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Guest Post: In Praise of the Outlet Village

January 6th, 2010 by Guest Author
Evening lights in the village

Evening lights in the village

Today, Clare Taylor of The Potty Diaries writes about her first experience visiting Bicester Village…

I write this in praise of the Outlet Village. Well, actually, not just any outlet village. The queen – nay – the EMPRESS of outlet villages.

There are plenty of them about, you see, and in the normal way of things, whilst all outlet villages are equal, some of them are more equal than others.

Now, I would be the first to admit that I am not a willing shopper. I don’t run true to female type on this matter; normally I need to be dragged kicking and screaming to the shops as my clothes fall off me in rags, so dilapidated have they become. Why? Frankly, I just can’t stand the disappointment. Not that there are no clothes to buy, oh no; I live in London for goodness’ sake, close to both the Kings Road and Westfield Shopping Centre. It isn’t that there are not enough clothes to choose from, rather that there are too many and – more to the point – they all make me look like a sack of potatoes. A sack of potatoes in a pair of well-cut jeans, perhaps, or in a pretty patterned shirt, but – to my jaded eyes – still a sack of potatoes.

Or a 42 year old woman, at any rate, and whilst I might be that, the last thing I want to do is look it…

Anyway, I digress. Outlet villages. I’ve been to a couple in my time, and in my limited experience their proponents talk a good game before you get there, but once you arrive they are usually a disappointing collection of low-end high street brands shifting last year’s stock and Royal Doulton shops shifting seconds. Or so I thought… But then, unable to deal with the ripped hems on my jeans any longer, my beloved husband dragged me to Bicester Village, one of the nine Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages in Europe.

(Cue the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from the Messiah here, please)

Oh. My. Gosh.

This place is to normal outlet villages what Selfridges is to C&A. What Keira Knightley is to Britney. What Green & Black’s Ice Cream is to that reconstituted potato stuff you get out of the Mr Whippy van at your local village fete.

High end designers like Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenburg (can we call her DvF from now on please? You’ll see why in a moment), Gucci, DKNY, Armani, MaxMara, 7 for all Mankind, Myla, Temperley London, Matthew Williamson, Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli and so on, are all packed into one easily navigable high street for your delectation. Who could resist? Who would want to?

It’s a bit of label-fest, to be honest. And amazingly, it’s not all last years’ tat. Shock news; they actually appear to be stocking clothes that even I would want to buy and keep forever! On a thin day, obviously.

Luckily for me (and unluckily for my credit card), it was a thin day, so rejoicing mightily I tripped lightly into (or was that ‘got sucked into the vortex of’?) DvF and bought myself two items. That’s two. Items. Me. I bought. Two. Items.

In my defence, they were both must-haves since a) they actually fit and b) they were reduced from around £500 to £80 and I don’t care how you cut that cake, it would have been rude not to. And I’ve even worn one of my purchases since, which is something of a miracle since you might imagine that a gold brocade tunic dress wouldn’t see much use in South Kensington in January. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way…

Anyway. Must go; I have a top-up shopping trip to plan. ‘7 for all Mankind’ and Jimmy Choo are calling my name and I received a seasonal 10% off voucher from joining the Bicester Village Membership on the website last month. Never mind that we all know I will get there and chicken out of trying on anything that might highlight my still too-evident Christmas holiday tummy, instead finding myself buying shoes for my children in Timberland and vases for my mother in law in Royal Doulton, I can dream, can’t I?

Now, where has my husband hidden my credit card?

[Photo credit: "Christmas Time..." by Tony on Flickr, all rights reserved]

About Clare Taylor

Clare Taylor is a hardcore non-shopper who experienced the joys of Bicester Village on a recent visit, and discovered to her surprise that this fashion business might be all it’s cracked up to be, after all. She is a part-time writer and blogger.

Why One is Never Enough

November 6th, 2009 by Stacey

Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la etc etc etc. Indeed, tis actually the prelude to the season when life becomes a carousel of parties and from experience one’s very own personal catwalk show and a chance to channel your inner red-carpet goddess. For heaven forbid a lady is seen in the same dress twice! Social suicide does not bode well prior to New Years Eve.

Investment, Investment, Investment  

So what is a girl to do?

Beyonce-2009-MTV-Europe-Music-Awards-Berlin

Beyonce in Atelier Versace

Well as with Crème de la Mer, diamonds and credit cards, a girl can never have too many party dresses. Yes, it can be pricey, but the trick is to buy timeless pieces from prominent designers. The quality of the fabric, the cut, the swish of a good hem and the dazzle of hand-stitched sequins, embroidery and embellishments all make for a good investment. Just look at Beyonce in Atelier Versace at this week’s MTV Europe Music Awards. Although she, and you, may not wear such a dress twice in one season I can guarantee that such a dress will announce itself from the back of your wardrobe sometime in the next 12 months and repeatedly for years to come. Such dresses need parading, they need to be loved and adored by you and your admirers and worn with pride. After all, tis the season to make a fashion statement, the noughties are almost over so we must dress up and party like its 2009! 

 

Divine Dresses to Buy Now & Love Forever

Cheryl Cole in Matthew Williamson

Cheryl Cole in Matthew Williamson

Just for you, well me actually, as I simply can’t resist a bargain when it comes to evening wear (did I mention the Vera Wang I bought a year ago from Joseph and still not worn? An inspired collectible that will attend one of many parties this year) I have hunted, yes trawled the beautifully cornish stone pavements of the Village to reveal the very best party-wear investments that are in our boutiques right now.

Here they are in alphabetical order.  I really couldn’t put them in any other order as I love them all equally and they are all very different in style. Not to mention I want every single item on this list but it being the season of goodwill I have decided to be unselfish and leave some available for you to buy too. 

2008 MTV Video Music Awards Arrivals

McQueen Dress £885 (was £1,770)

Drapery & Grecian Chic 

Alexander McQueen’s black silk floor length dress is a swishy column of drapery and utterly divine. It was £1,770 and is now £885. Whatever shape you are, even pregnant, it is so totally wearable and is a dress that you will never get rid of.  VB & JLo in strapless bodycon

Strapless Body Con 

All Saints has a body con dress at £73 (from £110). It will hug you and squeeze you in all the right places, add to that on-trend zip detail and towering heels and voila you too can look like J-Lo and Mrs Beckham.  

Amanda Wakeley is undoubtedly the Queen of the strapless dress. Her amethyst strapless short satin dress is now £357 (was £595), perfect to show off your toned and sexy upper body just don’t overdo with chunky accessories. Aim for less is more to be graceful and sophisticated and don’t forget the strapless bra! For a less pricey alternative, Monsoon’s strapless black sequin cocktail dress is now £40 (was £135) and is stunning! 

Sequins, Feathers & Beads 

DvF in her own Black Flapper Dress

DvF Black Flapper Dress £2,448 (was £4,889)

One can never go wrong with a DVF number. Her iconic black feather & beaded flapper dress is now £2,448, yes expensive but it was £4,889. I can say no more. This dress is so fabulous it doesn’t need words.

Sequins are big news this year and almost every celeb has sported a silver version. Gerard Darel has a fabulous silver sequined shift dress at £120 (was £180).

LM & JA 

Let’s not forget Luella, adored by the likes of Zooey Deschanel, Alexa Cheung and Peaches Geldof. Her black satin mini dress with bow and zip details is now £230 (was £325).

 

Matthew Williamson Sequin Dress was £1850, now £740

Matthew Williamson Sequin Dress was £1850, now £740

My favourite for sequins, feathers & beads is Matthew Williamson, for his textiles are tantalising and his colours are a celebration of the rainbow. His black and purple fox fur shrug is available for an amazing £720 (was £3,805) and his Technicolor sequin dress is £740  (was £1,850). These prices won’t last; they are currently on a further 20% promotion until 16 November, so hurry!

 

Classic Goddess

Jennifer Garner in Temperley Dress £890 (was £2,220)

Jennifer Garner in Temperley Dress £890 (was £2,220)

If you haven’t discovered Temperley London then you must; and if you already own a Temperley dress then you’ll understand why I think this is possibly one of my favourite labels in the fashion universe.  It’s not just the fact that they design amazing dresses in a myriad of fabrics, whether long, short, halterneck or strapless, every dress in any Temperley collection is too easy to fall in love with.

My favourite in the Temperley boutique right now is the midnight blue silk evening gown with jet beading as worn by Jennifer Garner at the UK Premiere of The Kingdom. A total investment at £890 (was £2,220). 

Finally, there is a little black silk Gianni Versace number with ruffle detail; a creation of sophistication. Sadly I wasn’t able to get a photo but this is Versace and needs no explanation especially as it is now £1,022 (was £3,405).

Mission Accomplished 

That was the extent of my in-depth mission, (I do have a day job you know) but I did see some lovely party-wear in the windows of Celine, Coast, D&G, Dior, French Connection, Hobbs, Joseph, Karen Millen, Reiss, Ted Baker and Valentino and many of them have offers. As for shoes (do not get me started), I am banned from Jimmy Choo as my enthusiasm puts off the other customers but peeping through the glass I saw some stunning black suede bow tie ankle boots with gold/black/white zig-zag heels. They told me on the phone they were £778 but are now £521. Hmmmmm. FYI there is Prada and Louboutin in Joseph and almost every designer boutique here stocks a selection of glorious, sexy footwear.

Golden Rules Not to Be Broken

102709-zooey-deschanel-200 luella

Zooey Deschanel in Luella

Lastly no matter what you wear there are two golden rules. Underwear & accessories. Without these you may as well not bother. One can wear a bin-bag but invest in some good underwear to smooth out any lumps and bumps and no-one will know. Wolford has the magic “forming dress” in nude or black at £50 (was £75) and for accessories visit Marni, Pascal, Bulgari and Vivienne Westwood, her jewellery starts at £30. Lastly don’t forget to leave the house without a pouch for your credit card, business cards and lipgloss. I bought Alexander McQueen’s in black patent with gold zip for £70, it was £140 and therefore I feel no pain only pleasure.

Finally, happy shopping and please do post your Christmas fashion pictures on our Facebook fanpage. This season comes round but once a year so for a memorable party remember you must never drink & drive, that’s what chauffeurs are for and if you take a taxi make sure it is a licensed black taxi cab! Chic ladies in designer dresses do not bode well on public transport and Choos were not made for walking. You may want to leave the Oyster card at home.

p.s There is only 7 weeks left till Christmas and only 4 Gift Inspiration days for VIP Bicester Village Members. Don’t forget to sign up to get an invite.

Google Chrome gets fashionable

November 2nd, 2009 by Vero

To get to our favourite sites on the web, we all use a web browser – be it Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari or one of the many alternatives. Recently, Google launched Chrome, its own browser, and decided to clutch at our fashionable strings to pull us their way by using some gorgeous fashionable browser themes.

From Dolce & Gabbana, Matthew Williamson and Donna Karan to Mulberry, Cath Kidston and Vivienne Westwood, these designers have all taken part in Google’s attempt to brighten up our day.

Have a look for yourself at the full gallery, but below are a few of our favourites at the moment!

Vivienne Westwood

westwood_chrome

Matthew Williamson

williamson_chrome

Cath Kidston

cath_kidston_theme
Thanks to Liz, aka Violet Posy for first alerting us on the existence of these fabulous Google Chrome themes!

Don’t forget to leave a comment with your favourite theme, or tell us which designers you wish could design one for us to use.

From Transatlantic Chic to European Elite

September 29th, 2009 by Stacey
Paul Smith

Paul Smith

I didn’t go to the shows, but was rooted to my Blackberry throughout, eagerly digesting every morsel of info that was tweeted, facebooked and blogged by the fashion press on a daily basis. The shows have been glossy and dramatic, everything we wanted them to be and more. Our grateful thanks goes to Hilary Alexander, Bitchbuzz, DisneyRollerGirl, Grazia and Elle, who between them sent approximately 10 tweets per minute from London Fashion Week and delivered the drama from the runway into the palm of my hand. The great surprise was Tavi Gevinson, the 13 year old fashion blogger from Chicago suburbia whose Style Rookie blog has had the fashion industry at her feet and Peaches Geldof reporting for GMTV!! Ah how I love fashion’s “New Year” and it’s not over yet!

From New York & London

With their glamorous celebrity filled front rows and continual buzz, New York and London did not fail to impress. As Gwyneth Paltrow said “London is where it’s at. It inspires the world”. How much did we love Burberry’s return to the London runway?  Emma Watson is our new Brit icon for the modern woman, and she glowed in the front row as Burberry presented the 2010 twist to their classic belted trench coat with puff sleeves and shimmering sparkles. Cue investment piece, if you don’t have a Burberry trench, get one now and love it for eternity.

DKNY

DKNY

 
Looking at the collections en masse one thing springs to mind – legs! I have till March to achieve honed and toned pins, for the trend for shorts will continue from now through to next year. It is one thing to wear city shorts with black opaque tights underneath (bring on November), but totally bare skinned? There is much work to be done before next spring.
 
I loved the way Paul Smith combined tailored city shorts with African themed leopard-prints, English gentry inspired leather elbow patches and his trademark stripes. Nicole Farhi’s playsuits in delicate pastel prints were casual and fun and Ralph Lauren’s denim was different, but it was DKNY who really went to town with city shorts and romper suits – chic and sporty in neutrals and bold brights and worn with cycle shorts underneath!!
Yes Bridget Jones underwear as outerwear for the summer to go under everything, from shorts to playsuits and dresses. Donna Karan really knows how to dress women.
Pure genius!  
  
Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson

But it was Matthew Williamson’s return to London Fashion Week that was my moment of pure happiness. He may have moved away from Boho chic to more structured & graphic pieces but own a Matthew Williamson from any collection and it is considered money well spent for seasons to come. His work is timeless.

 

Viva Italia

Now to Milan in beautiful Italy, the home to some of the world’s most renowned designers including Gucci, Pucci, Missoni, Armani, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Prada, where this week it’s the Italian designers chance to show off their talents. I personally am rather excited about this as Italians do fashion like no other.

So far we have seen headscarves at Marni, the return of the corset from Dolce & Gabbana which is heralded as the one single piece of must-have-clothing for next spring/summer and super-sexy bodycon from Gucci. Diet starts now.

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana

Saving the Best till Last

Tomorrow is Paris, the crème de la crème of all Fashion Weeks. I am anticipating more sexy silhouettes, tulle and sparkles and simply cannot wait to see the creations from Vivienne Westwood (my favourite, we love her always), Balenciaga, Balmain, Maison Martin Margiela, Gareth Pugh, Loewe, Valentino, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, YSL, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Giles and of course John Galliano, Chanel, Celine and Christian Dior.

Until then…au revoir!

Hello London Fashion Week!

September 18th, 2009 by Stacey

mulberryHow Excited Are We?

Today is D Day. London Fashion Week is finally here. After following New York Fashion week via the internet, TV, Twitter, Facebook, our favourite fashion blogs and every other form of communication imaginative… it’s now our turn. London is celebrating. Just take a look at the London Underground posters commissioned by Elle  and open any newspaper or magazine.  This is our time. It’s a time for us Brits to rule and show the world we are the leaders of fashion. It’s a time for colour, glamour, grandeur, style and creativity.

This Year is Special 

London Fashion Week has always been special. As an aspiring design student at The London College of Fashion it was always THE highlight of my year, and still is. Back then I dreamt of sharing a catwalk with Vivienne Westwood and having Supermodels sashay down the runway in my creations, but it was always the excitement of discovering new inspirations and new talent that gave London the edge.

This year, our favourite designers have come home to roost to honour London Fashion Week’s 25th birthday. We welcome back Matthew Williamson, Burberry Prorsum, Pringle of Scotland, Jonathan Saunders and Antonio Berardi, whose incredible talents and coveted creations will appear alongside Brit favourites Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Nicole Fahri, Betty Jackson and Paul Smith.

I am particularly excited about seeing what Mulberry and Temperley London are dishing up for 2010 (I confess I am an addict when it comes to these two labels) and will be keeping a firm eye on the young up-and-coming hot designers for which London is famous – Richard Nicoll, Marios Schwab, Christopher Kane and Mark Fast.

But who will be seated in the front rows and what will they be wearing? For the next week there will be no escaping British fashion 24/7… and for that we are delighted.

Get Tuned In

If you’re a LFW novice, The Times Who’s Who list  will give you a lowdown of the hottest names on the hotbed of London Fashion. Tune into Vogue.com for the schedule and following live streams of the shows at F-Tape. Their Twitter feed is pretty great as well. But for ultimate drool and up to the minute catwalk reports, there is no place better for direct news than the British Fashion Council’s London Fashion Week TV or their new London Fashion Week Blackberry application.

FeatureFarewell to The London Paper

Sadly we shan’t be getting updates from The London Paper, whose fashion pages have brought us images of real Londoners in all their street style glory for the last three years. Today is their last issue and I shall miss it. Travelling on the tube (albeit a rare occurence) will never be the same again.

Cool Brittania

It is going to be a week to remember for British fashion. Nostalgic at 25 years? Definitely. Just reading the tributes from designers and the Telegraph’s trip down memory lane  of a history of this most fashionable last quarter of a century makes me proud to be British.