AMSTERDAM TWO

One thing I didn't expect from Amsterdam was the amount of vintage stores. The first one we stumbled across was Bij Ons Vintage - filled with racks and racks of vintage sports jackets. Fila, Kappa, Adidas, Nike, Ellesse just to name a few brands. Every colour of the rainbow, amazing condition and all priced around €12, which is a fraction of what they would be in London.

There is another Bij Ons store in Amsterdam too, with just as much sportswear. The only other vintage store that I liked was Episode, which was spread across two huge levels and I think I was too excited searching the racks of Burberry and Levi's to stop and take a photo.

Other stores worth mentioning are Patta (smaller than I thought, but with great collabs all the time). Concrete was a unique fashion store that had Opening Ceremony, Nike, Bape and lots of other amazing designers. And lastly Ben G (pictured above), which is three levels of clothes, shoes and accessories.

1. Bij Ons Vintage
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 150, 1012 SJ Amsterdam

2. Episode

Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 61, 1017 DD Amsterdam

Berenstraat 1, 1016 GG Amsterdam

3. Concrete
Spuistraat 250, 1012 VW Amsterdam

4. Patta
Zeedijk 67, 1012 AS Amsterdam

5. Ben G
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 142, 1012 SH Amsterdam

YEAR IN TRAINERS

Some of my favourite trainers from this year...

1. Nike Roshe
2. Zara
3. Zara
4. Zara
5. Nike Internationalist
6. Nike Huarache (grey / black)
7. Nike Internationalist (also got in black)
8. Nike Air Force 1 Croc
9. Nike Huarache (black)
10. Nike Huarache (light ash)

BRAIDZ

This week I was walking through my nearest shopping mall - The Glades. Something comes over me there. It's like I spend all week seeing suits on the tube, and the latest fashion trends at work. And then on weekends, I'm back here in Downham and it's tracksuits, Ralph Lauren and Nike. Everywhere.

At The Glades, this is the locals uniform.... And as tacky as it looks most of the time, there's the odd trainer that catches my eye. Then all of a sudden I'm overcome with a desire to collect every trainer Nike has ever produced and line them up in my imaginary walk-in closet.

One trainer shop in particular lured me in - Offspring. Not as cliche as JD or Footlocker. Not as mental as Sports Direct. Just small and clean, with beautiful styles in the window. I walked straight up to the collection of Roche's and saw these ones. Dotted with baby triangles, and built with a springy sole that I was told "has a memory".

As soon as I tried them on, and saw all three sales assistant boys smile and start telling me "They look dank girl", I simply knew they needed to come home with me (the trainers that is).

After wearing them to work each day, I don't know how I've ever done this commute with anything else gracing my feet. They are perfection. Also pictured is sunset at the hilltop football pitch near the local leisure centre. And me braiding my hair late at night with some fancy earrings - wishing I was Scandinavian.