Bangladesh, a small, relatively new nation, situated to the east of India can be found in the clothing stores located all around the world. A nation that is available in a store? What I mean is that ‘made in Bangladesh’ label can be found on most of the clothes sold in the leading branded clothing stores of the world. Bangladesh is a very important destination for garment manufacturers due to the cheap labour that is available in abundance here. Most of the leading clothing brands are manufactured in their units in Bangladesh.
So, it is hardly surprising that garment sales are big events in Dhaka. Export surplus and export rejects find their way into the open market and there is a sale almost every week. Keeping track of such sales and attending them are an important event on any expat’s calendar in Dhaka. But, let me warn you, it is not for the faint hearted!
If this means that you have decided that you are never going to go to one, I would advise you to re-think! Once you have seen what your friends have bought at these sales and heard the bargain prices at which they managed to buy branded clothes; then you are going to cry your heart out and wring your hands in despair and regret!
The better and wiser thing to do would be to prepare oneself for the sale. I will attempt to outline here what has to be done!!
The day before the sale
Check your wardrobe and get an idea about what sizes you wear in trousers, shirts and t-shirts. Also try to make a list of any cousins, nieces, nephews and sundry relatives and friends who you think would appreciate a gift of branded clothes items. Again make an estimate of their sizes.
Ask around and see if you can team up with some other friends to go to the sale. Preferably, if they wear sizes different from you, there will be no conflict of interest (you will understand later why this is important)!
Find the biggest bag available in your house, preferably with a wide mouth so that all the clothes can just be dumped into them. As preparation for the sale, you must try to retain a few of the cardboard cartons/ boxes that carried your cargo when you came- they are ideal for a garment sale!
On the morning of the D-Day
After a good night’s sleep, make sure to have a healthy breakfast and drink lots of liquids. Tie up your hair and wear loose, comfortable clothing. Trust me; you don’t want any kind of distraction!
Arrive at the destination at least 30 minutes before the advertised opening time. Take deep breaths and stay focused.
As soon as the gates open, be prepared to elbow your way to the tables groaning under the weight of the clothes. This is not the time to think “I can’t be rude and push and pull!!”
Do the ‘sweep into the carton routine’-Corner the mound of clothes on the table by putting your arms around it and drop them into your huge shopping bags or cartons. Again, this is not the time to think whether the clothes are your style, color or size! Go around the tables staking your claim to as many clothes as possible. While doing this routine, it helps if you are with a group of friends; it makes the ‘sweeping into the carton’ routine easier!
The next step is to then carry your cartons/bags, laden with clothes to a corner and start sorting through the clothes, one at a time. Camaraderie among friends can make this experience very special. If all you friends sorting through the same carton have different sizes, then there is likely to be no heartburn as two of you will not be vying for the same top/trouser. As you sort, keep discarding the clothes that you/your group do not need on the tables.
Finally, when you are done, before going for making your payment, take a last walk around the tables to see if there is something more that you can take for yourself! There would be others like you, who have discarded the sizes that did not fit them and you might just get lucky!
Aftermath of the Sale
Once you are home and actually try out the clothes, you may face some disappointment as some of them may not actually be the style you hoped for or the size that fits you. But you can always make gifts of such clothes; it is easy to be generous when you are paying a fraction of the cost at which these branded clothes would be available at the stores.
Sit back and relax! Think of all the envious looks that will come your way when you wear your latest purchases. You have earned yourself a session at your favourite spa!
Statutory warning:
If you do not follow this step by step guide, you are likely to suffer from a feeling of low self-esteem and deep regret and sorrow!
No comments:
Post a Comment