Shopping

I have to confess that last weekend whilst having a wonderfully 'London' day (the sun was out, Mr J and I were strolling down the King's Road looking for presents for each other...) I was completely put off buying one brand again. We had gone into quite a few beauty shops that day (are you surprised?) and as we walked into MAC we were greeted by a wall of horrifically terrible house music. I balked at the door but went in anyway. The shop assistants (a man and a woman with terrifying black lipstick) were chatting away at the end of the counter. They continued to chat whilst I tapped my fingers. When the woman eventually came over her disdain for me was tangible after giving me the price of the product I was looking at (which she had to repeat over the blare of the awful music) she then swanned off back to her chat. I left without even considering a purchase.

Why do shops think that pumping house music is a good sales technique. You can't hear yourself think let alone any of the shop assistants and I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't stand house music. I also end up feeling rather like my mother ("what a terrible noise") which is not great when you are 23. I know much prefer going to a big department store where the muzak is in the background and the assistants are there to help. John Lewis on the Kings Road ended up getting my custom.

Thank goodness that the wacky world of celebrities is proving a suitable diversion from the drama of what I now like to call 'in-person shopping' (as opposed to online). Amy Winehouse has succumbed to Rehab (I'm avoiding the much over used but tempting 'yes yes yes' gag), Nicole Richie is pregnant and Britney is now an (alleged) lesbian. I find this all immensely comforting as it makes my lack of money, carpets in my house and any sort of career plan look insanely normal and boring. I am a big Amy Winehouse fan - I can't really explain why. We're the same age and I often toyed with off-the-raildom and instead teetered back to sane living thanks to the firm rule of Mumma B. And she looks so scarily thin that I can only think how messed up and unhappy she must be. She only lasted two days however, so I'm not sure she's on the road to recovery just yet.

Her US skinny equivalent Nicole Richie however, has been looking fab since announcing her pregnancy. One can only assume that it is the addition of baby fat that has improved her no end. I can't help but worry that once she reaches six months she will just snap if she stands up. Surely she doesn't have the ability to hold up pounds of baby. I do really hope that this signals a turning point for her though. Fingers crossed.

As for Ms Spears. Oh Britney, Britney, Britney. I really don't think she would know how to make a right decision if one came up and smacked her in the face (which I believe it frequently nearly has in the form of her various 'close friends and relatives' who are constantly in the press ruing the Pop Princesses behaviour. But for those of you who thought it couldn't get any worse the last couple of days have been dominated by news of Britney's penchant for nudity in public, lesbian pool romps and family rows. It has also been rumoured that she keeps her babies awake til 11 so that they sleep in and to aid this gives them coffee with cream and sugar. Don't hold your breathe for Britney's re-birth as the next Mrs Beeton. xx

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