Your daily dose of pretty: what I didn't (and did) buy at Collectif

Another shop that I was very much looking forward to checking out during our sojourn in London was Collectif, although this time I found it not by design but by Eccentric English Boyfriend. As we were leaving Covent Garden Markets he said "let's go this way, I want to show you this shop I found, I think you'll like it". When we got there I was all "omg it's Collectif, you are totally, like, the Best Boyfriend Ever" and he was all "well yes obviously, now don't spend too much". And I didn't. But oh how I wanted to:

The Sailor Pencil Skirt (£30.00) is such a cutie, is it not? Unfortunately on my five foot frame skirts this length end up being mumsy-mid-calf-length, and the anchor embroidery means taking it up would not be an option. Le Sigh.

I did, however, buy this:

The Bow & Crossbones Pirate Ship Necklace (£4.00) is so adorable that even the middle-aged lady behind the counter at the Tower of London gift shop complimented me on it!

11 Year Old Boy was most unimpressed about being subjected to yet another clothing store, until I got into a conversation with one of the Collectif staff members about Australian rock band Airbourne, who were playing on the shop stereo. Next to AC/DC Airbourne are his favourite band and when she revealed that she'd actually met the band his eyes grew wide and I think he might have developed a wee crush. It was very cute. Don't tell him I said that, I'd hate to incur the wrath of a (very cute) 11 Year Old Boy!

Your daily dose of pretty: what we bought at Tatty Devine

14 Year Old Daughter and I had a list of must-visit shops for our trip to England, and top of our list was jewellery store Tatty Devine. So one day in the middle of our week in London we sent Eccentric English Boyfriend and 11 Year Old Boy off to blow things up at the Science Museum and set off on our own to negotiate the tube and London streets. We managed not too badly, too. We didn't get lost on the tube, almost didn't get lost in the streets and eventually found ourselves at the bright pink Tatty Devine store in the Seven Dials area of Covent Garden (which by the way is totally worth a visit for cute little clothing boutiques).

We browsed for ages trying to make up our minds which of the adorable jewellery items we would buy, and eventually narrowed it down to one necklace and one ring each. So here's what we got:

I couldn't resist the Red Squirrel Necklace (£21.00). He's such a cute little fella, and a fabulous souvenir of my trip (because of course I totally love squirrels!).

Isn't the Cat Ring (£9.00) adorable? Not the most comfortable thing to wear, but I'll put up with a little discomfort to have cat ears sticking up from my finger!

14 Year Old Daughter is passionate about music (she plans to study it at university) so the Music Note Pendant (£22.00) was an obvious choice. Hers is black, which doesn't seem to be available any more, but the red is gorgeous too.

I bought 14 Year Old Daughter the Moustache Necklace for Christmas, and now she has a Moustache Ring (£9.00) to go with it.

All in all a productive (if not somewhat wallet lightening) visit. And our day didn't end there, we hit the tube again, got lost a little bit more and then shopped up a serious storm on Oxford Street. But that's a whole other blog post!