Someone tell me i haven't slipped into a parallel universe.
Maybe i misheard but could have sworn that the advert for Next's sale starts at 5AM on the 27th.
Is anyone currently not in a secure lock up daft enough that desperate for some nondescript smutter.
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A FB friend has a "slot" on their website which she had to pre-book - I'd rather pay full price, mind you I picked up a very nice cream linen suit last year - Ideal wear for sipping dacaries in a disinterested way at sunset in Key West.
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>> Maybe i misheard but could have sworn that the advert for Next's sale starts at
>> 5AM on the 27th.
True! www.next.co.uk/sale/index.asp
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Next are quite good at emptying the shop one day and refilling it with the cheap sale items for the next day. Unlike a lot of shops, the sale items were never one sale in the store before. And yet people seem to go mad about these sales.
I'd rather pay full price instead of battling in the sales.
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Next has started its sale early in the morning for the last few years.
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Whatever happened to days of rest... The country has gone mad...
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At one level I share the regret that this is such a feature of modern life, on another I fear we shouldn't knock it. It is vital that something starts the economy churning again and retailers are a strong contributor to that. The downside of course is that this method further encourages the the culture of buying cheap which has it's own disadvantages.
The balance has swung too far. From a previous situation where consumer goods were undoubtedly overpriced it could now be argued they are too cheap. I won't drone on about the reasons why but suffice it to say that in order to generate genuine bargains someone along the line had to take a hit.
I've visited South American and Far Eastern garment and footwear production plants many times. You really don't want to know.
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>>>A FB friend has a "slot" on their website which she had to pre-book - I'd rather pay full price.
Really?
We had our Next online sale slot 23rd Dec. While doing the last of the Christmas shopping I popped into the Next store and tried on the items I wanted, two casual jackets total £195. When home I logged onto our slot and bought the two jackets in the sale for a total of £73-95 inc postage. Result.
You don't pay until they have arrived and if you change your mind just pop them back to the local store for full no questions refund. The whole system is easy and 100% in favour of the customer.
Mind you best deal of the day was on another type of casual jacket. I wanted one in a specific colour, style & material. Next, John Lewis, Topman, Burton. River Island, H&M all failed to turn up anything. Gave up but when in our small town Sue Ryder later in the day found exactly what I wanted in my size and new condition for £9.95.
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Either her computer or broadband toppled over. She is very rural !
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Hmm, we now know that Fen is the debonair type and doesn't tie his trousers up with baling twine. Happy Christmas F :-)
John
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>>>we now know that Fen is the debonair type and doesn't tie his trousers up with baling twine.
Thanks for the comments... I hope the Tooslow household is also enjoying a fashionable and festive time.
For the sake of accuracy the new gear is only for going out and impressing the locals at church. This morning finds me in £4 Tesco jeans, old military jumper, cheap wellies and beanie hat ready to saw more timber so the wood burner is well stocked for this afternoon's visitors.
BTW... yes I do have a spool of baler twine ready for any eventuallity.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sun 26 Dec 10 at 11:17
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Well in truth in the back hall.
Having said that as part of a recent renovation we've taken up carpets in the hall and combined dining room/home office to replace with hard wearing wood laminate so we are all hard floored and wipe clean from back door to PC.
So wellies not the end of the world.
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We never got our NEXT "VIP" invite slot for this year, used to have a slot that you could go online, order all the stuff you wanted and it would be delivered over the next 2 nonths or whatever!
Kept my local courier in a job Humph!!
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But you can only wear one jacket at a time?
I thought it was a female thing that I've never undertood, that you had to have a wardrobe full of clothes!
Pat
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>>
I'd rather pay full price instead of battling in the sales.
I'd rather pay the full price of the something I want than half price on something I don't want ;-)
Last edited by: movilogo on Mon 27 Dec 10 at 07:49
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>> I thought it was a female thing that I've never undertood, that you had to
>> have a wardrobe full of clothes!
Typical conversation in our house -
"Not another cardigan - you must have hundreds?"
"I haven't one in this colour though!"
That's the nearest I've got to an explanation. Shoes are the worst, as the various styles can all be permutated with different colours.
I'm hoping she's on more than 8 bit colour.
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 27 Dec 10 at 09:48
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>>>But you can only wear one jacket at a time?
True but to match various occasions I was seeking...
A tweedy casual suit type jacket for indoor wear for example when taking tea at the vicarage after church, an outdoor 3/4 type jacket for walking the hound and similar, finally a shorter everyday jacket for when in and out of the car.
All jackets will be teamed with trusty Wrangler 936 jeans so overall modest needs I think.
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>> >>>But you can only wear one jacket at a time?
>>
>> True but to match various occasions I was seeking...
Vicar - Barbour and Black Hunter wellies
Walking the hound(s) - Barbour and Black Hunter wellies
IN and out the car - Barbour and Black Hunter Wellies.
Just make sure you do vicar, walk and car in the right order to prevent mud and dog poo in the vicars parlour.
Last edited by: Webmaster on Sat 1 Jan 11 at 02:08
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Ahh well I'm a bit against wax jackets these days because of the wax/dirt transfer issue... wore them all the time when we had vinyl seat Land Rovers and a dirtier life. Still have my twice overhauled Barbour and a long Australian drover coat but rarely worn these days.
I was a Hunters wearer too in my mid twenties but junked them once I owned my first tractor.... realising the majority of Hunters wearers were aspiring tractor owners and once you were red diesel powered Dunlop wellies were the thing.
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I still have my 80s Barbour jacket complete with authentic Spaniel bite marks unworn for years though. I wore the Belstaff version when I first had my bikes - they were warm and comfortable in all conditions (including the cold winter of '81) - I laughed my head off at the 2010 designer versions of the Barbour Jacket for sale in shops (complete with sloped pocket designed so originally to prevent water ingress) How Much ?!!???
Last edited by: Pugugly on Mon 27 Dec 10 at 11:14
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Barbours wear out and fray on the crease lines. We chucked ours away after relatively few years.
I bought a Sprayway & SWMBO bought a Berghaus, both wind & waterproof, more than 10 years ago.
Still in excellent condition and a bargain at around £150 each, amortized over our ownership period.
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I have to admit - having ha a full clothing audit that the most important things are outer-wear (waterproof & cold weather gear in various combinations) and shoes - they are absolutely critical, no compromise in that department. Best thing I bought this year were two pairs of lined Craghopper trousers - lined with a fleecy material they have proved so good I went back to get another pair...(heavily discounted).
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I treated myself to a pair of lined Wellies on Christmas eve, complete with velcro straps to tighten them. No more dry but freezing cold feet!
BTW, whatever happened to Deri Boots? I know you can still get them online, but I never buy footwear without trying them first. Even in the most knowledgeable shoe and outdoor wear shops a request for Deri Boots draws a blank expression.
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Deri Boots were the favourite of long distance all year round commuters/DRs in the eighties - a bike buddy had some (knowing him he probably still has them stashed in the attic) - they were very waterproof and warm, my feet won't take to them.
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I worked as a Park Ranger in the eighties, patrolling bridleways and woodlands on a Suzuki TS185. Deri Boots were standard issue and they were fantastic in the winter.
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>>>patrolling bridleways and woodlands on a Suzuki TS185.
What a brilliant job. I always liked a smallish 2-stroke trail bike. In the mid/late 70s Mrs F had a Suzuki 250TS. Like this one except hers was fitted with motorcross tyres and lightweight palstic mudguards....
www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk/bikes/images/Suzuki_ts250-3_medium.jpg
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We were in London a few weeks ago and saw numerous people on the Tube wearing Barbour! how odd I thought.
Far more practical, and I speak as someone who works in the outdoor industry, is the Paramo Halcon. Most of the keepers in my part of the world swear by them. Totally waterproof, machine washable and easily reproofed. Fleece lined hand warmer pockets, will last for 20+ years, but obviously the wrong image!
Thats fashion for you.
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>> What a brilliant job. I always liked a smallish 2-stroke trail bike. In the mid/late
>> 70s Mrs F had a Suzuki 250TS. Like this one except hers was fitted with
>> motorcross tyres and lightweight palstic mudguards....
>>
It was a good job, but not without it's aggro as the main function was keeping bandit bikers off the bridleways and paths, something which could turn very nasty at times. You also came across the usual parkland crew of flashers, glue sniffers, wild animal torturers etc, and the winters seemed to last for ever.
It's a great shame that the change in the learner law killed off the 175 - 250 class of bike. They were great fun and very practical, but now the cubes stop at gutless 125s and take a great leap to the next category.
Back to clothing, I don't miss the Belstaff waxed cotton riding gear we were issued with. The water proofing lasted one heavy downpour and everything you touched turned black.
Last edited by: Robin Regal on Mon 27 Dec 10 at 20:59
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I had a Belstaff waxed cotton suit (as mentioned elsewhere) - exactly as you say RR... zero protection but they were good...warm and waterproof. I upgraded to a Rukka far better in every respect but still zero protection..
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Barking, the lot of them. - R.P.
