WIT or Wisdom? Who cares... the festive season is nearly upon us and one thing is certain: Avidity is the new black.

[LetThemEatCake]

Trick or treat! [hsmile]

Thanks for your supportive responses to my whinge earlier on. Feeling better now - may have something to do with the stockpile of treats I brought back with me

Had a look for the blue Janice dress in John Lewis, Oxford Street (loved the new ladieswear floor btw) but none to be found. Didn't know it came in stripes as was just scanning the rails looking for blue! The stripey one seems to have a bit more arm coverage too (could be the pic tho?)

Also looked for the Gap merino dress but none in there either! Oh yes, part of my John Lewis delivery has gone AWOL which included the blue Kew shrug so I didnt get to see that - apparently its been in transit for 2 weeks.... It really wasn't my WE!

But.... found this present idea on NotontheHighStreet website which I thought may be of interest to someone? house portrait here Realise its not everyone's cup of tea but am going to get one as a belated wedding present to our friends who have just finished doing up their house and have always loved its exterior. Thought it was a good price too.

When are you off carciofi?
Enjoy the buttons ollie!
abo, there is a spanx for every dress (most of them in my drawer!)
I wonder what plum had in her basket - I've a good mind to drive to Chester tomorrow on some pretence and try on the stripey janice (the word camel worries me) and the oversized grey jumper dress. Great for lounging at Christmas.
I dread Christmas. But if I look good, and I've enough spanx..

right am now working my way thruogh the day's posts.

ABO did you wear the shorts to toddlers? I think they must look great and actually very practical for dealing with dc so why not?

MM did your IO pegs arrive and what did you thnk? Very pleased about the popularity of the Gap merino sweater dress, I really do love mine and it is my 2010 Tam Tam I think (even down to the fact that I bought in all 3 colours but was wise and took 2 back this time...)

looby re shorts, I have always worn with fitted biker and sweater/s.

wow yangy love the thought of some £30 Joseph, well done!

MM I think Zara have some great scarves, not exxy at all.

Plum great necklace, I was in Sainsbo's today and they seemed to have some passably decent statement necklaces, didn't stop to peruse but looked alright for throwaway fashion. Also spotted a lovely blouse in there {!!) - fab shade of camel, very toffee-ish, very Victorian governess styley - of course on closer inspection was poly but if in silk would have been great.

carciofi is that he pink dress that you nearly returned but lost the receipt?? so glad you kept it !

marsha glad you enjoyed your sat night, outfit sounds great

MrsJ how did Janice look with heels? am so sorry I gave you dud advice re sizing but I do think you were being slightly dysmorphic, it looks like you ordered a flippin' 14!!

oooops missed that it was roma's b'day - many happy returns!! Funny, I would have so picked you as a Scorpio.

Love your drunken goth party hells!!

also love the dress suggestions for MrsJ esp the MJ and the Reiss!

Thanks for the commiserations on softplay and nuggets Fritzi and carci I am veggie too so you can imagine BTW fritzi what have you decided re stripey Janice do you want me to grab one for you tomorrow?

roary I am concerned about Janice not suiting you as I am also a tall size 10 so maybe am delusional that it looks good on me? what, you know, shape are you? And I heart that gold foil dress, have seen it in store and it brings out my inner JLo BIG TIME.

also very much like Bonsoir's gold skirt but bad shape for me.

vin I generally try not to get involved in discussions of a personal relationship nature but I am sorry, your P has got to be turfed out - for the sake of you and your ds. What a poison dwarf. Please, please, I implore you - be strong and make the break, You are so strong you have coped so admirably with so much - this only needs to be a drop in the ocean. Hard for a bit, but really really necessary and liberating. Please.

Forgive me if I have spoken out of turn.

bunny thanks a million for trying. You rock, sheila.

Oww so sorry about your trip - siblings, eh!! but great purchases. yes please come back to London for the meetup!!!

Reine you are so lovely, thank you I hope you are right about the shorts! No, no wardrobe organisation here although I would love to as just looking in it sometimes stresses me out.

cute dress for your dd ny. I convinced my dd to get some grey jeans today....

re skirt: I have a lovely KL black tank, really fab shape - would wear it tucked in with black opaques and Edelmans shoeboots. Or with black polo neck and tux-style jacket ... on which note MM have you found any decent roll necks yet, I need one!!

Good luck with your work tonight plum

sorry back on to Janice for a sec .. it's more forgiving that the navy, thicker material. In case anyone was wondering ... Also bloss it's not in the slightest bit camel. I reckon they've just said that because it's a 'now' word. It's actually, well, light brownish cream, I guess. Like someone has sprinkled the barest smattering of chocolate on milk and stirred it in.

Zembo so pleased your dh is rising to the occasion!

ABO you saucy temptress, you!! I love, love the second DVF. I think the first might make me look a little like a (well-fed) street urchin :) However much I love DVF 2 I think it might be too exxy and not workwear enough for this particular dinner but I will visit her often and see if she goes on sale (ha). I like the Karen Millen too but what in the sam hill is it made out of? Suede effect? Would have to see it person.

Bloss snap! Saw that gold dress earlier (hristened the Ferrero Rocher). It is lovely but as Fritzi points out it is 100% polyester. ABO maybe the mannequin has on the wrong undies and we'd be fine! We do have a local P8 so I can try it on and report.

I also love this Hobbs dress, in kingfisher blue - bottom row, on the righ here

Well done on that post ltec!
So that was the ferrero rocher dress roary. I like the Hobbs one, but not in the same league!

Bloss 100% polyester.....but it could look great.

Why can't we have JCRew here? Why? sulking

I know, bit long eh??

OWW meant to say earlier can totally empathise with you re: your uncomfortable trip to the UK. Particularly awful for you as you were so looking forward to it and I bet you don't see your family all that much. I get embroiled in all kinds of family dramas when I visit my lot - my (much younger and pretty immature sister) is currently not talking to me following my last visit. She's basically finding work (her first job as a junior doctor) vv hard and perhaps I could have been more sympathetic (but she's already bent my ear for 5 years non-stop re: the traumatic degree)- but I made the mistake of pointing out life is not to bad for her since all she has to think about is work (she lives with parents, doesn't lift a finger, pays no rent, treats home like a B&B etc)...anyway she's went mental re: my comments.

LTEC - I'm sure Janice looks ace on you (and therefore by some seriously dodgy extrapolation) on me too - off to make some more progress on Eid cards.

sorry about typs , bit late in the day for my brain.

Doh typos - who's got pregnancy brain then???

roary, that jcrew dress is perfect. Can't someone from your family buy it for you? Or you could get a US address from myus.com and they will send it on to you? Or you could get a flight?!

Wow cake - you are the queen of long posts! And yes, I am blaming you entirely for the failure of Janice - didn't look much different in heels tbh Ordered a 12 but perhaps that was a little dismorphic of me. Hoping to get to Manchester at the weekend sans enfant so will try a 10 there and get refund if it doesn't perform miracles for me!

vin - really - I am like this at your shit of a partner. I am gutted for you that you are going through this. Seriously - you deserve a million times better.

LTEC I'm really glad you found your jacket/ stripy Janice- you sounded like a woman with a mission :)
Sorry to pick your brains about the shorts, as I said, I've not worn anything like that for years! Would you wear with a fairly short jumper?
I was wondering whether they would work with a rollneck or similar plus a short mac type coat now that the weather is rubbish- what do you think?

ABO- That's great that we have the same shorts. I like the grown up feel of the tweed
and the subtle spots of other colours within iit. Will have to find suitable jumpers!
I wonder who it was that linked to that lovely orange dress- everyone on here is too avid for me to keep up!!

MM- will try on the fc dress later and report back :)

bonsoir- like your gold skirt a lot but the shape wouldn't work on me either as pear shaped and fitted definitely preferable.

Lastly, a big thank you to everyone on here. You have all inspired me to spend a bit of money updating my wardrobe and treating myself without feeling guilty! I'm getting a lot more confidence to try different looks and generally make a bit of an effort (not that I have ever looked dreadful but it wasn't something I have thought about much since having the DCs)

LTEC I somehow managed to miss that post (despite its awesomeness). Don't panic about the Janice! I found that the length was a fraction too long to wear with flats for me, hence it would be night only; on the back you could see love handles (I swear! Ergh!). I am also increasingly of the view that I have a fairly boyish straight up and down figure. At the moment i have HUGE boobs from breastfeeding, so all that draping just made me look like a rectangle. But I do love Janice in theory so I will try it on with the foil number and report back :)

wot?

short post

Ooh roary - that jcrew dress is fantastic. Need to find an American friend.

looby I have a pic of me in shorts on my blog here tis a terrible pic and deeply unflattering but gives idea of how I wear shorts - tights, bikers, shortish chunky sweater

otherwise with thinner cashmere sweater and zipped up fitted biker

dunno about mac .. I have horror of non-steamlining

Done it! Well, sort of. Part of the work involves me reviewing a TV programme that I have never watched before, and that they have no information on. So I shall leave that to someone better qualified, or me, tomorrow, if they give me a bit more to go on.

Annoyed have missed Spooked, though have plussed it, of course.

Gah! All my Phase Eight finds have popped back out of my basket. Will have to redo in the morn, too sleepy to plough through all their sale pages now.

Speaking of sales, have you all seen the Flannels clearance section? Some amazing bargains to be had.

In other news, think I shall order this and this tonight, as reward for my hard (ish) work.

oh plum! I just ordered that this afternoon (the Red direct one)!

Will catch up properly t/m - night all.

Hee hee roary I knew you'd like the 2nd DVF. Will keep everything crossed that it goes into the sale for you :) Not overly enamored of the hobbs one, although agree colour is great. Will try and find you some kingfisher ones. And agree entirely about the KM fabric; but I love the shape and thought with your cropped hair the detail at the back of the neck would be great.

I wimped out of the shorts this morning LTEC . Maybe next week... having said that they're not too short, in comparison to the ones on your blog actually they are rather short again!

looby I've so far just worn mine with a chocolate brown v-neck jumper and chunky scarf. If you find good (and cheap!) jumpers to wer them with, please do share! Actually, on that subject our Sainsbury's had some great cheap knits last week, including a rather nice burnt orange jumper. Annoyingly the 8 is too small and the 10 too big. but did get a sort of milk-chocolate tank for £5 less 25%!

LTEC I like this as an alternative to the All Saints. Although no cheaper, sadly.

And whilst browsing the measly J Crew offerings on net-a-porter, I really like this olive shirt. But also really must stop spending!

Right, off to say hello to DH. Back anon...