What Sophie Said

I’ve got a bit of an issue with ‘stuff’. I like having stuff. Then I feel overcrowded and want it out. I go through phases of collecting things, then feel the need to purge and get them all out. It happens with everything. I used to buy so many magazines you wouldn’t believe. When I had no room to keep them, I’d keep a folder of the front covers. One day, I recycled them all. I went through a phase of buying loads of (fairly cheap) clothes, then had a day where I needed to sort through everything and keep only the things that were flattering and that I loved. I bought so much makeup and so many toiletries there’s no way one person could use it all and I was running out of space to store it. Then I suddenly couldn’t bear how many products were crowding me out. I’ve been using everything up, so I can get to the point where I have one of everything, plus a backup if said item is close to running out. I’ve always been like it. I feel such an urge to colle...

On 7 th July, I turned 21, and the night before we had planned a big party at a local lounge bar. Of course, this was an occasion that called for a new dress, so my mum and I set off for a day at The Trafford Centre. I didn’t really have a set idea in my mind of what I wanted, only that I wanted something different from all of the other dresses I own, and something a bit special. The Trafford Centre is a great place to shop, especially when you arrive as soon as it opens on a weekday. It is spacious, beautifully decorated, and really offers a bit of everything. Mum and I weaved in and out of plenty of shops, and fairly early on in the day approached Miss Selfridge. At the door, we were greeted by one of the sales assistants, who handed us a card for the new, free, personal shopping service, The Dressing Room. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to try on some things I wouldn’t usually pick up, and get some advice from someone that knows all the dresse...