Shopping experiences from the past

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

Based on a thread about clothes shops we used to shop in versus ones we shopped in now this is a thread about clothes and shopping experiences from the past. I’m also sick in bed so bit bored!

Me first. Where I grew up it was pretty blend for clothes, you had the nearest big city and a few boutiques locally and that was that. Nothing was that exciting, no online shopping. Then in the late 80s a local boutique suddenly opened. Sold Fenn Wright and Manson and other niche brands, I got a lovely maroon knee length skirt there with tiny pleated slit part at back/bottom and a heather/lilac silky jumper there and also a good quality long sleeved little black dress in the style of Robert Palmer Addicted To Love female band dresses. A shoe shop round the corner sold unusual nice shoes, almost Birkenstock Papillo (?) print in fabric but not quite. Both shops owned by upper class female/male entrepreneurs. I had a Pucci-esque sleeveless mini dress (probably just above the knee rather than bum skimming) from a local shop. Another boutique which opened a couple of years later locally I bought a lime green bodysuit (short sleeves), black stretch material blazer, long maxi forest/leaf green linen maxi skirt, very swishy; denim shorts (tiny) which I almost didn’t buy as thought my legs not good enough (they were but I was paranoid about them)! It sold print dresses my DM bought.

I used to go to West End department stores, Debenhams or House of Fraser or… and one had Pied a Terre (I was 22 so must’ve been 1991/92 or so?) and I bought a mid heeled black suede and fabric cross over sort of straps but not quite, shoes there and black suede mid heeled mules there, both Pied a Terre. Hobbs in Covent Garden Piazza, got lovely Marilyn Anselm flat nubuck crossover sandals there in an ivory/putty colour. Bought a salmon/rose leather belt from Fenwicks to go with a mid pink (dusky?) skirt and trouser suit from Richards. And I bought far less then (I earned less though!) but what I did bought I really thought about and would make trips from SE London suburbs to the West End specially) as I valued design and quality.

Anyone else have similar tales?

I remember a Stirling Cooper Denim jacket in white in 1990 ( white was really fashionable) and a jumpsuit pinafore thing with really wide legs. Dd 17 is very bitter that l never kept it.

An amazing wool Warehouse jacket. It was sort of patchwork ( knitted) with a zip and a big collar. It was lined in knitted wool.

An amazing Miss Selfridge bag ( leather) kind of duffle bag with patterns in red and yellow. Everyone loved it. And a black velvet swing coat. Looked great, not very warm though. Used to wear it with black velvet hot pants with a Kylie symbol on ( I didn’t like Kylie but l did like the hot pants) Worn with red suede Chelsea boots.

I'm the same ages as you OP. Pied a terre! That's a blast from the past!

I used to buy clothes and shoes from LK Bennett when they first opened. Much more affordable then, and really lovely styles. There was a branch in Richmond and I spent hours in there ( along with the Jigsaw). Used to love Nine West shoes too and there was a stand alone store in Covent Garden for a while.

There was a shop in the Covered Market in Oxford called Next to Nothing which was very very Sloaney. I used to buy baggy cords there and dirndl skirts and stripy shirts worn under crew necks with the collar popped.
I was not an 80s style icon.

Next to Nothing was stuff from Next sales.

This was when Next was good.

I had some blue wide leg pure wool halter neck dungarees from Next. Dd wishes I’d saved them too.

Ditto with LK Bennett! I bought some soft black leather loafers from there (no side or ankle support!) which were lovely but then I leapt into the air after a car backfired on a hill and broke my foot in them! Did have other LK Bennett shoes but was out off by only credit note policy.

Anyone recall Bjorn Borg? Had clothes sc boots from sample sale in Kensington indoor market.

Nine West, Ravel yes recall buying from those. I think Jigsaw was a bit too posh for me back then!

I recall Sloane clothes and trying to emulate them. No idea where I got my cashmere or lambswool jumpers from but I did buy a navy Barbour jacket (best friend had khaki/olive from a sort of sporting fishing shop in south Croydon. Friend’s one had a warm lining but I had to buy a faux fur Barbour gilet to go inside mine.

Fab little hippy shop in old town Hastings where I bought silver jewellery and long flowing gorgeous maxi floral dresses. Parents had holiday flat nearby.

I used to go to Aflecks in Manchester. Got my black suede tassel jacket from there and black rockerbilly jeans. Used to wear them with brothel creepers.

M and S men’s lambswool jumpers, size 42.

Still buying St Michael men's knitwear, often BNWT on eBay. Good quality.

Wore them until they had holes in the elbows.