Bellissimo!

  As mentioned in my last post I have just spent a few days in Turin, Italy. I also mentioned that it was’nt a bad spot for a little retail therapy, not a pair of sallopette’s or thermals in sight!!!!!!

  The Italians have style, renowned for it and deservedly so (apart from the men’s bold trouser choices!!) and this is even more obvious when it comes to where they make their purchases. Not only do they have all the great high street names we know and love, like Zara, H&M, Mango and plethora of designer stores too. What they do really well though is a proper boutique. Small, unassuming, perfect stock to match the perfect interiors and normally tucked away somewhere a little obscure but tasteful all the same.

   These little boutiques are full of individual pieces that you just cannot find on the high street. They stock just the right amount of merchandise, enough to fill the shop comfortably but not so much that you cannot see what is there and there is still plenty of room to look around despite the premises being not much bigger then your average wardrobe!

  I love to see these sort of shops, the window displays are simple but enticing, the layout just so and the décor impeccable. But I will admit, and I bet I am not alone, I sometimes feel so intimidated by the small size and tranquillity of these little wonders that I am too scared to go in and have a look!! I kind of feel that I would make it look untidy or ruin the overall effect!! So I peer longingly through the windows each time I pass, wonder what else is in there and carry on walking to the comfort of the bigger stores where you can be invisible!! Although I am sure the experience would be far more pleasurable in the boutiques, whenever I have ventured into one of these places I always feel guilty for not buying anything!!! Catch 22!

   So you probably know where I carried on walking to, whilst wistfully staring into the perfect windows of the perfect boutiques, yep I carried on walking straight into Zara (after a woman and her huge dog!!) just a little look, a little fix, after all I have not been shopping or purchased anything since about September or October of last year. A record I think.

  Oh what lovely things awaited me, a riot of bright colours perfect for spring, incredible shapes, amazingly impractical footwear all the things that I would have snapped up in an instant but two things stopped me. 1, I could only warrant spending a very small amount so therefore did’nt know what one or two things to get and 2, I actually gave the matter thought and came to the conclusion that it would be pointless buying anything, even just one thing actually, if I can’t wear them. After all I do not need to remind you where I am currently residing. Spring collections do not really work in the mountains, and adding tights and boots and cardi’s to gorgeous dresses and the like just takes the shine off of the lovely newness and it would have felt a shame to cover it all up.

  So even to Mr’s amazement I came back to Val empty handed. I am lusting after a shocking pink dress though, hmmm…… you can take the girl out of the city, but can you take the city out of the girl??????????????