    amazing outfit! black trousers with ballerinas are just lovely! xx theresa

  22. Celina Di Pisa September 5, 2012

    Lovely outfit. White shirts are always… “aristocratic”