Shopping Diaries: Linking Road
Finally went to the Mumbai’s Mecca of shopping. It was good.
So I went again. And again.
I’m talking about Linking Road in Mumbai’s Bandra suburb—a
place that gives you plenty of affordable options to stock up your wardrobe and
stay stylish. Clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, artifacts—Linking Road has it all!
Both branded stores and street-side shops are here to cater to all your needs.
For now, I’m going to be talking about the street-side shops.
The range of shoes includes everything from daily-wear,
casual ones to fancy pieces. The clothing range includes men’s and women’s
tees, blouses, one piece dresses, salwar suits, lehengas, kurtas, gypsy skirts,
denims. You can also find imported lingerie, belts, bags, accessories, imitation
jewelry and imitation makeup including the very popular MAC ripoffs. The
bright colors will catch your eye and the throwaway prices will only add to the
appeal.
Beware that the street stuff is mostly cheap: you will have
to put through the low-quality make. The sewing will come undone, the buttons
will fall out, the shoes will fall apart before you know—so if you are fine
with fixing things as long as you’re getting a good deal, then good for you.
Otherwise, you may not want to overindulge in Linking Road items. It should,
however, be noted that much of the same stuff is sold in air-conditioned
boutiques at 10 times the price.
Substandard shoes and clothes apart, you will find all types
of fashion jewelry you could possibly think of. Pendants, necklaces, anklets,
bracelets, earrings, studs, charms, Indian kundan jewelry and all sorts of
knick-knacks! And they are not just eye candies! They are fashion magnets that
will make you take some home!
Tips:- Bargain. Haggle. Bargain more. The stuff isn’t really overpriced, it’s the quotes that are insane. The thumb rule? Pay around half of the quoted price and no more.
- Avoid overcrowded stalls. The vendor is unlikely to accept a low quote by you in front of so many other potential customers.
- If you can, avoid shopping at weekends and evenings to avoid the crowd and discomfort.
So what did my haul consist of? It’s difficult to recollect.
I’ve only been there 3 times and I will have to lay out all my purchase at one
place to count every piece. Still, here is all that I can roughly collect from
memory:
- 5 tops at Rs. 150 each
- 6 pairs of flats ranging from Rs. 120 to 200 (I was in dire need of some simple yet stylish flats in my wardrobe that is otherwise stuffed with heels)
- Denim in pink, yellow, red and black at Rs. 500 each (It is incredibly soft and stretchable. I’m amazed at the fabric quality at this price…and for those who know better bargaining trickeries than me, you can surely get an even better price)
- 2 Kurtas at Rs. 150 each
- Shorts at Rs. 150
- A handbag at Rs. 350
- A silver skinny belt at Rs. 70
- Angry Birds necklace at Rs.60; 2 earrings at Rs. 20 each; 4 fashion rings ranging from Rs.20 to 100
- Some hair clips for Rs.20 each
- A pair of tweezers…eh! And a makeup brush kit at Rs.100.
(I got two of these cuties!)
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