Tagged: dresses

Guest Post – Thriftette & Waiste

Thriftette & Waiste

It’s been a while since a proper post from me, new job and all that has put paid to any constructive thought! But I’m happy to say I still have some people around who are writing some great stuff for me! This time it’s the lovely Laura who went to the launch of some new clothing outlets, but I’ll let her take it from here….

Thriftette & Waiste

The Thriftettes store is tucked away in the Northern Quarter in Affleck’s arcade – one of my favourite places in Manchester. So as a dabbler in vintage and a lover of a slogan tee, it was with great excitement that on Monday evening I got to go and see the debut of the new “Waisted” collection on Simon’s behalf and joined by my friends Charlie and Jessica.

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#TweetSeatMarch

TweetSeatMarch SeatI was given the fantastic opportunity last Friday to take part in the first #TweetSeatMarch at the Manchester Arndale and live tweet, share and blog about Spring/Summer 2013 trends from some of the great stores in the mall. Over the course of the day, a dozen bloggers, fashion tweeters and enthusiasts were going to be taking to the tweet seat and spread the love for everything they were going to see. I was to be the first, what could go wrong?!

If you were following that day you could see all the tweets and can still read them back by searching for #TweetSeatMarch on Twitter or Instagram. I was to be shown all the latest clothes by Debs Hatfield, the Arndale’s Personal Shopper and stylist. If you need help finding an outfit, she offers a free service in the centre to help find what you want. It is the lovely Debs seen in most of the pictures holding up the clothes for me!

TweetSeatMarch Superdry

We started with Superdry, Debs had a range of both mens and ladies clothes to look at. They are going very much for the nautical look this season for men, lots of anchors and blue colourings, I tried and got stuck in a very bright yellow canvas jacket that wouldn’t have looked out of place aboard a fishing boat but still I’d wear out round town. I was here for the ladies fashion, they are going for very light Summer items like this dress, simple and perfect for any warm(ish) day in Manchester!

After this we went onto Next. You may have the same thoughts of next in my head, standard clothes that are a bit generic, good for men’s suits and maybe kids clothes. The dread of the 5am opening and buying stuff that doesn’t fit just because it is in their sale. Well I hope you’re prepared to be as blown away as I was. Everything in the first gallery below is from the current Next SS13 range. Fantastic tops, skirts and handbags that you’d expect to pay a lot more than the £32 price tag. My find of the day came from Next, a gorgeous peach skater-dress that would look just fine on the racks of Monsoon, Jane Norman etc. I’ve found it on their site, for £65 you would be mad not to pick it up.

Looking through the gallery for Next you can see the rest of the items that I loved, there is such a great range on offer in there I’d totally recommend giving it a visit on your next shopping trip out. One of the mannequins was beautifully dressed in a bold red dress and matched with a fab black belt and accessories. All again can be found in store in Next. One of the staples for this season is cobalt blue, which you can see in a lot of their clothes, I love this colour and loved everything they had on show.

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Finally we moved onto Bank. Now I’ll be honest and admit it’s not necessarily somewhere myself or Mrs B would shop, thinking the clothes are ‘for the young uns and the kids’ but I was, yet again, pleasantly surprised. Debs had some of the Tulisa range to show off, which was filled with monochrome, one of the key trends at the moment and although I’m not normally a fan, I really liked most of the pieces. This is obviously a big push for the brand and why not, I wasn’t sure it was something I’d like but again I’ve been surprised.

The Tulisa range, I think, is aimed at the X-Factor generation, teens and early 20s, but they also have many items for all ages. I especially like the tight, wet-look leggings on the right shape of person, and the same goes for the blazer and short set. I could happily recommend both of these to some of the ladies I shop for. I did also like the maxi style dress, perfect for any occasion or for hiding a multitude of sins!

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The short time I had sat in the amazing big brother style tweetseat was great. I think I now need to research into Space Zero and see how much a couple of these are for my library!

I couldn’t have enjoyed my day more; fashion and tweeting, perfect day! I came away with my opinions changed on some stores and also some great ideas for recommendations for the coming season. I can also see myself spending a lot on Mrs B!

Hopefully you have been inspired to check out these shops and see what they can offer you, I look forward to hopefully being on the next tweet seat, looking at some different stores, looking for more fantastic ideas and clothes but looking slightly less dishevelled! At least I was ‘on brand’ in my Next chinos. I try my best!

SuperGroup Internet Ltd - SUPERDRY

Fashion, Shopping & The High Street

I believe when the high street has succumbed to this huge spate of closures and administrations, clothes shops will still be up and down the high street in their masses. Walking through Manchester city centre last week and in between poundshops, takeaways and boarded-up stores, the fashion retailers are in abundance, some with more than one outlet.

You may call me out on this and use Republic as an example of fashion also falling to administration, they won’t be the only one but I think other stores could learn from their example. Republic sell decent, quality clothes, but for the money they charged you could and should go to the likes of Superdry, Bank or dare I say it, Hollister. When they had a surge ten years ago and multiplied their store numbers, obviously the economy was different, but they didn’t adapt in recent years and didn’t change their prices and lost out to the New Looks and Topshops of the world.

Coast Fashions Limited

My idea behind this is simple. Near enough everything else you buy can be bought online, without being looked at, examined or tested. One click, sold, delivered. But clothing is an entirely different shopping experience. For most of us it’s about looking along rails and shelves, searching for unknown bargains and little titbits, but most importantly trying things on! Those that read my posts regularly know this is the number one rule. So what better reason to go out into shops than to do this.

Fashion shopping on the high street is very much also a social activity, be it groups of friends, couples, or whoever, it’s all about sharing the experience, getting opinions and providing support. Not something you do when out buying a frying pan or a book! I want to see stores embracing this concept more, encourage people to try things on, create an atmosphere in the changing areas, encourage advice and assistance.

I know when I am on shopping trips with ladies I come across two huge bugbears; I’m either discouraged from being anywhere near the changing rooms to help the people I am with, and there are people trying clothes on who look like they need/want some sort of assurance that what they’re trying on looks good and suits them. I want to help but also don’t want to be called a weirdo and thrown out of a shop for doing so! If fashion retailers are going to survive on the high street, then this is the best way of doing so other than just dropping prices. Get the numbers in, they’ll always spend money. I want to be encouraged to be there, helping whoever I’m with, not scowled at for there being ‘a man in the changing rooms’, this isn’t the 50s. 

Obviously some of these theories can apply to purchasing online, buy your clothes, try them on, send them back. You can share them with your friends with all the usual social media networks, but fashion retailers are leading the way with social media interaction with their potential customers, which I will write about on another occasion. The future is full well online but without the high street there’ll be almost no point in any of it all.