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Saturday 2 April 2011

Mothers' Day Out

Last week me and some Mummy friends went up to London on the train to do lunch and a spot of shopping. We launched ourselves on an unsuspecting Marylebone High Street. Here are some snaps, taken in the brief moments when I was stopping to draw breath in between my chatting!

We went past the very attractive window of Designer's Guild.




Then we had a good browse and restorative tea in a foodie emporium called Natural Kitchen.




Some of this Pukka tea was purchased; I am a big fan of Tick Tock Rooibos tea

Next we checked out Agnes B.  Very French, very stylish but heart-stoppingly expensive for What It Is.


Agnes B laidback cool


I liked this Agnes B toile de Jouy dress


With this dress you get scarves attached - but too frightening to think of dishwasher related accident
Below, Daunt Books is one of the nicest bookshops in London - originally specialising in travel books but now does all sorts, worth going inside just for the building.



I insisted we went into Malene Birger, so I could pay hommage to one of Faux Fuchsia's favourite shoppes.  I last went here with Faux herself when I met up with her last year.


One of the Mummies - my friend K, isn't she cute?  And sooo tiny! A real doll! Can you believe she has 2 boys same ages as mine and a little girl too!

The decor in Malene was very fancy but it just wasn't the same without the supreme glamour of the Faux Fuchsia.


Malene seems to have gone all hippy-boho for summer, lots of maxi dresses, no good for shortie me.



I liked this, not least because it was 70% off but I saw nothing as nice as the dress Faux bought.



Next we went to Matches. Nice but full of super expensive designer kit.


Dummy with hand out is saying, "No, Mrs Blighty, do not come in here, you are not a high net worth individual and you shop at Tesco"


Chloe bag, did not bother looking at  price as shouting out "Good God, what a price!" not cool

Pretty cups at Matches - we did not get offered any beverages, you probably have to spend lots of money whereas I kept cracking jokes about how I would need a lottery win first...strangely the sales assistants did not find this funny...


Marc Jacobs dress at Matches, about £3 trillion




After Matches we staggered into Cologne and Cotton, a nice homeware, bed linen shop. 


And finally we perused Whistles where I liked this dress, not least because Grandma Whacker often accuses me of Doing Too Much and, an even more serious accusation, Galloping Around.

The time honoured response to a charge of Galloping Around is to neigh, shout "Clip Clop" and demand a nosebag for all meals

Grandma W has been following Louise of InTownsville's blog and is very concerned about Louise's poor broken back.  Recently G pronounced that Louise was Doing Too Much and Galloping Around.  So Louise - behave, otherwise I will send you this dress!!


And then we went home and the other Mummies reminded me that I needed to collect Boys 1 and  2 from school.  It's really important I go on trips with responsible adults.

22 comments:

  1. You are too funny. All that galloping around and then forgetting the boys.

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  2. What a delightful day! I think that Agnes B. toile dress is darling. And your friend K is a chic mummy.
    Thank you for the great shopping pics - I like seeing what's stylish for Spring.

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  3. hi blighty,

    love that agnes b toile dress. love the shots of london too. one day maybe i'll get over there and we can shop the thrift stores. i bet they are amazing. at least in my dreams they are.

    xo
    janet

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  4. Was discussing Agnes B prices with a v chic Real French Woman friend yesterday and she agreed it was out-of-kilter expensive, she actually said it was expensive ..."forr what eet izzz". So you are spot on!

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  5. Dear Mrs Blighty, I love excursions even if they do include a bit of galloping around - that is why one has to stop for some tea to regroup. The Agnes B toile de Jouy Dress is very pretty. I get a bit of sticker shock too these days which slows me down a bit. I think one internalises the voice of one's husband who would say: "It cost how much????"

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  6. I can imagine the void at the Malene Birger shop. When you visit a place for the first time with someone you feel connected to, it just isn't the same when you return without that person.

    Today I spotted some Blighty-related prints in Vienna, you are hereby invited to join the leo-party over at my blog.

    You liked the horses-dress. So much you bought it?

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  7. If I were independently wealthy I would shop Agnes B...
    so nice that you and your friends enjoyed a fun filled day in London...it's always more fun with girl friends.

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  8. Thankyou Blights for this lovely tour of the fancy shops in old London town. Looks as though you enjoyed a great day out but do tell..what did you eat for lunch??
    I am intrigued about how one would qualify for a cuppa or god forbid a glass of bubbles in that Matches store. Do you think it could be rated ie. teabag when trying on but no sale, leaf tea for one purchase, bubbles for two or more sales etc :)
    xx

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  9. I did enjoy that shopping escapade. I am terrible these days and actually need my glasses to read the price tags. It has led to some very embarrassing moments when I am too vain to don the specs and am often out of the price range by the odd 100 or two. I do remember FF's lovely Marlene number.

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  10. Love all the clothes!!!!!! I miss London so much xxxxxxxxxxx

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  11. Don't you love Mother's and their sayings. My favourite as a child, with reference to the television was: "sit back or you'll ruin your eyes". My brothers and I, say it to each other, tongue in cheek, every time we see each other these days.... an other Mother pearls of wisdom! Glad you had responsible adults to remind you of the children. I have a very loud alarm set on my mobile for 2.30pm every school day to remind me to stop whatever I am doing and hightail it to the school. No more phone calls from the Headmaster to me! Works a treat. A-M xx

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  12. What a wonderful adventure! So many lovely things to think about and purchase. And I agree with you - Agnes B is very expensive, especially in Australia...

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  13. You really must buy that toile dress. Baked beans are well priced so you could work its purchase price into your grocery budget.

    Apparently horses are quite the thing. Apart from that poor girl on Fashion Police the other night. Tragic.

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  14. I'd get the mommy fillies back out onto the trail if i was you and start spending now. In six months time, with the cost of the raw materials going up by 30 to 40% and labor costs in Asia going up by at least 30%, even BHS will start looking expensive. Tell Mr B you are really saving him lots of lolly.

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  15. Ah, don't you hate how school pick-up time comes around far too quickly? I need to set alarms and be more mindful of time as I have had some close shaves. Thanks B x
    (I love the word "galavanting" too. It implies all sorts of mischief.)

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  16. Blighty how funny you were in Matches - my middle daughter is a VM for Matches Stores and my son is floor supervisor at the Notting Hill shop! Very very expensive but lovely!! They get clothes from the shop as their uniform - Willaim chose a YSL suit for this season! Makes a change from the black nylon I used to wear at M&S!!!

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  17. Blighty!

    Wow! A mention on your post. I am dizzy with excitement (I've lead a sheltered life).

    That dog item on your last post was very funny. I too saw some sights at Bicester...and not all of them on the shelves if you know what I mean. You were right to leave "Thatcher" on the shelf. The vets fees on top of the purchase price would have been ruinous.

    It was a good day. I got there at 9.00am and it was pleasant. Not so much, a few hours later...but I was determined. Had some fun in the White Company, Prada and Christian Dior. Jimmy Choo was disappointing unless you have size 3 or size 6.5 feet!

    My additional tip for anyone going is: unless you plan to eat at a restaurant (rather than a cafe) take your own food and water and have an al fresco picnic (weather permitting) otherwise you'll never get served.

    I love Mary-le-bone High st (that is how you pronounce it isn't it Blighty? ;-)). Daunt books is fab, as is Diptyque. Last time I was there was just before Malene Birger was opening so didn't get the chance.

    Glad you had a nice day. x

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  18. oh no - did my comment not save?!

    AX

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  19. Hey hey Blighty, enjoyed that trip around Marlyebone, don't get up to the 'big smoke' much myself these days (Londoner gone South Coast) don't see how these places can justify the cost...Bicester much better value...did visit recently on Uni trip to Oxford (my boy no1) and made good Gucci purchase :) too much eye candy tho' came home exhausted! Lovin' the Galavanting, got me thinking on all sorts of my 'Nan isms' (from up North) most of which are un repeatable!! X

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  20. Blighty, did you ever listen to The Smiths back in the 80's? I just stumbled over them on Youtube, long time no hear and they immediately struck me. With a ton of nostalgia. pfouh. Those guitar riffs. And the organ.
    someone commented Youtube: "Such a beautiful voice... I try not to listen to The Smiths too often, because when I start, I can't stop. For days."
    Did you ever fall for his voice? Or the guitar? .. if they don't believe me now, will they ever believe me ... MUST STOP ... NOW!

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  21. 2nd go at commenting.
    Wordpress has been recalcitrant.

    I am still on a mission to outworry my Grandma W.
    So Bog G, if you don't get check ups back at home, I am going to send you 50 revolting hankies from Best and Less, Trade Secret, KMat and Big W.
    So there that's scary, I would be very frightened if I were you, you could google all those shops to see the quality and magnificence (or not) of their hankerchiefery.
    Lots of love Grandma W,
    and you too the Blights,
    Lou

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  22. Blighty - award for you over at mine. Why you don't have millions of followers yet is beyond me :-)

    Ali x

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