The classic concept of ‘what goes around, comes around’ can be applied to and present itself a multitude of ways in life, and in the case of fashion – the idea that what was worn at one period of time will inevitably be worn again in the not-so distant future – the theory has proven to be right, and more of a matter-of-fact on a number of occasions.
It’s believed that fashion, dress, and costume are all based on a bell-shaped curve that pointedly determines when different clothing styles will re-occur.
And it’s also said that the rehashing of certain fashions and brands can often be attributed to youth.
This has very much been the case for Doc Martens boots – or Dr. Martens to give them their full name, and ‘Docs’ as their commonly known.
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The iconic leather boots with distinctive yellow stitching, AirWair soles, and the brand name imprinted on the side and heal tag, enjoyed much of their success in the 1960s and 70s in the UK – and were also definitive shoe of the Manchester music scene – but have since come back with a bang in the latter half of the 2010s to now, and in 2018-19 alone, the company’s profits notably surged by 70%, largely credited to the success of its new ‘vegan’ range.
With the boots’ recent spike in popularity – and rather high price point – this has seen many try to get their hands on a pair for a little cheaper, including on the increasingly-popular second-hand buying and selling app Depop.
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It didn’t go so well for one buyer though.
Popular Depop mishap account @depopdrama on Twitter shared a hilarious message from a buyer who hadn’t quite got what they expected from a purchase, explaining to the seller that they were “so disappointed and angry” after the shoes arrived, as they are “Royal Mail employee shoes and not actual Doc Martens”.
The buyer then asked for an immediate refund from the purchase.
The tweet has since gone viral, amassing over 47K interactions and hundreds of comments from others who just couldn’t help but find the humour in the unfortunate situation, as well as pointing out that, while they may not have been the Doc Martens the buyer was originally after, they are still in fact Doc Martens especially made for Royal Mail posties.
And of course, others made sure to chip in with a couple of postal-themed puns.
We’re not quite sure there is one in this case, to be honest. It just sounds like the Depop buyer got unknowingly duped and wasn’t aware until the boots arrived on their doorstep.
At least it gave us a laugh, though – and hopefully got them a refund.
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Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines
Emily Sergeant
With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.
On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?
That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.
And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.
Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.
Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons
Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.
“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”
There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.
This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.
Manchester has been named the most ‘pet-friendly’ city in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Manchester.
Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?
While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.
But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.
Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.
/ Credit: Gustavo Fring (via Pexels) | Manchester City Council
The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.
Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.
And Manchester has taken the stop spot, with a score of 66.
The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities
Manchester
Birmingham
Liverpool
Leeds
London
In-keeping with its general growing popularity as a city, Manchester leads in the health category, with a high number of vets per head and the lowest rate of serious road collisions, while also ranking highest in terms of publicly listed dog friendly venues per resident.
“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.
“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”
Featured Image – Paul Harris / National Trust (Supplied)
Emily Sergeant -
22nd January 2021 
