Albany Mall

is a foreign place, way out there in the north of Auckland. I liked it, a nice change from Sylvia Park's familiarity. It made me realise, though, wandering around for a while, that there is very little out in the world worth buying (in my eyes) as I trawled listlessly through the clothing racks finding nothing desirable. Why is chain-store fashion so generic and tacky? All the ambitious, avant-garde designer ideas paraded on the catwalk are ridiculous when brought down to the average consumer level. Current trends seem to include fake lace, netting, two-tone floral leotard-type dresses, "body-con" stretch fabric, various types of patterned and textured leggings, faux fur, truckloads of leather jackets, shapeless woollen jerseys mimicking the kinds of things you find in so-called op-shops on K Rd for the same price, and still the insufferable high-waisted denim shorts that have haunted society since summer 2008. What is going on?