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]

bollocks

this

oooh may have to get this skirt for opaques/boots in winter

ltec your hair is already like that!

on the subject of hair though I really recommend this shine-inducing spray

(and very nice it is too!)

Gorgeous ltec. It would look amazing on you. I've said before how I love her new style.
Oh thanks for the lovely dress link. I tried on the red version before meetup and the neckline was a bit high.

Very quick one.

Roary Love the BR sequin skirt - it's in the Evening Standard tonight.

Katy Glad you had a great break in Salcombe.

LTEC If you find out how to get your hair like that please share. Fabulous!

Bloss Vin Yangy Thank you for sharing your stories. Very humbling.

I am reaching admin melt down. Cleaners gone sick for 2 weeks, I have too much to do, dh about to go away for a month, trying to sort out early childcare so I can do my job - bla, bla, bla.

Anyway enough of me. It will all work out!

So many lovely things linked to to look at properly later

tracey!

Right, back at proper computer!

LTEC I also thought your hair already looked like that!

Roary I see what you mean about the cerise. It's fabulous. In fact lots of those colours are! In the summer I had approx 20 minutes in a J Crew outlet store while my parents looked after DS3 and DH took the big boys to Starbucks! Lots of the colours were great for autumns. I got a lovely amber long sleeved layering top, and a chocolate brown strapless dress which can also be worn as a skirt. The jewellery was great too, and all so cheap! Anyway, I do think you'd find that the "gold" cardie would be great with lots of things, and like I said, be brave! The dark seaweed is a really interesting colour too; I love the idea of it over a peacock/teal dress... Dark raisin could be a winner too; or it it a bit burgundy? Which is the jumper you're thinking of?

Off to bath some boys. Back later.

Bloss and Vino, very sad about your little girls, and your brother Yangy. Vino, people say the most ridiculous things, I think it is nerves! When I returned to NY after my mother died, my colleague asked if I had a good time. I said eh, no, my mother died, and she replied, yes, I heard, but did you have fun apart from that. WTF!

Vino, that is very kind of you but I am tall so need 34" and also am a 29/30 waist.

LTEC, that was another another dress that I was thinking of returning but didn't.

Bloss, the Lily bag is lovely and I am now considering it as I will have to wear Isabella Oliver and not DVF to my brother's wedding! I go end of January. Good choice of dresses too.

Thanks for the links to sequin skirts - think may have to go and try a few on especially in gap as am a sucker for a discount.

Lovely top Vin

Claudia wearing fab leopard o takes 2.

I really like the Gap skirt and other things from Banana Republic too, esp. silk blouse.

Gorgeous hair cake. I'm in a bit of a hair crisis at the moment because I'm so fed up with current hairstyle but hairdressers always tell me that shoulder length with a few layers is apparently what suits me best . Will try to get blowdry before going away for work on Friday.

hf Hope you get things sorted!

I'm shocked at how much stuff I don't get done now that I do most of my work not at home anymore. Don't even know what to wear for my birthday tomorrow because the washing is piling up in the laundry room. Will only go out for early dinner with DD and DH but want to feel good and make an effort with outfit anyway.

Can I ask those of you who sit at a desk and do a lot of computer work how you prevent your neck/back from aching? It is only week three and my neck muscles are so tense. Makes me feel a bit miserable and tired too.

I am severely tempted by the feather dress blossoming ..possible xmas present?..though what I really want is another baby..dd2 only 7 and a half months but I'm a sucker for a newborn and lots at weigh in clinic yesterday..sigh.

yangy I burst into tears when I read your post and have to admit wept more when I read how you hugged the mum..sounds like your own experiences have given you great empathy.most people are terrified of other's grief or it is such uncharted territory they have no idea..see carciofi ..how awful.

roary we've just been in the U.S but no shopping time for me(drools over J.Crew links)..I need to take some speed shopping tips from ABO

Apuski haven't seen you for a while..hope all's well and A putting on weight nicely.

Baby has horrid cold and really miserable..not expecting much sleep again tonight though very touched(and floored!)by DH who got up too last night and offered to cuddle her so I could get some sleep(I declined though lovely to be asked!)..this is the same guy who always announced how well DD1 slept,not noticing I had got up 5 times a night with her

Fritzi, not working (outside the home, ahem!) but I used to have an ergonomic footrest. Make sure your monitor is at the correct height for you and do a couple of stretches every hour or two. Short article. Happy birthday for tomorrow!

Reine, hope the baby gets well soon.

Just browsing joules and like this and this.

Thoughts?

Oh and keep meaning to say LTEC - I adore that asos dress with the feathery skirt.

Evening all!

Have just caught up with what you have all been up to....

Bloss, Vin and Yangy - Your posts are lovely to read. Full of love for those you have lost...and advice to those who may need to support others.

LTEC - I agree Tamara hair rocks! I think you are not far off already. Have you heard of Moroccan Hair oil? It has been getting a LOT of love on another thread and I am seriously contemplating http://www.beautyflashshop.co.uk/engine.php?action=Find&product_pulldown_brand=74&ref=google&advert=m_oil&gclid=CMv-1-y_lKUCFc0_4wodbwhBPA here. FWIW I also aim for the Tamara look (kind of...) but I have slightly wavy and very thick hair that won't quite comply. A hairdress can wrestle it into submission, but unfortunately I am still working on my own permanant beauty entourage...

HF - Hope you get the admin sorted soon. I can REALLY feel your pain as it is a very similar situation to my own. The only thing I can add is that we have a mothers help who comes in VERY early in the morning and does cleaning whilst DD still asleep when I leave for work.She then does breakfast/dressing playing with her and takes her to school. We got her through the Job Centre - free to advertise and they help you a lot through the process. They can also help you with advice with crb checks etc.

Yangy - Loving the knitted Dickens and Jones dress you linked to.

Blossoming - You have been on fire with the Xmas shopping today! I am feeling rather smug having nearly completed mine. Couple of small things for my Dad and one pressie for DH to go. Have started on the Xmas cards this week, doing a few each evening. Have done about 1/2 so far.

Katy - Those boots look really good. I also bought a pair from Clarks last month!

Right, today I had a few parcels arrive. Against all the odd I really like these boots. They are a lighter grey than they appear in the photo and look great on. OK, they are more Primarni than Choo, but I was trying to fit a particular need on a budget!

I also got grey jeggings which look good and do what I had I hoped they would.

And lastly...a confession. I had ordered yet another maxi, because it was in the sale. I had my doubts tbh, but though perhaps it would look good on. Here it is. The good news was that the 10 fitted me beautifully (yea!) and the cut is flattering. The bad news is that there is more than a whiff of Margo in The Good LIfe. I looked in the mirror and thought of what DH would say... Now amongst his many skills, over the past decade my DH has learned how to convey disapproval for an outfit without actually saying so. For example, when I come out saying 'So, what do you think?', if he responds with 'Hmm, what would you wear that with?'...then that is DH code for 'Good god, take that monstrosity off RIGHT NOW.' . If he likes, he will say 'Oooooh, that looks great.'. Easy to read.

I have sent it back.

Bugger!

hair oil link.

Hi all,

I am gutted. I searched for a pair of Belstaffs boots as my wardrobe was sold (found them in a shop called Linea in Hampstead) and they arrived today. Just got home from work and put them on. The right foot fits perfectly. The left is too small. They have to go back.

Am I ever going to find and keep a decent pair of boots or should I just become a YETI??

I think I am going to get this in henna which looks rust,

and maybe also this
www.jcrew.com/browse/single_product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441805672&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302027421&nav_type=PRMNAV&bmUID=1289318876233 in the blue..

and this skirt

and the glitter belt in brown shiny

And that will blow the budget for the year but the colours are so gorgeous and so not like anything here...

DT You could just get one size bigger and wear a half insole in the right shoe?

oh dear - I've read everything, clicked on all the links and then felt so very sad at all the losses but at the same time amazed at all the wisdom and experience on this thread.

Now of course I can't recall exactly what I wanted to say to everyone.

Onto the trivial. Fleecy I got the clarks shoes...thanks so much for the tip off - I think they are great (but then I am partial to a clumpy shoe . Also along with everyone else I have ordered the stripy janice.

I have also ordered some shorts from Asos...will report back.

Tracey - any news on the house yet? The outfit you mentioned for evening with school mums sounded just right.

HF - hope you get all that sorted - sounds hard going.

I have a dinner t/m night and can you believe I'm actually thinking i have 'nothing to wear'...everything feels too big, too summery, not dressy enough, too dressy. Urghhhhh....

Will have to do some trying on now.

Hi Fritzi - too small as in my size clodhopper feet do not fit the lovely, gorgeous boots. They do not make 42, only 41. I have never bought an insole in my life - ha ha.

Sorry to harp on, just need to vent my shoe purchasing frustration.

Have heard good things about that Moroccan hair oil too.

Argan Oil is very good for the skin too - face and body. Like this

Goats eat the fruit of the Tree and their waste is collected and ground down! Most likely by machines these days - not by hand.

Vin you are sooo generous (particularly to your P it seems), thanks for the offer of jeans. I'm interested but can't remember what size you are. I'm a 25/26 waist depending on brand and 29 or 30 inside leg. Let me know if anything fits the bill and I'd most definitely give you some dosh for them.

Yangy I cried on reading your post about your brother - my DD is 4yrs old now so I suppose it made me wonder the unthinkable. Again so generous of you all to share your experiences on here. Thank you.

So many fab links as usual. Vin I like the P8 Lucia dress, quite fancy it myself, will wait for Bloss's feedback.

LTEC gorgeous hairstyle and agree you're not far off it. You would have to say goodbye to the wang plait though I think and chop a load off. I can't plait my hair to the side and it's about the length of pic u linked to.

Hells you look great on your 'goth' party FB pics, interesting friends you have

have caught up on the day's posts properly and won't go on (and on and on and on!!) as everything is gorgeous other than to say that, as always, this thread provides inspiration and admiration that goes far beyond skin deep. Thank you for your stories and wisdom.

DT so sorry abut the boots, too.

Off out with dh for a drink so will check in tomorrow. Stay warm, everyone.

Bad news on the belstaffs dt, and on the maxi notyummy.
I'm hoping dh will not be working from home the day my phase 8 order arrives!

The lily is lovely isn't it carciofi? Although it's unlikely dh will buy me yet another bag!

Hope you have a lovely birthday fritzi, and things settle down soon.
Also hf, hope you get stuff sorted soon.