RIGHT new resolution starting now - I WILL BE more vain - join me??

[omydarlin]

Anyone want to join me in my New Years Resolution (starting now) to be more vain/groomed/less lazy about feeling and looking great?

I will log on to style and beauty at least twice a week for stylish/beauty/groomy tricks
I will not buy cheap "that'll do " rubbishy clothes any more (well ok but cheap but I have to love them)
I will look after my skin/hair/nails
I will respect my body by giving it lots of water fresh air and healthy food (am doing a weight loss trail thing for work so this should be easier.
I will stop going to work with greasy hair and flaky nail polish or clothes with holes in

It strikes me that I don't care enough about maintaining my appearance - but conversely I do care when I suddenly catch myself in a shop window looking rough as a dog or when husband compliments me out of the blue because I have bothered to blow dry my hair!

Anyone want to join me for a bit of support or any advice how to become vain will be helpful - strikes me being more vain would be a good thing for me!

natasha have you got a link for the bag? I am on a change bag/handbag/all purpose bag hunt. I am thinking of a satchel, but undecided.

Oh and hathall I've definitely had that feeling. I am forcing myself to make he effort to at least pull on something civilised and do some lipstick/gloss and mascara every day.

For anyone vaguely contemplating getting their colours done, I wholeheartedly recommend it. I have have nonstop compliments coming in about how well I look. I am rubbish at accepting compliments, so it's been v strange, but lovely!

Hello all - we have been doing so well - even if it's just "thinking" about being vain is a step in the right direction. Anyone is welcome it's open house just drop in and out whenever you feel like it! Just checking in with a tip as am super busy being fed to the brim at MILs - was at mymums the other day - wool mix coat came back smelling of stale fags but i got out my household steam cleaner and it worked a treat!

It's the dvf drew bucket tote bag.
I've got the red, which is darker than it looks in the pics. Dvf site has it in brown which is nice and there's an American site that has it in a dark chocolate suede... nor very practical with a baby though.

www.net-a-porter.com/product/168454

I got mine from matches with 30% off.
I didn't spend that much money on a bag... honest

Lovely bag natasha - I'm hoping for a peruse of online sales when we finally get home.

Am proud of myself not pigging out too much over Christmas, haven't put on more than a couple of pounds. 30 day shred starting when we get home tomorrow though! DH and I have decided 2012 is the year when we will make an effort with our appearances.

Gosh, lovely bag Natasha! I've just bought something quite similar by claudio ferruci (?), down from 200 to 100, then I had a fifty euro voucher so I'm feeling pretty chuffed. I do love red leather bags, it's my fetish. ;)

I'm still holding my nerve for Duo boots to start their real reductions.

Has anyone joined the Dukan website? It's half-price atm and I think daily motivational emails, suggestions and recipes might be good for me.

AIBU to be in my pj's still? In my defence I've been wrestling study and a demonic non-sleeping 18 month old this morning.

alpine me too! Hoping for a decent pair in tan/dark brown to come up.

Simply must get the chance to read this thread properly. Alpine - my advice is DON'T joint the Dukan website. It's half-price because it's shite and no-one is signing up. You don't need to. If you follow Dukan the weight falls off you and there's no better motivation than that. That's how I lost the majority of my 4 stone last year. It's not quite 'just' low-carb, it's also low-fat and pretty abstemious. It works but... I don't know, it did something to me that Wasn't Quite Right. Lost all enthusiasm for cooking 'real' food (was previously really into cooking) although that could be something to do with now having two regularly ungrateful minxes to cater for, became addicted to eating loads of fat-free stuff, which I basically think is the food of the devil.

Must go, but back later. xx

lottie Yes, I must admit the "low-fat" element of it puts me off. :( The stuff they use to remove the fat content is imo far, far worse than the fat. Ah bugger, I shall have to use my loaf (noooo, not bread badoom tish) and eat low-carb, nutrionally balanced and no bloody additives - i.e., paleo/clean.

Can recommend French Women Don't Get Fat for a simple, no nonsense, eat-less-and-move-more diet book. It's honest and easy and not revolutionary, but a nice read.

Hope we all had a good christmas / holiday and were spoilt
I received some lovely things that will help me be lovely in 2012 - a pair of leopard print leather driving gloves, lots from Clinique, some lovely chocolates, a double strap watch that I have wanted for ages and some vouchers... what to buy!!
I have also decided to get into twitter in 2012 - I am not great with technology! I am planning to use it to tweet all things fashion and beauty - a sort of 12 months in the life of my wardrobe. I plan to post lots of pics of what I am wearing and why. I hope that by doing this it will focus me to give more care and attention to my wardrobe!! If anybody wants to follow this little project my username is dressed366. Before anyone goes mad, I am not promoting anything, definitely do not work in fashion, am not selling anything etc... it is purely for fun!!

I have been thinking about food today too, need to be sensible about it as I'm bfing the enormous hungry newborn!

I think my plan is huge quantities of fruit and veg, as little dairy as possible, more eggs (have my own chickens b) small portions of whole grain carbs, meat twice a week and fish once. Basically low GI, I imagine a days food will go...smoothie for breakfast, soup/salad for lunch, veg curry/chilli/stew with big salad and a small handful of carbs for dinner. I don't have tons to lose, 2 stone would give me a buffer.

I am definately joining the 2012 vain club. For Christmas I got some perfume (Paul Smith 'Woman') and will be wearing it everyday. I bought some Bobby Brown concealer, and some Clinique eye serum in an effort to deal with the worst of the dark puffy bits (and bags) under my eyes.

I already own a stupid amount of shoes and a ridiculous number of dresses so hopefully I will make 2012 the year I am a bit more 'together'.

Hair is the next thing on the list...oh, and a better diet ;o)

Can I join in? I got a babyliss big hair for Christmas and adore it and am fed up of being a scruff. In the spirit of things, today I painted my toenails (a pale pink/clear) babylissed my hair and put foundation, bronzer and mascara on, after curling my eyelashes. I do need to find a decent foundation, but need someone to come with me and find me one that matches my skin tone because I'm mixed race and can be both pale and yellow at the same time! I'm also planning to lose a great deal of weight, starting 1stjanuary

royalwelsh I'm not mixed race but have freaky sallow yet pinky white skin (I sound gorgeous, right?) and I found a good match in a Clarins foundation. Will check the colour as soon a the sleeping baby on my lap deigns to wake up.

If anyone's planning on splashing out on ridiculously expensive cashmere, the Brora sale starts on 5th january. I really really recommend it for quality.

I am about to go through my old (decent) clothes for stuff to eBay in the new year to fund new purchases!

Thanks Hopefully! I did get my make up done a couple of years ago at debs hams and bought the mousse stuff that she put on - it lasted four and a hlsc years , can you tell how often I wear makeup? stupidly though I threw the bottle away without writing down what it was and then bought some cheap rubbish from morrisons that is far too orange goes on a bit like paint!

Hopefully that is what I need to do, the ebaying of things to fund new purchases. I am going to ignore the brora sale for this year as I want to lose another 1.5-2 stone before I settle at a weight that I know I can maintain for the next 20 years!
My wardrobe is pretty decent this winter, but I have no summer clothes that fit (all too big and/or old and scruffy) so I need to save up for a shopping spree in April/May.

I've just joined the couch to 5k thread so can I do this too?

I WILL NOT DO SCHOOL RUN WITH WET HAIR

I WILL NOT DO SCHOOL RUN WITH WET HAIR

I WILL NOT DO SCHOOL RUN WITH WET HAIR

I'm glad everyone is feeling good & motivated right now. :) I am tempted with the Brora sale... as I have been today by the Jaeger one. Must.Not.Buy.Clothes.When.Diffed.And.About.To.Embark.On.Weightloss.And.Actually.Have.Wardrobe.Full.Of.Unworn.Quality.Clothes.In.Sizes.Yet.To.Reach.

I have another reason to motivate myself this year - I'm planning to start my own business and it's a case of I'm very much going to have to look "the part". No brushing my hair and running. No throwing clothes on. I may even have to locate the iron!

I have got a sock and will try that sock bun thing tonight.

I am going shopping this weekend and I'm going to buy some new underwear, pair of dark jeans, some casual wedge boots, a dress and a top.

I have been doing my hair, wearing foundation adn lipgloss and a pair of earings before I've gone out!

I've booked a hairdresser appointment for this afternoon, dh is taking the monster out for some daddy daughter time :o. Not sure I'll actually make it tho as ive been having contractions all night. I knew this would happen!

Wow! Good luck addicted be it for your baby or new do! ;)

Lol Alpine - I had a splurge on both of those last year at the end of the sale (and winter), bought myself a fab coat (Jaeger) and a couple of Brora jumpers, neither of which I wore until this winter. Jaeger do eventually go down a LOT, as do Brora, so it's worth holding out.

I have to confess to struggling to have any time for myself at the moment so not doing very well with this. But I'm with you all in spirit We have BIL staying at the moment, who is a mopey PITA who does almost nothing all day. Paired with that annoyance is the fact that we are meant to be driving back to the UK once and for all in a couple of days. I've barely started thinking about it, am a bit depressed about the move in general, and need to buck up because I've piled on the weight and do NOT want to get back to where I was. And like everyone says, I know I feel heaps better if I just make an effort with the small stuff. Aiming to get going with either some regular running or 30 day Shred when we get back. Did 20 days in a row of shredding last year and I've never noticed so much difference in such a short space of time - was incredible.

Anyone have any luck with this sock bun business?

And addicted - good luck for today!!!

PS: Wanted to say Alps I think I'm going to give Paleo a good go once I get my motivation back in place. Read loads of Mark Sisson stuff recently and really do believe it's the healthiest way to go about all the low-carb stuff. Problem with me is I find it easier to hook onto something that's a bit faddy and gets quick results (eg. Dukan). But for me 2012 isn't about just losing weight, I did that this year and it's left me feeling unhealthy and out of shape. 2012 is about getting fit and being healthy for the long-term. :)