Tailor Made

After a few days in Saigon, you're ready to get out. Don't get me wrong, I love it there, and as it happens we're back now, but with any city it's a bit bustly and fumey and sweaty for those who like to lead a Five Star lifestyle, daaaahling. So we jumped on an internal flight and found ourself in Hoi An, a stunning riverside town somewhere up north.

We all loved it. Straight away. It was untouched and so charming. Little, dusty winding streets. Tatty old boats on the river. More cheap, amazing restaurants than you could point a jostick at. And lovely, lovely people.

So, I didn't know this (quelle surprise), but Hoi An is home to all of those tailor shops that everyone always goes on about. Even the dogs wear tailor-made clothes. A fiver says you know someone who has "had a replica Armani suit made in South East Asia in about an hour that fits like a glove for around two pounds." Well this is probably where they had it done. I hate clothes shopping, I find it completely soul destroying, so when Cat and Bonnie went in to one of the many tailor shops on our street armed with shirts and dresses that they wanted copied my heart sank.

Anyway, peer pressure got the better of me and I decided to give it a go, figuring that all I had to lose was a couple of American Dollars. I pointed out a skirt in Vogue that I liked, with a top in Cosmo and told the lady that I wanted a black fitted dress that looked something like the two combined, but with a full, 50's style skirt. Fully lined. Had to be flattering. And had to cover the knees yet not look frumpy. I was quietly confident that she'd never do it.

I returned the next morning to find the dress that I've been looking for for years. It fits perfectly. And I think it looks pretty good (although - dur - I didn't take a picture of it, so you'll just have to wait.) Decided to have about five made in different colours, then thought better of it. I never wear dresses anyway. I'm not about to start. Not until I can paint all day in my country house and have lots of Golden Retrievers and can be like Auntie Rita.

Cat got an entire wardrobe made, and Bonnie had a few fitted shirts done. Ady had two shirts tailored in about six different shops. Spot the gay man. All of them looked amazing though. And the whole, entire lot came to about the price of one dress in Topshop. Kerching.