Drop by Tracey Neuls x Tord Boontje

For an ex-shopaholic like me, I am now buying only about 10% of what I used to in a year. I spent years using shopping as a means of stress relief from work, and it was only when I started selling all my unwanted stuff on ebay that I realised how ‘insane’ I had been!

These days, I rarely buy fashion items on impulse, and even when I see something I love, I would walk away and wait a few days before deciding on whether I really want the item or not. Most of time, I would forget about it almost instantly after I walk away, so this tactic has proven to be quite successful and has saved me a lot of cash!

When I used the same tactic after trying on some cool shoes at the Tracey Neuls/ TN29 store, I eventually returned a week later because I love them THAT much!

I have always been liked the TN29 collection for its quirkiness, but I thought they are slightly out of my price range ( I have also turned into a fashion cheapskate these days), so it was only during the sales period that I allowed myself to step into their very cool shop in Marylebone.

Within minutes, I fell in love with Geek Natural, a collaboration between Tracey and Dutch furniture designer, Tord Boontje, but was told that they had ran out of my size. The sales assistant then persuaded me to try the classic Brogue and the shockingly bright neon orange Geek ( both are their best sellers for many seasons). After trying them on, I was surprised by how comfortable they are… it was quite unexpected, but I struggled to decide and left the shop emptied-handed.

When I returned the second time, I left the shop with a lighter wallet ( well, not literally because I don’t usually carry so much cash on me) and the ‘brightest’ shoes I have ever bought in my life. When I got home, I had to console my guilt by reaffirming myself how ‘cool’ they look and that they will last for many years to come… It worked and my guilt disappeared almost instantly.