Seeing Red

 

 

 

  

You would never know but I am a bit of a sucker for all things red and this jacket is no exception. I bought this last year from our Wallis website (I always feel guilty buying from the Internet as opposed to my own shop but we didn't stock this jacket in red and I got it for a stupid price - less than £20 with my discount). Then last week, I noticed a similar one advertised in Reiss for nearly £400!  Who has that kind of money for an item of clothing other than a wedding dress????? 

 

So pleased is not the word. They are pretty identical although you cannot see the asymmetric zip so well on mine but it does do up on the side (when I breath in).

 

 

 Reiss do some beautiful clothes (that I will never be able to afford) and of late, they have become a firm favourite with our beautiful future Queen - Kate the Great.  And although the prices are not aimed at a lowly commoner such as myself, it is nice to see that she supports the British High Street so much.  Especially when we are sadly seeing many of our stalwart chains go into administration. I feel very sad when I see yet another "closing down" sign (something that will be appearing in my own shop in a couple of weeks) but faced with stiff competition from the Internet and extortionate rental prices, many of our High Street stores are struggling.  There is a flip side of course as we see the second hand market continuing to boom but our prized High Street is starting to lose its identity somewhat as we see more and more cheap pop-up stores temporarily appear in the wake of large institutions that have closed.  I don't know what the answer is.  Of course you are going to favour the Internet if you can get the same item much cheaper (especially when times are hard) but there is still something to say for being able to touch and feel the product, to see it worn on Sales Advisers - the more tactile approach.  I am very proud of our High Street, there is nothing else like it anywhere else in the world and although I prefer the second-hand market for the majority - I will always be saddened by news of more troubled British institutions facing closure.

 

Woolworths RIP.......