An attempt at supermarket sweep & What I wore today

First off a confession.  I didn't take poor Rugrat Three on his nature trail.  I had actually dressed accordingly but once I'd done the school run, I realised as sunny as it was, it was basically freezing.  And as much as I don't do the cold, my lily livered son certainly doesn't and it would have been an unmitigated disaster.  However the weather is set to be gorgeous this weekend so I've consoled him with a trip outdoors somewhere.  


A feather in my mummy cap has to be that I didn't drag him clothes shopping.  Well, not into town anyway, but I did treat him to a supermarket trip.  I know, I know, I'm too good to my kids.  He was allowed to choose whatever he wanted as a treat and I did turn a blind eye as he munched his way through a third of a packet of wafer Penguins.  (he had a banana as well.  Verging on a balanced meal, no?)


As I'd ventured to Sainsburys (I have to do a monthly large gluten free haul as the selection at Waitrose is abysmal) and RR3 was happy as larry with my iphone in the trolley, I thought I'd do some research and check out the clothing range. 


Now I'll come clean.  I have always steered clear of supermarket clothing ranges.  Not exactly snob factor, there have simply been other shops that I've gone to first and so I've never looked at them in detail (bar being desperate at having forgotten my swimming costume in rural Cornwall a couple of years ago and the Only place to get one from was Asda.  It wasn't the best and I can't say it left a great impression on me.)  But in the interests of research  and with twenty minutes grace thanks to Apple, I thought I'd have a quick squizz.  


First impressions again weren't great.  The Gok Wan range, I have to say I wasn't bowled over by.  But then I'm pretty sure I'm not remotely his target market.  There was one dress though that I did think could look great on the right person for the right occasion.  (personally this is the sort of dress that adds 20 years to me.  I was born with an ability to make most dresses look mumsy being mumsy.  Tis a gift.)  Probably very flattering on and a great quality of jersey for £40 (as well as having an inner slip thingy - as you can tell I'm not usually a dress person....)   

There was also another knitted tunic that I thought looked ok and did buy. (ok ok so it was an acrylic mix but actually one of the OK sorts of acrylic.  Not the "don't rub against me otherwise we'll both be singing Firestarter" sort of acrylics but one of the rare okish ones.  M&S and Primark often do them pretty well.)  Got it home and realised that I wasn't actually sure whether it  was leopard print or camouflage (a tan/brown/cream mix).  At which point it dawned on me that it probably wasn't a keeper. 


It did make me realise though that a knitted tunic dress is something I would get a fair bit of wear out of.  And handily made me decide to keep the Isabella Oliver one I ordered last week.  (handy or what?!)  Which is a plain one,  I'm not quite sure I'm ready for a print one quite yet (there will be more print blogs to come, I think I *might* be coming round to the idea for the S/S.  Just one or two items mind....and prints that I actually can recognise.)  


This is it although I have to say I can pretty much guarantee I won't ever be wearing it styled as below.  (see earlier mumsy comment. Isabella Oliver wouldn't thank me.)








So the upshot of the supermarket sweep is that I wasn't exactly convinced.  I didn't perhaps give it as much dedication as I should have done and I'll have another look when I go back next week to take the camo/leopard tunic back. 


On the upside, I have now decided what I shall be keeping from my Isabella Oliver order and shall be sending the rest back tomorrow.  So something good did come of it!  And I shall be wearing the dress tomorrow (clearly over trousers - god forbid I should actually bare my legs to the elements in tights)


Finishing on what I wore today 









Black cargo style skinny trousers - Next (these are crap. I got them a couple of years ago when Houlihans were all the rage, except on me.  They looked appalling on me - pedal pusher length.  Next were the only ones that did anything vaguely - and I mean vaguely-  similar in a Tall range.  I remembered today how uncomfortable they were.  Definitely something else that will be making their way to the charity shop I think) 
Black longline jersey top - Isabella Oliver
Leopard print cardigan - Warehouse
Leopard print scarf - Louis Vuitton
Camel trench coat - Principles
Chestnut knee high boots - Russell & Bromley
Cheetah print ponyskin bag - Zara