Party frocks ahoy! Avidly and wisely dressing ourselves for the party season!

[blossoming]

Sorry to hear about your dd dolcee. Hope things improve soon.
Glad to hear your family were better behaved this time ollie.

I wonder what an avid and wise Christmas party would be like. Where would we have it? What would you wear? (Complete fantasy obviously!)

DT110 charming of your grandmother there! Saving my navy Janice for posh dinner with DH, SIL and BIL on Friday night.

dolce lol at you recommending Cos to cake

GW I have a very blatant leopard print fake fur. Total barmaid territory so I wear it with vintagey stuff to make it look more retro than cheap (hopefully)

I have tights like that too - wear them with shorts and lace up boots or with tea dresses. Speaking of which, I braved the over the knee socks yesterday. Navy tea dress, black tights, grey long socks and grey lace-up boots with cardicoat over the top. DH said it looked fine and he is super conservative so it can't have been too out there!

yangy Top Shop have some coated skinnies - I've got a pair on the way (£15 eBay - yay) so might be worth a look. Glad you said they're different as I worried they might be too similar to the black rats.

Right, long day tomorrow - seeing a client in the morning, DD's potential future school open day in the afternoon, Christmas music rehearal in the evening, working late at home after. Phew!

Catch up with you all Wednesday...

Oh verity I adore that Paul&Joe coat!! It's just what I've been looking for, I only have big long black coats or teeny blazers, hurrah! I must not buy it yet though

Was it you that recommended little cherubs for DC coats? I found a great one for DS,just navy with little hood and gloves and fleece lining, so soft, ordered Thursday night and arrived Saturday morning! V impressed. Thank you

Darn couldn't see coat as on iPhone.

I do believe DVF has been inspired by our very own Janice here and here ! Janice is better, of course

ooh, shiny

The WIT (still love her following the Zara coat debacle, did not fit in the end) is wearing a spotty dress today. I bought a very similar LK Bennett (via Cocosa) last week. Her picture has had me rummaging through my shoes to find similar pumps too - just need the grey holds up. What a copycat!

Goodnight.

Love that spotty dress! Night.

esher

Goodnight!

this dress is such a nice red

ok I must go to bed have to be in the office by 8 tomorrow- must...stop....shopping..........

also love (in fantasy Christmas party land) this

Love the Christopher Kane vin. hope I get invited to something that merits a sparkly dress.

I think you are under the mistaken impression that I want a high-powered job ladies! I want to do something fun that I get paid for and ghat doesn't take up the whole day, ruining family life! I wish I'd thought up nap or something clever like that!

Thanks for the code for White co - will have a look at that later.

New ap drama: she set off alarm last night at about 1am, then about 2am dh packs me off upstairs to find out what's going on as she's crying in bathroom. She was incoherent saying she was crying because of bad dream! But sobbing and appeared pissed - she hadn't been out though. Actually I'm regretting being on the way to London now - must make sure dh goes home early. Not sure I can keep her until mid- dec! I think I will pay her off and send her packing next week or at least by the end of the month.

Thanks for pressie suggestions. Prob with Lego is that it becomes a present for ds1 who's better at building it. Will have ablook for addictaball(?) too.

Just quickly before babes wake, Yangy I'm going to pop into town this afternoon - do you want me to try gap for the size 2? Happy to post to you. The size 0 I ordered says '8' on it and my size '00' say '6'. Alternatively I could post the 0's to you instead of returning them, i got 15% off so paid around 40 quid for them. Let me know.

Exhausted did you find the peacock brooch for Cake? If not I can look for that too, I spotted it in the style suppl too so know what I'm looking for.

Just to qualify my comments about drugs; we're really lucky and enjoy exceptionally good health in our household (except DH with his uncontrolled asthma due to complete non-compliance with inhalers!)so don't usually need to use them. DD has only had 2 days off nursery in 3.5yrs and DS hasn't been off once and he's been at nursery for almost a year. Fully understand and don't judge (don't understand why people on MN do/would) others for medicating.

Vino you beauty! just seen your pics, you're gorgeous, as are your DC. A massive early morning kick where it really hurts to your P. How dare he

What lipstick are you wearing? I want it. Delighted there are so many winters on here (Vin you look like a definite).

Roma at your AP. Don't think I'd manage even a week of your schedule, I find the whole work/life thing a bit impossible really and that's working part-time with no commute to speak of. I reckon you need to work for yourself

Zembo - you have made my day Just been reading this thread thinking I was such a heifer in my size 6 gap skinnies and ran pstairs and realised that they are size 00. Am sure gap have changed sizing as I thought a size 6 was a US2.

Regarding calpol - I use as and when necessary really. I tend to not take any medicine unless really ill but for temperatures etc I think calpol or baby nurofen is really useful.

Roma - am going to wear my beret today too - its cold!

Yippeee Tracey I was thinking there's no way you're a 6. Well done on getting them with the 30% off! The shift dress I got is a US2 or size 6, so it's gap, they're confusing everyone!

Calpol and ibuprofen are really useful Off to make drop scones for breakfast!

Gah - Kew delivered my boots a day early when no-one was home (arranged delivery to friends house in UK as her DH was there for a few days getting it ready for their move back to UK) and now he can't commit to picking them up from sorting office (5 mins away) today before leaving for here tomorrow. Hate putting people out but hope he is able too..... Have a Plan B lined up tho - another friend is visiting UK next week so could re-order another pair to her address and hope the first pair find their way back to Kew for a refund. Expensive if they dont tho!

Roman - I loved your work avoidance strategy yesterday and enjoyed all your posts - ditch the job and become a full time W&A'er I say! Glad to help re possible networking group. Re DS2's bday - the Playmobil Police Station has been a big hit with DS1 (aged5) - think Blossoming has one too? Playmobil also have a new range of secret agent (called Top Agents) stuff - not sure if its available in UK yet but plenty in the shops over here for example. One last thing - those watercolour pencils with which you colour a normal picture and then use a brush with water to turn it into a painting are fab - I picked up some in Tescos for a couple of pounds.

Dolcee - loved the sound of your going out outfit - very me.

Carciofi - have you got the Anya bag yet - its lovely - ditto your dress DT
Vin - your pics were gorgeous.

ABO - great tip re the paper aeroplane book - think DH would enjoy that as much as the boys so have put it on my Amazon wish list!
GW - loved the story of how you saw the coat and swooped the next day!
Verity - the Paul&Joe pea coat is very special - the buttons were beautiful.
Blossoming - blog is a great idea.

Quiet day with DS2 today - a crane has appeared at the end of our street and is currently lifting a room with a roof onto the top of a house - very common here to add a third storey to a house this way! Will keep DS2 occuppied all morning I should think!

GW - liked your NAP link. Not quite the same but have you seen this? Also comes in black but maybe too coat like? here

One last thing - didnt anyone else watch Miranda last night on BBC2? I love it - really makes me snort with laughter!

oww I'd say even better for an adult would be this paper aeroplane calander which we got given a couple of years ago. I have to say, we don't do one a day, but there's lots of variety and DH and the boys all love it!

Housebound today with a poorly DS3 who has been throwing up since 5.30 this morning .

Will try and use the opportunity to get on with some christmas shopping, or at least research! Does anybody know where to buy lovely wool throws for snuggling under on the sofa? I want to get one for my mum in something that will go on a goldy/beige sofa in a room with red flowery curtains. Designers Guild doesn't have anything in the right colours and not sure where else to look. Thanks.

ABO how about brora

Yangy - there's a size guide for jeans on the gap site - think having just looked that a 0 is a size 8 in their jeans.

ABO twentytwentyone is really nice for gifts. It doesn't have exactly what you are after but the accessories bit has some really lovely stuff.

ABO if there's anything at LA that suits let ms know as I can help with disc

Sorry about poorly bub

ABO sorry to hear about DS3...hope he's better soon.

Calpol...yes we use when nec too....but would be very happy to never have the need Don't think we are judgey on this thread Zembo - or I'd like to think not, so don't worry! Except maybe about going commando - hmph! Tee hee!

ABO - yes Brora - Laura Ashley too for throws etc...they tend to have lots of things in that colourway.

Morning everyone! D'you know I thought I was up suite late last night and was shocked to see pages of chat that I'd missed!
Sorry to miss you again verity, I may come to uou gor tips on table layout fir the craft stall soon! Looking forward to looking at your coat link when on pc.

Now we just need rufus back! When are you off to London, and when's the hair appointment with Frank?

ltec, loved the brooch too, if not for me! So I think you said at meet up you wanted to lose another 7lbs? Well done, fantastic achievement.

esher, so sorry to hear of your daughter's hearing problem. I medicate as required, as I'm sure I've mentioned before.
notyummy, sorry about the terrible time you had too.

Sorry about poorly dc abo. Perfect day for online
shopping!

Hi ollie, how are your craft stall plans coming along?

Got another rejection from HoC today. Back to the drawing board!

I'm with the beret brigade today too, -2C here brrr!