Wanna play?

You know me. My love for playsuits waxes and wanes like the phases of the moon. Last year, I postively loathed them. Then I bought one (purely for the beach, you understand...). This year I kinda like them and when I get a few minutes of peace, I might make one for myself.

Today I saw this lovely from Topshop and thought: "that could work.":

I like the cut of it. Unlike most that I've seen so far, it doesn't have that bewildering elasticated/drawstring drop-waist (seriously people, what is that?) that will make most normal girls (Agyness Dean. She is not of our number.) look like they got stuck in a potato sack.

This means that you can use a big belt to cinch the waist in some for a nice curvy silhouette. That is, unless you have a frog body, in which case, just step away from the playsuits!

Shame then that the playsuit is so ridiculously priced at £45. £45! I think that's a tad too much to spend on what, at the end of the day, amounts to a one-season wonder. If you do want a more reasonably priced playsuit that's very similar to the stripey one in shape, but comes in red or black with polkadots instead, scoot over to saviour of the penniless shopper, Primark. Where you can find it for £8.

Unfortunately, no matter which way I play it, I don't think my playsuit lovin' can extend to this:
Because this, my friends, is a giant babygrow. So, unless you're into that kind of thing, looking like a giant baby? Now that would just be wrong.

Five of of the best... playsuits

After having last year written a post about the very wrongness of the playsuit, it makes a certain kind of sense that I would suddenly develop a major crush on them this year.

Maybe it's because this year's playsuit is not as flimsy or tacky as last year's. Maybe I've just made peace with the idea of the inevitable toilet disasters that will ensue. Or maybe it's because at the back of my mind I have big plans for making my own baggy, safari version using the material I bought on my travels and I can see myself so clearly in the garment with leather platform sandals, the waist cinched in with a wide leather belt, chunky wooden bangles adorning my arms and ethnic necklace around my neck...

Whatever. I take it all back. Never mind the loo visiting logistics of it, this summer playsuits rule.

Clockwise from top: Topshop ditsy print, £45; ASOS purple print, £45; River Island knitted, £34.99; Killah silk
at House of Fraser, £65; Oli strapless, £14.50

And the best of the rest...

Because there were just so many pretty ones to choose from.

Left to right: River Island ditsy print, £26.99; Oli strapless jersey, £19; M&S silk halterneck, £39.50

More spring/summer fashion
More ranting

Late night shopping picks of the week - 12 May

Well now that I've got it... Images clockwise from top: daisy skirt, the offending playsuit, cork wedges, wood heel pumps

Another weekend, another round of late night shopping. And it's a good 'un because this week I returned to Primark, Oxford Street.

The last time I wrote about it, I believe I made myself very clear about how much I loath the place. But something was calling to me, so finding myself with free time, I went.

Not much has changed, it's still too big and still full of cheap clothes. Less crowds this time though and I could actually make it to the shoes and accessories without having to carve a small tunnel through a three foot deep wall of bargain hunters, so... yay!

I found a very cute pair of black patent pumps with wooden heels for £12 and a khaki canvass shopper for £4 and an Orla Keily-esque printed shopper, also £4. In a bow to my latest futuristic trend fetish I also snaffled a pale gold, silk bomber jacket, £12. My tally so far: £32. Anywhere else and you're talking one dress and maybe a pair of cheap earrings. You have to hand it to Primark, it's a great place to go when you need retail therapy without a huge debt problem.

All this cheapness was starting to get to me though. I felt the black fug of shopmania descend and I started filling my basket with all sorts and somehow while all this was happening, I managed to end up buying... A playsuit!

I know! I know I ranted at length about the impracticality, the baby-ish-ness, the pee issue... but guys, I just couldn't help myself. There it was looking all cute with the blue and white candy stripes. So I bought it.

I think £5 is a cheap enough price to pay for getting that particular piece of shopping madness out of my system. So, yeah. I'll wear it on holiday with the supercute blue cork wedgies I got from New Look, £20. Then that'll be the end of it.

Ooh, I could also wear it with the Once Upon A Time daisy skirt I've just ordered from topshop. Then that'll be the end of it.

Barbarella belle. The high street's gone metal

Speaking of New Look, if you haven't been in there lately maybe you should. They have got some really gorgeous new shoes in at the moment, so check it out.

All things metallic have hit the high street in a big way. I say hotfoot it down to Miss Sellies for some metallic converse-alike sneakers, £20.

At Karen Millen, I was caught in the glare of the beautifully cut metallic dresses. Very Barberella but at £140 each, I thought I'd maybe come back when I got that money from donating my body to science. Until then, I have the photos to drool over.

What is up with... Playsuits

Playsuit. The word immediately brings to mind babies in those fleecy, all-in-ones that look so cute.

The grown up version that is currently in fashion, however, is a whole new different sack of nappies. This item of clothing, that looks like the bastard child of a dress and a pair of shorts, leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, it looks cute on the models but I can't help thinking about the practicalities here.

Picture this: you're at the club, you've got your playsuit on and you're looking kinda fly. You have a few drinks. Nature calls. In fact, nature has entered the building and made itself cosy and is demanding service. You rush to the loo and, oh! you're going to have to take off you're entire outfit to take a piss. The clock is ticking, nature is pressing, before you know it, you've pissed yourself. Not so cute now, are you?

See what I mean? I'm just saying, even the kiddies' playsuits makers have the good sense to put in easy access buttons for taking the things off in a hurry. So, here's a thought... how about maybe we just leave the playsuits to the sprogs?


Images:
Flower Friends bodysuits, Babies r us, £4.99 pack of three (above)
Hooded jersey playsuit, Topshop, £20 (right)