No more mean girls

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Is it just me or has S&B got really quite unpleasant over the past few weeks.

I love this section and happily post but I'd hate for people to be put off posting because of some really quite nasty comments.

Now I know I'm going to be told to bog off to nm but really - wouldn't it be nicer if it was a little less bitchy?

Not particularly stylish or beautiful but I do have a few sartorial tricks up my sleeve that I love to share. Similarly; I know that one day I will need help with something and one of you ladies will have just the thing I'm looking for. I would die if someone was mean to me on here. Be nice.

I basically hate anything that looks like it comes from Chelsea Girl circa 1983.

Its making shopping quite hard going atm.

WHEN will these youngsters realise that the 80s were vile? When?

They are even using the same crappy fabrics we were forced to wear.

For the love of God WHY?

MrsD - apparently grunge is back with a vengeance this year.

i spent most of the early 90s walking round in clothes which looked like I unearthed them from the bottom of the dog basket, and now they encouraging teens to do the same.

Bloody GRUNGE. Never thought I would see that again. Clatty jumpers, long skirts, DMs, centre parted hair, brown lipstick and everyone smelling of CKOne.

Grunge!

Yes I remember it well. I had two kids by then. OH worked as a bouncer at a local club in London. I used to visit him sometimes and make tutting noises at the state of the girls Hahaha.

There was me all stush and these teenagers looking like tramps.

I loved grunge! Bring back drapey skirts and floppy velvet hats and dreadlocks and DMs, I say!

Actually - no, don't. I liked it when I was 20 and as skinny as a French Fry but now I think I'd look like either a) a mushroom b) Granny Ogg c) a mad old cat lady.

Well, I always try to be diplomatic except where someone actually asks for an opinion on the item (usually shoes that need to be humanely put to sleep) then I'm truthful about it.

I used to wear old dead men's three piece pinstripe suits from Sue Ryder. With white vests and/or cricket jumpers and Superga pumps.

Either that or velvet blazers and chokers with crucifixes. With that black/burgundy Rimmel lipstick.

What a state.

I really SCORNED all those girls at school who were into take That and the Shamen.

::waves nervously::

I met MrsCB on the life without jeans thread yesterday. I am usually a S&B lurker.

May I take advantage of this peaceful haven to ask for advice for someone close to me ::cough:: who is stuck in a rut and needs to update her work wardrobe? The parameters are

mature lady who is short and fat of Rubenesque proportions
rarely wears trousers (however formal or not) and prefers skirts or (better still) dresses
office is a smart-casual sort of place - suit not necessary but no denim or bare arms
middle of the road budget

My ::cough:: friend would be grateful for any suggestions.

Oh my goodness - I did the old mens' suit thing too - except I'd wear the waistcoat and jacket with (wait for it) leggings and then a skin tight jersey mini over the top of the leggings - and a flat cap - and PE pumps. And a pocket watch for gawd's sake. And black lipstick.

Looks at dds and decides the youth f today aren't so bad after all! :)

So where do you shop, MaryZ, and what do you buy there?

remus

I have a photo of me circa 1993 on Woolacombe beach in high summer wearing my pinstripe suit and a scowl. I looked a fright.

DD is just wall-to-wall Jack Wills. At least I was cheap

MissBeehiving you are a liar, liar, pants on fire. You were quite nasty about those hand-made, pointy fairy shoes some poor poster was in love with. And she didn't ask for opinions, she asked which colour she should get.

I, on the other hand, am unfailingly generous with my linky-links.

I have noticed a fair bit of nastiness and had already decided not to post unless I could find at least one reasonable alternative for the OP.

Maud - I would go with the dresses. I hardly ever wear trousres at work, and have a unform of shift dresses and belts and cardigans.

Not waterfall cardigans though

Fortunately my dds haven't gone for the Jack Wills thing. They are being encouraged to think that vintage is the way forward. Well, it works for my bank account anyway! :) Unfortunately dd1 is taking increasingly long when lingering in the Mulberry concession in Selfridges etc these days. :)

Yes, Decca, but I need my friend needs to get out of her Phase Eight and White Stuff (both regularly sneered at on MN, I believe) rut. So where to go? Who else has office-friendly dresses with sleeves?

ONE TRANSGRESSION FW ! I've mended my ways since then And they were really hideous. She need saving from herself

Maud Hobbs tend to have nice separates. They have lovely dresses too but they tend to be too long for me. How tall are you?

Also, have you tried any Vivienne Westwood? I can only afford it in the sales but the woman sure knows how to dress curves!

Hobbs is a strange place, I find. Everything seems large (I can drop a dress size there) and made for someone whose curves are not in the same places as mine. I'll look at Vivienne Westwood.

Remus, I was nodding along until "and a pocket watch". At which point I have to admit I (metaphorically) ROFLd.

At least we were warm. I look at teenagers today in they're teeny shorts and just want to wrap them up in a dead man's warm coat.

I've still got my lovely dead old lady's second hand vintage Astrakhan-- imitation lambskin coat. So, so warm. It cost £3.50 many, many years ago.

Barbara - if it helps at all, I was allergic to nickel for years (I seem to have grown out of it now) so the pocket watch did at least make sure that I didn't get a rash on my wrist! I then progressed to a watch face tied with a folded silk tie before I discovered Swatch watches. None of which were probably much better tbh.

Dd1 is a bit of a reptile and is pretty much always cold, so she does at least wear coats (although often they are ones she's stolen from my wardrobe).