Blogging for Benfield: Personal shopping at the Metrocentre

Every now and then you stumble on something a little bit special when you’re shopping. Whether it’s the perfect shirt, beautifully cut trousers, or a dress that makes you want to twirl about a room like a ballerina. They’re the kind of clothes which convince you that once you’ve bought them, you’ll instantly become a better person. Capitalism at its finest.

They’re the kind of finds that as soon as you’re paying you want to take back out of the bag and admire. Can you remember the feeling you got as a kid when you were bought a new pair of shoes? And of wanting to wear them straight out of the shop? Well that is exactly what I’m talking about. And that is why I bought a dress that I have nowhere to wear.. Yet. I’m thinking that maybe I could keep it until my birthday (in November) if I don’t find another excuse to wear it. So let me explain how I got here…

As you already know I had to give the bloggermobile back to Benfield on Friday afternoon, sniff sniff. Before I did though the lovely folks at the Metrocentre asked me how I’d like to come on a personal shopping experience. And of course in the name of research, I thought it’d be great to bring the little Kia along to test out how its boot coped with a shopping trip! Now I’m pretty particular when it comes to my clothes and the kind of things that I like, so while I was excited about having a personal shopper for the afternoon, I was also a little bit daunted by the idea. What would happen if we didn’t have the same taste? Was it going to be awkward if she picked up things that I didn’t like? What if we didn’t get on? Being the kind of girl who likes to be everyone’s friend and keep everybody happy (as well as little bit of a fretter sometimes), stuff like this tends to get me wound up quite easily. Despite the hang-ups I went along with an open mind to meet Michaela and very quickly was reassured that none of my previous concerns were necessary. Michaela was really friendly and explained a little about herself and the rest of the Style Team. Basically, their service is ideal if you’re on the hunt for something specific- like for a wedding or a birthday. You can give them details of the kind of thing you’re looking for and they’ll do all the leg work and find it for you! They also offer great services for women who have lost their confidence and feel like they need a little help.

Since I wasn’t really on the hunt for anything in particular, we agreed to just have a browse in some of my regular haunts including Zara, where I found the dress! Michaela was helpful but not pushy and didn’t try to talk me into anything she had pulled that I wasn’t keen on. Though it was a pretty novel experience, it was quite helpful having an impartial opinion when I was trying on outfits. All in all I left with a few carrier bags and a slightly dented bank balance, but definitely a success! And there was still plenty of room in the Kia’s boot for more goodies!