Christmas Shop Till You Drop!

Source: golondon.about.com

Yesterday, along with some fellow bloggers, I was invited up to London to visit the John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street. I’ve always made reference to the fact that this store is my "Happy Place" so I definitely considered this an exciting early Christmas present!

Having decided to change trains to get on the faster one, a severe delay meant that I arrived at Waterloo with approx eleven mins to get there - never gonna happen. The lovely Anna who organized the trip very kindly sent a car to collect me making me feel quite A List for a brief moment!

Having found my way up to the top floor management suite I got to meet my lovely fellow Christmas shopping tour party. Sally from Who's The Mummy whose daughter Flea was so well behaved, Dulwich Divorcee who's written a novel called Hot Chocolate and has two teenage daughters thereby making her a hero in my eyes, the gorgeous Metropolitan Mum and her even more gorgeous baby girl, Little L and Sparx from Notes From Inside My Head who shares my love of cheese and my dislike of being kicked out of the way by little old ladies! I kid you not... it happened right there in the toy department! 

Very cool Lego Santa that SC would've loved!

We had a fantastic tour, my favourite part of course being the shoe department. I managed to get through that part without too much stroking, drooling or hot flushes.. I think! Although I did have to photograph some particularly pretty ones....

... and stop myself from buying some very nice grey suede boots. Incredibly difficult but I managed it. The store manager who conducted our tour made me feel better when she  agreed with me that it was indeed a sickness and therefore not under my control.

On the fashion floor they talked us through the personal shopping service. You can have an hour and a half with a fashion advisor in a room resembling more of a dressing space than a changing cubicle. I personally have never used this service as my inner shopping addict actually enjoys lugging around armfuls of hangers and I even consider it integral to the fun. However, when they pointed out that your advisor can suggest things that you possibly wouldn’t pick out yourself, I began to see some advantages, especially as the service is free. Why not?

The gift section almost made me wish that I hadn’t nearly finished my Christmas shopping. I spied some gorgeous Hotel Chocolat slabs and then my favourite indulgence, cherries soaked in Kirsch covered in dark chocolate. Cue more salivating that this time possibly didn't go unnoticed!

After a wonderful buffet lunch and a quick chat with my fellow bloggers I felt blissed out as I was driven back to Waterloo past Christmas lights, carrier bag laden shoppers and all the glitz and glam of Old Bond Street.

And if you’re worried that you'll end up with something more casserole dish than cashmere under the tree this year then just oh so discreetly, leave this page open showing my favourite festive five. John Lewis is but a click away Santa!  

Quilted Tote £145.00

Slipper Boots £20.00

Marc Jacobs Perfume £39.10

Clutch £35.00

Beret £25.00

Happy Christmas shopping!

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Net - A - Porter Cruise Collection 2010 (originally published 24/11/09)

Well I'm back from heaven.... and with a bit of a bump today. As I sit here typing I have a hot water wedged in the small of my back and am counting down until my next dose of Nurofen. Before you ask, it's not from carrying all the shopping bags back from my London trip unfortunately... I think I just slept awkwardly.

But no matter.... nothing matters after yesterday! The pouring rain? Not an issue. The 6.00am start? No problem. Nothing could dampen the excitement of not only my first press day invite, but it was from Net - A - Porter - truly the cherry red on the sole of the Louboutin! It was held at The Hempel Hotel which was fab seeing as I'd been there before with Other Half in May. It's one of those places that makes you want to walk in and say "Hello... I live here!"

Being unsure of what to expect I was a little nervous but was made to feel so welcome by the lovely Lucy and her colleagues. And the clothes... oh my god.. where to start? Actually, me being me, I started with the shoes. Like a moth to a flame I was first drawn to the Louboutins...

... and then these gorgeous Givenchy Urania feather sandals caught my eye.

Yes I know that wearing them would necessitate a permanent red carpet underfoot and someone to hold an umbrella over them at all times but you just would wouldn't you?

I'm sure that press day protocol dictates that you don't actually stroke the clothes and certainly not drool over them. Luckily I managed to resist on both counts but fully admit to touching them an awful lot! Especially this gold sequinned Herve Leger dress.

But definitely one to go on my personal wish list, along with the actual figure belonging to the mannequin that it adorned, is the Preen Minx dress below....

... so gorgeous!

I spend many happy hours browsing Net - A - Porter, and my photos possibly don't do them enough justice, but to see the how beautiful the clothes are in real life was such a treat. As I caught the fast train from Fash Pack Land back to Mummyville, I let the gorgeous images of sequins, embellishments, paillettes and crystals drift through my mind. Whilst I won't be jetting off to warmer climes this winter, I consoled myself with the fact that I will definately be working the glam look for the holiday season.

And Santa.... if you happen to have any of these Jimmy Choo metallic snake print sandals atop your sleigh, they would complete the look very nicely thank you!

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The Rules Of Christmas (originally published 16/11/09)

Source: dreamstime.com

With just under six weeks to go to Christmas, the excitement is ramping up chez ThatGirl39..... mostly instigated by me I have to admit. So I didn't need to be asked twice when John Lewis aka My Happy Place, sent an email inviting me to take part in their Rules Of Christmas campaign for the holiday season.

I'm the first to admit to being a bit of a control freak so it won't surprise you to learn that I do have a few rules for the perfect Christmas. Here's my top ten.

1. As of 1st December it is perfectly acceptable for me to have a nightly snifter of sherry... without being referred to as an old fart!

2. The tree and decorations have to go up within the first week of December. None of that twelfth night malarky in this house - for us, the whole of the month is about Christmas. Likewise they have to come down the day after New Years day. Once it's over, its over and it makes me sad to see them lingering once the festivities have passed.

3. We've changed the colour of our lounge twice since living here and the tree decoration colour theme and wrapping paper has to go with the colour scheme! We're currently on light blue and silver decorations but are contemplating painting the room red next year. Purely based on the fact that this January, we found some baubles that were the perfect shade and bought them. Now all we have to do is find the right paint shade - talk about making things difficult for yourself.

4. There has to be a ham to pick at whenever you fancy. The first one I tried was a Nigella Lawson recipe and last year I made Gordon Ramsay's one with homemade cumberland sauce. This one definitely gets our vote and will be baked again on Christmas Eve. I'm a bit Monica-like when it comes to criss crossing and studding it with cloves... and the smell when it's cooking... bliss! I enjoy the whole Boxing Day spread with cold meats, cheese and all the trimmings more than the actual Christmas lunch itself.

5. A Small Child rule. Every night I have to sing three Christmas songs before lights out; we've been singing Away In A Manger since last year as she won't have it that it's a Christmas song. The Night Before Christmas book and CD comes out soon and that, together with the Snowman by Raymond Briggs, is usually the bedtime story of choice throughout December. I'm not sure who enjoys it more at this stage!

6. All Christmas DVD's, CD's and story books get packed away with the decorations each year so that they feel fresh and exciting when they come back out again. SC and I are counting down the days until the 1st. I miss my Nat King Cole Christmas song!

7. Christmas morning breakfast has to be smoked salmon with scrambled egg accompanied by Veuve Clicquot - no deviation in any shape or form. Besides, I swear it's why cooking the lunch is so painless!

8. Sprouts. I'm sure there are so many rules that can be applied to this seasonal vegetable, including the one that says I don't want to smell them again later on thank you! But mine is that they have to be served with chestnuts, lardons and Marsala wine a la Nigella otherwise I can't entertain them!

9. A new rule as of last year. The presents for Small Child are staggered throughout the day and, dependant on visitors, across Christmas Eve and Boxing Day too. I can't abide her not being able to take the time to appreciate each one and play with it for a bit before moving on to the next. Trying to impose this, together with the not too many gifts rule on my mother is proving to be extremely hard but I will win in the end!

10. Each year, SC chooses a few existing toys to give to charity. I want her to understand that not all children are as lucky as her and I know she gets the concept already. She gladly volunteers the items and proudly tells everyone that she gives toys to the kids in Africa. Plus it's the only way we can fit everything in her toy cupboard once the holiday season is over!

Those are the all important traditions that help to make our Christmas special. If SC takes just one and makes it her own one day we'll be proud. So long as it's not the one involving sherry or Veuve Clicquot before she hits the age of eighteen. That's cross referenced under the "Do As I Say, Not Do As I Do" section of the parenting rulebook!

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Review - Isabella Oliver 365

Regular readers will know that we have just the one Small Child and that we made up our minds a long time ago not to have anymore.

My one regret about that? That I didn't discover Isabella Oliver maternity clothes until after she was born! As I gradually drifted out of baby la-la land and got my fashion mojo back, I became aware of their ad's in InStyle magazine. Why didn't I drape my bump in such beautiful swathes of sophistication? The gorgeous garments laid before me only served to induce a shudder at the memory of some of the maternity clothes that I wore. Personally I blame it on the hormones.

Fast forward four years and I read that Isabella Oliver 365 has been launched, for the non-bump sporting ladies amongst us. A gorgeous collection of stylish, comfortable and effortless pieces that can be dressed up or down. And you know that I'm all about trying to be stylish and effortless these days!

So... to say I was over the moon to be asked to review an item from their Autumn Winter 2009-10 range would be a slight understatement! Yes dear neighbours... that was me whooping and dancing around the room last week. The hardest part about it was choosing a piece....it's all stunning.

I was torn between this Hepburn Tunic ......

... or the (very Mad Men) Sexy Pencil Skirt .

In the end I opted for the snuggly looking Cocoon Dress! It was a cold day when I was going through the selection that had been emailed to me so it was a no brainer.

A day later, my parcel arrived via the Fed Ex man who apparently delivers our Nespresso coffee order. I didn't realise this until after the "Ah.. it's the Coffee House lady... this isn't coffee is it?" conversation took place! No it's not coffee... it's much more exciting than that!

You know what I'm like for parcels and the whole packaging thing...

... well this didn't disappoint!

But enough with the wrapping and onto the dress - it more than surpassed my expectations. It's made of a beautiful soft grey jersey that fits and flatters in all the right places. I'm no Skinny Minnie, but with the tie belt that you can tighten as much as you like around the waist, in this dress I have to say... I feel fabulous. And the sleeves! They satisfy my personal obsession about having them almost down to my fingers. Which, as I read the other day elongates the arms and is therefore very flattering... so there!

So to the pictures. I needed some help from my girl to help relax me into the photography bit. Her shouting "Work, work it.. own it own it" helped tremendously....

You should have seen the look on the neighbours face as she pulled onto the drive with me and SC goofing around....Other Half had decreed that the best light was to be had at the front of the house - who am I to argue with his genius?

I think I came over a bit starry in the end hence the shades and posing but I'm putting it down to the company I'm keeping these days. Isabella Oliver has after all, been worn by Jessica Alba, Gwen Stefani, Heidi Klum, Naomi Watts and Jennifer Lopez to name but a few. Not that I'm name dropping or anything! I love, love, love this dress and by the time some of you read this, I'll be wearing it on a long planned Christmas shopping trip with my lovely friend J.

Glancing through the catalogue later on I also noticed that they also have some long sleeved T's listed as a hero item.... now is this, or is this not fate given my quest?

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Guess Who Loves Her Umi Shoes? (originally posted 1/9/09)

I was recently asked by Umi if I wanted to choose a pair of their kids shoes and review them. Me? Write? About Shoes? For my daughter? Hell yeah!

I've been approached a few times of late and asked to do various reviews but have steered clear as I felt that the item being proffered wasn't really relevant to the blog or of interest. So you see... good things come to those who wait. As a shoe obsessed mummy blogger, I feel Umi are enabling me to fulfill my true potential as a ..... well... a shoe obsessed mummy blogger actually.

Having recently purchased the necessary regulation black school shoes, Small Child has been angling for some to wear "When I'm not at school mummy and when I'm doing other stuff.... cos I need more than one pair don't I?" Hhhmm... the apple doesn't fall far from the tree does it? The slight difference being that mummy needs more than fifty pairs but you know this already.

Picking her up from preschool a week or so ago, I whispered that there was surprise waiting for her at home... all the way from America! Hardly waiting for me to unlock the front door, she was indoors in record time and ripping into the parcel to find the treasure... "Look Mummy... two boxes!"

Having found a pair of Lauren Mary Janes in fuschia and Palermo boots in chocolate, tried on both pairs, run up and down in them and hopped and jumped so much that I feared for the safety of the floorboards, the Lauren's were taken on and off again three times and ended up being worn minus the jeans... a look that could take off for warmer weather I suppose!

By the time Other Half came home, she had both on at once.

Small Child and I have already had some minor disagreements in the minefield that is clothing and shoe choice. I like the girlish, quirky and cool but at times, she has been known to veer towards anything sparkly, shiny and not to my taste in the slightest. It's rare we can agree on the same thing and go home happy with the purchase. However, we both love these so I consider that a score one to mummy! Not that I'm keeping count or being drawn into any battles you understand....

With this in mind I was pleased to find that there are a lot of Umi stockists in the UK, including one nearby for us so we'll definitely be checking them out next time she needs to add to her growing shoe collection. If you fancy boosting your budding mini fashionista's footwear, check out the Umi Facebook site where they are offering a free pair of shoes to one Umi fan per month starting in September or email me at thatgirl39@me.com for a full list of UK stockists.

Judging by the conversation I overheard from upstairs on the day of their arrival, I would say SC is definitely a fan....

OH: "Take your shoes off"

SC: "But I don't want to"

OH: "Well you can't wear them to bed"

SC: "Yes I can... Mummy said so!"

Devious little minx.... now where do you think she gets that from? 

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