I want a Hippopotamus for, well now, I want one now. I completely stole the song idea of Charlotte. The manager at Irregular Choice Manchester. This guide owes a massive thanks to her and Irregular Choice head office for letting me have a sneak play.
I just found out a minute before launch that she’s called Hilda. Her name is on the socks!!
A New Character
If one of the guys from the Hungry Hippo game escaped and hid in my shoe room this is the shoe heel you’d get I think. I feel like I need to feed him (I wonder what he eats) because he’s sat there with that big smiling mouth just looking all cute and pretty. I love that he is pink and covered in hearts whilst holding a flower. He is very much a hippy hippo in my head. Almost with a Buddha vibe thanks to the gold detailing. The little wrinkle detail almost made my heart stop.
He is 11.5 cm tall but 1.5cm of that is a platform so he’s a high high heel rather than crazy high high. It’s terms of other characters, he is the same height as Mickey and Minnie, half a centimetre less than bunnies and Deers and 1.5cm taller than dice (I really should do a chart at some point).
Hippo features on three new styles of shoe, So Hippo, Happy Hippo and Hippo-Ray. The shoe itself is quite generous on width. For So Hippo I had to size down but I think the others are more true to size. I certainly wouldn’t size up.
So Hippo
We now have a black version to join the red that Irregular Choice previewed yesterday and these shoes are seriously growing on me more and more every time I see them. The red glitter gingham with that pink butterfly bow and pink hippo. I have a gazillion ideas in my head for them. I’m usually a boot kinda gal and these feel like a boot but still with a all year round wearability.
The black I’d find harder to style but I do love the whole black velvet and (possibly animal?) print affair that they’ve got going. I love the hot pink piping with the gold de tail. It’s great that we’ve got that buckle too which makes them a lot more adaptable to different leg sizes.
Sizing – I found the shoe really wide and had to size down. A 39 fits my perfectly and I’m generally a 40 but a 39 in boots.
Price – £169
Sizes – 36 to 43
Heel height – 11.5cm
Platform – 1.5cm
Happy Hippo
When I think hippo the fist thing that comes to mind is the ballerinas from Fantasia. For me this beautiful but perhaps bulky mammal with forever be linked with tutus. I was therefore seriously happy to see Happy Hippo in the pink, turquoise and blue shiny stripes. The crisscross ribbons totally give me a ballet shoe vibe and they are my favourite of the collection by far.
They also come in a black option with a shiny silver metallic finish. These are so classic. I wish I loved them more because they would go with so many different outfits. The little ribbon frills around the edges of the shoes are such a sweet touch. Happy Hippo are definitely my favourite of the collection.
Sizing – I don’t have sizing for these shoes sorry but based on the other two I wouldn’t suggest sizing up. The shoe width is generous and the ribbons will help for those with more maroon feet so I’d guess true to size.
Update. I have them and they’re true to size.
Price – £169
Sizes – 36 to 43
Heel height – 11.5cm
Platform – 1.5cm
Hippo – Ray
Giving a very much hippie vibe with its multi coloured flowers, these shoes come in both blue and black. The black have bursts of hot pink whilst the blue look so so shiny. They’re my least favourite of the collection as they feel a little 60s/70s to me (not my decades) but I do love how the flowers look individual and overlap. They do have the most detail which explains the highest price tag Of the collection.
Whilst the Ray’s give the appearance of boots, it’s actually a flower facade much like Miele with its pretty hearts. This type of shoe can be a bit hit or miss in terms of how comfortable the raised side is on you’re foot I’ve found. This time the flowers are raised higher so it hits the foot in well. The shoes are wide so the side doesn’t dig in at all.
Sizing – My usually size was slightly too big whilst a size down were a little tight so I’d say true to size but possibly insoles unless you want to do some stretching. It was hard to call it between them.
Price – £199
Sizes – 36 to 43
Heel height – 11.5cm
Platform – 1.5cm
Hip Hippo
Right, a warning first. This bag is amazing and we will very likely fall in love with it but we do have a placement alert. The fur behind our lovely Hip is a variety of, green and blue pastel ombré rainbow so it will be slightly different on rack bag. Manchester had three, one with a lot of pink, one more blue (the one in the photos) and one multi colour which gives quite a different look.
She has such a cute face, I love that she has a cheeky little wink and her now and ears are 3D and really make the bag pop. I don’t actually own any of this bag style but that might be about to change.
The bag is the convertible style the same as Rainbow Splash, Brunch Bunch and Rubber Duck. The strap can either be used to create a crossbody, you can hook it through the third loop to create a backpack or you can leave it strapless and have it as a top handle.
Price – £99
That’s So Hippo
Is it me or are coin purses becoming the new pouch. They’ve become a favourite of mine because they don’t break the bank and I stick a wrist strap on and turn them into a wristlet.
So Hippo is very similar to the hippo on the bag but she’s a slightly darker shade. She’s fully too and has the same bow detail.
Price – £25
And a bit more…
There’s also tights and socks. The tights are a maze zing. They have the same psychedelic patter as this season’s box and I found that they really tie the shoes and bag together.
