You can't touch this....
...hammer time.
So. The circuitous reason for the blog today is down to good old MC Hammer. Moreover a pair of trousers (well obvs).
A pair that I saw online at Mango which, when passing said store the other day, it seemed rude not to just go in and *try*.
In fact, it reminded me that there was a whole load of loveliness that I'd seen online that I couldn't try at our little local Mango as it had shut. In fact - are there that many Mangos left? My love affair with this store started 23 years ago (oh dear lord alive, shoot me for having to type that) when I went to live in Spain for a year. But it was a threesome. Not just me and Mango having a love in, nope, Zara was the meat in our sandwich. I loved both stores and bought all my clothes from there for years.
And then something happened and I stopped buying things from Mango. Zara and I became exclusive. There wasn't room in our relationship for the other little Spanish store.
Thinking about it, I'm not sure I've bought much from there in years. Struggling to recall, in fact, anything I've bought. Oh I've definitely purchased, but I've always returned.
However wanting to take a look at the hammer time numbers (part of their new Committed collection which is all rather gorgeous and aspirational), I ventured in.
As this is what greets you at the door and it looks gorgeous. Ok so I will fess up and say that I loved the look of the jumpsuit. Which is for men. Which, no, I didn't realise.
But, I'm not going to lie - the store is a hideous experience. On three levels, really randomly laid out, actually not that much stock bar one floor which is essentially a jumble sale of outlet gubbins. There may well be a gem in the midst of it but there's something about the store that's so uninviting that you just want to leave.
And don't get me started on the changing rooms - they're like vertical coffins. Never mind not enough room to swing a cat, there isn't enough room to take your jacket off without smashing your elbow into the wall (and that really, REALLY hurts by the way). I'm not even going to mention the lighting. All I'll say is an effing head torch would have come in handy.
Which is all a crying shame as there are some pretty amazing things you can find. Much more easily done by ordering online. Save yourself the torture of having to traipse through the store and find bits and shop with a glass of wine and your feet up.
Especially as I've done some of the trying on for you. Ok so I have failed a tad at this as I had intended to try on loads but claustrophobia set in and I needed to leave. And wee. Which you probably didn't need to know.
So back to the hammer time trousers. Why am I even contemplating them if they are so seriously MC tastic?
Because I am very very easily persuaded by things that pop into my email box, especially if they have "Chloe" attached to them. Yes I am that fickle.
IN my defence, I did think that the Mango trousers were worth a shot before I'd seen these...
Sailor wide leg crepe trousers from Chloe £945 (yes you read that correctly)
Which makes these seem suddenly rather a bargain.
Tencel baggy trousers £49.99
And... wait for it... on me.
Hmmm... I so wanted to love them. And at the time I didn't but I think that was more the not so pleasant shopping experience. However, with hindsight, I'm not convinced they don't work (that's a tad arse about face, isn't it?). These could be a great option for Spring for the non boho, boho look. If that makes sense?
And this is the top that I tried on with them. I don't think it goes particularly well but I couldn't find the white one.
Organic Cotton Sweatshirt from Mango £29.99 I didn't look at the price of this. It is SO so so worth it, I can't tell you. Think Acne for Mango prices. The only slight gripe I have is that you would struggle to wear any sort of coat over it as it's definitely got Dynasty shoulders. A cape maybe? Or keep for the Spring when we can go coat free (it doesn't seem possible does it?)
It then went downhill again - I wanted to love this, but couldn't quite make it work. I should have tucked it in. I had leather leggings on. There was no tucking anything in them, that's for sure.
Oversize cord blouse £49.99
This was not a success on me.
But it's the Mango seesaw. Up we go again with a yay. This is the one thing that is so so so much better in the flesh than it is on the picture. Again - very Acne. For less than £40.
Puffed Sleeved Sweater £39.99
Didn't see this one but I do love the look of it. With faux leather wide cropped trousers. With a midi skirt. With a pair of cut off jeans and loafers. This looks gorgeous.
Puffed Sleeves Sweater £35.99
And then, there was success on the shoe front. I simply can't justify another pair of these but if anyone doesn't have a pair, these are absolutely gorgeous. They would work for every day, they would be perfect as a pair of dressy flat shoes.
Slingback leather shoes £49.99 (although there's no slingback to the slingback).
And then... sandals. I've broken the seal with the first sandals of the season. As these will not be around for long, I bet.
Leather Gladiator Sandals in Coral Red £35.99
Or the tan colour. I have had my two pairs of gladiators from Forever 21 for two years now. They were £15 each and officially owe me nothing. I will be definitely buying these.
But it was in the jewellery section that I hit gold.
Tassels pendant earrings £12.99
Or these..
Mixed Pendant Earrings £12.99 Perfection with khaki
Or coral and red £9.99 These for me are the perfect nod to boho without anything embroidered.
And finally - finishing with my current obsession. Green. I feel the need to do a blog on all things green. These are the perfect start.
Hoop earrings £9.99
So hopefully there's some food for thought there.. let me know if I've missed any must have pieces. You can't see them in the store at all.
And as I was on the website - something popped up that said if you sign up for their emails, you get 10% off. Which, with free delivery over £30, isn't to be sniffed at.
Today - here I am in my t-shirt that I got on Monday. Specially for International Women's Day. If you haven't checked out the charity Mother to Mothers, please do. And remember that £10 from the sale of each of these t-shirts goes directly to the charity.
We are All Wonder Women Tee - Selfish Mother from The Fmly Store
Black faux leather joggers - ASOS
Black double faced coat - Jaeger
Jodie bag - Chloe
And that was Wednesday. I'm off to London tomorrow for meetings in the morning but then whizzing back home for a birthday lunch for one of my closest friends. And then the husband goes to Ireland for the weekend. On Thursday.... Which leaves me four days to plan a girls weekend away.
But tomorrow I will be back with an all year round staple which I've loved forever and have finally mastered. I'll be bringing you my favourite options on the high street.
In the meantime, the chances of me doing a Mango order this weekend are high (the 12yr old has seen a tulle skirt in the sale she wants so I will obviously have to order some earrings to bump the order price up to get free delivery. But of course. I mean, who doesn't do that?) so I'd love to know if I've missed any unmissable gems.
Noooo to the hammer trousers - in my family we call them 'cack your pants' trousers and I've made a deal with my loved ones that if I'm away in France or Spain and everyones wearing them and the sun and wine have gone to my head and I veer towards a little boutique selling them then they have to stage an intervention......
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha! I love them!!! I think they'd be amazing in the Summer with a little vest and a denim jacket. No??!
DeleteTotally agree about the in-store experience at Mango. The styling in their pics always look so lovely that I go in the store all hopeful and always leave empty-handed. (Not necessarily a bad thing). Btw love your outfit and that Chloe bag is absolutely divine!! Now off to track down the Wonder Woman tee for myself...
ReplyDeleteOh thank you. And hope you love the tee - can't wait to wear it when it actually warms up a bit more! and oh my lord - how bad are their shops?!
DeleteI lived in Dubai in 2000/2001 and totally Mango-ed myself out then. Mango and Zara. But then Mango didn't really keep pace with Zara in the UK and lost much of its High St presence (remember the jumble sale of a shop in Bluey? Terrible) whilst Zara went from strength to strength. I still get the odd bits of things from Mango and their leather is amazing quality but have to admit I often forget about them.
ReplyDeleteAgain, not sure about the harems (and I looooove the Hush ones), but those do seem a bit more voluminous and MC Hammer parallels are bound to be drawn. The sandals and mules (they are so not sling backs), however, lush.
oh the store at Bluey was horrendous. Truly awful. Full of vile polyester blouses. Where were they even from?
DeleteAnd you know you'll be wearing those harems come the Summer... My only concern is the ironing!!
That first sweatshirt looks like it has the killer above-boob seam which renders it unwearable for anyone with a substantial shelf. Shame it is lovely. I've got Dynasty shoulders already.
ReplyDeleteYes - there is a lot of fabric up top for those blessed with boobage. It's better for those who have fried eggs for boobs like me!
DeleteI do like Mango, but then living in Switzerland at the moment I am not spoilt for choice for clothes shopping! I like their leather jackets and think they are very good quality, I have a navy blue suede and a black leather one. I also just bought a grey oversized Spring coat recommended by Chloe from Chloelovestoshop which I love and have received many compliments when wearing 😊
ReplyDeleteI absolutely concur, their leather jackets for the money are the best on the market.
Delete