Whoever said money can't buy happiness, simply didn't know where to go shopping - or the Wise & Avid lot!

[OllieWollieWoo]

Stamp on the new thread (quote from Bo Derek btw!!!)

bloss Thank heavens dd was OK.

I love Paris too. I am not liking this cold weather at all. Have no interest in clothes tonight - just warmth!

blossjust saw about dd's fall!! So scary. Ds nearly did the same thing at the hotel at the weekend. What did you think of the top colour?
hells I got the medium and am a 10-12. It fits fine. But boobs are v big right now.

Hi hf. Thought we'd lost you there for a while! It's warmed up here. Dh drove home in 1C last night and 9C tonight!

roary, I love a good cowl neck, but I think the pink is too pale from what I could make out for a true 'winter'. (Ducks and hides clutching swatch book).

This thread is just so busy I can hardly keep up! At work all day, with no internet access permitted, although I do have a quick peek on my crackberry when I get the chance, but it's not the same.

Then home, sort out dd, do admin and then the next thing it's nearly bedtime.

DH away the next 2 weekends, then we have sodding social functions to attend (both day and night) on the following 2 weekends, then he's away for nearly a month - and then it's Christmas.

God I sound a right miserable tosser tonight!

LOL bloss - I am also hiding with my swatches wishing roary's top came in a decent autumn colour!

Me too Bloss used to go a lot as a student. Hoping I remember all my school french!

HF It is so cold here, I had to scrape ice off the car yesterday morning. I don't usually do that until late November. I have so many layers on I can barely move. On Tuesday I was wearning long sleeve t, jumper, cardigan, opaques, cords, scarf and wristwarners. Girl sitting opposite me was wearing a vest and skinnies! She told me I need to go swimming in the sea to give my circulation a boost!

Love the thought of people with their swatch samples!

Currently wearing Per Una velour pants and hooded top.

Sorry you're down hf. Glass of wine?

Have a no alcohol rule Monday to Friday!!!

Told you I was a miserble tosser!

Goodness gracious, now I am really intrigued to see what season I am! ANd can't believe that none of those colours suit Winter or Autumn... the colour of that top is really quite an intense pink, sort of corally-salmony. I can tell you right now I am definitely not a spring or summer and the colour does look nice on me! :)

Can't winters wear black?

WIll defo have to do colours now and report back to swatch holders.

Yes, winters look fab in black. The oatmeal and heliconia would be OK for autumns but neither are particulary exciting on me. They're not my "wow" colours

Quick Hi!
Bloss my heart was in my mouth reading about DD. Thank God, she's right as rain again. Loving all the craft stuff, you're so creative.
LOL with the boots Vin! You couldn't make it up! How are things with P now? You don't sound so estranged.
Verity It's so depressing here isn't it? I completely agree about not listening to news. We had a lovely respite from it all during the summer, and now we are in the thick of it again. Enjoy Paris. I must get some tips off you. Would love to do something like that next year, if we could get cheap flights.
HF so disciplined.Well I've had my 2 glasses tonight, and I feel the better of it!
Carciofi glad to hear you're picking up!

Hope your dd is fully recovered now bloss

Marsha I like the Anna Sui and the acne. The p&j neckline looks very high.

vin Your bit story made me laugh!

Congrats to baby cake taking those first steps

plum striking is a great compliment!

My Asos order came today. The star dress will be great for work and goes well with a cardi. I also got an Aline cotton shift with lace detailing which is too short for tights but works with leggings/ oversized cardi.

Would love views on culottes. Ordered an inky blue printed pair and have tried them tonight with white pussy bow blouse, tights, Mary janes and a longline silky cardi but cannot decide if effect is cool or deluded laughingstock.

Very quick hi everyone!

Happily - Hmm. Not sure about culottes tbh. I am be projecting my own issues unfairly though! I can't remember your height/shape? I would have thought that they are under the list of 'slightly hard to pull off' clothes that require a certain height and slimness to look good.

Well, getting some packing done. As soon as DD finishes school today we are driving down to my Mum and Dads - a long drive involving the M25 on the Friday when schools break up. Thats not going to be a nightmare is it? We are meeting DH at my mum and dads and then tomorrow all 5 of us are going to a local posh hotel for a night to celebrate Dads 70th. Should be good. I will be coming back up here on Monday, but DD staying down with my mum and dad until Friday whilst I work. They have got loads of things planned to do with her, and I am pleased that I don't need to put her into kids club, as I think she needs a complete break and change of scene after her first few weeks at school. DH will be bringing her home next Friday, so I will be in the house by myself for a few days (at work mostly) which will feel strange. Intend to fit in a whole load of evening runs that I can never usually do though. DD is really looking forward to it, as my mum and dad love her to bits and she knows she is in for a great time!

NY Sounds perfect! Happy Birthday to your dad! And enjoy the week home alone. As I am sure you are aware it can actually be quite enjoyable

I don't know if I said but so sorry about your job/office closing. Tough times ahead for a lot of people methinks.

Thanks HF. At least we have a date now...just waiting for details of packages etc, although that is much less important to me as I have very little civil service time served. The new compensation scheme (if/when it finally goes through) will actually be slightly better for people like me - by about 2 weeks salary!

Oh yummy. You are tough!!

Frivolous note: am agnostic on culottes but cannot bear the words "pussy bow blouse". Shudder. Love the blouses, can't we rename them? ;)

Blossoming, I am ok thanks, a bit queasy which I wasn't last time. Does that mean it is a boy? :) Have a great time tomorrow night, you will look gorgeous in your new dress.

Verity, enjoy Paris, you deserve a break. dh keeps sending me articles about Ireland and it is so depressing. Very few of my dad's clients can pay and he has lost a lot of investments. He doesn't even mention retiring anymore. We want to move back but have to put it ar an mhéar fhada as it is very unlikely dh would find a job.

The House of Fraser have some good reductions on jeans, Paige, Sevens, etc. I bought these (in denial that they will only fit me for a couple of months!)

Vin, funny about the boots, I have done that!

yes NY - I totally admire your 'get on with it' style. And wish I could emulate!

Carcifio - great jeans. They've sold out in my size. No wonder - it's a good deal.

On a black skinnies note...has anyone found a perfect pair?

Verity - have fun in Paris! I have to say though don't expect to do much shopping. I was in total at the prices when we went in August. Truly horrendous. And I thought that being from London I was relatively unshockable.

Morning all. Both home today. I feel it should be bedtime already.
Sounds like a great week ahead for you notyummy, good luck with the journey, and have a great birthday celebration.
carciofi, I was the opposite- only with the girls did I get queasy!!
hf, I have the same alcohol rule. Shame I ignored it last night!!
roary, coral, and any yellow based colours are a no for winters. All colours are cold and with blue undertones.

I'm feeling rather chuffed with my outfit today & have just laughed at today's WIT because I'm similarly dressed even though I was out of the house ages before I saw it. I'm in bargainous Uniqlo "interlock" trousers which are like tailored wooly harems and possibly the most comfortable thing I've ever worn (only for the long of leg tho I'd suggest), a Uniqlo heat tech cream top, cashmere black grey and cream striped round neck jumper, black belstaffs, all saints leather jacket and a grey scarf with black stars on. I've been despairing about my clothes every day recently even though I have bought lots of new stuff so am feeling now.

Bloss I kept thinking of you and mini boss yesterday-those things are so traumatic aren't they. So glad she is ok.

Vin I love your boots story and Little Vin's new shoes. Were you near me? I saw his shoes in GBaby last week. I nearly fainted last week when dp and dd's game led them to open my wardrobe door. In slow motion 6 parcels of things waiting to be tried on rolled out as I stood there and stammered something about starting Christmas shopping early. I have been a little keen recently. I love the hiding of the box though how did you get a boot box into the loo without him seeing it?

Cakey will you still wear your gilet in the cold? I ordered two from New Look and think I may keep the second one but it wouldn't really fit under a jacket I don't think so have been wondering if I should get this instead to provide my cheap faux fur fix.

Tracey I too was alarmed at the thought of the super glam you anywhere near a caravan.

The eating with kids posts surprised me a bit. We always eat together - dd has a later bedtime than a lot of LOs I know so we can have dinner with dp and a good chat. It's probably my favourite time of the day.

I'm not a big tv fan but dd would watch it all day. She probably has an hour over the day every few days if that makes sense. I don't like all the ads on Milkshake but I don't have a major problem with tv & think it can be useful and enjoyable. "The Wire" and Stringer Bell definitely made my life better .

Re culottes I agree they can be hard to wear but saw a Max Mara ad with a woman not unlike you describe your outfit and it looked great!

Outfit sounds lovely MM! Will check out WIT.

I must admit my mother would probably be unimpressed by my not eating with the husband. But I was thinking the other day that one of the huge elements of our relationship is doing work together. Sometimes I am working at home, and he is doing his stuff on the computer and it really feels very good. I love cooking - good quality food with really nice ingredients - but the eating part could take longer .

And I put on weight at one point when I was snacking with ds and then eating later, very bad for me!

Thank you for all feedback on dresses am going to have another look later, then maybe see if I can find a couple of others too.