Marni charity shop super-bargain

Spotting a rare designer gem among the bobbly Atmosphere jumpers makes those hours of fruitless charity shop scouring so worthwhile. And this scoop-neck, bark-print Marni top, just £4.99 (un.believable) from British Heart Foundation, has truly helped keep the dream alive.

It's the type of piece that makes you nervous when taking it to the till in case someone realises that they've made a terrible pricing mistake. But not this time - my second charity shop Marni super-bargain was in the bag before the cashier could even clock the label.

Charity shop salvage - Marni & H&M

A rummage in my local Oxfam this weekend unearthed an exciting find - a piece from Marni's recent collaboration with H&M. This T-shirt wasn't actually for sale at H&M - instead worn by staff wardening the crazy shopping sprees - but I love those instantly recognisable oversized dots so snapped it up for just £1.99.

There was one slight problem: The colours around the neckline had run when washed by the previous owner. But I didn't much like the boxy shape of the large tee anyway, so chopped off the collar, tidied up the edges et voila.

A unique slice of Marni for a couple of quid - you've gotta love charity shops.

Teenage fashion meets grown-up style

Johnnie b, Boden's teenage collection, is one of those fashion secrets that you feel so excited to stumble across, you want to keep all for yourself. It's not an obvious place for a twenty-something to look for classic, easy-to-wear yet on-trend pieces, but that's exactly what it offers.


As a little style experiment, and because I wanted to take my new Marni x H&M polka dot coat out for a walk, I dressed my Johnnie b anchor jumper and purple ink skinny jeans with pieces that I felt would offer a healthy mix of grown-up style and fashion fun. And I'm pretty pleased with the result.


There's colour, motifs and print here, but all in subtle enough doses not to make me look as though I accidently wandered into the wrong part of the shop. Johnnie b’s sizing is also accommodating for those with the womanly bits many teenagers don’t yet have – this jumper is a large (they go up to XL), and the jeans a 32L. By marketing the range at 10 – 16 year olds, I think they’re missing a trick here, but I’m quite happy to keep this collection as my little style secret.


Coat - Marni x H&M
Jumper - Johnnie b
Jeans - Johnnie b
Satchel - Boden
Boots - vintage from To Be Worn Again


Jumper, jeans and satchel received as review items.

Marni x H&M in Brighton

Yes, I was one of the fashion sheep queuing up for my ten minutes in the Marni x H&M pen today. As I'd cleared it with work to go in late - a fashion & retail editor needs to be top of this type of fashion frenzy, or something like that - I rocked up to the Western Road store at 8.45am. Not quite early enough, it turned out, but as I was in Brighton and not London (3am people, 3am), this secured me a wristband for the 9.55am slot.


Just enough time for an M&S lingerie jaunt and to feel the excitement build as I queued with my fellow fashion fans. Unlike the Versace hoards, this wasn't one for the teenagers. Marni being a favourite of chic Italian businesswoman, the majority of those queuing were in their thirties and forties, all anxiously watching as the groups in front of us frenziedly snapped up the pieces on their hit list.


When it came for my group's ten minute slot, many of the items I'd had my eye on - the polka dot trousers, bunny T-shirt and silk shirt - had gone, or existed only in a size 6 or 8. But I did manage to pick up the Sixties-style polka dot coat, cut in a lovely boxy, swing style, and cute jacquard top. Both very wearable and pretty reasonable at £79.99 and £59.99 respectively.


Shoppers were only allowed to take one piece of each style and the timed slots and re-stocking were managed with military precision by the H&M staff, so I didn't really understand the grumbles from those who joined the queue a little later. "So we might not get what we want?". "Well I don't have time for this". Erm, that's kind of the point, that's what 'limited edition' entails - why it's such a big deal...


I dropped by after work to see what was left and it was as if it'd never happened - every-day stock was back in place and the only hint of Marni mania left were two rails dotted with stiff and shiny patent leather tops and teeny tiny sizes.

What did you think of the collection? Did you manage to pick up your favourite pieces?

H&M designer collaborations

H&M's press e-mails are full of such joys - beautiful imagery, exciting news and sneek peek videos - that it's hard not to share. Proof that good PR relies on good content. So why resist? Let the sharing commence...

First up, and hot on the heels of Autumn 2011's debut Versace for H&M limited edition collection, is the fashion giant's capsule resort range for the Swedish store. Available exclusively online from 19 January, expect it to sell out within hours, to reappear at triple the price on eBay later that same day.


While I wasn't keen on the autumn's brash baraoque and neon Club Tropicana pieces, this new collection, boasting soft pastels, fun prints and easy-to-wear accessories, seems much more up my street.


But as if that isn't enough, March heralds the much anticipated Marni for H&M clothing and accessories collection, available in around 260 stores worldwide and online from the 8th.


"I wanted to create a true Marni wardrobe by revisiting all our favorite pieces in signature fabrics and prints," says Consuelo Castiglioni, Marni founder and creative director. "As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colours, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic adding sporty utilitarian elements."


Right, I'm off to set up an online account to save time on style scum days... If you're in, I suggest you do the same.