We Wise ladies Avidly are, bearing bags and links from afar.......

[notyummy]

New one!

blue I was sitting with Grazia on my lap when you mentioned the discount, I rushed to place my order and then discovered that the dIscount doesn't apply in Ireland!
I lol at your description of wearing all your favourite things when going out, I think most of us can relate to that

Ollie really lovely dress it will look great on you.

Blue what an excellent post . I loved your description of the outfit. Not sure about which print is best. Think a comparison link could be good.

Bloss yes I liked that too, could be at a discount very soon!

Portia what a shame about the discount on ASOS. How naughty not to include Ireland.

That's not fair, portia!

I've been doing some sales browsing (DH out again but thankfully has travelled by train this time). Not impressed by Whistles sale despite the discounts sounding promising. Might be the dreadful website though. Why don't they realise and make it better? Makes me cross as I always love the clothes when I'm in the shops themselves. Did have a pang when I saw that cream roxy is down to £160ish with today's extra 10% off - less than the Topshop one! But think you were right about advising against.

Now have moved onto asos as the 30% is tempting. What do you think about these OTK boots? Perhaps trying an uber cheap pair first is the way to go as I'm dithering so much? At least it will stop me from going on and on about them; I'm starting to bore myself!

Hope you're all having nice evenings.

I am watching the classic that is Love Actually and just realised that one of the sexy american girls in the Milwaukee bar section is non other than Betty Draper!

I just bought the burgundy and navy stripe top from the Whistles sale. I already have it in a small size and is perfect for work tucked into a pencil skirt, but have bought a larger size in the hope it will be nice and loose and I can wear it with Agnes, as the colours would go so well with them.

Porta thats so annoying about the discount - seems to happen a lot. Did you get them anyway?
Blue enjoy your maternity leave. Loved your last day outfit.
WAN If your DH is anything like mine, he takes a while to get used to a new 'fashion'! I remember his face when I wore skinny jeans or even shoeboots! Keep the boots.
Icey for a relatively cheap wall fix, try Ikea. Ceilings are mostly huge over here and several friends have nice prints from there. John Lewis has an ok range too. An arty friend has a wall hanging (could even be a rug?) which is nice.
NJC great boots, can see you in them.

Pickled hope you kept away from any candles at the Governors lunch . I need to invest in a white shirt too.

I have to go to a dinner in A'dam with DH's work colleagues (7 couples) later. Guy that has organised it doesnt have kids so it starts at 4pm in a bar (!), then there is some sort of a guided walk before the meal. Im meeting them in the restaurant as MIL didnt want to collect kids from school which is fair enough. Means I wont have to worry about suitable footwear for walking! Will wear Janice or the navy Monsoon ponte dress (capped sleeves, slight cowl neck) which came this week and is a keeper - fits in all the right places and DH said was very Mad Men (thats good right?)

What about doing the big present opening on Thursday evening at 9pm?

Morning, a bit of a panic on here, due to an electrical fault DD2s train has been delayed by 3 hours and we don't know if she will make her flight, am trying to organise alternatives , I guess I won't be buying those leather trousers after all!

oh Portia, good luck with it all.

I can do thursday at 9.00pm Ollie. Navy dress sounds good for tonight, Janice is so last year . Have fun!

Poor thing portia. Same thing happened to me coming home from the Alps for Christmas on my year out. But I was 21. Hope she's ok. I vividly remember the sprinting to the airport gate with all my bags. Feel old this week!

You really should have gone on the pub crawl Bloss . You have done so well getting back into teaching and keeping things ticking over - any tips? We've been practising DH getting the DC dressed and to school this week so today DS2 has gone to school in socks that he slept in and DD (who gets the bus) has forgotten her violin so DH has gone on a 40min round trip to deliver it - I mustn't laugh .

Grr. Just lost a big post at home when the wireless dropped out. Now posting on the train.

Blue- hope you enjoyed the last day. Your outfit sounded great! I went to a fab hairdresser I the Lacemarket yesterday and wondered if you had been- Sutherland and Barnett? A lovely guy called Ben did my hair. He certainly knew his way to my heart/tip- massage chair for the hair washing plus great head massage; hot home made mince pie and cup of tea; pile of glossies- and he complimented my dress! We had a chat about low carbing (whilst I scoffed the mince pie and the shred. He does it too!! For £45 for a cut and blowdry I certainly felt like I got my money's worth.

Ollie- hope you have a great time tonight.

Portia- hope dd makes it!

My ss present arrived yesterday and is under the tree along with the little present for DD. She was delighted . 'That is very kind of them mummy. They must be really nice.'. She went to the school disco last night and danced with her boyfriend - in a waltz hold from Strictly Come Dancing. I think she wears the trousers in that relatio ship: 'He didn't want to dance to Justin Beiber mummy, but I said 'Stop being silly and dance with me right now.' So he did.' Do you think that approach would work with DH?

Was out last night and had good time. Bed at 130am and now on train for afternoon/evening out. 2 days of boozing on the trot is hard work for me these days! Wearing TS coated skinnies, M and S heels, and blue sequinned top (bought in 1998 from Principles- remember them?!) Dont feel too bad but it is fair to say that my eyes need some touché éclat help today..

I can do 9pm on Thursday.

Hope you all great days. May return for drunken posts disgracefully early in the day later on.

Oh- winter running reached a new low at 6am yesterday in rain and sleet. Just awful. But I knew I wasn't going to be able to do anything today and 2 days boozing and eating has to be suffered for at some point. I have all my running gear in suitcase and may go out tomorrow morning from hotel. But NOT in the rain. If necessary I have Burn Fat Boost Metabolism on my iPhone and will do in hotel room. Unless I am on top floor and fear I may find through ceiling!!

ollie lovely dress. Can totally see you in it. Must have been something in the air this week as I bought this dress in the Hobbs sale. It might be my Christmas day dress...

www.hobbs.co.uk/index.cfm?page=1017&productid=0211-9504-1169L00&productvarid=0211-9504-1169L00-MULTI-18&refpage=1115

I have now finished work for christmas. I have only taken 7 days off all year and I had a tonne of leave to use so I thought what the heck! Have been working really hard and DS has been a bit up and down about sleeping so am really really pleased to be off.

Ants great dress - love the subtle print. Great for Christmas Day - I will be your grey dress twin then too!

DH has just phoned to say the 2 female colleagues attending the dinner later are wearing black trousers "the ones that stick out a bit at the bottom" said DH! Hmmm, Janice may well be too dressy in comparison but only alternative is Agnes and blouse. I feel another pre going out Ollie faff coming on.

Portia any update on DDs travel plans? Hope she is handling it ok, its horrible when all you want to do is get home.

ollie Love the sound of your Ponte dress! Enjoy your night out Mad Men style . The AWear dress is fab too.

And ants' new dress is amazing! Hope you can enjoy the run up to Christmas. I am at your lack of holidays during the last year. You are almost as bad as my DH!

portia Fingers crossed DD will arrive home safely soon!

bloss That Whistles top is great. Get the MK scarf too

sprog When is your party? Any chance you can track your Outnet dress?

red Lovely for the DCs to spend time with their Oma and for you to meet friends.

pickled Your story about practising the morning routine with your DH made me really smile. DH was surprised the other day to find out that all of DD's school clothes are folded neatly in a separate drawer from her other clothes. She started school in summer... What can I say?

blue Hope you find time to put up your feet now! Your dress/scarf combo yesterday sounded fabulous. I think dressing up for last-day-of-work things is important to leave an impression . For my last day of work at hippie yoga place I wore DVF wrap dress and heels .

notyummy What a busy social life you have. I admire your ability to come up with one gorgeous outfit and then another and then another... .

The weather here is abysmal: Torrential rain and storm and the street lights have been on all morning. Have indulged in some of DD's Lindt Christmas chocolates .

Have decided that I will probably wear Agnes with lots of layers on top for our flight next week. They have become my most favourite and comfortable trousers and I like them even better than my Houlis.

ollie Could you wear Agnes and sparkly Zara jacket from your birthday party? It's Christmas after all and you are the non-Dutch spouse so can get away with anything, non?

Talking of faffing, Im pondering this jumper here but do the sequins make it too gladiator like (tried on yesterday, sequins are matt)?
Thoughts?

Not sure about the jumper ollie, sorry. Not so much the matt sequins but not sure if beige is such a great colour on you. Think something in light grey would be better? Zara had some cashmere jumpers/cardis with scattered sequins around the neckline/shoulders which looked great.

Have you all seen Wendy here? Made me realize that anything feathery should only be worn by tiny size zero bottoms.

Oh no, sequin skirt is too small!

Oh Bloss - what a shame. Is it worth ringing CS to see if there's a size 12 hanging around - it worked with your Boden cardi?

Fritzi see what you mean about the jumper - its slightly more oatmeal looking in RL. Will ponder further!

Wearing the dress I brought yesterday - its tipping it down here and icey cold. Have to hang around at tram stops and railway stations plus trek to restaurant. Not the glam look I was going for but DH's secretary (I love her!) has said she would be surprised if any of the Dutchies dressed up - I have got shoeboots in bag ready for a quick change tho so wont be letting the W&A's down!

It's bloody snowing now. Bet you my night out will be cancelled [really annoyed emoticon].

oh I am SO behind! Hello everyone. A secret santa looking parcel arrived for me this week - thank you thank you secret giver, I can't wait to open it 9pm Thurs!

have got too greedy this party season, I am now worn out. Health campaign will be starting early, the guy who sits next to me at work does Dukan which seems to work very very well!

bloss Pity about the skirt. Do you have any alternatives?

DHL has just delivered my Christmas Day outfit . It is sooo flattering!!!

This jersey dress is ridiculously short and going back.

Santa will bring me this bag and this ring (shamelessly copying Wendy).

I am now in swimming. Dd is feeding me maltesers. No wonder the skirt doesn't fit!
Love the dress fritzi. I might get the scarf as a gift to me for getting through the first term. Thanks for enabling!
Has stopped snowing.

Hic!

Christmas cheer is flowing here in Nottingham. G and slimline Ts all round!