Tag Archives: River Island

White shoes.

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Okay nearly every celebrity has been photographed wearing them and yet they are the most difficult item to find in stores and online here.  Are they still just too 80s?  Is it still too early in the season?  White shoes – I have been looking for them everywhere.

Solange Knowles started my obsession:

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Then one of my favorite bloggers, Sheree from It’s Not That Deep, wears them frequently with absolute cool and aplomb, like here and here.  She claims they can be worn with anything and go with everything and she is on a mission to prove it.

So the search began.  There are few criteria they must adhere to – they must be white white – not cream or off white, and they must be pointed, single sole pumps/courts.  Easy hey? – Surely every cheapo shoe store must carry them for those whose fashion sense we question, if not for those fashionistas who are giving them a new lease of cool?  Not so.  Unless I want a pair of YSL – sorry Saint Laurent (why mess with a brand??) or Manolo BBs I cannot find any that fit the bill.

I thought I had.  I ordered the Odette from Asos.  River Island is having a resurgence (even Kat has seen the light) and I saw these when I was back in Bury.  I thought they would work a treat.  But oh no – my toes (inherited from my Dad) are too curly and sticky out to fit in this vamp shoe – so off they go back to Asos:(

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Mango have another great alternative but in the time taken for Asos to deliver (yawn…) the 39 sold out…but still $99.99 seemed steep for a pair of ‘on trend’ white shoes that may be resolutely off trend next summer.

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So on a rainy wet Saturday I dragged the family to Lenox Mall white shoe shopping.  Oh how they leaped with glee at the prospect – NOT.  I did return with a pair though which I was planning to wear tonight till our babysitter called sick.  Now I’m drowning my sorrows in a glass of white, anticipating a Chinese takeaway instead of getting my glad rags on.  Oh well there is always next week!

So these are what came home with me – the BCBG white patent pumps.  Patent – yes – I was doubtful too – but the fit of these persuaded me I should get them.  They cover my toe cleavage perfectly with no risk of the freaky little toes escaping over the front.  Plus the heel height and the vamp are not so crippling that I can only do ‘car to bar’.  I got mine from Macy’s but can’t find them online – so here they are at Zappos.com.

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Now I also have my eye on these – but who needs TWO pairs of white shoes? I LOVE the lucite heel – but the guy in the shop was trying to persuade me I needed a US 8 1/2 – I know I don’t – I need an 8 which they didn’t have.  ALDO stop commission based sales – do you really think ‘the 8 1/2 will be perfect with an insole’??? I want my correct size please, not to help Mr Salesman out with his weekend drinking money.  Anyway, I can assure you these are gorgeous in the flesh and I may still order them…

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Now these don’t fit the initial criteria – in fact they are a brogue and they are flats – but when I saw them on the Massimo Dutti site I NEEDED them.  Now I have them here I know I don’t.  They are gorgeous, but not $200 gorgeous.  In fact they are a slightly distressed leather and in the light the shoes didn’t even look like a pair – one was slightly grayer than the other.  So back they went.

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While we were out we had fun – it’s rare we all go shopping together but now the kids are older it is a little easier and the Mall acts as a confined running area for them – much to the chagrin of other shoppers.  MM even tried on some Nudie jeans in Bloomingdale’s – he didn’t buy – we have VERY different shopping habits fortunately.

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Leather jacket – Zara // Scarf – Primark // T-shirt – Zara (old) // Trousers – Zara // Sneakers – Converse // Bag – Boden

 

 

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Spot the mannequins: 

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Doing it Gangnam style – this is their job – they do this dance ALL DAY:

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Leather and pleather.

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Back to the grind stone today – and not just in the office  – as I also had a request from Poppy for a French pleat in her hair for school picture day.  Not what I needed at 6.30am this morning.  A handful of grips and a can of hairspray later we had something that she was happy with – I bet it was down by the time she got to school!

I’m in my leathers again today – I really need some new leather leggings.  These are fine but having no butt means that they are less than tight around the arse.  I really want some leather leggings – just above the ankle bone, tight with some stretch in them, and a front button and fly.  Any recommendations that won’t cost an arm and a leg?

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Trousers – AllSaints leather Delors pipe jeans // Shoes – Zara court // T-shirt – Zara // Linen top – H&M long sleeved // Jacket – River Island (not online)

Darn it – I’ll never save money – this always happens – looking for links, just now for my outfit, I discovered a new gem – look at this jacket and tell me this isn’t an Isabel Marant knock off – I LOVE it!!

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Transitional dressing.

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Oh my goodness what a lot of snow you’ve all had in parts of the UK! In March too!?  I don’t think I’d even have the proper attire for snow like that!  It’s a great time to do a bit of online browsing/shopping if you’re stuck indoors:)

Here it’s definitely brightening up – though torrential rain yesterday caused trees to fall and bring power lines down resulting in a fire in the neighborhood – all a bit scary really!  All were fine and I noticed the charred trees today – it seems to be a regular occurrence when it rains here.

So some layers were required today as the temperature climbs again – I love the drape of this jacket from River Island – I’m so happy it made its way into my luggage:)

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Jacket – River Island // Jumper – AllSaints Godiva jumper (old) // Tank – H&M (old) // Jeans – Gap jeggings // Boots – Isabel Marant Dicker

 

 

 

 

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A girls trip to the Trafford Centre.

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So apart from my weekend in London – the other highlight of my trip that I had been looking forward to for some time, took place yesterday.  My sister took the day off work and left her 2 boys at daycare so we head to the Trafford Centre for a girls day out with Mum.  We try to do it every time I’m back but often there are children involved – who it has to be said – can somewhat hamper the shopping experience!

We arrived as the stores were opening and had a blast.  I relished every moment of it.  There is something really special about spending time with your family that you take for granted when they are around all the time.  Mine are not – so it was lovely watching Mum and Louise have fun and get the same thrill out of shopping as I do.

We started at M&S where Louise and I both got a couple of scarves – Mum had some 20% off vouchers so it was hard to say no:)  Plus Mum got a couple of bags that she paid all of 10GBP for what with her 20% off and various vouchers she had collected!

My scarf – the Indigo Flamingo print (I also got a fabulous bicycle print scarf which isn’t on the website):

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Louise’s scarf is a gorgeous silk Autograph scarf:

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Looking at these simple images of scarves it is evident how different Louise and I are in our style.  She gravitates towards greys, taupes and neutrals – she has very elegant, sophisticated tastes and prefers simplicity to loud eccentric prints.  See the difference?:)  I think it speaks volumes about our personalities!

I then had lots of fun in Ted Baker.  Their store is amazing.  Full of great colors and the decor is very grand and decadent.  I had been wanting to try the Jupi dress since I fell in love with it in Bloomingdale’s.  It’s a lot cheaper here with the exchange rate and sales tax so I knew I had to try it.  Ted Baker do the 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 sizing which drives me nuts as I am always at the 3/4 end.  The store only had a 4 so I tried it and even though it was fine – with my top heavy frame it felt too billowy around the hips.   I put it back knowing Selfridges have a concession that I could check later.  I did, however, know that there was also a t-shirt in the same print – far more practical and versatile.  So I tried the 3 in the top and decided to get this instead of the dress.  End of.  Totally love it.  The changing rooms are a lot prettier than my photos suggest!

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One thing I didn’t get about Ted Baker is that they will only exchange items – not refund them – I think that is pretty rubbish these days.

So on to Zara – Mum got a fabulous quilted jacket (can’t see it on the website) and Louise picked up this gorgeous white coat.  Both Mum and Louise are really petite so look amazing in everything they put on!

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We then headed off for lunch – there’s a huge selection at the Trafford Center.  I knew I wanted a long decadent lunch i.e. one with wine – so we chose Pizza Express.  Now I remember when they were new and lovely.  This one was fine – but PLEASE it is 2013 – can’t we figure out using laminated menus instead of grubby, greasy card?  As a customer experience ‘expert’ I realize I may be overly judgmental, but this is the first thing your customer sees in a restaurant.  Sort it out Pizza Express!  It just makes the whole restaurant feel less than clean.  Regardless, lunch was fabulous.  I love my Mum and sister:)

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So finally I had to look in Selfridges.  I love this store.  The whole shopping experience is immediately elevated.  Now yes I had already bought the t-shirt but just for curiosity’s sake I went to the Ted Baker concession to see if they had a 3 in the dress.  They did.  After a couple of glasses of wine it was a no brainer:)

Here’s what I wore for the day.

Jacket – River Island // T-shirt dress – AllSaints Venice t-shirt dress // Trousers – Dorothy Perkins coated jeggings // Boots – Rag&Bone Newbury

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See you all when I’m back in Atlanta!!  England it has been a BLAST!

 

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Knitted jackets.

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It’s hard to shop in Bury and Bolton.  Nothing to do with the stores or the towns themselves – in fact both have been greatly improved, though it is a little sad to see more and more empty store fronts.  Does everyone go to the Trafford Center these days?  Maybe we need help from Mary Portas?  Don’t get me started about Bury Market.  It used to be the destination for food – pies, vegetables, deli meats and of course black pudding.  Now it seems to specialize in tat.

Anyway back to why it’s hard to shop.  It is bloody freezing here (though sun was seen today).  It makes it impossible to imagine anywhere being too warm for a jacket, or furry boots for that matter.  instead of lusting after bright colored shorts and skirts I have been drawn to woolly knits, big coats and scarves.  I have to keep reminding myself that these items won’t get worn in Atlanta till Christmas – plus they’re not packing friendly.

On a couple of instances though I have managed to persuade myself that it may get worn through Spring – maybe even in the air conditioned office in the Summer.  Hence I may be found guilty of the following purchases.

There is a plethora of knitted biker jackets in the stores.  I love knits and I love biker jackets so guess what – I am like a bear to a honey pot when it comes to these gorgeous things.  The first I spotted was in M&S.  I was generally unimpressed again with M&S – they are trying to be all things to all people – but this cardigan was lovely and jumped right out at me from the racks.  So lovely I got both the cream and the black.  I had to go up a size, but the only review online also says it fits a bit small – especially the arms.

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Mum and I went in River Island yesterday.  I remember vividly when our Chelsea Girl in Bury became a River Island – so it makes me giggle that they are now proudly displaying their ‘year founded’ on the clothing labels – 1988 – seems like only yesterday when I am back here.  I probably haven’t been in one since if I’m honest – and I only went in yesterday for research purposes.  Well of course I saw something I needed.  Now I might not get as much wear out of this until Fall, but the color, the knit and the style made it too perfect to leave behind.  It is lovely and you might see me in it tomorrow if I remember to take photos when I go shopping with my sister.

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Tips on TARDIS-like packing are warmly welcome.

 

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