peony, that's why I always try to use PayPal for international orders with their free returns service activated.
Oh and with cement, I meant more a white dry cement rather than wet grey. It's sometimes sold as bone white but that can often be quite oatmeal-esque when you search for it, it's basically white with a touch of grey rather than black (which gets you more in that greenish cream territory). Scandinavian brands usually have it as it suits their colouring and environmental light, Filipa K usually stock it too.
addle, they're these. I have both heights but the taller ones don't get used all that much and I don't know why they're significantly more expensive. I paid the same price for both, just didn't buy from Amazon. Or were you asking for other information about them?
The promised Antwerp Sample Sales post, which isn't as exciting as I probably made it sound by building it up with a delay. I was just too lazy to type it all out previously. Sorry no pics on account of communal changing rooms, and extreme busyness.
I'd never gone on the first day the big designers opened up shop, so whilst I'd experienced lines at Dries van Noten in years previously it was a little insane to have them almost everywhere and significantly longer. Ended up visiting less spots than planned as a result.
Anyhow lots of Asian tourists who came in right off the plane with giant suitcases (I've observed this in Paris too, it's a bit of an odd phenomenon, I initially thought they had empty suitcases with the intent to fill up but they've literally just arrived as security checks revealed). I've probably seen every horrendously fugly expensive Balenciaga sneaker on otherwise completely grungy international fashion students (which kind of gave me the hump as it means the excellent Antwerp fashion school now seems to be populated by fashion sneaker obsessives coming for the name check rather than being the very anti-mainstream fashion sort they used to be). Anyhow, I was cheered to no end by spotting a giant group of Sapes in the flesh at the Haider Ackerman sample sale, peacocking about in the shoe section, it was quite the sight.
As for purchases, initially I had been concerned my 'starvation' diet was going to end up in a massive binge but I was actually quite sensible, relatively speaking. I've included prices below not as some stealth boast, rather just to give insight into what the pricing is like for anyone ever considering if it's worth making the trip. On the whole I'd say sometimes you strike a huge bargain but for me the incentive is usually the unearthing of really unusual pieces you wouldn't find elsewhere.
Managed to talk myself out of three pope scandalising dresses, not quite sure what my draw to those is about 
Also some of the brands, especially the more commercial brands have changed their standard sample size from a 36 to 38, whilst other sizes are about the majority is always the sample size, but it actually meant there was very little available in my size. I'll refrain from complaining, I've done enough of it on here alone and it's definitely a luxury problem.
So I managed to pick up a really interesting/partially confusing white sleeveless t-shirt from Ann Demeulemeester. It has some ties in it and a double set of armholes but I'm pretty sure it's not a cold shoulder top as it renders you immobile if worn that way, as said previously it's a tad confusing, it can be worn by interpretation and I'm pretty sure I'm not wearing it the one correct way but it's an interesting piece and was a bargain at €25.
Also a bargain, picked up a fine knit jumper in a sort of green/brown/greige with an interesting raised detail on the sleeves that gives it a bit more structure for €10 from a brand I don't know, it's 90% wool and 10% cashmere and feels like good quality. They also had a few John Smedley fine knits there for the same price which all looked great but had some odd detailing that made me resist despite the ridiculously low prices. Didn't realise that was an all UK manufactured brand btw, the quality looked really impressive.
I bought the most fab pair of wideleg, sort of 40s trousers but with a distinctly modern cut at Dries van Noten despite initially being a bit mean about it as it didn't look that special on the hanger and I was being sniffy about the price (€150) as it's 'only' a linen and cotton blend until I tried it on and had to eat my words as the tailoring was beyond flattering and that sort of 40s khaki colour suddenly comes to life. And if that hadn't convinced me, two Italian women (who I'm pretty sure were fitting every single piece in the warehouse) started fawning over it from afar (in Italian, I don't speak it but understand it well enough). Instructions were immediately sent out to find it in their size. There was a really nice white mini skirt there too, but at €100 it lacked anything special at that price for me to take the plunge on it.
I also picked up a sleeveless silk LBD from Acne Studios (€70) that's also an interesting in shape as it's both fluid and structured in places and is one of those can dress up and down pieces so should be really useful and exactly the type of dresses that my wardrobe could use more of.
Not the sample sales but I managed to pop into Uniqlo hoping to see the Princesse Tam Tam colab, wasn't impressed with that at all unfortunately but they didn't have much of it. Was surprised to see the J.W. Anderson summer collection, it had completely escaped my notice that it's been launched. I tried on a few things, the sort of patchwork linen skirt is great, I'm just too short for it and it's not something you could take in all that easily. The wide leg linen trousers were nice too but they're not the best cut for me, but for those who like the more straighter cropped wide leg they'd make a good buy. I ended up buying a t-shirt with an interesting asymmetric panel on the front, it looks shit on the website but it's really flattering on me. Was quite surprised preferring the orange (it's more a brick than bright orange) over the sort of charcoal green.
Funnily enough, I did the thing that always seems to happen when I venture to the Antwerp sales, everything I bought all works together (the dress stands alone though). Especially the JW Anderson t-shirt tucked into (except the flappy bit) the Dries trousers is really surprisingly good and doesn't look like a throwback 70s thing either despite the colours.
Think I got it all, but that's the haul. I'll try to take some pics when wearing my new pieces in the weeks ahead 
Looking to be really good weather for the next week and a half, is it the same in the UK?