More Manolo Madness

Don'tcha just love the alliteration in the title of this post? You know you do. Now let me explain. Tonight, of course, is the UK premiere of Sex And The City 2, and I shall be in attendance with three of my favourite people, before going on to further attend with more of my favourite people at later dates (those who could not make it tonight. You shall be missed). Anyhoo, in true SATC style, and in honour of Ms Bradshaw (or should I say, Mrs Preston? Mrs Big?), I am continuing the Manolo theme of the last post and shall indeed be sporting the Shoes Of Joy to the screening tonight. Naturally, when deciding on my outfit, I started with the Blahniks and worked up, as seemed appropriate. And so, I decided to dress down the shoes with some on-trend chinos, to keep the look seasonal, and continued the casual theme with a T - but not just any old T, as I wanted to further my Manhattan-sized love for the show with my favourite I ♥ NY top. Too much effort for the cinema? Who cares. This isn't just any old movie. This is the Sex And The City 2 movie. And I think Carrie would approve. Hope you do, too. Let me know what you wore!

Blazer, Principles; Tshirt, bought in New York; red vest, Topshop; chinos, Gap; earrings, a gift from Spain; brooch and cocktail ring, Primark; sandals, Manolo Blahnik

My day in Manolos

And so it was that, a couple of Sundays ago, I was to attend the remembrance service in London's Hyde Park in honour of fallen troops. With my dad having served in the army for just under 30 years, it's not the first time I've attended one of these events but, this time, Dad had been chosen to carry his regiment's banner during the march. Mum, hubby and myself all assembled to proudly watch Dad in his moment of glory, and obviously we'd all dressed up for the occasion (particularly as HRH the Prince of Wales was there - couldn't let Charlie down, I know he's a steadfast follower of all things fash-wan).

While considering my footwear choices, it struck me that I hadn't worn my silver snakeskin Manolo Blahniks since my wedding day (nearly a year ago). Now, this wouldn't be your obvious choice for such a day, as we would be walking through Hyde Park, standing still for a good hour, then walking on to a spot for some lunch after the service, so warmth and walkability would be key. But if I could spend the biggest day of my life in those Blahniks - and let me tell you I was up till 4am dancing - then surely a few hours in the park would be doable? And if you're going to spend upwards of £350 on a beautifully crafted pair of shoes, a) it's a waste of money not to wear them, and b) surely all that money would mean they would be made so well that wearing them would be a dream, no? (And c, did I mention that I was to be in the presence of royalty? Not that it was about me, obvz).

So, how did they fare? Well, pretty bloody good actually. While my feet weren't the warmest - the predictable British weather giving us a particularly cold day in May - and my right pinkie did in fact go numb temporarily while we went through the hymns, the four-inch heels didn't feel high at all. My feet weren't uncomfortable while standing, and they were extremely easy to walk in. Not once did I teeter on the spindly stilettos. And I have to say, I gathered more than a couple of admiring glances shoe-ward, which always gives a girl a boost.

Mini-mission complete, the Blahniks were a huge success, and I felt all the more confident and stylish because of them during my chat with Charlie over lunch (yes, we even got to meet him. He's lovely). It just goes to show that quality craftsmanship really does pay off, and now I'm not so baffled by all those uber-groomed Manhattanites who manage to trot around the city all day in their very own sky-high strappies. Mr Blahnik, I salute you. Your shoes are not just beautiful, but ultimately very wearable. And Dad, we were very proud. xx

From top: Manolo himself; the iconic Cherry shoe, designed for Ossie Clark; a close-up of my Blahniks; wearing said Blahniks at the remembrance service with my parents. Blazer, Zara; dress, vintage; tights, Wolford; cashmere pashmina, a gift; mink elbow-length gloves, Primark

Body-scan jeans at Selfridges

I experienced the Bodymetrics made-to-measure jeans service at Selfridges this week. It launched back in 2004, but I never got round to checking it out, maybe because I quite enjoy the whole experience of trying on different styles of jeans in different shops, seeing which ones tick all the important boxes. But I know that not all women enjoy this experience, and that buying jeans can be the nightmare of nightmares, particularly if you're unsure of your body shape or don't have the time to dedicate a whole day purely to denim. So perhaps this Bodymetrics lark was a good idea?

And so it was that, while on a personal shopping day with a client on Tuesday, we happened across this technological denim matchmaker service on Selfridges' third floor, in the heart of their jeans section. My client was quite enthused, so I thought it would be a fun experiment if we tried it out.

The Bodymetrics service uses an electronic body scanner to scan your body, capturing over 180 measurements, and produces a digital replica of your size and shape. The scan is then used to provide three services: made-to-measure jeans, Body-Shape jeans (available instantly from the shop floor) and online virtual try-on. You stand inside a hi-tech imaging pod in your bra and some paper knickers they hand you, with your arms out to the sides (so far, so spray tan). Then, after a few minutes, Digital You comes up on the computer screen outside, complete with your waist and hip measurements and your category (they've identified three body shapes - straight, semi-curvy and curvy, and have designed a range of Body Shape jeans to fit these three types). Once this is complete, an 'expert jeans fitter' determines your body shape and finds the jeans to fit you best.

Well. Let's just say our 'expert jeans fitter' wasn't exactly, er, expert. Or a fitter. She gave no advice on jeans styles that would suit my client's shape. Then she gave her two pairs that wouldn't fit, and even when the third pair did, they were most unflattering. We tried another style that looked better, but generally my client was left to fathom out for herself whether the size worked for her or not.

Also, I have another issue. What's with the 'three body shapes'? Women come in so many different shapes, it's impossible to define us in only three categories. What if you were pear shaped but bigger lower on the thighs than the hips? Or pear shaped with more width higher up on the hips? What if you were 'straight' but with a muffin top that needed a higher rise? Or curvy with short legs? All these are important considerations.

So while it's quite exciting to take part in a futuristic body scan that promises to find you The Jeans to suit your shape, I think it's just too impersonal and generic, not taking into account all the different shapes and sizes we come in - and also our personal preferences for what we want out of a pair of jeans, and how and when we wear them. These things are all important, which is why I believe you're better off finding a personal stylist to help you find your jeans (or even Gap's own jeans fitting service, which can be excellent if you like Gap jeans). In conclusion, I recommend leaving the science to Doctor Who, because while body scans might be great for health reasons, security-at-the-airport issues or checking for unidentified aliens (sci-fi geeks, that one was for you), when it comes to personalised jeans fitting, you're better off keeping it personal.