Monday, December 01, 2008

Two pink shower caps


Something really good happened during November. Well, I'm sure lots of good things happened, because there always has to be a balance and we all know that lots of bad, in fact terrible, things happened. It might not mean very much to most people in the UK but there has been something that I've really missed in France. What is it? I can hear you pleading to know.

M&S decided to extend their internet shopping to other countries.

I've really missed being able to get my Marks and Spencer staple items - linen trousers that fit my English pear shape properly. Bras that fit my ample boobage. Slippers, the like of which you just don't see in our bit of France. Sweaters in beautiful colours (and a beautiful affordable price) that fit me nicely around the shoulders. Yes, I am a classic M&S shape it seems. Certainly I find that French clothes are cut a bit too small for me - what a confession. I have to say it though, French women are far more petite than most of the British females that I see in our area, myself included. However, back to the plot...


Now they won't send everything that is available online. I put two books in my basket and at the check-out they were rejected. I wonder why. Even though there are many lovely things in the shops over here, I've always liked M&S. I know they have their critics; it's not a 'cool' place to be seen in; some say a lot of their things are old-fashioned (have they had their eyes tested, the people that actually say this); they have cheesy Christmas tv ads. But I don't care. I'm delighted.

Why have I called this post 'Two pink shower caps'? Well, one of the (many) things I bought were a pair of these slippers (seen below). They are really nice and I don't want to get them dirty when I take the bichons out on to the gravel in the front garden (Misty likes to stand and stand and stand - and needs to be jollied along into 'toilet action' ). Mr FF suggested I buy a couple of shower caps to put over the boots for protection. It was a great idea but it is not the best look in the world.

32 comments:

Lisa (aka) French said...

Kathy told me to stop in and say hello imagine my surprise about the mention of M&S I haven't shopped there since I left Canada they don't have them here (sigh) Hello and stop in some time;) French

Henry the Dog said...

Well you look dead trendy FF. Love the look:) Mum had no idea she could get M&S stuff on the internet. Can you order M&S food too? Uncle Hugh likes long socks and mum can only find the ones he likes in M&S, she got him a couple of pairs when she went to the UK last week. He likes M&S undies too. She'll be so pleased if she can get them delivered.

Blu said...

those slippers look like boots..very nice ones too. I am glad I am not your neighbour because I might be doubled up laughing! Enjoy your Christmas shopping.

A Mum said...

how terribly terribly clever. will you go to the shops like that on cold, rainy days too?

Sandi McBride said...

I love those boots! And I miss Marks and Sparks, too...who would have thought about shower caps for rain gear? LOL...
Sandi

French Fancy... said...

Hello Mme French - I'm going to visit you a minute, but i have to tell you that M&S will deliver to you now. They will ship anywhere in the world, as of last month. Hence my excitement.

Henry, no food via M&S themselves, I'm afraid but if you Google 'British Corner Shop' they will ship a lot of M&S and lots of other food (Tesco, Sainsbury etc) to every country. Nothing perishable but tins, packets, jars etc. i use them quite regularly and their shipping is £10 for a reasonable size package.

Blu - I always suffer from cold feet but these slipper/boots really help. I can't recommend them highly enough and even though I've searched around Brittany for something similar I've not found it. Won't have to now :)

Hello memsahib - it was a good idea. I ruined last year's pair by getting them so wet standing outside with two belligerent bichon frise dogs having a battle of wills with me.Ha! I'll show them this year. With my shower cap proofed slippers.

Sandi - you can order from then now - this minute - just in time for Christmas. To the USA and everywhere

French Fancy... said...

OK - it's not every country in the world - I just went to check - here

http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/node/n/46853031/276-9101695-5657709?amp;mnSBrand=core

but it is USA/ Canada/Australia/France/Germany/Spain

French Fancy... said...

France, Germany, Spain:
Clothing and selected homeware and beauty products Approximately 6 -9 days £10.00 Christmas Last Order Subject to Availability 11th December
USA, Canada:
Clothing and selected homeware and beauty products Approximately 7 - 10 days £20.00 Christmas Last Order Subject to Availability 9th December
Australia and New Zealand:
Clothing and selected homeware and beauty products Approximately 10 - 14 days £20.00 Christmas Last Order Subject to Availability 4th December

Troy said...

The slippers and shower caps combination - today your blog, tomorrow the catwalks of Paris????

Tess Kincaid said...

OMG! Thanks for the giggles! I didn't see that coming at all!! :D

Frankofile said...

Yay!! M&S tights!

Can't go and check now but I'll be looking forward to this as a treat just as soon as I've done my marking.

French Fancy... said...

Hello Troy - I ought to take the idea to Dragon's Den really. The thing is that when I pick them up now the dogs run to the door - Pavlov was right.

willow - If we get snow like you have at the moment then I guess one step outside in my shower-cap slippers and I'll be on my bottom :)

French Fancy... said...

Oh Frankie - we crossed posts. I am so overjoyed they are doing this. I joined an online petition thing to make them send to France so I feel that I did my bit. I lost count of the number of emails I sent to various directors moaning about not being able to get their stuff.

Wallis and Next are also shipping out here now. Mr FF heaved a big sigh when Iannounced it the other day, All these makes suit my shape much more than the clothes I try on here.

Kathy said...

OMGosh, first you tell me you actually met Mr JRM!!!!, then I see you are a world fashion leader with your oh soooo chic "slippercaps" and finally I find out that you still get to shop at M&S, Wallis AND Next!!!.
YEGADS FF, is there no justice in this world, (smiles) xoxo

justme said...

I think the 'slippercaps' are excellent! Most stylish and practicle and innovative too!

French Fancy... said...

Mama - wotcher baby - I must explain a bit - I worked at a certain London theatre a long time ago and met a fair few actors then. But when I met JRM is was my last UK job when I worked for an accountancy practice that specialised in tv, film and theatre clients.(I was never a bean counter though - I was manager of the practice).

justme - I just took the bin out in them and you could hear the plastic crackle as I walked across the road (our bin is placed at the corner of the street).

Can Bass 1 said...

Personally the lack of Marks and Spencer would be one of the few temptations to leave these shores I would yield to. Even then I wouldn't go to France; bloody Bichons!

Kathy said...

We used to have the odd pint and a dry martini and lemonade in the "Old Red Lion" in Islington and occasionally rubbed shoulders with the odd actor from the Bill and men behaving badly. Your job sounded interesting, JRM is definitely worth tackling the tube to get to work everyday!.

I have slippers and a scarf from M&S for xmas from the kids, I didnt peek, I accidently saw them while staying at their home.

enjoy your M&S slippers they really do look comfy, Kathy

French Fancy... said...

Can Bass - I'm going to gender stereotype now...it must be a women thing. When I announced to Mr FF my Good News I must report that he did not cry out in exultation - in fact I gave this news such a build-up he got really happy - until he heard it was just that I could carry on my M&S shopping.

Are you a cat lover by any chance?

Hiya again - Kathy - the odd handshake and a word from a 'face' is quite a nice thing in a working day. I wonder what slippers you've got. I do like slippers - in fact any footwear is 'my thing'

laurie said...

i have very similar boots! but it never occurred to me to put condoms over them....

thanks for sticking with blogger until it finally let you visit three dog blog. come back!

Lane Mathias said...

Cool! I have a black pair which don't show the dirt.

The shower caps are ingenious. Perhaps you could fashion little paw sized ones too:-)

nikkicrumpet said...

LOL...it might not be the best look...but It sure gave me a chuckle...and I'm sure your neighbors are gonna be thinking...."what the hell has she done to her feet?"

Lisa (aka) French said...

OK so now I am beyond jealous did he look as good in person as he does in the films? (lol) Hugs French;)

French Fancy... said...

Hello laurie - It was worth it. I'm going to be following your gang's escapades now regularly. Has B been up the ramp without all the pushing and shoving yet? It's quite a good thing to have anyway, as you've got the other dogs as well - I've got a host of stuff now designated as useless dog item now - perhaps for the future.

Lane - I'd like a black pair too and, in fact, Next have just the thing. But the Marks's ones were £15 and the Next ones are £23 so, I feel, they might be over priced. However, we have to weigh up the fact that the Next postage to here has been reduced to a fiver, I suppose to compete with M&S now opening up to the expat market. I have to nip this new obsession in the bud, I feel. Blast. You can get little dog boots for bad weather, in fact you can get lots of footwear for dogs now but I couldn't do it to them - plus, with Pop's problems it would be rotten.

nikki - I think the neighbours think I'm a bit barmy already - in a nice way. Because Misty was housetrained by me via the puppy pad method, gradually pulling it towards the front door, the buzz word to make them 'go' outside is On The Paper. I've had a few garbled chats with French neighbours admiring the fact we replaced our front lawn with 'paper' (in fact they meant the gravel)

French Fancy... said...

Oh Mme French - it's a bit early and I missed you due to tiredness. I wish I could tell you that JRM was charm and flair. In actual fact he looked shabby and tired and was rather offhand. It was quite a long time ago, he was not getting the parts he wanted and I think he was in a bit of a mood when he came into the office. He had lovely eyes though.

lady jicky said...

Oh my lord you have shower caps on your Uggs!!!

Here I was thinking all French men were too chic to mention and here is your FFMan with this fabbo yet Daggy idea!
I can hear you saying "Quick PEE - here comes Karl Lagerfeld!!!"

A note to Poppy from Rosie -
"Don't wear them sweet ! Go the 4 ballet slippers on your paws and pretend you don't know that weird woman! " LOL

Carol said...

I love M&S too...and have some very funky things from there!!

The Thai's put bags over their shoes all the time during the rainy season....the first time I saw it was at JJ market (which is one of the biggest open air markets in the world)....it started raining and the girls just put their shopping into one bag and pulled the other bags over their shoes!! Brilliant idea (I have been known to do it myself!!)

C x

Tim Atkinson said...

No, I don't think it's a man/woman thing, FF (M&S love/hatred, that is). I'm a big fan, especially now their prices have come down. Mind you, only for food.

david mcmahon said...

I shopped for all my clothes and shoes at M&S in London - and was delighted, some years ago, when I discovered an M&S in Hong Kong!

Thank you so much for the wonderful comment a few hours ago about having an effect on people. Very humbly, thank you.

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Love the look FF! I know what it is like living abroad..scouring high and low..for the right type of tea bags, right make-up, right hair caps....

French Fancy... said...

ladyJ - hello you. they're not Uggs - they are M&S slipper boots based on Uggs, i guess - but a fraction of the price and so lovely and warm for indoors.The KL comment did make me laugh - do you know he is over 70. Not bad for his age and a lot of plastic surgery

Carol - good news that things have been resolved (sort of) in your neck of the woods.

I'd rather look silly and keep my slipperboots clean, although having said that i just brought the bin in and thought, I won't bother just for a min and wouldn't you know it - there is now a black mark on the tip.

The Dotterel - ah, the food, now the fresh stuff I can't get online - which is what I would like. I love their chorizo sausages and have tried some here but not a patch on M&S' version.

david - M&S are shipping to Oz and NZ, as of last month. £20 shipping which I guess is a lot (no guess, it *is*) but if you want to treat yourself - I say go ahead.

I do admire you putting in so much time to trawl through everyone's blogs. Carry on.

French Fancy... said...

Hadriana - I spend so much time shopping online here that I have a sort of standing joke with the two drivers that seem to deliver every package - I mustn't stop or they might be put on reduced hours.

I love what is available here as well but - things are (and I have to say this) much cheaper in the UK. Even with the postage. The clothes I like here that suit me are extortionate and the every day stuff just doesn't suit me - I'm not petite or dainty and that's the cut they do. Oh well, I'm a bulky Brit.