SHOPPING COlUMN

Ok folks so this is the home of Mickey Mouse. And yes, of course you visit orlando for a mega dose of Disneyworld and Universal studios. But, a good way to take a break from all the amusement and theme parks is a day of shopping. the city has a number of malls like the rest of UsA, however, the one i favour is the Premium outlet on international Drive. home to 180 outlet stores this offers many leading European and American brands at a price lower than what you will find even in their own store. find impressive savings at Betsey Johnson, Coach, J.Crew, kenneth Cole, lacoste, Michael kors, last Call by Neiman Marcus, Polo Ralph lauren, saks fifth Avenue off 5th, Victoria’s secret and more. Everything is not as good as it looks, but some of the pieces are worth sifting through and if you like something it definitely makes for a more sensible purchase than buying them at full price elsewhere.

Sportswear

sportswear is something one must grab here. the Nike factory store is huge and has an immense variety of everything you require no matter what your sport is, the gear ranging from tennis, golf and soccer. the prices are 60 per cent of what you will find in the regular brand stores and the line up on offer is only two to three months older than what you will find in retail outlets outside. soccer shoes are a sellout and the toughest to find as they move very quickly. the Adidas store here actually spoils you for choice. i personally feel the sneakers here are a lot ‘cooler’ and the store is not as crowded as Nike’s.

in a big mall like this it is prudent to know which shops to go to in order to save time. i would suggest dividing time between casual clothes and designer labels.

Casual Clothes

Polo Ralph lauren store is a must visit. the t-shirts are 50 percent cheaper and there is enough choice. the shirts by this label are great for office wear or even over blue jeans. let me give you a tip. the Polo shop for children has clothes for youngsters right up to the age of 20, and the price is half of that at thestore. so if you are slim you can get away by doing your shopping there especially if you are looking to buy t-shirts and shirts! Charlotte Russe is a casual clothing store which is next to Barney’s of New York. Charlotte Russe has great skirts and shorts. they stock party dresses also that are pretty interesting and inexpensive. the bikini range is nice too and what’s more, you can actually buy a different size for the top and bottom. i also love true Religion. these jeans are pretty expensive at Bloomingdale’s, sax fifth Avenue, even more so at selfridges, london and are available here for a great price.

Designer labels

the shoe store to definitely visit is todd’s. Now this brand pretty much keeps its styles over decades and if you are lucky and can get your size it will be like hitting pay dirt. the exotic skins are also available at 60 percent of their regular price, but again, getting your size is a gamble.

You can skip Georgio Armani, though Armani Exchange is a good bet for t-shirts. A smart place to shop for accessories is the Prada shop, but, if you are big on trends and fashion you may not find top of the line stuff at this store. the BCBG Max Azaria keeps the famous bandage style herve leger dresses but i would not recommend buying those from here as they are only about 30 percent cheaper and in rundown condition.

i do recommend you get all your Juicy Couture requirements from here. Again this brand hardly ever changes their style and you will find plenty of colors and sizes here. Ugg Australia is where you get the famous winter boots for a song.

the big names to avoid at orlando Premium outlet are Calvin klein, hugo Boss and DkNY. lingerie(Victoria’s secret), make-up, as well as jewellery is available and sometimes you get a great deals. You can also find electronic brands like sony and Bose at good prices.

Pick up a extra suitcase or two at samsonite or travelpro, again at discounted prices to pack all that you’ve bought.