My favourite clothes shops in Cambridge
My favourite clothes shops in Cambridge
London is a great shopping city. I put it up there next to New York as one of the best. Spoilt for choice; I could rifle through rails in street markets abuzz with the excitement of a vintage designer find or head to Oxford Street, knowing that, the best the retailer had to offer would be on show and in stock in my size. When I first moved to Cambridge I was enthralled by its rustic, ‘film set’ charm but for fashion shopping, I wasn't convinced. However over the years I've discovered some real gems which now form part of my 'staple shopping diet'.
TK Maxx
TK Maxx is known for offering great value to its customers. Initially, I was put off by the sheer volume of it all but after a canny shop, in Cambridge’s centrally located store, I discovered there are some hidden gems to uncover. What I love is the rapidly changing assortment of treasures to delve through. My favourite finds have included a soft tumbled Italian leather, maroon bucket bag for £35 and a delicious wool/cotton tibetan style shawl for a knock-out £14.99! Living in London, I didn't get the opportunity to just pop in, but now I'm a regular in the accessory and shoe aisles. I’ve learned to scan the clothes rails if I'm after something specific like a striped breton top, otherwise for clothing, I just look at the ‘new in’ section at the front.
Mint Velvet
After the hustle and bustle of TK Maxx, walking into Cambridge’s Mint Velvet, you are hit by a calmness that shuts off the busy modern world outside. A lot of that is to with the old fashioned street and the quaint shop front it bestows, but I also believe it’s to do with their trade mark smokey, tonal colour palette. The latest trends are all present but infused into the collection in a relaxed, sophisticated way. They have great leather jackets, offering them in neutral (not black - hurrah!) shades and do different leg lengths in most of the jeans and trousers. I love it for a bit of carefree, glamorous luxury.
Lilac Rose
Lilac Rose, encompasses an individuality that is lacking from Cambridge’s high street. Shifting through the rails I felt transported back to my favourite London Boutique. It has a mixture of brand labels interspersed with funky stationery and unique accessories. It’s a fun little theatre of a shop with a Parisian vibe. One of my purchases is a beautiful dusty pink, Carrie Bradshaw-esque pleated chiffon skirt that gets commented on every time I wear it.
Zara
Good old-faithful Zara was of course there for me in Cambridge. I love Zara but I appreciate that it can be a daunting experience. Friends tell me they either avoid it or never find anything for them and leave feeling flat. I have a method for shopping in Zara that I don't use anywhere else. I walk through the entire ground floor once without picking anything up; assessing, absorbing and eliminating. I enjoy the rainbow of colour, the fad prints and the ‘up to the minute’ fashion but I rarely buy it. I look for the classics or should I say, Zara’s version of the classics and the pieces that will stand the test of more than a season.
As a friend reminded me, London hasn’t gone anywhere, but now I have Cambridge too! What are your favourite shops in Cambridge? Do let me know if you think I've missed a good one.