spring is here, want to shop till I drop ..... but can't!!!

[fatnhap]

Was REALLY looking forward to shopping for some clothes yesterday, boy oh boy do I need a new wardrobe! Spent ages explaining to dd (5 months) what we were going to do and that she would be a good little girl etc. etc. (thought perhaps I could hypnotise her with the talking )but of course the whole experience was a nightmare and I came home with 2 pairs of trousers which are too big!! Standing around in cues for trying on clothes is not my idea of fun anymore so all mums help me out here .... what are some good internet shopping sites for women's clothing?

Argos additions are good especially with delivery.

Next and Debenhams are also v good. I find debenhams are good with describing the products and give good sizing guides.

Happy shopping!

la redoute has beautiful clothes.

Agree with TracyK about la redoute, it's reasonable too. They do lovely kids stuff.

I have a much much better idea for you .. pick a large department store .. like John Lewis or Debenhams and call up and make an appointment with their personal shopper

its a great service, you get an appointment, get to sit in a private plush room with coffe / cold drinks on tap and large changing area... chat to someone who knows their stock and they go out and bring you back all the clothes to try on

so you can have your baby with you in peace and quiet

it costs nothing and there's no obligation to buy

I don't ever shop any other way anymore (then again I hate shopping and always have)

la redoute

Twiglett, don't you feel pressured into buying if you are with a personal shopper. I'm worried that I would be.

REALLY twiglett? ive always been a bit afraid of these personal shoppers, worried they will bring totally inappropriate stuff and it never fits either, or expensive stuff

and if you dont buy anything, they dont go in a mood?

No not at all .. first time I went I needed a wedding outfit and some casual clothes and didn't want to spend over £200 .. I tried on loads and she told me NOT to buy a couple of the things I wanted because they were going in the sale which was starting the next week .. so she put them to one side and I went and got them the next week .. in total I spent £40 less than I should

Last time I went I got a jumper

and the best thing is they tell you if it suits you or not, and they're really good at it (I went to Debenhams in Bromley)

they are on a salary .. they don't work on commission .. and they pick people who are good with people

I actually quite liked a top last time but by the end the personal shopper had me convinced I would wear it about twice and it was too expensive for what I wanted (a load of clothes I could bum around in with small children)

hmmm, sounds great, i have a nightmare shopping, never been very good at it, esp with dd's in tow, have a good debenhams nearby, might try it, thanks twig

i can second that fatnhap
went shopping for my birthday/first night out in ages clothes yesterday with dp and dd and came back with...................................zilch!

looked on dorothy perkins, next, debenhams and evans sites last night, not much i liked(cant really tell when your not wearing them can you?), but lots of choicehth

I also went in the sales, and you get walked past all the frantic shoppers to a room of serene quiet, handed a coffee, sat down in an armchair, handed a magazine whilst the PS faces the sales scrum

and I bought stuff I would never have tried on before

do you need an appt twig?

would they do make up too?

ok thanks Twiglett, might give that a try next time I have some time to myself. Hate taking stuff into a changing room, finding I need a bigger/smaller size and having to get dressed again to go and get it 'cos there are no sales assistants around.

Sorry had to take DS to pre-school

just realised I am wearing a skirt and top picked out by debenham's personal shopper 2 years ago

yes you need an appointment (first one takes 2 hours)

yes you can take kids with you (take toys though because they don't have any) .. I always go alone though cos its a sanctuary

no they don't do make-up, but you could do your make-up at the counters (I had it done by a YSL lady, absolutely hated it)

oohh those make up ladies scare me, avoid them like the plague

I told her I wanted a natural look (even used a passing lady as an example, which made her day ) it was for a wedding

I then had to walk through the centre with caked-on foundation(I don't wear foundation), really darkly made-up eyes (I normally do it very very lightly), overly blushed cheeks and pink lipstick (I don't do lipstick ever)

Now she guilted me into buying stuff (which I took back next week)

Where are some good internet sites for some money? I want to shop as well, but I'm stony skint at the mo' .

use plastic .. its not real money

my friend works in the offices in debenhams and she old me these make up ladies sometimes (well most of the time) go into work an hr early and do each others make up!!!!!!!!!!!

(but i cant imagine them going to work with naked faces, so dont know if it is true)

did have it done once by Pout in Harvey Nicks in Edinburgh when pg, it was a really young girl and i told her i wanted glam for a night out, and i never bought anything, she didnt mind

but she was natural make up looking so thought it was safe

oooh! Twiglett - get you!

ooooohhhh, this personal shopper advice is definitely the cure to my shopping dilemma. thanks a bunch all!!