Was it worth it?

07: London shopping, food and experiences (Part 2). Plus, the designer shoes I splurged on with no regrets.

Jul 23, 2024

When I spend money—whether it’s on clothes, food, experiences, or something else—I like to feel good about it.

As much as possible, I try to be mindful of what I buy. I love finding a good deal, but I also don’t mind spending a little extra from time to time if it means better quality. I read a lot of reviews, pay attention to recommendations and try to base my purchases on their perceived value. I’m always asking myself, was it worth it?

Here are some thoughts on what I bought recently. What was money well spent, and what gave me buyer’s remorse?

This Was it worth it is part 2 of my reflections on what I bought on our girls’ trip to Paris and London. You can find part 1, which covers my Paris purchases, here.

London

Shopping

The one thing I had my heart set on buying during this trip was a pair of Chanel ballet flats. Splurging on luxury items is rare for me. For years, I’ve had these ballet flats on my wish list and I could never bring myself to spend that much money on them on an average day. But there’s something about being on vacation (this one in particular) that makes a purchase like this, well, special.
I feel compelled to share that when I’m spending this much money on something, a lot of thought and planning goes into it. For instance, I’ll think about the different ways I can save even a little bit. I’ve been scouring resale sites for a second-hand pair forever, but could never get lucky because of my shoe size (I am sometimes a 5, but most of the time, even smaller.) I figured if I was going to spend on a brand-new pair, I might as well do so while I was in Paris and could save a bit of money with the VAT refund. Which leads me to something else—since I usually have a budget for my trips, I was able to plan how much “shopping money” to set aside, which made it easier for me to part with the cash because, in my mind, I’ve already decided to spend it.
And then of course, there are the usual questions I ask myself over and over again about how much wear I’d get out of it, if it would go with what I already own, and if it’s something I can see myself wearing (and loving) for years to come. If I do buy designer, I try to stick to the investment pieces that have longevity because I’ve learned from past mistakes that buying expensive trendy pieces is just not worth it. I know I’m rambling, but I share this all with you because maybe you can relate to the amount of considerations and rationalizations that go into making a big purchase? It’s a lot.
So chic. I’ve had this photo of @filippahagg in her ballet flats saved as inspo for the longest time.
Now, to go back to our trip, I actually didn’t end up buying the shoes in Paris after all. I went to a handful of Chanel stores across the city but the smallest size they carried was a 5, which turned out to be too big for me. Feeling discouraged, I started looking at other alternatives and was this close to buying Miu Miu ballerinas but ultimately, I didn’t have the same feeling trying them on as I did with the Chanel ones, so I decided against it.
I was ready to give up on finding them, but then as we were walking past the Chanel store on Bond Street in London, my mom and sister-in-law encouraged me to check if they had a smaller size. I didn’t realize at first that it was a flagship store, so they had a lot more styles and sizes in stock. We had the kindest sales associate assist us in finding me the right size, which turned out to be a 4 (even 4.5 was still a little big.) After trying on the leather patent-toe style and the quilted version, I decided the latter was more me.
Even though I didn’t end up saving money because there was no VAT refund, I still think it was meant to be, and I’m so happy to not only have the shoes but to also have them tied to the memory of this very special trip. I’ve worn them a few times already, mostly for going out to dinner, and I love how classic and feminine they are. At first, they were quite stiff, and it took about 2-3 wears to break them in.
Wearing my new shoes out to dinner with an old Zara open back top (not as long but similar here and here) + black trousers.
On another note, after I was unsuccessful in finding the ballet flats in Paris, I turned to the Substack chats for recommendations of other brands that carried smaller sizes. The majority of the responses recommended the brand Margaux for ballet flats that are really soft and comfortable, not to mention a fraction of the cost of Chanel (I like this pair in the classic black and this two-toned style, too.)
More ballet flats I adore
I was pretty much done with shopping for the rest of the trip after my big shoe purchase, but I did find this grey ribbed tank at Zara for £9. I’ve been looking for a grey tank top for the summer, and I liked the thickness and length of this Zara one. On the website, they refer to the top as cropped, but on me, it goes right to above my hips so it hits the top of my high-waisted jeans perfectly. I liked it so much that I ended up getting it in white, too, when we got back home.
The grey tank is sold out online but they still have white in stock as well as a pretty pale yellow colour. I also found this similar grey tank + similar jeans + letter necklace + bag. Ball cap is old and I’m not a big fan of their newer colour combinations, but did you know you can customize your own?
I had never shopped at Glossier before, but we quickly popped into their store while visiting Covent Garden. Maybe it was my niece’s influence, the store’s pretty aesthetics, or the temptation of getting a deal (or all of the above) that convinced me to buy their Balm Dotcom Lip Balm and Skin Salve. Normally £14 each, the deal that day was to get 3 for £21. After placing our orders with a sales associate, we had to pick them up at another counter where they came out via the Insta-famous conveyor belt.
I had low expectations for the balm, but I’ve actually been using it a lot. I got it in coconut, which is lightly scented and goes on clear. It’s not sticky like regular lip gloss, and is pretty hydrating—I use it both on my lips and cuticles.

Food

Fortnum & Mason: Although pricey, afternoon tea at Fortnum was definitely worth it and one of the highlights of our London trip. The tea salon was classy and elegant, without being too stuffy, and there was a pianist playing live, which added to the ambience. The tea, sandwiches and cakes were all really good, but it was their scones with the clotted cream and lemon curd that really blew us away. I’m not normally a fan of lemon curd, but this one was buttery smooth and wasn’t too sweet or too tart—I scooped up every last bit of it from the small jar it came in.
Fortnum & Mason also offers a children’s afternoon tea menu—one of the reasons why we booked it.
Browsing the department store afterwards, we loaded our carts with teas, cookies, different jams, other preserves and of course, jars of lemon curd, which to our surprise were only £5. It was a great place to shop for gifts and souvenirs that aren’t your average keychains or fridge magnets. Only thing is, you may have to buy extra luggage to bring it all back, like we did.
Loved browsing the department store. Not pictured: my cart full of jams and lemon curd.
Poppies: This diner-style restaurant chain was on various lists for best fish and chips in London, so we stopped by their Portobello Road location on night one when we were jetlagged and starving. While the fish was really fresh, it was a bit overpriced and kind of underwhelming.
The Market Thai Restaurant: Also on Portobello Road, we ordered take-out from this authentic Thai restaurant when we decided to stay in one night. Their Pad Thai was good, but if you can handle a little spice, I loved their Drunken Noodles.
La Mia Mamma Notting Hill: The hook at this Italian restaurant is that you have “real Italian mammas” in the kitchen cooking for you. We did their set menu, which came with prosecco, an antipasti sample board, and your choice of pasta or pizza for a main dish. Their truffle pasta was delicious, but I could’ve done without the sample board. I wouldn’t say it was worth the £49 for dinner.
Seven Dials Market: After a day of strolling through Covent Garden, we ended up at this Food Hall to grab dinner. The place was bustling with packed communal tables of people gathered around drinks and assortments of street food. The atmosphere was fun, but a little overwhelming and not exactly kid-friendly, so we quickly grabbed something to go. I ordered pork and tofu bao buns and the rainbow slaw from Yum Bun, which hit the spot.
Neuhaus: Located in Covent Garden, these Belgian chocolates are some of the best I’ve ever had. I wasn’t planning on buying anything, but the samples here really got to me. I got a small box of mixed chocolates, including their specialty Cornet Dorés, pralines and truffles. Highly recommend for a fancy treat.
Layla Bakery: A quaint, neighbourhood artisan bakery and coffee shop located on Portobello Road. My favourite thing here was their hazelnut pesto and feta lemon zest pastry.
Pastries at Layla Bakery.

Experiences

Kensington Palace: Out of all the different tours of London landmarks we explored, we decided Kensington Palace best suited our group’s various ages and interests. The tour came with a complimentary audio guide, which made the whole experience more engaging, especially for the kids. We loved touring the royal residences and seeing all the precious jewels and artwork while learning about their history. With the picturesque Kensington Gardens also right there, you could easily spend a full day here, so it’s definitely worth visiting.
Worth it - a tour of Kensington Palace.
Thames River Cruise: I know I shouldn’t compare this to the Seine River cruise we did in Paris because they’re two very different cities but it’s hard not to. While we enjoyed seeing some of the sights on this 1-hour cruise, like the London Eye, Big Ben and Tower Bridge, the rest of the views and bridges were difficult to see through the rain and fog that day. The cruise might be a good option if you’re pressed for time and trying to squeeze in a bunch of landmarks at once, but seeing London by boat wasn’t really all that impressive, in my opinion. Would skip this next time.
A rainy cruise on the Thames.