Could latest M&S fashions tempt me out of food hall

M&S, Marks & Sparkles, whatever you want to call it, is something of a consumer conundrum for us 30-somethings (I'm 30 in 73 days, may as well bite the birthday bullet).

Most of us actually spend an awful lot of time in there buying tons of stuff – apart from the clothes.

Food? M&S. Homeware? M&S. Pants and socks? M&S. Obviously.

While we're at it, there is no greater joy than buying pants and socks. A pair of brand new fluffy socks is pretty much unbeatable in my book. I lead a very exciting life.

But when it comes to the very thing Marks is famous for, we don't want to know.

M&S clothes are for grandmas and gardeners. People with a penchant for fleeces, elasticated waistbands and jingly dangly social-worker jewellery.

While we'll stop at nothing to clear the food hall shelves of every last Dine In For £10 meal, M&S is the very last place we'd head to for clothes.

Speaking of the food hall, M&S bosses, please, please, pleeease bring back the salted caramel profiteroles on a day-today basis. They are the pastry version of a pair of Manolo Blahniks. Only better. And with glittery stars on top. But the clothes are a definite no-go for the Grazia generation.

Aside from the occasional work shirt, there's not much in there for us. Nothing for a night out. Nothing for a wedding. Not even a nice jumper for a couple of hours down the pub.

So we give it a wide berth. Only problem is, we're running out of shops. Stores on the high street are disappearing quicker than Jim Davidson's career. At this rate, our entire life will be purchased week in, week out in Poundland for the princely sum of seven quid.

We need M&S to take us under its wing and reassure us that the perfect pair of strappy sandals really do live on the other side of its glass doors.

Thankfully (for us, not them), bosses are well aware of this problem and have spent the last few years trying to tempt 30 and 40-somethings to take a stroll around the clothes rails. They haven't much to lose, sales have been tumbling year on year for a while now.

Their latest idea is a new collection spearheaded by former Debenhams and Jaeger boss Belinda Earl. M&S tempting over a Debenhams bod? That's like Alex Ferguson making a shock return to football at Liverpool.

But the gamble appears to have paid off as the clothes look great. There's stylish jackets, work suits, gorgeous bags and shoes and some fantastic winter coats.

Poring over each glossy image, it's official, the outfits get the thumbs up. Ooh, especially that jacket. And that leather dress looks amazing.

Wonder how much they are? £249 and £399.

See you down Primark.

One last thing

Somehow Big Brother is back on our screens again this summer.

Why? How? Who on earth still watches this?

It should have died a death when it was relegated to Channel 5.

Celebrity Big Brother is bad enough but at least there's some joy to be had in seeing Speidi being forced to live in a dingy dungeon.

But is there any entertainment left in a bunch of no-mark wannabes being filmed 24 hours a day?

Especially now we've got Towie and Made in Chelsea.