Rites of passage

So another high street store might bite the dust and sadly Claire's Accessories USA stores have filed for bankruptcy and go the way of Toys R Us. No news if this will affect UK stores but there is a chance this will roll out as the high street are stuggling to compete with on-line retailers.

Claire's has great affection in our household, its where pocket money can be spent on plastic tat, novelty phone cases and of course get your ears pierced; its a rite of passage for all. Even one of the Beckham kids got their ears done first time in Claire's.

Curly Haired  Beauty got her ears done at 9 and a half, it was a comprimise as I had wanted her to wait until aged 10 (double numbers) but may have promised her she could get them done on her 9th birthday much to her father's horror. So we reached a middle ground. Now I know some parents get their babies ear's pierced and culturally it was said to help ward of the devil by punching two holes in their tender ears....but I had wanted to wait and let her make her own decision and really, really wanted to wear earrings and the care and maintenance that comes with it. *Wails* why do kids have to grow up? Stay little and innocent and enjoy the simple things in life, have fun in the park, feed the ducks etc. She's now a tweenager and asking for instagram and whatapp (both a BIG FAT NO from me).

Currently she is happy wearing the many, many differnt earrings she has been gifted from Claire's - a favourite are some unicorn earrings . Somehow escaping the notice of the school teacher! She has a pair, recently sent from a great-aunt in HK, a huge doozy cherry pair to be worn this weekend for a party. Dangly as a description comes to mind and Carmen Miranda :-) I might hot foot it over to Claire's just to get another piercing done before they close for good.

As I drift into nostalgia and recall all the past high street stores of my youth where I used to hang out, Tower Records in Piccadilly,  Virgin Mega Store  in Tottenham Court Road (now a Primark), C&A in Marble Arch (also a Primark) , Woolworths for pick and mix - where I purchased my first lipstick Heather Shimmer by Rimmel (they still make this, I saw it in Superdrugs). The whole high street landscape have changed greatly over the last 30 years. It makes me feel old to think and compare what used to be there and what we have now. It's all charity shops and Vape Stores. Does anyone remember Radio Rentals? Where you could lease a piece of white goods like a washing machine or a TV set to have in your home. It still running in Australia but physical stores long vanished in the UK.

twosp x




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