Kuala Lumpur is not only the capital city of Malaysia, but also the biggest, which means it is inevitably a huge hub of business and tourism, making it a perfect destination for those who seek a multitude of attractions from one destination. And, as travelling goes, overseas is the best place to revamp a wardrobe without buying exactly the same top as three of your mates.
Suria KLCC and Pavilion are huge shopping complexes which offer several floors of shopping of the big name brands, from luxury to streetwear. That being said, not everyone can spend large, and we definitely fit in that category. You can head over to Sungei and Fahrenheit 88 in the same district for lower-end brands, but we headed over to Berjaya Times Square for the biggest and best in budget shopping in the central KL area.
Berjaya Times Square
Berjaya can be divided by sections and floors, intentional or not. There is the central area as well as the East and West Wings, which do not have too much of a distinction. In the basement floors you can find a supermarket and dining options. On the ground (first) and second floors, there are lower-end name brands such as UNIQLO, Giordano, and local brand F.O.S. Floors 6 and up hold shops that offer services such as travel agencies, and you can even find a theme park located on the 9th floor, if you need somewhere to leave those in your company who aren’t so keen on shopping.
The floors we focused on were 3 to 5, which generally held the budget shops. These seem to be local brand shops, and less order and organisation than your usual big-name retailers. Several stores, such as JustIN and MNB reoccur throughout the mall, and some stores stock generally the same items as other stores though the shop has a different name.
All the stores seem to operate individually, so it’s difficult to say if they are in any way related. Possibly, they purchase from the same 4 or 5 distributors or manufacturers, resulting in the repetition. But because of this, there isn’t really anything that is only stocked in 1 store, though things like the pattern/print and prices may vary, but not by much.
Focusing on women’s clothes, prices seem to vary from as little as RM10 (US$2.50) up to RM50 (US$12.50), depending on the item. Though the quality is not luxury, it is still very reasonable for the price. These clothes are definitely considered “fast fashion” and not meant to last more than one or two seasons of use.
There are a good number of shops with varying styles. Many shops cater to men or children, and a few expectedly stock clothes that are suitable for Muslims. Though many clothes are free size, or one-size-fits-all, we also found that there were plenty of clothes meant for taller people, and many that could fit us (and we’re very short).
Changing rooms are not common. Many shops have signs that clearly state that trying items on is not allowed, and in one instance we weren’t even allowed to try on a jacket over our clothes. That being said, a couple of shops do have fitting rooms, such as shops that sell pants, and in some shops, you are allowed to try on more expensive items (which are often pants or jeans). Still, oftentimes it can be a gamble, though the budget means you’re hardly risking much.
It should be noted that finding warm or winter clothes is a little more difficult, maybe unless you pop into UNIQLO or Giordano at the right time of year. This is because Malaysia is hot all year round, though there are specialty stores which sell jackets branded as travelling gear, for locals who intend to go to colder countries.
What We Got
The Dresses
Both from QQ and similar stockists, this shop had dresses that are suited for petite girls (or probably children). There was a range from sleeveless to two-piece dresses, and most were patterned. Both of the ones Jos got were priced atRM22.90 (~US$5.80) each.
Kimono-style Flower Jacket
This came in various patterns and were found in multiple stores throughout Berjaya. This one also varied in price, and we passed up a jacket that was priced a little higher for this one at RM19.90 (US$5).
Berjaya Times Square
1, Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
