BICESTER VILLAGE BLOWOUT

I went to Bicester Village on Tuesday. I know. Dangerous. But I was about to start a new job and a treat was in order. 

I've never been to an outlet shopping centre in the UK before, only ones in Italy and the US. I thought it might not be as good as my previous experiences abroad, partly because when I'm away I'm always dealing with a currency that isn't 'real money' so I tend to convert wildly inaccurately (and therefore massively over spend in an accidentally on purpose kind of way). 

Turns out when you go to an outlet shop in the UK the comparisons you make are along the line of "Shit, this is pretty much what a pair of shoes in Topshop cost these days", which is not even that much of a delusion...I picked up Marni shoes for £61 and £78 respectively. I won't go into the Church's, but in Katy math they TOTALLY made sense, after all they're made with such detail the size isn't stamped on the sole, it's hand written on the inside *faints with pleasure*. 

White & tartan brogues - Church's 

Brown sandals - Marni 

Peach suede brogues - Church's 

Purple platform sandals - Marni

VELVET SLIPPERS FROM STUBBS & WOOTTON

Spring. The time of year when I can start wearing flats without socks. And yet again my attention turns to velvet slippers. These babies just aren't getting old for me - the twin associations of age and extreme wealth make them an item I love playing with. 

The Row went for velvet slippers with masculine tailoring. Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen are clearly doing something rights, because any outfit on the catwalk that brings to mind Frida Kahlo is okay by me. I love how luxe and powerful this look is. If women dressed like this we would totally rule the world. 

And then Tommy Ton for Style.com - the crested velvet slipper - we're getting into old English families who 'keep' houses rather than own them. But I'm common as muck, so this isn't an option for me. 

So thank you Man Repeller, for reminding me that anything the UK can do, the USA can do, if not better, then really bloody different. Sod crests in the New World. We're going to put men with maracas on ours. We're filthy rich with a sense of humour. 

I'd never heard of Stubbs & Wootton - we don't have it in the UK, and a quick glance at the website convinced me that if I went into any one of the physical stores in the US I may be tempted to a go a bit Michael Douglas on the average clientele, but you have to admit they do a nice line in tapestry / velvet slippers...

Jane Black 

Clover Black 

Bee Black

Nite n Day  - my personal favourites

Crest Black 

All nice, huh? 

But then to stop me in my tracks and remind me just why I hate obnoxious rich collegiate types, and why I shouldn't buy velvet slippers even if I think I'm subverting them by taking them out of context, Stubbs & Wootton have thrown these into the works. The most singularly unpleasant pair of shoes I have ever seen, worn by people who must truly be the biggest assholes on the planet. 

College 

Images - Style.com, Tommy Ton for Style.com, Man Repeller, Stubbs & Wootton 

Does anyone want to buy me a Judith Leiber bird bag? No? Anyone?

My stock phrase to excuse the spending of money to my Mother in recent weeks has become "But I only bought a tee shirt". This works better than "It's really old" - she doesn't buy that one any more. 


I don't know why I feel the need to have my purchases validated by my Mum (after all it is my money) but that's just the way it is, and she does to me too (albeit usually fabric or book related). 


I've just bought a tee shirt on Net A Porter, which I know I shouldn't, but there you go, it is the sale. The other thing I came across that I totally fell in love with was this wonderful bag. Sadly it cost waaaayyyy more than a simple top. 


One day I will have a Judith Leiber handbag. I know they're naff, and pricey and OTT, but I want one. So there. It's for that bit of my life when I live in New York, go to the opera, have a big fat husband and a nanny and a nutritionist. Or at least pretend to myself I do.

The Problem With Pedicures...

Where can I get a decent pedicure in London for about £25? It's almost impossible to find. I really wish that the UK was a bit more like America and Australia, where high street pedi joints are two a penny and you can just walk in on spec and get a decent neaten up and polish. I love the feeling of having freshly lacquered toes, but everywhere in Central London costs upwards of 40 quid, WHICH I WILL NOT PAY. So it's back to a DIY job that won't be half as good (or comfortable). Damn. 

Tight Deadline

Yesterday I wore my new Henry Holland faux suspender tights to work. With a dress. Don't worry. I liked them too. They cost £10, which isn't Wolford expensive, but hardly M&S cheap and cheerful either.

I was happy all day. I liked the cheekiness of knowing I had them on with my preppy dress and felt safe in the knowledge that if my dress rode up whilst walking all anyone would see would be the faux suspender / knicker detail of the tights.

And then I got home, tugged them up and promptly ripped them. I cannot wear ripped tights like all these young tykes who I see in the streets and their patron saint Peaches Geldof. It is wrong. We spent anguished hours at secondary school with clear nail polish trying to fix this common wardrobe woe. Sadly the tights were not fixable and went in the bin. £10 gone in less than 24 hours.

Maybe I should buy the expensive scarf instead...

Fantasy Shopping

I had to take it easy on Saturday because I was running the Royal Parks half marathon the next day. I started with a four hour Import and Export course, which was very informative. I think it's going to give me the confidence to start my own buisness. The whole idea of importing before got me up in a cold sweat, but having someone explain the ins and outs makes everything so much clearer.


After the course I went to Liberty's, which had a 20% off day for card members. But try as I might I couldn't bring myself to spend. Perhaps it was the thought of running for charity the next day that made me queasy, or the prospect of actually starting a business that made me money shy. Or maybe it was just that the only thing I truly took a shine to was an Hermes scarf that cost £668! It was a work of art. But even I cannot bring myself to spend close to £700 on art. So it stayed in Liberty's despite the sales woman's best attempt to reason as to why it was a steal.


I went to River Island instead and bought tights. Ha!


Edit: 9 months down the line and turning down the opportunity to own that scarf was one I regret. I haven't bought a scarf since, because as Prince would say, "Nothing compares 2 u". 

Travel Time

Today I spent a good 3 hours on expedia, lastminute, ba.com etc looking for the best deals to go away...anywhere. I love planes. I love airports. I like arriving somewhere and thinking "I was in London 3/7/12 bloody hours ago". In fact, there's not much I don't like about travelling - other than the cost.

Hotels are damn expensive. Especially in anywhere you remotely want to stay (captial cities, nice areas). Eye wateringly expensive. I wish my brother still had the sweet apartment in NY. If he did I'd be across every month or so. Right about now I could do with a Clinton St Bakery blow out breakfast.

Anyway. The thought of travelling spurred me onto something semi sensible - if I want to travel I need to create a job that does just that. And I think I made some progress today. So, pat yourself on the back kiddo. Thanks.

The End Is In Sight...

Well, I haven't posted for a long while. I've been working, which of course means I've also been shopping. But next week I finish my job (voluntarily I might add).

In that time my buying has gone from restrained (I didn't buy a designer shoe in nearly 4 months) to bonkers (I bought a pair of Alexander Wang booties and Maloles black flat boots in one day, something I can ill afford to do).

With just 7 more days to go at work I am waiting for that fateful day - the clear out. A time to refresh, rejig and cut my wardrobe in two. Hopefully that will mean I can access the clothes I actually want to wear, rather than squirrel around like this morning only to end up wearing the same style of American Apparel skirt I always wear. However, I have tried a departure from the norm in rewearing in my Paul and Joe Sister sandals. I know I will have a blister by the end of the day, but I feel I need to actually start wearing my shoe collection.