Is it incredibly bad that this post may turn out to be third-travel post, third-fashion post, third-food-porn-description post? I can't tell a lie. I was seduced by a conveniently timed mini break to New Forest at the spa/country house hotel Limewood on Tuesday, a day after I got back from Sydney. There it is. Plain and simple. I took a bite into that troublesome apple and perhaps poison will spread in some form or another.
This break was courtesy of whom you ask? Would you believe it. It's Peacocks…
You might either snort or sniff or ask "What is Peacocks?" if you're not from the UK. It's basically a chain of what we call "value fast fashion stores" akin to Primark (its more famous competitor). For those that do know what it is, hold the sniffing/snorting. I haven't finished. The minibreak was in honour of Pearl Lowe's second range for Peacocks and her daughter/muse Daisy Lowe, following a range of Christmas dresses that apparently flew out of the shops with this second range already garnering a wait list. The "Who is Pearl Lowe?" question can actually be answered on very old blog post I wrote yonks ago about her range of high-end pearl lace dresses, which also conveniently accounts for part of the reason why I wanted to go on the break. I do think it's a rather interesting collaboration where Lowe, by definition isn't so much as a designer as she is a figure and by teaming up with her daughter of course, garners just about the right amount of interest that makes this collab well err… interesting or at the very least, intriguing, given that it was an immediate success.
I'll be clean about it. I'm not a Primark/Peacocks customer. I don't really live near a Peacocks and I find going into the Primark branch on Oxford Street each time has resulted in panicked sweating or breathy phonecalls to the other half asking him to come and find me. When I have been in, it's really only for the purpose of looking for cheap DIY base materials. Reassuringly, the CEO of Peacocks is also disarmingly honest about what Peacocks is… he said when he took over the chain, he knew people thought it was the "fat old ladies knickers' shop" and that is has been the butt of endless jokes. Of course, that has changed and these are the stores that are laughing all the way to their bank accounts and whilst I may not be a contributing customer, I am aware of its popularity and with what motivations people go to these stores.
If I'm not a customer, then why am I banging on about this here? This trip was of course a vehicle to promote the collaboration and as it turns out, I'm not sniffing/snorting at the end product. A range of 40s-inspired sweet dresses that are cheap and cheerful and befittingly, perfect for English country-hanging. I'm not going to rave. These aren't "stunning", "beeeeeautiful", "amaaaazing" or "to die for". Just a cheapie country frock that err if you go on country mini breaks/holidays as often as I do (about 5 days out of 365), will serve you well. I'm therefore not saying these are "timeless" and will be with you forevermore either. I might add that in the setting, and without the rest of my wardrobe, they also make for some very Laura Ashley catalogue type photos – i.e. simple, unadorned outfits that are a out of the norm for me…
We can't avoid the key question though. "Were you not just swayed by the Limewood vehicle and its New Forest setting?" Honestly, in part I was. Not to take anything away from the dresses which like I said, for what they are, cute and cheerful. That said, the fact that the PR peeps came up with this slightly novel way of presenting the collection was of course entirely geared towards offering product with experience as opposed to just solely product. Hell, how could I have said no to pony-trekking? So you can lambast all you want, but I'll stand by this indulgence. I'm not duping anyone. Dresses were surprisingly nice. Collab concept is interesting. I got friendly with ponies. End of.
Zee dinner…
The rest of the dresses… if you love the Lowe girl, you can see the official lookbook pics here…
I certainly did have a good appetite for asparagus and scallop veloute, crab salad, beef with potato gnocci and strawberries with clotted cream ice cream…
Every hotel room should have a book about wild mushrooms and flowers as well as Scrabble…
…and teensy tiny bananas… they're sweeter than the biggies…
From country …
… to not so country…
(Tina Kalivas jacket, Michael Angel dress, Bebaroque tights, vintage Casadei sandals)
There's a welly room…. an entire room of wellington boots..specifically Hunter ones…
Seeing as this post is full of questions, I'll end with another… "Where are the ponies?", you ask. They are of course wild in New Forest and in the morning Steve and I trekked out to go find ourselves some ponies. Fashion bloggers love a good natural setting right? I have a bonus PONY to add to my natural setting… oh selfish selfish deed. I didn't try and mount it or do anything coercive with the ponies. A perfunctory friendly pat from a slightly wary city dweller was sufficient thank you very much…
(Vintage cape, Something Else sweater, Acne scarf, vintage skirt, Patternity tights, vintage boots)
Will read this when I get home but I can’t not say, amazing cape!
Wahey! The New Forest! My home! Nice to see you looking fab with some familiar scenery.
hi !
i read your blog since about 5 monthes, it’s my first comment !
want to say you, i think you have the best closet of the world, really !
I love love your style, and thank you for all this great designers i know because of you.
(sorry for my ugly english, I come to live in london soon, it will be better 🙂
tchao !
camille from france
I love your boots! They are fantastic.
Those tights are stunning! I must find me a pair. Ironically it is the cheaper fashion lines that are seeing positive results in this economic climate. Although I am not always a fan of the quality I like how stores such as peacocks and primark have mad fashion and style accessable to all, removing any such barrier to entry. Looks like a great get away, I may have to pay the New forest a visit.
Great Post Susie 🙂
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Ha ha, I worked for Peacocks in Cardiff when I was 16 in the days when there actually was a “Mr Peacock”
Oh, poor Susie, those plain boring frocks do you no justice!!! I hate to see you put “into the box”… fly free, Ms. Bubble!!! Away from these horrid dresses!!! Even if they do dress them up with clotted cream and strawberries and ponies and Hunter boots! Although the white eyelet one isn’t so bad, but I would follow your lead and use it for bathing only.
Somehow these dresses seem more the idea than the reality of of country look. As someone who lives in the Great British countryside I can honestly say no one wears lace or sweet 40s vintage dresses and although you look lovely in the bathtub, you seem so much more at home in your ‘not so country’ look, which I loooooove!
Good choice, take all the lovely escapes you can! Those dresses are surprisingly pretty 🙂
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x
I had no idea about Peacocks and I didn’t like it very much but the presentation look like a really cool idea!!
Maybe If you mix it up with other accesories they look cooler!!!
well done!! love that you explain how they spoiled you!!!
hihihi
kisis
love those camel boots, susie!
HALCOHOLIC.com
Although I did read the entire post (and always seem to do) even if I hadn’t the entire thing would have been justified by that last photo of you petting the pony. You look slightly nervous….as does the pony. 😉
Oh, nice idea!
Looks like fun.
I actually quite like the 2nd dress you wore (that floral one).
Actually.. not a bad collection for Peacocks!
I live near a Peacocks, but I’ve never really spent anything there; my mother doesn’t approve of cheap clothes which fall apart really quicky…
I love that cape, and it looks like you had fun!
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The dresses look like they would be popular with the vintagey/rockabilly type of girls…or my sister. Seriously she would die over these dresses and she has no qualms about chain stores (nor do I really due to lack of funds) But they are very not Susie Bubble. BTW Susie did you get to check out Sportsgirl while you were in Australia? I know you’ve kinda wanted to for a while.
I like the way you dress w/ Michael Angel. I have his two digital prints shirt dress/tank dress and I normally won’t pair them w/ such busy colors but you did so well. I love it.
Your lace dress is simply perfect! Amazing pics in the bathtube!
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Lovely pictures – looks like you had a fantastic time away.
I’m really looking forward to the Peacocks range as this collection looks very romantic and summmery.
Polly x
Your country poncho outfit… just love love love <3
I love paris! and your wee lace dress is so cute!
Looks like so much fun plus I love ponies! Again, I love your cape and the way you integrated the scarf into the various outfits. <3
skiepies.blogspot.com/
awwws don’t worry about accepting a ‘commercial offer’, you sounded a bit embarrassed by it, your not selling out, just making the best of life’s offers and the blog you work bloody hard for!!! (I love it). Kudos for the extra ads also, i hope you buy something extra fabulous with the mula then post it on here for us all to see :)…
Hi Susie, these frocks are delightfully retro – nice colours and fabrics. The indie-vintage crowd do some pretty edgy things with ingenuous little basics like these. Anyhow, I think it’s fine that you report on vintage and conservative fashion styles as well as the avant-garde (though in my view there was plenty of conservatism on the runway at RAFW for example, pace Dion Lee). BTW,I love how good you look in white lace with that black hair of yours. I am busting to see these mild-mannered frocks – especially the polka dot chiffon- spiced up with the classic Susie layering treatment…
that lace dress is adorable!
your hair looks fantastic too
love always,
laken
HAHAHA oh i dont mean to laugh but I live in the new forest and its so bizarre to see you next to one of our gorgeous ponies!!! I work in London and live in the NF, and I wouldnt have been shocked to have walked past you in London but if i had seen you here i would’ve just died of disbelief!!!
I like blue-white polka-dot dress. I would wear it at any of my own expo – openings, if I’d like to say to a crowd: well,it’s not what you think it is, but here you go.
Thanks, love you blog, it’s educational for me:)
Firstly I have to say you are amazing. You are non-stop. When do you rest? When you are flying? Love the images of you in the bath – sweet dress. And love the Bebaroque tights. Xxx
Awww ponies! Jeez do I need to get some livestock into my outfit posts?
xx
Duck
It’s a shame you didn’t make these dresses your own. I usually enjoy seeing what your wearing and your individual style.
Ruth
Ruth: Alas, I didn’t have much with me to really put them to work… I might see what I do with them now that i’m at home…
That said, I still think these are the kind of dresses that you if you ‘overstyled’ them, it would look a bit odd as well… I’ll have a play and see!
what a great post! love the dresses (but one as to be the quirky type to pull them off like you) and I love love love your cape and the boots!
I love the Hunter’s room. But the boots you are wearing are also stunning.
Great post.
Those boots are beautiful. I love everything about your post. Stunning!
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