Thank you S&B!

[LauraMercier]

I have slowly been losing weight and avidly reading S&B threads in the hope of revamping myself. I'm almost there - 3 stone down, another half to go and a wardrobe full of lovely new stylish sale bargains. Anyway I met up with some friends today - all mums, been friends for years though. I have always felt like the frumpy one, always a bit on the chunky side and usually looking like I got dressed in a dark 1990s jumble sale. That is until today!

I haven't seen this group of friends for about a year. Last time they saw me, I had not long given birth. I was 4 stone heavier post baby than I expected, had nothing that fitted and in sheer desperation (no other shops in town stocked my size, nothing other than my DHs trackie Bs fitted, had nice pub lunch planned that day with a huge group of friends), I bought and wore a pair of [gasp] Bon marche, (it gets wores) tapperd leg, arse flattening, old lady jeans. They were HORRIFIC . I cried all the way home in them. My nan wouldn't have been seen dead in them. But it was that or Pjs or DHs TBs so I did my best. I looked a fucking mess. I felt a fucking mess. I hadn't worn make-up in years. I was only 32 FFS!

Enough of that horror story (I hope I haven't given anyone nightmares). And so to today... (some background, we are in soft play place, style being a fairly limited option IMO if you intend to get stuck in with the kids). I wore my new size 12 skinny jeans, tan brogue ballet flats and an oatmeal cashmere fitted tunic, a touch of makeup and hair not looking too much of a disaster. I felt really good, and practical for the location. One friend in particular has always made snide comments about me ("Woah! You can tell you're pregnant from every angle!", "Yeah, but you don't really care what you wear" etc etc) and today, she turned up wearing a waterfall cardigan (I know some people like them...), bootcut jeans, an inch too short no less, and MUM BOOTS!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!! Her jaw hit the floor when she saw me!

Everyone said I looked great (Yay!) and I thought I looked pretty good too, I'm never going to win any style awards, my hair is always going to be a bit scarecrow-esq and by arse is always going to wobble, but I am light years away from how I looked and felt this time last year - so thanks S&B. I am drinking wine to celebrate. Cheers

my, not by obviously. Hic

That's brilliant :) well done on the weight loss, and it's great to feel like you've got a new lease of life, style-wise. Glad you're feeling so good, S&B is awesome

Geez, so many typos. sorry,

Brilliant! Don't ever lose that feeling. Also do not ever consider a waterfall cardigan. But you knew that already...... Onwards & upwards.

never finished before I hit post, do'h!

I found it a massive challenge getting stylish again after having both DCs. Felt like I lost myself in the sea of nappies and toys and you don't have the time or energy to make an effort! It feels great when you start to recover that and feel good about yourself.

Your 'friend' sounds a bit insecure. I hate it when women tear down other women, usually because they don't feel good about themselves. She needs to lay off the hatorade! :o

Thanks! honestly I love S&B - I have never known how to put things together or where to shop, none of it comes easy to me at all but over the last year I have sort of learnt what works well on me and I've stopped wasting money on shit, cheap panic buys that don't suit me, go with nothing in my wardrobe, and in the long run are expensive mistakes as they're worn once. i've lost count of the number of times I've bought an outfit and gone out only to sort of realise I've got it all wrong. I love seeing your recommendations, even when I can't afford them, I've found similar alternatives or got great sale and ebay bargains cos I've held out for specific items. And I LOVE the bruttaly honest advice.

I hope it doesn't sound too shallow but it feels great to get up in the morning, and to have a choice of things to wear that all work together and make me feel good about myself.

No waterfall cardigans!

Yay, Laura Mercier! Im just getting there myself...DD is 14 months bought myself 3-4 "fashionable" bits and bobs from oasis and quite a few basics from uniqlo, the whole lot came to 200 quid but i feel stylish again, woooo!!

Doesn't sound shallow at all, I know exactly what you mean :)

It's a great feeling isn't it? I thought I would need to spend loads but actually I'm probably spending less because I'm buying things that I can wear for different occasions, and I can dress up or down, my new tops go with my jeans or my work suits etc. I should have taken photos of some of the horrors I have thrown away though, it ws a mishmash of shite!

Hurray! I am not one of those people that contributed but I know that feeling and it feels fabulous! I am dancing with joy for you!

Don't underestimate how important it is to feel good about yourself. It can be a real struggle to find yourself again after those years spent with sick down your back & holes in the knees of your jeans (not in a cool ripped-jeans way but in a crawling-round-the-room-after-a-baby way). Feel good = look good

Well done you! :)

Yay!

Great! S and B is indeed fab.