The White Company in Cardiff

This is way overdue, but for those South Wales based, did you know we now have a 'White Company' shop in Cardiff?  I went to the opening soiree some weeks ago.  The first shop-opening I've ever been to that had a string quartet, and it definitely got the award for most-inappropriate canapes - burly men carrying serving blocks made of whole trees offered you a selection of tangled meats.  Impossible to extricate a small, ladylike piece whilst also holding a glass of bubbles and trying desperately not to get anything on the clothes.

I have to admit, I had some preconceptions about The White Company:

• It's just home stuff
• It's overpriced
• It's all white

Seems I was wrong on all of these!

First of all, they do indeed do clothing (Women's and Children's), and in an earlier post I drew your attention to a pair of cigarette pants that were almost perfect.  It's all understated, sort of model off-duty attire, or the kind of things they wear in adverts when showing women relaxing at home.

Secondly, I decided to do some price comparisons to see if The White Company is indeed overpriced.  There were a few things that yes, were highly priced (don't go in there if you're feeling clumsy), but some of the classic, simple bedlinen seemed on a parr with things from John Lewis and similar places.  The candles have the most wonderful fragrances, but they're at the Jo Malone price bracket.  Very kindly, we were treated to a miniature candle in our goody bag.  I'll have to be sure to burn it on a special occasion, it's probably about a pound a minute that'll be going up in smoke!  I have just noticed there's a mid-season sale on, so you can get 30% off things like bedlinen, towels, and clothing.  Even better.

Finally, it's not all white - there are also greys, blacks, and wood tones.  Talking to the lovely Gem of Fat Frocks, she said it was all quite 'French' and I couldn't agree more - I could definitely see a French woman dressed in their cashmere grey jumper and matching socks, reclining on a perfectly white bed, enjoying the scent from her £35 candle.

I'm afraid in the UK the average woman is more likely to be dressed in a onesie these days, the bedlinen will be from Argos and the smell will be from the electric heater.