Iconic Alexander McQueen at Harvey Nichols

I was at an event on Thursday night hosted by the Harvey Nichols Personal Shopping team – I met some very interesting people and saw some lovely clothes on my journey through the store, however I was most impressed by the fabulous homage to my favourite designer, the late Alexander McQeen in the window displays… The windows are to celebrate the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, organized by The Costume Institute, which is paying tribute the late Alexander McQueen’s extraordinary contributions to fashion. For further information visit the Met’s website: http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/about/

A unique show piece from the A/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” collection

Wooden fan dress from the S/S 1999 “No. 13 collection”

A unique show piece from the S/S 2005 “It’s Only A Game” collection

Another unique show piece from the S/S 2005 “It’s only a game” collection

This was also a unique show piece from the A/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” collection

And last but by no means least, my favourite unique show piece from the A/W 2008 “The Girl Who Lived In A Tree” collection - I can definitely see SJP or Carrie Bradshaw in this one!

Killer heels

My “stand-off” with high-heel shoe shopping finally came to an end the other day. For the past couple of seasons, if you’re 5″7 or over and you venture into any shoe store such as Kurt Geiger, Topshop or Aldo, there are only about 3 pairs of high heeled shoes to choose from that don’t make you look like a “man-in-drag” – as practically every pair of  dressy-ish shoes or ankle boots have a built in platform and 10 inch heels with the only other choice being some lame-o pair of kitten heels that make you look like Kate Middleton, pre-engagement announcement!

Why is it that there are no in-between height shoes that you actually want to wear i.e. that don’t make you look like a bridesmaid? It’s not that I don’t like high-heels it’s just that I want a choice… Firstly these giant shoes make me really, really tall and secondly, I have very narrow feet, so I often struggle to keep these skyscrapers on. I have to spread my toes out in the vain attempt to stop them slipping off or I have to wear heel grips which make them a size smaller and therefore very uncomfortable. All in all I’ve seriously been struggling to buy shoes for ages now. I feel rather bad saying that as I’m a personal shopper but I’ve had exactly the same issues with my customers too – of the trendier styles, it’s drag-queen/lady of the night or nothing!

Anyway, last week I was going to a “black-tie do” and I had to buy some new shoes… so Monday PM therefore found me heading to Selfridges shoe heaven, sorry, I mean shoe galleries, to begin my search (www.selfridges.com). I tried on several styles but there were very few I could actually keep on, as they were all crazily high and they were pretty “blah” looking to be honest. I then came across a pair of STUNNING Corso Como Kurt Geiger Fashionistas that I’d seen in all the magazines for the last couple of months and here they were in my size, half price in the sale (www.kurtgeiger.com)!

When I put the right shoe on it fitted like a glove – unbelievably high but it looked amazing. I asked the shop assistant to get me the other shoe… and of course I loved them! I felt so tall and fabulous – and of course like a “fashionista”. I knew instantly that I had to have them. I asked the guy helping me to stand next to me to see how tall they made me. We worked out I was about 6”1 – I was clearly never going to find a man in these heels!! But what the hell, who needs a boyfriend when you’ve got shoes to die for!! Carrie Bradshaw eat your heart out…

I was SO excited with my purchase, I skipped home and couldn’t wait to wear them the following evening… The night of the event I decided not to put them on until I was just about to step out of the taxi – I slipped them on and looked down – oooh, the excitement… First step, second step… “Stone the crows” I thought to myself, “these bad boys are pretty tough to actually WALK IN”, of course I’d only tip-toed about 3 steps in them on the carpet when I’d tried them on. I had to concentrate so hard to walk it was ridiculous. They threw me forward so much I felt like I was being launched off running blocks with every step! It was a nightmare… I started to panic. I realized with horror… the shoes were wearing me!! My mind was so fixated on my feet I could barely think of anything else. As soon as we sat down to eat I took them off under the table – the relief! But when I had to put them back on I felt like one of the ugly step sisters, I could barely get my feet into them – and when I stood up I was in agony. I spent the rest of the evening walking and dancing like an imbecile. My toes were so cramped, it felt as though they were constantly trying to escape from the torture/hell I was putting them through and my every step was agony…

When I got home in the small hours I kicked the shoes off and swore I’d only ever wear flat shoes again for the rest of my life. The next day my tendons had stretched so much that I could barely even walk down the stairs and as I walked past my beautiful “Fashionistas” lying abandoned in the hall I pulled a face at them. “What’s wrong with bridesmaid shoes anyway,” I thought angrily? They literally were “killer” heels…

EBAY anyone??

P.S. I annoyingly saw a picture of Olivia Palermo sporting the exact same pair in yellow a couple of weeks ago in Grazia and she was wearing them as though they were ballet flats! Grrr… belated New Years Resolution – must learn to walk in skyscraper heels!!!

P.P.S. The yellow ones are even more fabulous than the black ones I bought, have a peek:

http://www.look.co.uk/fashion/celebs-love-kurt-geiger%E2%80%99s-fashionistas-court-shoes

The great legging debate!

One of the most common questions my clients ask is “Can I wear leggings??” Thinking about it, it’s funny that something so innocent can cause such a difference of opinion, as in one camp there are those who can’t live without leggings – and in the other there are those who simply can’t abide them. And then there’s the favourite line for not wearing them that “If you’ve already worn them the first time around, you can’t wear them again!”

If I’m being honest, my frank answer to that is that if you can’t wear something that’s been around before… then you can’t wear much. That’s the thing about fashion – everything is a re-invention of a previous style – so really the saying doesn’t make much sense. I think the more pressing question is how you wear them…

To me, black leggings are simply opaque tights with the feet cut out – what’s not to love! They ease the transition from tights to bare legs perfectly – and if you’ve botched up your fake tan, they’re the most fantastic instant cover-up. So why is it that people have such an aversion to these stretchy lifesavers? Black opaques have become a staple in almost every woman’s life (what did we do before they were back in fashion?) but for me, leggings are equally important. I can barely remember what I did before I embraced them fully as a very versatile option in my wardrobe.

 

Purple leggings?? Maybe not for the faint hearted! © Edward Bartel | Dreamstime.com

Another popular question I’m asked is “How old is too old to wear leggings?!” I think this is a very difficult question to answer. If worn in the right way, almost any age group can wear them. I suppose it’s whether or not they fit in with someone’s style and also, more importantly – I’m back to the same question again – “how” a person wears them.  Apart from with dresses and skirts probably the easiest way to try them is with long tunic tops and possibly with a belt too if you need more definition around the waist; colour-wise, keep them black for starters. I believe the most important thing to think about is their length… ideally they should finish at the narrowest point of your leg – which is usually around the ankle.

Actually, sometimes people who are on the skinnier side often struggle more with leggings as they can make legs look like pipe-cleaners… but for me they solve the “it’s too hot for tights but too cold for bare legs” dilemma and they give lots of items such as dresses and skirts an extended lease of life. I have many dresses that are a bit too summery on their own. However, with a pair of leggings, a skinny belt and long grand-dad style cardigan, they suddenly look perfect for that in-between time of year. Also, they look fab with both flats and heels and are perfect if you’re feeling a little too exposed and want to cover up a bit more. So where is the best place to buy them? Well I’ve bought the odd expensive pair but I have to say that they all go a bit baggy around the knees after a couple of wears, so I head to the High Street. Every store has a slightly different take on them – I bought some with side zips from Topshop (www.topshop.com) last week for £16, then there were some in Urban Outfitters (www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk) with black studs on the side… others with buttons from River Island (www.riverisland.com) – yes they’re everywhere. Just make sure you buy them small because they do “grow”!

Another great hybrid are “jeggings” – a clever cross between skinny jeans and leggings. They give more coverage and feel less “naked” than leggings but still give the same look. Basically, leggings are easy to carry off AND they’re comfortable too – what more could we girls want?

Roll on the sunshine…

I’ve read several articles recently about how difficult people are finding it to know what to wear at the moment…. And I’m feeling their pain! Now I know it’s only March and that it’s often cool around this time of year – but it’s getting ridiculous. I’m sure the potential for snow has never lingered for so long…. Not in my life-time anyway! And just in case you haven’t heard, more flakes are forecast for next week!! The worst thing for me as a regular tube user is that I have to dress for all seasons in one outfit because it’s always freezing on the walk to and from the station AM and PM. However, of course the underground itself is like being in the Bahamas! I always look like a donkey when on the tube as I’m carrying all the layers that I’ve peeled off as I descend to what feels at times, like the centre of the earth. What with the tube, the weather outside and the heating inside, my skin is looking like a nightmare at the moment… Thankfully I’ve just moved in with a friend who’s a facialist!! How lucky I am to have someone on hand for all skin emergencies!!

Anyway, I’d planned to write about how I too was lacking inspiration when getting dressed in the morning due to the cold weather, as all I’m doing is piling on another layer of black… and from no-where up popped the sun (this was Monday) so I thought – no, not relevant anymore (I had my fingers crossed)! But then a day later, low and behold – the weather turns “Siberian” again….

At the beginning of the year I was so excited to get out there and hit the shops but as the February temperatures plummeted so did my enthusiasm for my prospective S/S wardrobe!! I don’t usually need to put aside time to “go shopping” of course as I’m always in the shops and spot things (far too frequently) which I just pick up after I’ve put my clients in a cab or dropped them at their chosen tube stop when our time together is done – however, recently instead of hanging around the shops I’ve wanted to whip down the stairs to the tube with them… to get home ASAP, eat and watch 2 episodes of Gossip Girl which I’ve become totally obsessed with (ok – I know I’m behind on this one, but I’d taken an instant dislike to the show after Grazia had described it back in 2007 as the “new” SATC – which was so not true!! You cannot compare Blair and Serena to Carrie et al! However I thought I’d give it a go…. and actually I’m really rather enjoying it!). So in a nut-shell, I’ve turned into a bit of a hermit – and I blame the weather (don’t panic I am still venturing out… I went to Bungalow 8 on Saturday night. It was quite fab and less posey than I’d expected, which was good – the only celeb sighting was Darius… does he count??)!

So in conclusion shopping-wise, the problem is I know it’s all out there waiting for me – but I’m finding it much easier to walk away than usual because unless I can wear my new purchase with the same black cardigan/blazer I’ve been wearing for the last 4 months I’m thinking, “Well, I can pick it up in a couple of weeks!” However one thing that I do have to keep reminding myself of is that I often prefer the collections in store at this point of the season, as in a couple of months the fabrics will get even lighter, for the high summer season. So in theory, if you miss out now, all that’ll be left will be shorts, t-shirts and kaftans! No – I’m being dramatic… But if you can drag yourself away from your latest box-set then you’ll certainly have choice at the moment…. But how do you wear your new purchases when it’s so chilly outside? Well all of the nudes, khakis and beiges that are so “hot” for this season happen to look great with black (the relief!) and pretty good with grey too. And the key word? Layering – the only way to dress at the moment. Add some of the new season’s colour palette in with your basics and you’ll begin to feel a bit more current again. So I’ll finish as I started… Roll on the sunshine!!

© Chachas | Dreamstime.com

Alexander was the greatest!

I was completely stunned when I heard the news about Alexander McQueen last week. For a short time I got the same feeling in the pit in my stomach that I’d felt after hearing that Michael Jackson had died – when you know that someone with enormous talent, has gone forever. It’s very difficult to comprehend that someone who seemingly “has it all” decides to take their own life – we all dream of having talent or success like he had – it’s hard to imagine that deep unhappiness could ever go hand-in-hand with such achievements. But apparently after the death of his mother the week before his own, for McQueen there seemed very little left to live for. His McQ show had been scheduled for the afternoon of his death in New York, his Paris show was in a couple of weeks – but seemingly none of it was important anymore. It makes you truly realise if you’re not happy then absolutely nothing matters.

I’d never met McQueen or been to one of his shows, but I felt as if I might as well have done – when in the vicinity of his creations and surrounded by his clothes, you felt for a minute that you’d just gained an insight into his brilliant mind – even if only briefly. He was a true genius and one of, if not the most influential designers of his time.

Tributes flooded in from all over the world after the news broke – British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said simply, “It is an incredible loss not only for British fashion but for fashion the world over.”

McQueen left school with one O-level in art and began his career at the age of 16 as an apprentice at Savile Row tailor Anderson & Sheppard. Clearly talented from a very young age, one of his earliest memories that he often recalled was drawing a picture of a dress on the wall of his family’s council house in London’s East End aged 3. He worked at Gieves and Hawkes, the theatre costumier Angels & Bermans and then as a pattern cutter at Romeo Gigli, in Milan. After this time he returned to London aged 21 where he was offered a place on the MA course at Central Saint Martins.

It was around then time that he met someone who would change his life (and interestingly also his name, as she encouraged him to use his middle name Alexander instead of his first name Lee). This was the late fashion editor Isabella Blow, who bought his entire collection upon his graduation from St. Martins and theirs became one of the designer’s most important relationships. She became his friend and mentor – and her own tragic end clearly had a huge effect on McQueen – as she took her own life in 2007. Apparently this was something he never got over.

McQueen worked as the head designer at Givenchy (replacing John Galliano) in 1996 but they parted ways in 2001 as the position was “constraining his creativity”. It was after this time that the Gucci group bought a 51% stake in McQueen’s business which catapulted him to the world-wide stage and he opened stores in London, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Milan. He also launched his diffusion line McQ in 2005. He was hailed as the “enfant terrible” and his Paris catwalk shows, the highlight of Paris Fashion Week since 2000, were dramatic spectacles show-casing his creations like no-one had done before. He pushed things to the limit – forcing models to walk in 12 inch “alien” looking platforms… some so terrified to walk down the run-way in them, that they actually refused.

Liberty's window on Great Marlborough Street this week, "For McQueen and Country"

 Personally, I’ve always been drawn to McQueen’s collections. Some of them were a bit scary looking but every spectacular piece had to be appreciated for what it was – a work of art. I only really started to come into closer contact with his clothes after they opened their store at Bicester Village (I’m their Style Consultant) – it’s probably my favourite store there. I love spending time in there as I really feel as though I’m in the presence of something very exciting – real fashion. When I’d be doing research for clients or choosing “Hot picks” for the village, I’d undoubtedly end up in the store. The dresses are often ethereal, the sharp tailoring is second to none and the accessories and shoes are simply stunning

I remember once being in Liberty with a client and buying a pair of McQueen black patent leather kitten heeled ballet pumps. Initially I thought there were silver rose buds dangling off the little ties on the front of the bow – on closer inspection, they weren’t rose buds at all… of course they were skulls! I should have known (as the skull is his most iconic trademarks)!

I also remember after waiting to see Sarah Jessica Parker at the London Premier of the Sex and the City movie, when she emerged from her blacked out car in one of his creations. I couldn’t believe how amazing she looked. Of course she wore McQueen – the film’s world premier was in London – so she had to wear the capital’s most talented designer…

I could go on and on – but if you want to see many of the iconic images from his collections click on this link from the Daily Mail which I think just about covers everything:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1250252/Alexander-McQueen-A-life-fashion.html

 I was pleased to read this morning that PPR, the parent company who own the Gucci Group has announced that his brand will definitely go on… But without his genius, there are some very big shoes left to fill.

Noughties to teenies…

I watched a TV programme on Thursday night about shopping in the “noughties”. It was discussing the idea that during the 00’s there’d been a shopping revolution of sorts in the UK, when suddenly everyone who’d previously only bought “designer”, started shopping on the High Street too. Kate Moss was happy to design a collection for Topshop, Giles for New Look, Jil Sander for Uniqlo… even Coleen designed a collection for George at Asda, which would have been un-thinkable 10 years previously. The decade was about wearing your expensive designer handbag with… basically anything – your look no longer needed to be head-to-toe designer to be “en Vogue”… And to me London has been at the epicenter of this revolution. 

It started me thinking about whether it had been the same in other fashion capitals of the world, which are ever so good at doing “designer” but to me, not as successful at the lower end of the market. I love the Via del Corso in Milan, Avenue Montaigne in Paris… Barneys and Bergdorf’s in New York – the same as I love Bond Street and Sloane Street in London, but where’s their Oxford and Regent Street equivalent? 

London Oxford Street Christmas Lights © Patrickwang | Dreamstime.com

The fact that Topshop has opened in New York, speaks volumes to me, as there was definitely a gap in the market for such a store… And this is the same gap that I notice when shopping in many cities of the world. How many pictures are there of Olivia Palermo and Whitney Port (yes I am obsessed with The Hills and The City – and yes, I know I’m too old!) wearing Topshop, as though it’s the coolest thing in the world – they don’t seem to be able to get enough of it. But think about it – where would we be without being able to pop into Warehouse in our lunch-hours to grab a glittery number for that evening, for example? We are so lucky to have the likes of Oasis, River Island, Topshop and Urban Outfitters (I could keep going)… And I don’t think we realise it. 

Ignoring our current exchange rate situation as a reason not to spend (and if in the US, forget buying brands such as Abercrombie and Polo which are obviously very well priced compared to at home) – if you want a decent going-out dress for say £100, how easy is it to find one?  As I’ve found that on the whole everything’s either expensive or horrendously cheap – there’s very little on offer in between and their “High Streets” are practically none existent. In the UK, whether I’m shopping in Liverpool or London, if I want to spend £50 or £500 on a handbag I have choices. And in a way I feel like I’ve been spoilt by how much we have on offer as when I’ve been away recently, I’ve been tempted to buy very little. 

This however hasn’t always been the case – as I used to LOVE shopping when I went away… I’ve been going to Munich every summer since I was born, due to my father’s business. When I was younger I would break my neck to buy “early” birthday presents there (it was usually July and my birthday isn’t until mid October), as everything seemed so different compared to at home. There’s a shop called Loden Frey (www.loden-frey.de) that I remember going into (a kind of Liberty/Fortnum & Mason/grand “old school” department store type place) and being beyond excited at the prospect of getting, among other things, a pair of navy blue woollen culottes and a white sailor style blouse with a big navy blue bow (this outfit seemed so chic and stylish in Munich, yet when I got back home I felt like a maniac!). My friend Kate who was with us called her parents to “send more money” as the store was not at all cheap and she wanted early birthday presents too – her birthday wasn’t until the end of March the following year! My mum would always go mad for their jackets and come home with new purchases (several of which she still has to this day – as they were so expensive she won’t part with them… I have tried to remove them from her wardrobe many times, but they always seem to make it back in somehow!!). 

Something else I bought in Munich… (People reading this from my year at school will remember this one) was… are you ready?? Ok – deep breath… A white shell suit covered in a luminous scrawl and a matching top and skirt – because it was the exact outfit Monica Seles won Wimbledon in, back in 1993 (I was a bit tennis mad at the time)… I spotted it in a department store and I had to have the whole ensemble “as an early birthday present” of course (gosh I sound like a spoilt brat!). Well, when I got on court (back at school) for the annual summer tennis tournament, did I think I was the “coolest dude” on court or what (most other people just wore their school gym kit…)?? The whole outfit was complete over-kill but it had the desired effect as I won the tournament (I was ok at tennis but I think because I was channelling Monica I couldn’t NOT win – even though looking back it was more likely that I blinded my opponents so they couldn’t see the ball, with my “dazzling” white outfit!!).

Patricia Field shop window in New York

Maybe for me, shopping when abroad seemed so much more exciting back then because of my age (for the above “ensemble” I think I was 12 at the time). Or was it because there was less choice at home than there is now (as it was “pre the High Street” as we know it!)? It was probably a bit of both – but when I was recently in New York for example, I barely bought anything… apart from the day that I went to the Patricia Field shop (owned by the stylist from SATC) and spent a small fortune (it’s like being in a giant dressing-up box – I loved it! Have a look at their website www.patriciafield.com – but be warned, I bought my sister a white gold “Carrie necklace” on-line and the shipping costs from the States were extortionate – and it barely weighed more than a fruit fly!!)… Aside from that, really I only bought make-up, which for US brands was bargainously cheap (my mother and sister did get some Abercrombie stuff but only really because we had to go in to check out the models on the door)!

 So for me New York, Paris etc… they’re fabulous cities to shop in if you’ve got some cash to spend… but I believe there’s no-where like London for bridging the gap between the likes of Primark and Prada (and if you’re looking for something more one-off there’s plenty to choose from too). So as we begin this new decade of the “teenies” – I wonder what the next 10 years will bring for us shopping and fashion-wise… probably a move to more ethical shopping, even more on-line shopping? Who knows – all I know is that I still hope there’s a bit of “sweetie darling” fabulousness in there somewhere…!!

“You’re very critical aren’t you?”

That was what a girl said to me a couple of Fridays ago in a very well known beauty store and I was fuming! What’s wrong with having high standards, I asked myself and so what if I am critical? Was she implying that after applying several layers of primer, foundation, concealer, powder, blusher etc… that I couldn’t look any better? Did she feel that she’d worked her magic and that was it, the only option being for me to buy every product now, no questions asked?

© Catalin Plesa | Dreamstime.com

To set the scene, I’d chosen this location for my make-up shopping as they have a good selection of brands and in my eyes they are therefore not biased to any one product – and I asked an assistant to help me locate the “perfect” foundation. I kept mentioning a certain brand that I really wanted to try but, because there were 5 make-up artists from a different brand standing around (who I found out were there for an event later on in the day and were clearly bored to death) – she made it very clear that I should be “assisted” by one of them, even though I’d already said I’d tried this particular brand before and I wasn’t that impressed.

Anyway, after applying all the layers of make-up as above, I looked in the mirror…and, embarrassingly, I wasn’t that happy with what was staring back at me. You know when you go “Oooh… (furiously scanning your face like The Terminator would do)… Mmm, yes that looks nice”. Well, this was exactly what I was doing… but at the same time what I was actually thinking was that I looked a bit yellowy and matt – when I’d specifically said that I wanted a “glowing” (youthful) look! Now call me picky, but if I’m spending money on something like foundation then I actually want some “vaguely evident” results. I don’t want to look as though I’ve gone to Boots and spent £10! What’s the point in spending the extra £50??

 So I had a choice: either say, “Yes it’s lovely I’ll have it”, or dare to be honest and say “Actually I’d like you to start again and try something else!” That’s the problem with make-up shopping, once the assistant has found you, in their opinion, the “perfect” match of foundation for example, you’re made to feel as though you have to automatically buy it. It’s not the norm to go from counter to counter getting them to make you up and then go to the next place to try again.

However, once the girl helping me had uttered the “You’re very critical” comment, I made my mind up – I was going to try something else and I didn’t care how long she’d spent making me up! So a little sheepishly, I approached another girl in the shop (who worked for the store and not a specific brand) and told her what had happened and she said the make-up did look a bit mask like! OMG – I’d nearly spent £40 on that!!! And it took her 3 attempts to get off the under-eye concealer the other girl had used, it was so thick! Anyway, cutting a long story short she selected several products from different brands, which was exactly what I wanted and I left happy and “glowing”. If I’m honest, the youthful “glow” I’m after is probably only achieved after using several jars of exceedingly expensive face-cream or something altogether more “industrial”… like a chemical peel! But as I’m not into bee-keepers hats (do you remember the episode of SATC where Samantha had a chemical peel before Carrie’s book launch party and because her face was peeling so badly after she’d had it done, she had to wear a black veil over her face in bee-keeper fashion – and was told to stay away from the food at the party as she was putting people off!). On second thoughts I might put that off for a little while…!!

© Kydriashka | Dreamstime.com

I was mentioning my make-up experience to a good friend of mine and she said a similar thing had happened to her when wedding dress shopping the other week. She’d booked viewing appointments in several stores and in one very well known bridal shop. After being given their “book” to browse through, she said that there weren’t any that caught her eye. The assistant then replied, “You’re very fussy aren’t you!” Er… yes she is very fussy!!! She’s deciding on the dress that will be worn on one of the most important days of her life, spending possibly the most she’ll ever spend on a single item of clothing and she wants it to be absolutely right! My friend didn’t want someone simply stuffing a book in front of her and basically saying “Pick one!” She did end up however, having the most wonderful experience in Browns Bridal shop in London (www.brownsfashion.com). She was pampered and taken around the whole store, being shown exquisite dresses (with exquisite price tags too though, unfortunately)…. She hasn’t made her final decision but she did fall in love with one dress there – it sounded amazing!

At the end of the day I think we’re well within our rights to say, “I’d like to try something else please” or “No, I don’t like any of those dresses” and not feel awkward or guilty about it. We’re all thinking more about how we spend our money at the moment and if we decide to part with it, we want to know we’re getting the best for our hard-earned cash.

So I think here’s one for my list of New Years resolutions: next time I’m in a situation where I’m feeling pressurized to buy something and I’m not 100% convinced (especially when the refund policy is slightly questionable), I’m simply going to smile and say “Thank you so much, I’ll think about it!” – Well that’s the plan anyway…