So, yesterday at Bicester.........well the journey from SW London/Surrey was fine, even M25 was reasonable! And I found Bicester really easily, but then suddenly cars everywhere!! They were parked all along the little road to the car parks, so I pootled all around one car park, watched a potential punch up start as one 4x4 nicked a space another 4x4 wanted, then pootled up to the bigger further away car park, round & round, & EVENTUALLY got a space when someone was leaving. It was about 2pm by this time. So my advice would be either go early, (I couldn't, was teaching), or go by train, or avoid Saturdays/school hols. Same as Ikea!
Anyway, took my phoebe in its dustbag & box with receipt & found Mulberry really quickly - I was at that end. It's much bigger than I thought! Bags everywhere!!
Anyhow, very quickly an SA came up to me & I explained I wanted to exchange the phoebe. He was very helpful indeed & later I thought he was probably the store manager. He also said he would honour the Grazia 10% off without me needing to go all the way to the visitor centre which of course was the other end of the "village". So the I had a good look around. Here's some of what they had:
oak phoebes!
belles
a selection of scotchgrain bags
a selection of congo leather bags
lots of messenger bags, mostly quite big
nude blenheim with tassels
nude phoebe with tassels
tasselled coconut roxanne
lemon roxanne
lemon alana
kensington in oak & I think black too
antonys with no pocket - the bordeaux is a lovely ruby red - tempted!
2 jonis, 1 brown, 1 cream/off white - tempted again!
canvas roxanne - 2 colourways
gold mabel - not nice
patent hot pink bayswater - not sure
Didn't look at wallets/purses but I think there were plenty. But my final choice was a toss up between the oak somerset tote at £276 or the aqua roxanne at £416!! I spent AGES putting my stuff in & out, trying them on, not letting them go, & I just couldn't decide!!! I needed some of you ladies with me! In the end they held them for an hour while I went for a cup of tea - & wrote down the bags I could remember, & some pros & cons about the 2 bags.
I liked the roxanne becouse she was so slouchy & soft, & a beautiful colour, & closes at the top. I liked the somerset because it was such a classic colour, cheaper, & not so vulnerable to dirt, & I know the oak looks fab when it's older. I didn't know about the leathers as I only have darwin so far, somerset is tumble grain & roxy glove I think.
Anyway, went back, went through the whole process again
& FINALLY went for somerset!! Phew!!
I am very happy with it, it's light & classic, & smells lovely. It will be really practical, can just chuck everything in & even get a Grazia mag in if I want! (more offers please!!) I used it straight away & it felt great. Also I really didn't want to spend any more money & I would have had to on roxy. And I know I would have been paranoid about getting marks on that pale blue. There was already the slightest of marks on one of the pockets which I kept trying to rub off! BUT I TOTALLY get the roxy thing now!!! I really didn't get it before, but MAYBE I'll start saving for one next, now I know what all the fuss is about
Oh & the best thing is that I have a little bit of credit at Mulberry!! Sorry this got so long, but I wanted to share my experiences!!
I hadn't particularly planned it but realised I could go tomorrow as I'm not working after teaching 1 student at home in the morning & the boyf is away
will be my first visit
you must tell us what you score 
The teeny-weeny Belles and the scotchgrain section 
But I think it's going to be very versatile.
May have to go with her next time - only I'd be embarrassed about my mulberry spending