Boohoo.com is like Primark’s younger, slightly more expensive little sister. You can trawl round and there is a lot of rubbish to be seen, but some definite gems to be found in there, somewhere. It’s come a long way since it’s launch in 2006, when it didn’t have a lot to offer besides £6 dresses which looked like they should cost even less.  Now there are some quirky, nice little pieces on there. 

Some other points: The website itself gives you multi-images of the product and has a ‘view catwalk’ option which I found really useful to see how the clothes actually look and fit on the body. I found four things to tempt me on my last visit which I’m pleased to welcome into my wardrobe!

Clockwise from left: Leopard Playsuit, £20; Pearl Beaded Collar Chiffon  Playsuit, £15; Floral Button Detail Shorts, £15; High Waisted Polka Dot Shorts, £12.

If you go down to the shops today…you’re not in for that big of a suprise because they’re full of the same thing.  Cable knits, nordic sheepskin, snowflake jumpers, fur lined this, fur trimmed that.  Still, I’m not complaining.  I took a trip to the shops and came back with some things I’m mighty pleased with, courtesy of H&M, Miss Selfridge and Primark. I bought 2 items from Primark, guess which?
If you guessed the polka dot bra & knicker set….well done, you’d be guessing right.  Ultra girly in cream chiffon, at a baffling £8 for the set. Which left me with some money over to get some soft shorts in camel, from New Look, £20. Love the shorts, can’t wait to wear them with over-knee socks.

 The t-shirt is from H&M, I always try and get my basics from there – I’ve had better £4 tops from there than £25 ones from other places. They fit well and wash great too.
Primark also provided the wool jumper, £13. I love the seasonal knitwear which seems to be everywhere at the moment.  The dress is from the sale at Miss Selfridge. I’d had my eye on it for a while and so found it hard to resist it at it’s sale price.  So what do you think of what I found this time? Have you bought anything recently that you love?  Tell me, I want to know!

In recent weeks Miss Selfridge has fast become my go-to place for a fix of something pretty in nudes, pinks, creams and lace.  I seem to find something each time I visit, which is great for my wardrobe but not so great for my wallet.  At the moment I am in love with bows, frills, hearts and pleats.   With the current mediocre weather, a delicate palette of nudes and pinks feels right – a reluctant farewell to Summer - I’m not yet ready to accept that in less than a months time I’ll be looking around at coats and boots ready for the click of seasons.

My latest haul got me some lovely pieces in said colours, my favourite being the pink bow dress and the cream broderie cami-dress.  And I’ll always be happy with a sweet little cardigan.  I’m always impressed with the authentic looking vintage-style rings and necklaces in there too.  More of the same, thanks, Miss S. x

I am undecided on how I feel about a clear trench coat.  This one is from Topshop, at £55.  There are occasions when you have a great outfit on only to have to cover it all up when you leave the house because of trivial issues like warmth and keeping dry.  At least if the coat is see-through, you get to show off your outfit, which is always going to be a good thing.

On the other hand, the foggy plastic (which I imagine would get rather hot and uncomfortable very quickly) is going to distort the clothes underneath so you wouldn’t get the desired effect anyway.  I like the black piping, I like the shape, but it’s a shame they have left such visible pockets on this example.  Perhaps we can do without transparent outerwear after all, and just take along an umbrella.

Matalan has always made me feel a little bit sad. Devoid of soul, originality and excitement, the cold harsh supermarket lighting and the bored sales assistants all make for a completely uninspiring shopping experience.

There is no seduction, no temptation, and frustratingly, no small sizes (don’t expect to find your size if you are a 6 or 8 as it would appear Matalan only order 2 per store).

I keep getting leaflets through my door letting me know I should ‘Expect More’ at Matalan but all it seems to be is more of the same.

Kate Moss Topshop Range

Today was the 12th time that I have gone online to check the Kate Moss collection at Topshop. The 12th time! I don’t see how the popularity in this line continues to grow, but if the astronomical rate at which the clothes sell out is anything to go by, it’s not looking like it’s about to slow down.

I remember sitting at my computer at 2am one Spring day in 2007, waiting for the first collection to become available. I bought a belt, a couple of vest tops and a liquorice stripe dress (the belt and dress still cherished to this day). However, by the time this, the 12th collection has come around, for me, the whole concept has lost all it’s exclusivity and excitement . Over the years, and we are talking years, designs have gotten lazier, prints have gotten duller and less imaginative yet the prices remain above the normal Topshop rate for not-so-superior quality threads.

It is quite obvious that the only thing which justifies such a frenzy on the Topshop floor is the girl herself. Kate has appeal. She is 4 years away from 40, yet she dresses like a 17 year old and manages somehow to look better than an actual 17 year old. She carries off the whole ‘I just threw it on’ thing so well, keeping it classic yet still sexy and youthful. So this is how I struggle to believe Kate really had any input in the last few collections. The first 2 collections had some heirloom-worthy pieces which will remain on many a ‘must have’ eBayers list (I’m still tracking down the one-shoulder white dobby-print dress, pictured). But the current collection leaves me able to see through the hype and not see a great deal else. All overpriced floaty-unwearable-impractical yet still generic nonsense and not one flicker of excitement.

People will continue to flock to Topshop to see whatever Kate’s name is attached to, because that is her pull, and it is why they will continue to churn out these clothes. An arty photo-shoot and average clothes is a winning formula for the moment. I just can’t see them getting away with it for much longer.

Bib Jumper

I have a new found liking for Miss Selfridge, since I found this adorable jumper on their website. Ticks many boxes for me: Frills. Bows. Blues and Reds. I can’t wait to wear it with skinny jeans and top it off with the Vivienne heart! 5-yr-old chic at it’s very best.