THE GAP - A RANT

There are high street shops that I buy things from all of the time; Zara, Whistles, Topshop, H&M, ASOS, New Look, River Island.

And those that I don't; Warehouse, French Connection, Office, Next, Miss Selfridge, Mango and...Gap. 

Let's talk about Gap. In my youth Gap was one of THE places to shop. It was classic Americana at a good price, always innovative (the ads! can you remember the ads!) and with great simple cuts. But as the high street got more and more fashion conscious Gap began to look a little bit old hat and then Abercrombie took the all American look and did it much, much better (this was the late 90's / early 00's). Gap tried to be all cool at times...despite the fash pack harping on about the Pierre Hardy for Gap shoes each season you rarely actually saw them in store (the only pair I ever bought were in a charity shop about 6 months down the line). No, for me the store stayed the same as I remembered at the age of 16, which isn't a good thing in high street retailing unless you are Marks and Sparks. 

So it must have been quite some time since I have handed over any cash in Gap when I popped into the Oxford Street branch with my Mum a couple of weeks ago. She likes the linen shirts when they're in the sale but it was me who ended up buying. It's just a super simple sale priced £9.99 tee shirt dress but the fabric is lovely and stretchy and it fulfils all my chuck it on and go needs. So, please, c'mon Gap. Let's get back to real basics. Be proud of your denim, chinos, white shirts and sportswear. Go classic. Get good. Make me want your stuff again. I challenge you...

Dress - Gap 

Necklace - Whistles 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Carvela from Kurt Geiger  

Snow Shoes

Grit and grimy melted snow play havoc with shoes. I really want to wear my new sale shoes and it's killing me to have to wear wellies and hiking boots instead. Please just rain and make everything clean again so a girl can wear camel coloured wedges. Ta. 

Hoodie - Gap 

White Tee - American Apparel 

Blue Tee - American Apparel 

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Thrift Shop

Gratuitous Hot Boy Post - 2002 Will Kemp GAP Ad

Jog On

After yesterday's post about jersey it seemed only natural to roll out of bed this morning into a pair. Well, that and I managed to walk into a cabinet. I have a big cut on my knee and the only plasters I have featured either a deer, Elmo or pirates - so no shorts unless I want to get mistaken for a 5 year old. 

I love the pattern on this jacket. I wish it were a blouse, because I think I'd get more wear out of it. It's so thin that the arm of your t-shirt or shirt gets bunched up really easily and spoils the line, which means I can only pair it with about 10% of my wardrobe. 

Jacket - Topshop 

T-Shirt - Acne 

Track Pants - Zara 

Shoes - Pierre Hardy for Gap (but from a Charity Shop for under a tenner)

Summer Shoes

My two most recent shoe purchases have been dusky pink / nude - something of a departure for me (I'm a brown / black girl usually). Apart from a solitary pair of black ballet pumps, my shoes on heavy rotation are all lighter in tone. I seem to have gone all girly in time for summer. 


Top - NW3 by Hobbs Desert Boots 
Middle - River Island 
Bottom L-R - Zara, Zara, Charlotte Olympia, New Look, Gap, River Island, KG 

The perfect footwear for a holiday capsule wardrobe

The problem with lots of shoes is that when it comes to packing there is more choice and hence more headaches about what should be taken away with you. Unless you are packing flats most heels and boots take up a fair bit of room.

I have written 3 different lists of the shoes I want to take with me to Melbourne but so far haven't quite decided on a definitive collection. I always mis-pack in one way or another and never really feel like 'me' when I go on holiday. I like my choice, and with limited options get a little discombobulated. Sad, huh?

These are the shoes languishing outside of my bedroom whilst I decide on the best storage to free up my 2nd bedroom from being "the shoe room" and make it into "the second bedroom" once and for all. I am an equal opportunities shoe freak - Prada or Primark, Christian Louboutin or Charity Shop, I care not if they have something that speaks to me.

Top picture L - R: Pierre Hardy for Gap wooden heeled sandals, Preen for Topshop stiletto sandals, Maloloes boots, Topshop shoe boots.
Middle pic L - R: F-Troupe brogues, Primark wedges, Charlotte Olympia platforms.
Bottom pic - L - R: Charity shop white brogues (11 years old, what a buy), YSL Trib 2 platforms, Opening Ceremony blue suede ankle boots.

Emma Hope & Emma Cook & other bargains

Yesterday I went to Westfield with my Mum, for no reason really, other than to get out the house. The extreme cold and snow meant Croydon for an Ikea and big T.K.Maxx was out of the question, as was Hammersmith (which sucks because I really need to get two pictures framed at the good framing shop there) and the 'charity ship triangle' of Blackheath / Lee Green / Lewisham (we are nothing but classy my Mum and I).

Westfield is a pretty good destination - 15 to 20 minutes by one tube, charity shops if you walk the long way round, a library and then the shopping centre itself.

In the first charity shop I found a pair of Emma Hope plimsols - for £4! They retail for £200 +, and indeed in Westfield where this is an Emma Hope shop the very same ones were in the sale for £179, down from £259 or something like that. Crazy.

With that bargain in the bag I was already quite happy to bimble around for the rest of the day, but I got quite a haul:

2 pairs of peg legged trousers in grey and black from M&S (one pair reduced to £5, the other pair to £9).

1 Jill Sander for Uniqlo wool cardie for £12.99 and one v neck sweater also £12.99 in black and oversized from the mens department

An amazing jersey slub sweater from Gap in a lovely bluey gray for £14.99 - I am super excited about this with long skirts if it ever stops freezing over...

And a pair of Emma Cook for Topshop shoes in the sale.

Lots of stuff! Will do an outfit post asap x