Do you dare?
I posted on Instagram a few days ago a picture of Soraya Khashoggi wheeling along one of those granny shopper trolleys covered in a cute pattern (it was dogs in all different colours). I said “Is it wrong to want one of these?” (If you missed it, hop over to my Instagram – @esthermcoren)
The response was huge! 44 comments I got! And counting! Everyone said “No, I want one, too” or “No, if you find a good one tell me.”
Ever since my kids were too old to go in a buggy I’ve been toying with the idea of getting one of these – as once you’re rid of the buggy you realised how insanely useful it is for piling all sorts of shit in. I was one of those mums at the playground whose buggy keeled over backwards when the kid got out.
My mum always had a granny trolley, well before she was an actual granny. It was a giant wicker thing with rumbly wheels and she wheeled it down to the shops when she wanted to walk rather than get in the car. Along with our hideous car and house covered in cat hair and her habit of skip-diving, it was the most embarrassing thing that she did.
Does it put me off? Hell no! Because whereas my mum would have just shrugged her shoulders and thought “Give a shit whether you’re embarrassed or not” I reckon there might be a way to make it “work”.
I’m torn – between getting one so insane and hideous while wearing it with reasonable clothes, so that it is so clearly ironic it raises my outfit to untold stratospheres of coolness. (See above.)
On the other hand, I could get this Smart Cart, which is an insulated box on wheels, in which you can fit the contents of a small flat, but which will elevate no outfit, or look cool even if Kate Moss was wheeling it to a party at John McEnroe’s house, while chatting to Huey from Fun Lovin Criminals (before he got fat).
Oprah Winfrey – YES THAT OPRAH WINFREY – favours a brand called Rolser, and her favourite is this one. But Oprah Winfrey is the richest woman in the entire world and the things that would make me look like a dickhead of the first order on Oprah are simply charming eccentricities.
I also find something extremely comforting and literal about this one, also from Rolsen, via Amazon:
But listen if we all do this together, we can make it happen. Someone needs to send Rosie Huntingdon Whitely one. And Cara Delevigne. Joss Stone probably already has one.
Next stop: bumbags.
Really feel they missed a trick not taking the photo of the black and white trolley on Abbey Road at ‘that’ crossing!
I love the Rolser ones. That crate one will be useful only if it doesn’t matter if the stuff in it gets wet.
Ha! you need a bike with large wicker baskets in front and behind. So useful. I never go shopping without a bike.
My advice is to get one but don’t spend a fortune. I used one for a couple of summers but can’t tell you what brand as it’s currently living in the Shed Of Doom. Particularly useful when visiting National Trust properties that position their adventure playground at the furthest possible point from the cafe (I’m looking at you, Cragside) and you have numerous children with lots of stuff but they’re too young to carry more than a water bottle for 3 mins. In short, go for it! You may feel self conscious at first but all the other mums with bags dangling off them & picnic blankets unrolling from their clippy fastener thing will be v envious.
carrie YES and also I need one with big wheels to use this summer over bumpy grass… may just go to the trashy homewards store on the high street… though EVERYTHING FROM THERE BREAKS
In Paris literally everyone has one of these. No one has a car, so we all go to the market and fill up our granny trolleys with produce and then stroll home. So much easier than a million heavy canvas tote bags hanging off your arms! I fought against it when I first moved here (I was 18, and obviously thought I was waaaay too cool for a granny trolley) but actually SO useful.
Okay Lois this is great info but what KIND of trolly?? literally just any old thing?
Absolutely, I bought mine in the supermarket! They tend to fall apart after a couple of years of weekly use anyway.
Exactly.
I wish I could recommend a trolley but I am currently on a Monoprix polka dot number that is doing nothing for anyone. There are some that are barely a frame and a faded tartan effort but who alone knows where they came from.
Paris will do this to you regularly.
Panier a roulette ecossais.
Hmmmmmmm
If you are going to go badass retro this is your search.
On bumbags – Europeans are mad for them! I was at a festival this weekend in the Netherlands and so many people, of varying ages and degrees of coolness, were using them. I hate myself for saying it but they looked kind of handy (my 10 year old self is feeling totally vindicated though, for the slagging I got for my *beautiful* neon pink and purple bumbag)
Primary school teachers used to use these, I remember us all getting excited at graduation because we would soon have one of our very own!!! Weeeeeeee
I think if I were to go for one (which obviously I am now considering, because I am very suggestible) I would get the proper old school, Supergran, box shaped, tartan one. Like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01ELPEATQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9i4szbWF2X9Z1
And I could put my stupid Womble of a dog in it, just to amuse myself.
I also think it would be great to go FULL BONKERS and get one of these. You can put the shopping and the kids and everything in it!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0193F6IV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1l4szb7SS57FY
ha ha! Leona I was just looking at that granny box tartan one!!
Orla Kiely does one. I think the insulated one is the safest as it says you’re going to town on a picnic rather than to town to pick up some bits from Poundland.
My friend and I discussed getting one way back in 2001 to haul our prawn sandwiches and alcopops back to our student house. I’ve toyed with the idea again now the buggy is almost done but they won’t happen and you have to go into it with eyes open on that score. Realistically I’d probably take it to the beach once, get sand in it and never get it out again.
If it makes you feel better my upbringing was considerably more embarrassing than yours – and in fact more so than most people who have ever lived – so much so that I couldn’t put it on here. Historic levels of embarrassment. It was an art form. So I’m fairly embarrassment-proof (though still on high alert in certain situations.)
LOL. My granny stayed active well into her 90s thanks in large part to her love of ‘stuff’ and the doubling up of the trolley as a zimmer. There was no incentive greater than the Tiger a short bus ride away.
I however drive everywhere due to living in the sticks so not really for me at the moment. BUMBAGS however are another story. I still covet the Gucci bumbag worn by Carrie in SATC season 3. Every so often I check ebay and discover they go for £100 which faintly appalls me. But so useful! Particularly when you don’t heed a very wise blogger’s advice on not getting a puppy when you pack the youngest off to nursery.
I have a bumbag, but it was cannily re-badged as a “dog training pouch” on Amazon, for my two Labradors that shit like horses and need constant treats or “WE WILL DIE”. It also has a few pockets for hand sanitiser and a sneaky £10 note for an emergency Pimms at the dog friendly pub we walk past twice a day. When you’ve got dogs like mine, emergency Pimms is often necessary.
We had a great one that folded up from M&S when we used to live 3 minutes walk from the supermarket so it felt ridiculous to drive. Husband hated it though…
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/25440/Folding-Trolley-Dolly
This one’s snazzy
Several (hundred) years ago, post double buggy, I took this step. I had a chat with the man in the luggage department at John Lewis who said ‘madam, do you carry your suitcase? Then why would you carry your shopping?’ I bought a lovely fuchsia pink Scandi one. Rolling it home my friend drove past, stopped her car, looked at me silently for a minute, then said ‘we’re not ready’. Then drove off. I used it a few times but couldn’t integrate it.
Let me know if we’re ready now.
We all need friends like this.
I am laughing out loud!
wait: are bumbags not happening?
also, i envy the generation before mine that didn’t have to make things “work”. they just didn’t give a shit. then again they gave up much earlier on holding on to youth or whatever than we do. (short sensible hair, granny style but not ironic, plus they didn’t have anywhere to work out so were allowed to go flabby.)
i might want a trolley now.
I want a trolley
I am on my fourth… They are the best but I do almost al my shopping at a market where if you don’t have one you are basically a loser…
I’m originally from Adelaide, and if you don’t have a suitably unique shopping buggy at the Central Market you are looked at with a level of pity I don’t care to experience.
Possibly flimsy but how about this? https://www.karabar.co.uk/monsanto-foldable-shopping-trolley
OK, now I’ve spent over an hour looking!! I was hoping somewhere like Labour & Wait would provide a solution but then I realised it would probably be a galvanised wheelbarrow to an East German design. I have no doubt a Spiker will come up with the goods though and wait with baited breath to find out from Lois what trolleys the Parisians use.
Honestly mine is just a supermarket jobby! Have a look at ‘chariots de course’ on amazon.fr, I really fancy a chic black Rolser now.
I got one of these last year, heavy duty for big day out picnics, can tow a kid along in it too if needed… bit heavy duty for everyday use though…
http://m.costco.co.uk/view/p/tofasco-folding-collapsible-wagon-cover-736201
Would love a replacement for a rather chic trolley/bag hybrid I once had but haven’t seen another similar anywhere, interested to see what Spikers come up with!
I have a crate one for school, I was actually harming myself lugging books and other stuff about. It has been a revelation!
We also have a family one for the camping and beach holidays. Got it from IKEA. A few years back now, so nut sure if they still do one. Has the big tough wheels needed for rough terrain, but also is quite cute. Perfect to get from campsite to beach and avoid parking charges.
It has been used to pop to the shops when I don’t want to drive (Saturday afternoons)
Get one
Make it a thing!
Mikaela I’m going to make it a thing! I want to have a look at the Ikea ones x
How about one of these? http://www.olliella.com/natural-luggy-basket-adult-size-adult-luggy-basket-natural
OMG I have had one for years. It s black with big white spots on it. My kids were old enough to walk to the picnics, but it was embarrassing piling up bottles of rose and beers in the push chair, along with the footballs and the food etc, when they weren’t even sitting in it. Ideal for going to Kew Gardens. (Bit far for you – Hampstead Heath?)This way you can hide your binge drinking habits from everyone. Good on grass but not that good on the beach. (You need one of those wheelbarrows with fat wheels). Just go to a nice local hardware shop you want to support! Sorry this is a bit long. X
I love a long comment!!
The Oprah one is the one everyone has in Paris, where people don’t have cars so if you want to feed a family you really have no choice. I love mine, it’s beautiful and the most practical thing I’ve bought in years! You won’t regret it.