Let's Get Dressy

This post is in collaboration with Coliseum Shopping Park. Ellesmere Port

A day out shopping always starts with coffee.  Always.  It is a bit of an unwritten rule, it is a way of girding your loins before you commence with your itinerary.

I had company in the form of my delightful Step Daughter, Lucy.  Lucy loves a little shop too.  It runs in the family because, even though he would never admit to it, her Father is the same as the rest of us, deep down.  Fuelled with a very reasonably sized 'small' cappuccino, courtesy of Starbucks, we were under starters orders and OFF!

My quest of the day, after being contacted by the Coliseum Shopping Park, was to hunt down something I would wear to a wedding or maybe a race day.  We are very close to Chester Race Course and some of their key meetings are on the horizon.  It seemed like a reasonable request and one that took me straight out of my comfort zone.  Over recent weeks I have been making a determined effort to step away from wearing jeans everyday.  I was, dare I say it, beginning to fall into a bit of a rut.  A lovely, fluffy, comfortable rut but a rut all the same.  I am beginning to enjoy all things related to freeing up my legs a bit more.

We had arrived just before 10 o clock and parked with ease.  By the time we left, at 1.30, the car park had filled up considerably but there were still available spaces.  The shopping area has many shops including H&M, Debenhams, New Look, Next and River Island.  All like individual places of worship for fashion junkies.  Outfit is a store that incorporates the likes of Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Wallis and Topshop.  All in one place. Winner, winner chicken dinner, as all the tweens in my life now say.  Luckily there was also a mammoth sized  'Boots Store.'  (I needed further fake tan supplies!).  We noticed a Costa coffee,  as well as Starbucks.  Not far away we spied a Pizza Hut together with a Burger King.

'Monumental like'  stores reaching for the skies.

They don't believe in 'small' at the Coliseum. 

Whenever I have visited before my first stop has always been H&M.  Why break a habit?  I already knew that I had seen some 'insta worthy' offerings on some of my favourite bloggers. I thought I would easily find clothing that I would be more than happy to wear.  It didn't disappoint and I felt extremely comfortable with everything that I decided to try on, well almost everything.

H&M

H&M

H&M

After H&M Lucy fancied a mooch around Debenhams.  We pondered in the beauty hall,  for longer than expected, and then did a pick and mix of some sale items that caught our eye.  I was looking for  pieces completely different from anything that I already own.  They didn't disappoint.  I felt totally fabulous in the red jumpsuit.  Borderline 'DALLAS' but I didn't care, it felt fantastic. Totally slinky and a touch 'Riviera'  (I could do with a villa in the South of France to accompany my choice of jumpsuit.).  I don't think Debenhams 'do' villas.  Shame.

Seeing red in Debut at Debenhams 

Vila at Debenhams 

John Rocha at Debenhams 

It was the most wonderful size, for a fitting room, but I did have a grumble to the sales assistant.  Why Oh Why can they never get the darn lighting right.  It was such a shame and she retorted that absolutely everybody said the same.  Maybe Debenhams need to take heed.  I am sure they would acquire more sales.  Just saying.

Topshop at Outfit

The feeling that you get, at the shopping park, is one of space.  I love shopping and having plenty of room to manoeuvre.  All of the fitting rooms I used were a great size and had brilliant mirrors (something I lack at home.)  In fact, all the stores are of substantial size.
It is a much nicer shopping experience than some of the outlets in the city of Chester, for example. The choice at H&M and Debenhams also seems to be superior and more extensive than most.

Lucy and I had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and she had been such a great help.  It was time for some lunch but first we needed to shop for some essentials for my Husband.  He isn't one for excitement.  His request for the day,  three basic black T Shirts and some socks from 'Next.'  You can see why he isn't a fashion related Instagrammer can't you.  The 'Next' store is rather large, as are all the stores,  and it was opportune that they had a Costa Coffee on the second floor, right next to the men's socks!  In we toddled for some refreshments.

All in all a very successful, fun, relaxed day.

I will be returning soon.

Thank you for reading.

Helen X


AD. This blog post is part of a paid partnership with Coliseum Park Shopping. Thank you for inviting me.

For more detail, on the shopping day, head over to my story highlights on Instagram.