Vintage vixens, boutique babes and high-street honeys.


Obtaining my vintage vixen persona, a unique reworked clutch bag caught my eye through the masses of people. Abundant with ribbons, tassels and antique colours, it was an accessory that would give an interesting edge to any outfit. I had to have it. Rudely barging my way through I was introduced to rare one off pieces that would make any fashion lover’s heart skip a beat. An added feature on the garments, which intrigued me, were the labels, little dainty signatures with a bowler hat entwined. The handmade feel is interesting as it gives an individual trait, something you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else. Densely packed rails ranging from granny knits to 1970’s biker jackets, made me feel as if I had entered a world that allowed me to visit the past.  

After purchasing my item of choice, struggling not to become bankrupt by buying every garment on the market place, I ventured on. In every sight, women were tackling everybody and climbing over each other like animals; desperate to find the bargains. A long lasting queue took hold of the pathway, bursting out of the queues were large shopping bags and feet from women resulting to the floor from their wait. Peculiarly, their wait was not agitating the women; they were getting more and more excited as the minutes went on. From up and coming designers such as Merrimaking to more commercial designers such as Pauls Boutique, there were queues for each and every one. 

Celebrity appearances electrified the crowds making women overwhelmed. Crazed females queued for hours on end to capture a photo with their idols. From soap stars to models, showbiz fulfilled the crowds of people. One particular celebrity devoured hordes of fanatics, screaming and shouting their name. Hearing snippets of conversations, I discovered the waiting time for a photo with this particular celebrity was over three hours. This is what I call hard-core dedication. For a celebrity that wasn’t particularly well known, this desire to meet and greet came as a surprise to me. Not only did the clad of people hang around the celebrities. The model wannabes clung to the agency stands as well.

Amongst the busy atmosphere, my ears were burning with gossip and bitchy chit- chat. High- energy music seemed to spread from all areas, the sound echoed in my ears creating a buzz inside. Also a somewhat hyper woman was shouting down a microphone producing a displeasing tone. Although bargains there are a-plenty, I overheard tight women continuing to haggle. If it wasn’t haggling it was pushy sellers loudly luring the style heartthrobs in to spend their money. A somewhat hyper woman was shouting down a microphone producing a displeasing tone. 

The mingling aroma of perfume filled the air, which gave me the feeling of delight. Pots of Häagen-Dazs everywhere kept me intrigued; I had the urge for the luxurious taste of ice cream on my tongue. Everybody had one to hand- I was stupidly singled out. Diet coke was something I most definitely had to hand, almost finding it hard to carry the cans that towered up against my body, from all angles these cute and miniature drinks were given out. Different smells came together and lingered under my nose; the specific smell of freshly made pizza savoured on my tongue and enticed a hunger within. 

These qualities are what you call the Clothes Show Live. A one-stop shop, which is packed with everything, you could ever want from fashion. A world of high-street clothing, boutiques, trend forecasting, beauty and catwalks overfilled the NEC building. Different colour zones simplified the shopping experience; blue zone was home to my favourite things. Retro pieces kept my attention and restrained me from leaving. I appreciated the edgy street fashion that filled the purple zone, I enjoyed considering how fashionistas would embrace the cool and diverse style. Pink zone was a rather obvious one; beauty took hold of this area- an area where you could feel glamorous and lovely. In this zone in particular the colours were vibrant and eye catching which was dazzling to the eye.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the day is the catwalk show, which in turn draws a pleasurable end to the day. Endless amounts of crowds entered the theatre eagerly ready for the show. The lights dimmed; The Night at The Department Store began. 

Mannequins arrived on stage and came to life. A security guard made his way through the mannequins with his torch, showing some amazing dance moves. The security guard could have been the face of Hollister, his drop dread gorgeous looks had me gulping. The department store elevated up to different levels ranging from lingerie to bridal. Each level featured a striking beginning with professional dancers, creating considerable amounts of jealously throughout the crowds. After the dancers, came the models, the way in which the models and dancers collaborated created a show stopping performance. 

Something unique about the show is that it wasn’t your average catwalk. It is not only focused on the clothing, it creates a story that keeps you intrigued. The lingerie department had a very seductive persona, slow and sexual dancing matched the revealing garments perfectly. On the other hand, the bridal department was very heart wrenching with a match made in heaven created by Bruno Mars singing ‘I wanna marry you’ and beautiful contemporary dancing. 

The Clothes Show brings in numerous amounts of people in each year, which is no surprise due to the accessibility to browse 500 stalls of admirable fashion. Playing a huge part of British fashion history, it has created a girls paradise for decades.  A great aspect to The Clothes show is the fact that it falls around Christmas time every year, in perfect timing to start planning what you are going to wear over the party season. Arriving home, I wish I could go back right away. For anybody that has a passion for fashion, this show is a must see. 


By Amy Blanchard