Well, well, well… look at us. Standing just three weeks away from the New Year.

If you have New Year’s Eve plans — I am excited for you.
Sincerely. Go enjoy your glitter, champagne, and overpriced entry fees.

If you don’t — relax.
A couch + blanket + Netflix + snacks is honestly the most elite plan ever invented.
Zero drama, drunk episodes and crowded areas. Bliss.

Now… about these sales.

Everywhere I look it’s:
“UP TO 70% OFF!”
“LIMITED TIME ONLY!”
And honestly? I am crying. Not buying.

Tell me you feel this too.

Back in India, we had sales too. Sure.
But I was never that girl hopping from one store to another like it was a treasure hunt.
I had my comfort-zone stores. I entered, bought what I needed, exited like a ninja.

Maybe it was cultural conditioning.
Maybe it was the men around me who acted allergic to shopping.
Maybe it was me being financially aware and emotionally exhausted.

It was more like —
“Luxury brands will take half your soul, your dignity, and maybe your left kidney. Stay away.”

And honestly, showing off? Never my personality.
If I ever flexed anything growing up, it was probably my calligraphy skills… yeah it was a skill at that time!

But Ireland… oh Ireland has changed something in me.

Not the showing-off part — don’t worry, I am still humble. (Sometimes I do show up but come on a designer bag, your fav shoes and Oh that diamond shine why won’t you like it?)
But the accessibility? The variety?
The sheer “Oh wait… this is actually in my budget???” feeling?

Wild.

(PS: Diamonds are women’s best friends. There is no debate. If anyone wants to argue, I am happy to hear their TED Talk.)

So now when I walk into Brown Thomas or Arnotts, I am suddenly in the middle of a luxury universe:

Jimmy Choo, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Guess, Coach, YSL, NARS, Charlotte Tilbury and Benefit

And I am standing there like a confused person thinking:
“Who among you is actually worth my money, and who is just pretty packaging with commitment issues?”

I have read all the blogs.
All the “Top 10 things to buy on sale.”
All the “What’s worth it and what’s not.”
And yet… confusion.

Like sneakers.
I want a new pair.
But Nike? Adidas? Jordan? Puma?

And if Nike — WHICH Nike?
Air Max?
Air Force?
Dunk?
Some limited-edition mystery pair that vanished before I even saw it?

Available in JD? Schuh? Footlocker?
Or some secret sneaker dungeon I don’t know exists?

Why do I need a PhD to buy ONE pair of shoes?

And look, this isn’t just a girl problem.
Boys pretend to be simple. “Just buy any.”
But they’re the same people watching 127 YouTube reviews from guys explaining shoes like its rocket science.

More options = more confusion. End of story.

People say, “Ask the specialists!”
But specialists always give the same answer:
“Go with what you like.”

Okay… that is the WHOLE problem.
If I knew what I liked, I would not be here standing in aisle 7 having an identity crisis.

Thank God for friends and instincts — the only reason I ever end up buying anything.

Especially perfumes.
Choosing between Valentino, Zara, M&S, Victoria’s Secret…
It genuinely felt like judging toppers in a class where everyone got 95%.
All brilliant. All different.
And the problem is not the price — it’s choosing just ONE.

Eventually, I just went with the philosophy:
Buy what feels right.
If it stops feeling right later — congratulations, you now have an excuse to buy another.

Trial and error, baby.

Honestly, I have become a huge fan of asking random women around me:
“Hey, that looks amazing on you — where did you get it?”
Women helping women.
And copying their choices saves me so. much. stress.

Let me know what you think.
And if you have any magical shopping wisdom — drop it in the comments.
One girl’s trauma is another girl’s survival guide.

PS: Not promoting any brands — these are just the ones my confused soul recognises. Please don’t quote me.