Avid and Wise, up to our eyes in new summer buys!

[blossoming]

Where is everybody???

Hi all, hope you're all enjoying the weekend. Sorry haven't Ben around of late-have had a nightmare few weeks with dh being put on the redundancy list at work ( found out on thurs it wasn't him) and then having the car broken into having left a load of stuff that we never normally would in it which wasn't very clever.

Had fab time yesterday for the royal wedding-friends came round and we had pimms, oww's scones, cucumber sandwiches etc. My wedding dress also made an appearance although I had to take it off after a few too many scones as it was feeling rather tight!

Loved the lace on Kate's dress but thought the bodice was a bit nippley! Pippa looked beautiful. Dd's only moment of interest in the whole proceedings was watching the cars in amazement . She was another one who survived on snacks until dinner time!

Hope you feel a bit brighter now bloss and that you've has a good day with your dh NY.

everyspring that is do beautiful, so elegant. Glad you're having a good time.

Hope you have a great time with your dh annie. I'm not going to Singapore, just thinking about the pre dcs time!

Every- am bit squiffy after far too much prosecco at party but have to say how gorgeous you look in that picture! Good to hear from you and glad you enjoyed hols.

everyspring You look absolutely beautiful!!!

Hello everyone. Hope you're all having a nice weekend.

ny I swooned over your wedding dress, it's gorgeous. As are you. Hope you and your dd enjoyed the wedding.

everysrping absolutely gorgeous!

I loved watching the wedding, especially all the posh frocks. What about Beatrice and Eugenie though! I quite literally did a double-take at their clothes. WTF was Beatrice wearing on her head? And how yummy was Beckham!

However, much as I enjoyed the wedding, I've had quite enough of it now, so can all the news channels and newspapers please stop going on about it? It was lovely escapist viewing, but it hasn't really changed my life in any way iyswim.

Ah annie I have the same CK mugs. Great minds and all

Fritzi - possible bikini as seen in vogue.

Hello all!
Back from Canada, where we had a lovely time but a bad trip back with various delays and cancellations, so we were all a bit tired (especially as I was solo with the DCs).

Have glanced through the thread, very amusing about the Irish shoe meetup, how did you recognize each other?

NY Definitely Singapore for stopover, we've done it a lot, if you fly Singapore Airlines they often have a deal on for hotels. THere's tons to do for a kid your DD's age and some seriously fabulous and cheap food. Much nicer than Bangkok for a relaxing family stopover as everything is so clean and organized (some people find Singapore a bit sanitized for this reason, but I am happy for a bit of sanitized life when travelling with a child!)

Loved the wedding but I hate Kate's eyeliner. She did her makeup herself apparently. I have this theory that the reason why is because no makeup artist would ever give her eyeliner like that and she likes it - at least she looked like herself though! And very lovely despite the eyeliner.

MrsJ sounds like a stressful time. Annie when does your DH get back?

LEst this become an epic post I have a pencil skirt question which I may post elsewhere too. IT's a navy polka dotted one, and lovely, purchased in Canada and unlinkable. But I put all my weight on in my tummy. (I would not describe myself as an apple, necessarily, as I am straight up and down, but you get the picture). I have quite a high natural waist. My question is if I tuck my top in to the pencil skirt it looks great through the hips and waist but I have about two inches before the bottom of my bra and can't decide if this looks weird or is the way of pencil skirts?

It will be my first proper day back at work this week so feeling excited and a bit odd as I will be leaving my job to go to Australia in December....

Hi roary, good to have you back!
I have a similar figure to yours and my natural waist is really high. I was watching an episode of Mad Men last night (series 1 , when they all get drunk watching election results), and there were some great examples of high waisted pencil skirts with blouses tucked in. I say go for it. Also, talking of Mad Men, is it wrong to want pointy boobs? Dh thinks so.

In a moment of anti-mumsy this morning before heading out, I changed from my flats into my seriously high lkb platforms. You know sometimes you think 'yes'! Well that's how I felt. A good way to enter the In-law lair. And then to top it off the weather was sunny and warm, if a little windy, and we had a trestle table outside under a gazebo - could have been an Olivio advert, extended family eating food and drinking wine together, so the claustrophia I normally get when everyone is together in that small house, was not an issue at all. I did change into my flats and I did play football and chased dd around the garden. But it was a really good day, and I got loads of compliments. The black j brands, should be the same as the indigo pair, but cost more and are somehow completely different and so flattering with heels or my pewter/diamante cluster flats. I wore them on holiday with the white linen blouse from kew and was really happy with the look. Anyway, I no longer want houlihans, it was just a case of getting the black jeans out and wearing them more often!

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the bank holiday.

mrscb, have you seen this bikini pant, or these? Could be bought separately and choose your most flattering top.

gorgeous dvf dress for Autumns.

Hope everyone is enjoying their extended weekend; we worked out today that DH has had 8 working days this April...

NY and everyspring you both made incredibly beautiful brides.

Loved the whole wedding extravaganza - DS has been talking about William and Kate whilst off in his dream train world, so it obviously had an impact on him too! Have been sorting the garden out and spending lots of time in it, DD has largely been eating grass.

Bloss what a lovely afternoon; sounds like you were suitably buoyed by your 'Yes' moment. 20 more Shred days and I think I'll treat myself to some Jbrands.

MrsJ sorry for the rubbish few weeks, sounds like your party cheered things up no end.

Annie hope you're having a fab time with DH and glad the party was a success.

Roary I love the Mad Men look, but imagine it will take some getting used to wearing the skirt like that as it's such a shift from where skirts/trousers normally sit.

Toying with these boyfriendy jeans as my ancient Carharrts from my teens have gone. I didn't realise how much I fell back on them!

Hello.

It was Queens Day here on Saturday - huge national holiday where literally everyone dresses up on orange! Our neighbourhood arranges a whole programme of events - started off with a childrens market (only day of the year where you are allowed to sell things in the street) and DSs made some money selling old toys and games (only for them to buy more tat with it!). We also had a kids bicycle parade following a brass band (we decorated the bikes with orange flags and balloons), childrens games (baking breadsticks on an open fire, seeing how long you can hang off a pair of jeans suspended from a rope, making a wooden flower pot with saws, hammers, nails etc - boys loved it) and then the grown ups had a bar and a brilliant live band in the evening around the lovely horse chesnut tree at the bottom of our road. Lovely day.

No bank holiday here today but DSs have another week off school.

Everyspring glad you had a good holiday, your wedding dress (and you in it!) was so beautiful. (Looked on our venue's website which has a few pics of DH and I and found I've been replaced by a younger, prettier bride! Felt a bit [cenvy] !)
Roary also pleased you had a good holiday, I don't own any, but love pencil skirts and think you can get away with them being high waisted.
Bloss glad the christening was better than you expected - and that your black JBrands have now firmly established themselves in the Bloss wardrobe! Showed DH the Crew Clothing website as its got 15% until today and he liked the blue sweatshirt with the zip - is that the one you got DH - am getting it for DH along with some shorts and a shirt.
Redlama - I love my bf jeans and still wear mine a lot. I like the wash of thse Reiss ones and what a bargain!

Loved reading the DM yesterday - they had worked out what all the asides where at the Royal Wedding! Loved it when Harry said to William "she's here, wait till you see what she's wearing, she looks beautiful - ahhhh)

Sorry for epic post - I'm avoiding changing all the beds and doing post WE tidy up!

Hi ollie. I'm working this morning, getting stuff ready for my GCSE candidates and DH is in charge. (So having a short break right now!)
Your Queen's day sounds lovely.
I wanted to get that sweatshirt for DH but when I went to a store, they didn't have it, only the discontinued Chinese blue/azure colour. So we are now the 'azure' family. DH in his sweatshirt, me in my linen pleated dress and DS in his Italia t-shirt bought in Rome. What can I get for dd I wonder!
No, I'm joking, I shall have to have a spreadsheet, so we don't all wear them at the same time!
DH said the dcs were a credit to me yesterday, which is lovely to hear when you've been having self worth crises due to being at home for 7 years!
I'm hoping that by the end of this term things will have been signed and sealed for my way back into employment for September.
Back to work, back later.
Oh, almost forgot, redllama, get the J Brands!!

Morning ladies - I have been loving all of the Royal Wedding coverage and have been devouring all of the photos! I thought that Kate looked beautiful and love that Pippa woke up on Saturday newly christened Her Royal Hotness by the tabloids!! She must be feeling great right now!! We had a lovely day - DD's highlight was trying on my wedding dress and my highlight was realising that it still fits after 9 years and three children!

I wore my Farhi dress and See by Chloe jacket yesterday and felt really good - comfortable and appropriate IYSWIM.

Everyspring - what a gorgeous bride you were!!

I may have to join the JBrand brigade - I am going to copy redllama and aim to get a pair as a Shred reward (I just need to start it now!!)

The children go back to school tomorrow after a full month off and I'm dreading the school run but looking forward to giving my liver and my waistline a chance to recover!

I am ready to get back to routine too petitdonkey!
Glad you felt good in your outfit yesterday.

Hello All.

Back from a lovely few days away with DH - hotel was great, especially the spa. Was lovely to be sitting in the jacuzzi, chatting to DH and looking out over the bay. Back to normality though now, I have a horrid cold and an ear ache, feel dreadful.

Loved watching the wedding though, Kate looked stunning.

everyspring and NY Loved seeing pics of your wedding dresses, both were beautiful.

Bloss, glad the Christening went well and what a lovely comment from your DH about the children. I love my black J brands too - they are a perfect fit. So, yes Red and petit I agree with getting J brands - best purchase for jeans imvho.

OWW Queens day sounds fun, like the idea of a lots of orange about. Funnily DH and I were talking about a weekend away we had in Amsterdam a few years ago, it was brilliant. When I was little my parents considered a move to Uden. How different my life may have been!

fritzi I have a Heidi Klein bikini - bought for my honeymoon. It's a great, basic buy. I even wore it at the hotel this week. (spa, not restaurant )
If you can pick one up cheaper, like the site linked earlier, then I would recommend.

Oh what a lovely weekend... RW fab! Didn't Kate look gorgeous. Had little celebration here (far too much champers), but yes did shed a few tears. All the pomp and circumstance...jolly good!
Thought Mrs M struck right note too in Catherine Walker. Pippa looked lovely. Re guests: SamCam dull I thought. Nick Clegg's wife bizarre. Frances Osbourne looked the best of the political wives but creased. Vic Beckham - shoes dreadful, as was Chingford chignon...Beatrice/Eugenie .

Hi all. I have finally gotten my internet fixed. It has been dodgy for about 6 months, and not working at all for the last 3! I have been much inhibited, as don't have the time in RL to go shopping.
I have managed to peek in occasionally with rubbish phone.
Glad to see all is going well Carciofi and was LOL with the H and M meet up VB. I also managed to get the hasbeens in red, so imagine there could have been 3 of us there. Loads left still in H and M in Dundrum. Weird?
Re wedding, thought Kate looked beautiful, and loved the dress from the waist up, but thought it was v boring from waist down. Preferred Pippa's look, and imagine it will be greatly copied as a wedding dress. Mrs. M, I thought the jacket looked way too big on her and the colour was too bland. She's a really attractive woman, and could have stood out a lot more. Maybe that was the idea though? As for Beatrice/Eugenie.....Words fail me. Agree with all on the VB shoes. Am surprised Victoria, maybe those hormoes are to blame.Loved the Aston Martin scene! Sigh!
Want to take advantage of the NAP free shipping and would love your opinion on these j crew trews and this sweat shirt Not necessarily to be worn together, but sometimes those colours can look well together.
Every you looked beautiful in your wedding dress, so elegant.
Bloss glad you enjoyed Rome, and agree even though I've only seen pics that the SamCam dress would look fab on you.
I only had a glimpse of Mrs. Clegg, but thought it looked exotic, much search for a pic!
Are there load of people missing? Or have people changed their names? I'm confused.

Thanks for bikini link mrscb and advice on Heidi Klein wideawake. I hope my bikini-project doesn't turn into the shearling coat saga from last winter when everyone found such lovely links for me and I didn't buy one in the end .

I am a bit stressed as it is my mother's big birthday on Wednesday with the spa visit to follow in autumn. It won't be really warm so I have no clue what to wear.