"A vertically integrated company that seemed dedicated to getting women horizontal"

...it may be (according to the Guardian) but along with being over-sexed, having a questionable (at best) claim to ethical production and being solely responsible for instilling in me the ridiculous notion that £38 for a small piece of tie-dyed jersey fabric is both reasonable and necessary: I can't help but find the news that American Apparel is "on the brink of bankruptcy" more than a little sad. Yes, Dov Charney is repulsive and clearly not the most responsible of businessmen; but his company produce perfectly cut racer-back vests, and their new season stock included the perfect Acne-alike, pleated chiffon maxi skirt and beautiful pair of white lace hotpants (which unlike Charney evidently envisaged I intened on wearing with a both top and tights).

Lace Ribbon Lingerie Short, £29.00, American Apparel

Chiffon Double-Layered Full Length Skirt, £56.00, American Apparel

I may even go as far to say that I find it difficult to imagine a world, well less melodramatically, the world of the High Street without an American Apparel branch. I'll inevitably just be unsatisfied by poorly cut vest tops and complain relentlessly about leggings that have baggy knees and get holes in the crotch after a couple of wears. Until then, I guess I have a very viable excuse for purchasing the above as relics of a bygone brand.

 

Adieu AA, It was fun (and expensive) while it lasted.

The September Issue...Resolved!

I caved.

I blame the appaulling weather and abundance of beautiful boots on the high street right now.

The search was inevitably sped up due to the fact that the seams of my beloved £15 black lace-ups have finally come apart, rendering them completely unwearable and leaving me with nothing but  soggy, soluble footwear.

Therefore, I don't feel quite so guilty about completely failing at this, my most ardent of resolutions.

After scouring the best of the high street my little town has to offer for a simple pair of black ankle boots (there's no way I won't wear them if they're a fail safe..right?) I came across some strong (but very pricey) contenders in Office, a surprisingly poor selection in Topshop and, shockingly, my winning (and most inexpensive) pair in Clarks. Which is somewhere I haven't set foot since I was allowed to upgrade my 'bootlegs' to the infinitely cooler Pod's in the autumn of 2002.

Branching out slightly from last year's beloved, second-hand pixie boots; I opted for a simple, chunky, black suede Chelsea style. A complete steal at £40 and far less likely to dissolve and leave me with the early stages of trench foot during Manchester's impending monsoon season; a true novelty for one accustomed to wearing little except ballet shoes and battered old boots perennially, rain or shine. Maybe I'm getting sensible in my old age?

Here they are! Fairly unassuming, but fantastically versatile (in theory).

I'm 85% sure on them, and since Clarks don't really appeal hugely to my demographic, here's hoping they won't be the ankle boots Du Jour of every other girl in the Fallowfield area this autumn, and at £40 it wouldn't be too hard to justify another pair come October...would it?

So the saga continues..

Here are my pick of the best black ankle boots on the provincial high-street (price restriction considered, unfortunately, otherwise Chloé would have certainly triumphed over Clarks).

£65 from Topshop

£69.99 from Clarks, complete with very on-trend shearling lining.

£69.99 from Clarks, a bit too sophisticated for me,
 but I love the equestrian detailing

£92 from Office.

£65 from Topshop.

£89 from Clarks.

£88 from Office