Karl, Marc and Oscar might be three WISE men, but if it's AVID women you're after, this is the place

[PlumSykes]

new thread

vin - thank you very much. I am always in LKB - have not spotted it but then generally I am trying on shoes . I will have a look in store when I return to work. Hope 2011 works out in the way you want it too. Be brave and strong and follow choo's advice .

esher - GD receiving all their new stock in next week but not online until two weeks time. Please encourage me to stay away.

SATTC - tonight at 7pm. Am taping it. I will probably be busy with the DC's. I need to get them back into a bedtime routine, failed over the Christmas holidays due to family visits and sickness so tonight the back to school preparations begin.

We went out for a quick Lebanese lunch at Noura and then a longer coffee and cake at the Café de Flore where, as usual, there was plenty to look at, including some remarkable plastic surgery. I wonder what it must be like to be a teen with a replica of Barbie for a mother?!

And then wandered around Saint-Germain, looking at the shop windows. I want to go back to Dedar with DP to look at furnishing fabrics - I love the vibrant colours and geometric designs - and I had a good peer through the window of Tod's, verity. Metallic ballerinas are a very good idea - as you say, they go with everything. And I'm fed up of having two or three pairs that are rapidly trashed - I want one good pair instead.

Water shortage sounds perfectly dreadful

Vin - its the 60th birthday of the Archers and its a double episode that is going to 'Shake Ambridge to the Core' - very exciting

Verity - water shortage sounds awful - I hope its sorted soon.

DD is shaping up to be utterly fearless - she decided to climb on coffee table and jump from that to sofa earlier . Unfortunately she missed. She nwow has a very bruised cheek poor thing.

tracey - poor DD and you. Not pleasant to watch at all. Thank goodness just a bruise rather than anything else. I made a massive faux pas. I thought you were referring to S*x in the city - the film. It's on tonight too. Am tired.

Nice, unusual, navy pencil skirt here

Jigsaw patterned one here

Westwood one here

Love this one

Thanks BGhoul.

I like the HOF and the Westwood. I will investigate further and what a bargain for W&A 2011 .

I have already tried on the Jigsaw skirt and the fit was not right at all.

plans for today cancelled as ds1 has had dodgy tummy and I couldn't face being out and about and having to rely on public toilets. So we are going out for dinner tonight instead after the dc have gone to bed I really wanted an early night. esher it's out mutual friend by the way so I will pass on a hello from you

Verity that sounds so grim. How do you stay so upbeat? Hope it all gets better soon.

OWW that's perfect, I will order from that site, thanks a million!

NY I take your point re NY Day party but our neighbours are very religious and were at church at midnight on NYE. Most of the guests were similarly inclined. It was an afternoon do (alcohol free) and actually an easy option for us as it meant the kids were entertained without having to resort to DVDs or us actually making much effort Also - food galore. Huge drums of jerk chicken and huge vats of rice. DJ, marquee - fantastic.

We came home and watched a very good but rather dark film - Before The Devil Knows your Dead. Anyone seen it? Ethan Hawke still has it!!

Also - anyone know anything about alopecia? I have developed a bald patch . It's quite obvious (esp as I am so dark) about the size of a 50p piece. Just in the last few weeks. Stress? Hormones? Diet? Interestingly, it's in the exact same spot where I used to have quite bad psoriasis.

Dh was when I told him about all of these autograph requests - took him a moment to realise not serious!!! In one of the other books he gets a credit that mentions his hair so I am quite looking forward to the reaction at the next job with his new haircut

tracey - my dd was utterly fearless when she was little and still is. She loves playing rugby and will often tackle me onto the sofa! She is always covered in bruises (mostly from rugby) and is bound to have more soon as she is going skiing with her school next week.

Before the Devil Knows you're Dead

Thank god Roma isn't here

I love Tods ballet flats, they are on my list.

Welcome back, Roary.

I went to Oxford St this afternoon to return the DVF cardigan, it was horribly busy so I am glad I persuaded DH that he needed some quality time alone with DD. :o
I bought Stuart Weitzman strappy gold sandals for my brother's wedding, not sure they will go with my pink dress though. Gap's maternity section is fairly dull but found a really nice pair of skinny jeans (MM, check them out!).

I heard that they are bringing in water rates in Ireland, Verity, what a cheek!

Aww, Tracey, your poor DD.

Ltec - a friend of mine developed a bald patch on her head that started out about that size and then grew a bit more. She had a fungal infection that was very hard to shift. She tried going to the doctors, a tricholgist(?), and then finally tried putting tea tree oil on it. It did eventually clear up and her hair has grown back. She was very conscious of it but you couldn't really notice it unless you were looking closely.

Red pencil skirt here but I don't think I like it It is VERY red! :)

Top has been ordered {smile] Thanks fashion fairy OWW!!

thanks also lovely choo for Jigsaw offer - not sure what top you mean and it might be better if I remain ignorant!!

and welcome back roary. Hope you had a fab Xmas down under

LTEC - I'd go to your GP and perhaps have some blood tests. Also have read good things about here

DT - thats funny - I love SATC too

Vinvinoveritas, thank you, will be waiting for hotel details then ;-). Mayfair hotel I mentioned used to work with Eurostar- ie when ordering Eurostar tickets if you clicked "book train tickets and hotel" and then chose Mayfair, you normally would get a better deal- but I checked for my dates and I don't see them in the hotel list at Eurostar site- but may be it will work for your dates?

Cake am not a doctor, but have heard that alopecia can be caused by all of the above. You said you've been feeling tired lately so you may be lacking some nutrients Has it got worse since you have been Dukaning?
Hopefully Loopy will be along in a minute to offer advice?

Tracey not listened to the Archers for a while, but am tempted to tune it at 7. I hope it isn't a disappointment. Glad DD isn't too badly hurt.

Bonsoir I have the tods degas ballet flats in brown suede. They have lasted almost three years now. Carla Bruni has them too (but I got mine first!)

DT Originally I got the Edelmans a size too large, but I sent them back as they didn't fit properly around the ankle. Could you order from the US? I was going to before they came back into MyWardrobe.

Cake OWW linked to a Jigsaw top further up the thread, but now realise you are after a different top! Will re-read the thread and have a look

I think I may be saving up for this coat for next year. How yummy!
Hope you find your boots dt.
choo, your love of all things shoe makes me smile.
ltec, my friend had alopecia after having children. I think it would be a different thing for you though as your youngest is already past 1.
traceyb, glad your dd's not too bad. I've started putting dd in pigtails. She is beyond adorable. Especially in her new (Tu from Sainsburys) outfit, purple cord jeggings and purple mix plaid shirt. Calamity Jane!
Oh no, she's just pooed in the bath. Dh calling for reinforcements!

Cake, am so very sorry about your hair. I have had periods, okay years, of having trichotillomania (compulsive pulling out of own hair) which, obviously, leaves bald spots. There is little worse than worrying about someone noticing that, esp. if, like us, you are very conscious of your appearance. I really feel for you. Your beautiful hair truly is your crowning glory, so to think it might be falling out must be most alarming. On a practical note, I would suggest something along these lines. It's basically a coloured spray that colours yr scalp until your next shampoo, so your thinner patch won't be noticed.

LTEC- Your party explanation makes it all clear- and yes, less effort than entertaining 3 of them yourselves- result! I don't know anything about aloplecia I'm afraid. I would gave thought some supplements could be helpful in general - perhaps ask a skin specialist or even hairdresser?

Blossoming - poo in the bath I remember it well. DD did that once at about 18 months old and obviously wasnt aware/ had forgotten. Dh was in bathroom but doing some cleaning and only realised when she started screaming and pointing at the poo 'Daddy!!!! Poo!!' She was convinced that DH had crapped in her bath

Lovely coat, Bloss, but SO expensive! Wonder if it will go on sale once ski season is over.

thanks for your kind words ladies.

Well, having thought it through, since mid-October the following things have happened:
I have been clear of breastfeeding and pregnancy for the first time in five years, bar one month btwn stopping bfing dc2 and falling pg with dc3 - so big hormonal changes, no?
I have been under a fair bit of stress, nothing that I'll bother you with
I started Dukaning, lost weight rather rapidly and have not really reintroduced the food groups in the prescribed way

so that's a fair bit for the old body to contend with I guess. Plus, I am prone to psoriasis which, like alopecia is an auto immune disease and linked to white blood cells etc - so interesting that it's occurred in the same spot where psoriasis used to be worst.

plum how have you dealt with your problem? that sounds very hard.

Thanks for the various links.

BG yes,wore with black opaques.
Would wear fine black tee underneath,or grey,cream/white or poss purpley shade.
Wore this
www.johnlewis.com/144081/Style.aspx
today with indigo skinnies,brown boots and layered grey tee from Autograph.