Monday with the Kooples

The weather wasn't that bad on Monday so I broke out the legs again and donned my Mango shirtdress.  I thought it looked okay until Ben said "what are you wearing mummy?" to which I replied "it's a dress Ben".  "Is it?" came the response.  "Yes, why, don't you like it?"  "It's a bit strange".  "How is it strange?"  "It's got holes all over it and it's a funny colour". "Oh".  Isn't it funny how a 6 year old can cast such doubt upon your sartorial choices?


This is the dress in question.  A purple grey (aka funny colour) broderie anglaise (aka holes) Mango shirtdress.  I was quite chuffed when I picked it up last year in the ASOS sale for the princely sum of £17.  Same price as a Chanel nail varnish.  But bigger.

Mango shirt dress (SS11)

Office Namesake Boots 

Russell Bromley Messenger Bag (Ancient)

Holey dress and tatty bag

I did originally don my Kurt Geiger boots but these were too dark so I stuck with the Office Namesake boots - these are proving their worth and my prophecy of being a perfect summer boot.  And then I rediscovered my Russell & Bromley messenger bag.  Yes - I did buy it that distressed looking but please don't tell my mother - she wouldn't understand why I would pay good money for something so tatty looking.

Please note that Russell & Bromley did not name it the tatty bag.  I did.

I had another return to do so I nipped out in to Leeds.  I decided this morning to make a point of visiting the Kooples store.  I've been past a couple of times and it's always empty apart from the scarily trendy looking sales assistants.  Today was no different but there was only 1 assistant and he was a man.  First of all I tried on the black wedge sneakers which I've been curious about.  I fancied black as I was thinking of the winter months ahead and a suitable shoe for the school run.  No harm in planning well in advance.  The sneakers were there and they had my size but they didn't work for me for some reason.  I think the front of them looked a little short on me and I like my shoes to look a little longer in the vain hope that they add an inch or so to the length of my legs. Warped reasoning I know.  

The Kooples Wedge Trainer

I found a number of tops I liked and I politely asked the young man if I could try them on and he showed me the changing cubicle.  Not room.  Cubicle.  Padded at that.  With no mirror inside.  Only outside. On the shop floor.  Not good.  I faffed around a bit with the loose hanging hook before I asked if they had any cubicles with mirrors in.  No they didn't. Bearing in mind, I had a dress on, there was no way I was going to come out of the changing cubicle with a dress wrapped round my knees to have a look at a top which might potentially look very silly on me.  So I said I'd leave it and handed him back the tops.  And for some reason, I couldn't resist pointing out that the hanging hook in the cubicle was loose and about to fall off.  Because I'm like that.  It just made me feel better.  

Yellow Baseball Style T-shirt        Yellow Broderie Anglaise Top

          Zip Slub T-shirt                  Vintage Broderie Anglaise Top

  
For anyone interested, the above were my chosen few if I'd been able to try on.


I have to say I do actually quite like the Kooples clothing , their advertising and their campaigns.  However, I dislike equally their changing rooms sited on the shop floor with no mirrors.  I think they lost some business yesterday - their clothes were affordable in the sale and I would have been tempted by the yellow sports tee had I been able to try on in the comfort and privacy of my own padded mirrored cubicle.  I thought we'd moved on from the days of changing room terrorism.