Big Forumette Shopping Extravaganza

[Tessalicious]

Ok, not strictly a dancing social event, but I feel its high time we organised this - initially in London (because that's where PS and I are and it was our idea, dammit) but who knows where it will spread? Maybe we could even make it a sychronised BFSE across the UK if you Scottish/Bristol etc ladies want to join in (I'm hoping that some of the Brighton and Northants girls will join us in London, since you manage to get here for dancing every weekend ).

So, when is anyone free, and where would anyone like to go? I'm highly flexible since I'm working very part-time and can pick and choose my days, so weekdays are as good for me as weekends - so its up to those of you who have restrictions to suggest good dates. The only Saturday thats out for me is the 20th - so please don't have a general consensus to make it then, or I'll cry!

Good places might be Brent Cross, Lakeside, Bluewater or the Whitgift in Croydon - or Oxford St if we want to gamble with the weather.

[LMC]

Will we get special commendations in the next Honours List for having kick-started the economy? Or perhaps have warning letters from the Bank of England for having put inflationary pressure on the RPI?

Unfortunately, 20th is the first good date for me, so might have to go all by myself at another time

[Icey]

We'll have to be careful with the outfits we buy - can you imagine if half a dozen of us or more turn up at a freestyle night with near matching outfits on?

[Northants Girly]

So, when is anyone free . . .

Tomorrow?

[Tessalicious]

Tomorrow?

My one inflexible working day I'm thinking along the lines of Friday/Saturday/Sunday this week or next, or we could leave it til nearer the end of the season and go Bank Holiday weekend?

[Icey]

I was thinking that most shopping malls like Bluewater, Brent cross, Watford, Lakeside etc etc have all the same things. How about a trip to somewhere like Camden? I've never been there but have heard that stuff is more unusual and we'd have less chance of all buying similar things.

If a big enough group turn up we can alway split up and meet up for a little later for drinks, maybe some dinner and a big show and tell of purchases with much hilarity and noisiness?

Any thoughts?

[Tessalicious]

I was thinking that most shopping malls like Bluewater, Brent cross, Watford, Lakeside etc etc have all the same things. How about a trip to somewhere like Camden? I've never been there but have heard that stuff is more unusual and we'd have less chance of all buying similar things.

If a big enough group turn up we can alway split up and meet up for a little later for drinks, maybe some dinner and a big show and tell of purchases with much hilarity and noisiness?

Any thoughts?

Depends on whether you want to shop like dancers or like grungy teenagers - because that's all Camden is really good for (entertaining to walk through, and with the odd gem in the shoe department although usually overpriced and sold by sleasy men). If you want to go to Camden sometime, let me know and I'll show you round, since I live about 5 minutes walk away, but I don't think its the ideal site if anyone wants to be able to Ceroc-test dancing clothes and shoes - which was, after all, the idea.

Anyway, surely wherever we are, if we're all together, we're less likely to buy the same things as each other than if we all went shopping on a random high street separately?

[LMC]

Anyway, surely wherever we are, if we're all together, we're less likely to buy the same things as each other than if we all went shopping on a random high street separately?

True... but there are whole swathes of shops that I literally *never* go into because I know that I will find nothing I like that fits me. Zara for one - even at a size 14, their "XL" is too small because they don't want fat people wearing their cheap sh**e clothes (bitter? me? nooooooo ).

The point is that if there is a large group of us, there are going to be people (well, me anyway) stood around possibly getting quite bored by the time they get to the 6th shop where they can't find anything to try on/play with. I like Icey's idea of splitting up to different shops and meeting later to compare purchases (and be told "what were you thinking, take it back now!" or "you mean they didn't pay *you* to take that off their hands?" etc etc)

[Tessalicious]

True... but there are whole swathes of shops that I literally *never* go into because I know that I will find nothing I like that fits me. Zara for one - even at a size 14, their "XL" is too small because they don't want fat people wearing their cheap sh**e clothes (bitter? me? nooooooo ).

The point is that if there is a large group of us, there are going to be people (well, me anyway) stood around possibly getting quite bored by the time they get to the 6th shop where they can't find anything to try on/play with. I like Icey's idea of splitting up to different shops and meeting later to compare purchases (and be told "what were you thinking, take it back now!" or "you mean they didn't pay *you* to take that off their hands?" etc etc)

Ok fair point, in which case I would recommend somewhere like Croydon - which not only has a pretty large Debenhams and decent sized branches of most of the usual high street shops but quite a few independents and market-stally type places which hopefully between them could cater for all tastes - and some really fab cafes we can meet at to compare purchases

[Icey]

Ahh, didn't realise Camden was quite so grungy. I bow to your obviously superior shopping knowledge

My credit card isn't really in need of more exercise but ... I can hear it calling my name from my purse already.

[LMC]

My credit card isn't really in need of more exercise but ... I can hear it calling my name from my purse already.

Mine is whimpering and trying to hide...

Croydon sounds like a good compromise of mainstream and the unusual

[Lynn]

True... but there are whole swathes of shops that I literally *never* go into because I know that I will find nothing I like that fits me. Zara for one - even at a size 14, their "XL" is too small because they don't want fat people wearing their cheap sh**e clothes (bitter? me? nooooooo ).

Or short people. Trousers in Zara are way too long. I think you need to be size 8 and 5'10' to shop in Zara.

Shopping sounds like a great day - have fun!

[Purple Sparkler]

I'm free at weekends, except this Saturday of course.

If we all went shoparoo on Saturday 13th, we could wear our purchases to Hammersmith that evening!

Just a thought.

[Icey]

That's the only Saturday I've got something planned for the daytime and evening and I've no chance of getting out of it either. Why can't all my friends dance?

Pretty please with a cherry on top can we make it another day?