I think there must be something wrong with me.  Am I the only woman on the planet who hates shopping?  I mean clothes shopping or shoe shopping – I’m not averse to the grocery shop as that is an essential part of life. 

I loathe the little changing rooms – you know the ones I mean, they’re so small that you can’t manoeuvre out of the clothes you arrived in let alone try on new ones.  Then you’ve got the great big plastic anti-theft device that whacks you in the face as you’re struggling to get into the outfit that you’re now wishing you never bothered to try on.

Don’t get me started on the ones with mirrors on four sides.  I really don’t want to see myself magnified from four unflattering angles, under a light so harsh it drains all colour from your face and makes you age by at least 50 years.

So, it’s not often I go clothes shopping.  But I made an exception in the New Year and I went to Market Harborough.  I don’t know what it is about Harborough, but every time I go I think to myself ‘Why don’t I come here more often?’  It really is a lovely, pleasant place to lose a morning or afternoon, and my fellow shoppers seemed a lot more chilled than in other towns I could mention, but won’t.

I ventured into Doyle’s.  I’d not been there before but had read about it somewhere and thought I’d give it a try.  I have to say, if I had plenty of money I would make the pilgrimage more often.  The assistant – who could easily have been a model – was lovely, and very polite and helpful.  So much so, I even tried on a jacket.  Not just any jacket, no, a half-price in the January sale jacket.  It was beautiful.  A black Barbour called ‘Cookstown’, with military detailing, an asymmetric zip, belted and in a biker-style (oh, get me, I’m even learning the lingo!) 

So, dear reader, did I buy it?  Alas, no.  Even though it was half-price it was still £150 and I couldn’t justify the purchase as I already have a collection of perfectly serviceable coats for all occasions (as my husband was very quick to point out).  But it was truly beautiful and I hope who ever does snap it up enjoys it as much as I would have done.  Sigh.