Who knew Epsom salts were the cure for everything? Cabbages & Roses apparently, who were kind enough to give us a giant size packet of them to celebrate the brand opening in six Jigsaw branches around the UK from this week. We mentioned C&R a while back when we saw the autumn press day and were wowed by the romantic clothes and gorgeous fabrics used.
Epsom salts and bicarbonate of soda are both sold in large, bag-of-sugar size packs as part of the Home collection and do have a great long list of attributes, Epsom salts (£9.79 a kilo bag) make plants healthy, help them flower and a generation ago it was a major player in the medicine cupboard, curing aches and bruises and helping to draw out splinters. It also makes an excellent skin softner in the bath or as an exfoliator in the shower. Bicarb (£8.81 a kilo bag) is the best stain remover as well as an effective abrasive cleaner for tricky surfaces and will hold mildew at bay for shower curtains. Since we are in the 'make do and mend' mindset, these reassuringly pristine white packages of magic crystals are filled with a strongly nostalgic authority that we love.
The whole romantic Cabbages & Roses lifestyle is wonderfully addictive when seen up close. We loved the Kings Road store which has the clothes and homewear nestled on the first floor of the Jigsaw store. The flowing, easy clothes are such a relief to consider after so much body-con dressing and the ultra close fit styling we've been seeing this winter. Hurrah for loose, we say.
The new Cabbages & Roses stores are found in the Jigsaw stores in Bath, Bristol, Guildford, Covent Garden, Brompton Cross and High St Kensington. The two stand alone stores are still at Langton Street SW10 and Northcote Road Clapham, London.
