Simply Stockton

I don't think my urge to blog has been this strong before!! I left the Simply Be store in Stockton, feeling invigorated, feeling charged, and feeling like things were finally starting to change for the plus size world.

Having read a number of posts following the Doncaster launch a week or so ago, I thought I knew what to expect! For some reason, I expected the store to be closed, except to us 'VIPs' (what we were called on the 'List'!) and competetion winners. But in reality, it was better.

There are a lot of women out there crying out for stores like SimplyBe. And I mean STORES. SHOPS. Places where you can go, touch, feel, try on clothes in the safety of other people like them. They feel ostrasized by fashion, confined to a dark corner of New Look, or faced with a-now-empty Evans store. These women don't 'do' on line shopping. So ASOS Curve might as well not exist for them. SimplyBe are coming to the rescue for these ladies. And by the looks on their faces, they didn't think they needed rescuing!!

I wandered around the store, knowing what I was looking for... I'd seen all the clothes that were in store, pretty much, being a regular on their website(!) but seeing the women in that store, how excited they were, how HAPPY they were, I started to really look at these clothes, and it really hit me how much COLOUR SimplyBe use, how many bright patterns, how many on trend items there were! As well as how many staples were there.

I do think these women were bowled over by the choice, by the staff (even the straight sized staff were wearing SimplyBe fashion) and by the technology:

overheard - Daughter: What is this magic mirror?

Mother: Does it make you slimmer?

I explain the way the mirror works

Mother: Well, what is the use of that?

Now, I loved the mirror! I was the first to tweet from that mirror, and while I was taking the first dress off in the changing room, I was being tweeted as to how nice it looked:

I love this Anna Scholz dress! Review to come soon!!

But now I had an idea on how the camera worked, my next attempt with the mirror was:

Tunic: Glamourosa H - K size 20

Seriously, so much fun to be had with that mirror!!

I made the most of the time in store to wander around, chat to people, staff and customers alike, as well as a wonderful chat with the Face of SimplyBe 2011 - Abi Hill.

Abi and I have exchanged a number of tweets, and this is when social media gives you a distorted view of things!! Abi was of course lovely, but as I introduced myself as 'Kathryn, that lass that stalks you on twitter...' I could have thought that line through a little bit!!

But as I'm sure Abi would agree, the store opening was a huge success, with lots of positive responses from customers. Mainly about the staff!

Staff wise, there was a lovely mix of ladies, straight sized and plus, older, and younger, you name it! They were all passionate about the brand, and their mission statement. And all were looking forward to the Metro Centre launch with Freddy Flintoff on April 17!

I can't wait for the MetroCentre store to open, so I can Clik'n'Collect, so no more Hermes Delivery men to contend with! So I can take photos on the mirror - and apparently, there are CSI style additions to come as well!

I can't wait! See you all at the MetroCentre then ladies!!