Small shops usually gain popularity for selling the same factory extras as the bigger stores, but at much lesser prices. The trick is to find a store that matches your taste in clothes. Mood, a new clothing store on Thimbirigasyaya Road, checked the tick box in both cases.
Location
Mood is located on Thimbirigasyaya road, adding to the crowded stretch of similar stores in the area. It is adjoining the turn off to Jawatte Road, and has parking space for a couple of vehicles.
Selection
This is a place where you need to dig to find. They have good casual wear – Self coloured tops, linen trousers, the now fashionable coloured/printed pants, leggings, t-shirts and cute kids clothes. Even a decent collection of cotton undies! Some serious sifting (and messing up their carefully arranged piles of clothes) got me a haul of stuff that I see myself wearing many times over. I couldn’t check out the men’s section, but it can’t be bad.
Almost all labels are cut off of course, but being a Sri Lankan you learn to decipher what’s remaining of it and, and most often this means the brand is a good one. Finding clothes in your size can be tricky (again a typical Sri Lankan shopping experience). They either have very large sizes, or very small. Or the sizes in the labels are inaccurate. However, as illustrated in our next point, taking the time to really look for something that fits will prove to be worth it.
Value
Colombo shoppers know that everything in the city tends to be overpriced. Which is why the prospect of clothes that cost less than Rs.500 can be very exciting. Most of the items here are priced at between Rs.300-1000. Only the Polo (apparently original) tee, was above Rs.1000 (Rs.1099 to be exact), which again is okay considering that the price tag would be double or above in a more reputed store. And these weren’t ‘oh it’s cheap so I’ll buy it’ purchases. They are actually pretty nice, and the quality seems to be good.
(pics with the clothes and prices)
Service
It’s a small shop, so don’t expect much. The staff is mostly male, and they mind their own business unless you ask for assistance. After figuring out what you want however, they keep bringing you similar items, which was very useful (refer point about having to look for stuff, above). The store lets you exchange clothes post-purchase. I returned one Columbia t-shirt that didn’t fit my dad, and got a pair of leggings and two tops in exchange- win! Plus there’s a fit on room.
Conclusion
Make a visit if you’re shopping on a budget.
