The game is afoot

Banstead High Street

Banstead High street had lots of charity shops, I was sure I would be able to find something I liked at one of them.   First I went into the British Heart Foundation - nothing, then St Raphael's Hospice, who had a lovely dress suit in navy with cream piping, I loved the style of the jacket, no lapels just a nice rounded collar running down to the single cream button, I tried this but decided with mixed feelings that it was a little large for me (yea a size 18 too large!). next the Tadworth Children's Trust, they did have a pair of low heeled boots in my size, but they were so clumpy and - well - masculine that I just couldn't see the fun in them.  

Barnardo's,  Marie Curie, Cancer Research, Oxfam, nothing in any of them.   I did see another dress suit I liked, but that one was too small, as was another dress I tried on, although I got the dress on without too much trouble having decided that it really was a little too small I found I couldn't reach the back zip, so I had to go out into the shop and find an assistant to help me get undressed!   Fortunately for me this shop was staffed by nice youngish women who were happy to help and suppressed any inclinations they might have had to giggle, if it had been some older man, or even a dishy young one I would have been even more embarrassed.

This is the trouble with using the charity shops, not only do you have to be lucky to find what you want, but you have to find it in your size as well, you can't come out and say "could I try this in a size 16 please".   On the other hand they are cheap, fine for the light usage I will be giving my purchases and support valuable work.

Having had a lovely time in Banstead, but still drawing a blank I moved on to Epsom town centre.