28/11/12 - Boux Avenue, the stuff dreams are made of

I am a huge fan of underwear.  It's something everyone needs and will always need, so I don't see why you wouldn't make sure you have invested in a nice matching set for every occasion...and in every colour.  Knowing that you're wearing a pretty pair of knickers or a really good bra can make your day even when everything else is going wrong.  However, I hate shopping for underwear.  Sizes can be different everywhere you go, and unhelpful sales assistants are able to make something that is quite a difficult thing already one hundred times worse.  And so much of the affordable underwear on the high street today is just hideously tacky.  But never fear!  The answer to your underwear woes is here, and I was invited to the press preview before the opening of my local branch this Tuesday.  I recommend you all visit your nearest Boux Avenue.

My lovely friend Laura pointed me in the direction of another lovely Laura from Fluorescent PR who enabled Emma and I to pop along to the brand new Boux Avenue store in the St Stephens shopping centre in Hull for the opening.  It is probably the most beautiful shop I've ever been in - really stunning with the lingerie displayed above labelled drawers holding all the stock.  The nightwear is absolutely adorable, and the beauty and home fragrance products are gorgeous.

But the real pièce de résistance is the changing rooms.  Not only are they decadently decorated, they have an intercom system which allows you to speak to a sales assistant without leaving the cubicle and three lighting options (day, dusk and night) so you can see how your new underwear will look in all situations.  This is so much better than most shops; no more clutching your top across your chest as you stick your head out of the door, desperately searching for someone to help you, before sobbing in a corner at how hideous the unforgiving lighting makes you look.

After a free fitting from a really lovely woman called Billie who very helpfully explained all the elements that goes into finding the right bra (something that will definitely come in handy for future reference), I was tempted into making a couple of very minor purchases.  It was a bit of a treat, but with the 10% student discount and other in-store deals, it didn't come out as expensive as it could have done.

We were also given really lovely gift-bags containing; white chiffon hand cream, rose petal lip balm, white chiffon drawer sachet, powdered tissues, USB stick and a £10 gift card!

All in all, it was an absolutely wonderful experience and I'm really glad we got in there early before the official opening...once Theo Paphitis opened the doors properly at 1pm, it was apparently absolutely heaving!  

If there's a branch near you, I recommend you go as soon as you can!  Where is your favourite place to by underwear?