Beating the January Blues by Following our Wise & Avid (Roxy) Rules

[OllieinOrange]

Best I could come up with......

hopefully, for work I have 2 dresses (davina); 2 pencil skirts (lkb and whistles); 2 cardigans (lkb); 4 2 modern boot cut smart trousers from Gap (weak area). I have about 4 tops and 2 merino jumpers that I mix and match.
For casual I have agnes, j brand indigo skinny jeans and j brand black skinny jeans (that I also wear out). I have long line tops, a polo neck, boyfriend cardigan. Fitted crisp white shirt. I also have a couple of jersey dresses which I wear over leggings or super skinny jeans when I'm with the kids.
To go out (cool) I wear black skinnies, a black top, roxy and shoe boots or platform heels. For smart I have 3 dvfs, 2 black wrap (one cap sleeve, one 3/4) and a patterned one. All my clothes are in my colours, and follow my style which is dramatic classic, so straight lines and asymmetric are good. Written down, that sounds like loads. For coats; in spring summer I wear a black trench tied in the back, in autumn I have a barbour cameron, and I have the aigle cuckmere for this winter. And always with my charcoal cashmere beret.

Hello hello, I can't believe how quickly this thread is piling up the posts!

DH has just popped into work - maybe moving 5 minutes away from his office and an hour away from mine wasn't such a good idea...

Annie, I too was wearing a brown fishtail skirt - with my striped light brown/dark brown top and Duo boots (skinny calf lady). I definitely need some fitted navy work trousers, but I'll have to do some RL shopping, I can't buy trousers online, the probability of a fail is too high!

Wish me luck, I am trying a new hairdressers tomorrow - going all out, getting a colour and cut. I've never had anyone other than my old trusty colourist colour my hair, so I am slightly anxious! But needs must, my hair mascara (brilliant invention btw) just isn't cutting it any more.

I can do either 10th or 17th btw.

Oh, NYE- congratulations on getting the HOC franchise- how exciting!

Evening all, I can see that more people can make it on the 17 th than can make the 10th, so please go ahead with the majority vote I'll hopefully be able to make the next MU!

Dune have a great sale on at the moment if any one is looking for footwear,I bought DD1 2 pairs of boots for less than ?90, one pair were reduced from ?201 to ?45!

Hi Looby, impressive post and catching up. Oh no I wouldn't charge a fee. It was just dh, he says simply I don't do that. But I realise now it's because he is in a different area of same industry. The recruitment person said that it is not unusual, (after all!). I guess I am just groaning at the thought of doing work which is exactly the same as the stuff I do for £ and won't translate to a shoe order or something .

Yes private schools, very competitive. I didn't have to put down at birth thankfully. For the nursery that lead to the pre-prep yes. And that nursery pretty much only takes siblings these days!

Apuski good luck at hairdressers! Do you have a picture or something in mind?

17th

Red
Bloss
Pickled
NY
Marsha
Ants
Ollie
Everything
Fritzi
Amber
Emo
Apuski
Reine
Carciofi (probably)
Verity (maybe)
Hopefully

10th

Red
NY
Reine
Fritzi
Marsha
Ollie
Carciofi (probably)
Annie
Portia
Hopefully
Everything
Amber
Ants
Pickled
Apuski

Close by numbers!

Thanks Bloss, that's actually really helpful, thanks! Your wardrobe sounds v cool and a manageable size. Can I be you when I grow up?

Apuski I'm planning on trying a new hairdresser in the next couple of weeks. Have only had 3 hair cuts since leaving London and Sassoons behind (4 years ago ), and haven't been hugely impressed with any of them, so am trying a new hairdresser for next cut.

looby I have lived in TS leggings this pregnancy. I've worn the ordinary kind with dresses and have been fine in usual size, non-maternity, just wearing the waistband low beneath the bump. Comfy even now. But I've also bought 2 pairs of maternity thick leggings / jeggings in indigo and black and have worn these to death. You wear them over the bump which has been fine until just these past few weeks when I've felt too constricted and have had to roll them right down. But my bump is pretty enormous now. I'll do a link for you later if possible.

bloss, your wardrobe is awe-inspiring. It would take me an entire weekend to catalogue mine like that. Feel quite dejected!

Bloss- that's a great capsule wardrobe- I might print off your post and use it as a guide. Do you think the fact that you can wear black makes things easier? I would love to wear your 'cool' going out outfit but would look so drained. No other colour (IMO) works head to toe so then one is left with the challenge of coordinating different colours.

Looby- I have worn my usual topshop and Boden leggings so far and they have been fine. Also got ts maternity Leigh skinnies (more stretchy than baxters), seraphine straight leg jeans and a pair of black skinny maternity jeans from Dorothy Perkins which are v good for the money.

However my sister took a photo of me earlier and my thighs look e-nor-mous so now paranoid about all my trouser choices.

Lovely dress ollie- so excited for you! Have you worn your last meet up dress again since? That looked great on you.

MiM- so glad that you and the baby are getting yourselves well prepared. I am planning on doing birth plan next week. No idea what to put in it though- gas and air and pethadine (given 15 mins before dd born so no use anyway) both made me throw up last time so would rather avoid them but that doesn't leave many options does it?

Marsha- brilliant that interview went well. I would do it but have no idea of the usual ettiquete in such matters.

Fantasic news re the franchise NYE. Hope your ds has been sleeping better. Dd still wakes up in the night fairly regularly but I would crumble without any time in the evening so massive sympathies to you. Naps are virtually extinct here at 2.8. They are greatly missed

Hopefully- did I say hello? Sorry if not. I am nosy intrigued as to how you met NYE- did you meet via MN or know each other in RL and have to 'out' yourselves?

Big wave to everyone else- thread is moving so fast at the moment-good work all.

Icey nothing terribly exciting - we met at a baby group when our DSs were a couple of months old, and I think one or other of us mentioned an online forum we use, and we realised we were both MNers. TBH I can't even remember how we found out posting names! I suspect one of us asked. Occasionally NYE alarms me by name changing then answering a thread I start with something like, "that colour would never suit you/your DS would look lovely in that" or similar

annie Sharon Horgans brother has been my rugby crush for years! I can't really stand rugby but dh and our boys are obsessed. I decided long ago that the only way to sit through the matches was to take a particular interest in one of the players. After serious study I decided there was something rather jolie laide about Shane Horgan in fact i turned out to be right and after stalking him seeing him at and after matches, i can say he's v nice indeed! I even have a t-shirt the boys got him to sign for me!! Sadly he's getting old and approaching retirement so my eye is wandering.....

I think I am going to have to watch How To Be a Good Mother now. Maybe I'll pick up some tips

Speaking of mothering, I have to look after the DSs all by myself for six days from next Friday as DH is away with work. I am thoroughly incompetent at looking after my children full time and trying to think of any relatives who might like to come and visit

J Brand coated skinnies on BrandAlley!

verity Great strategy! Can also keep one entertained when attending boring events of any kind

icey my lovely, don't stress about your thighs. They are pregnant too, you know .

annie I had an almost silent birth I think. Not that I planned it that way or anything. Definitely didn't plan not to have any pain relief. Was too overwhelmed by all the pain and everything to do anything else than groan. When I screamed a bit louder once, I actually apologized to the MW . Sorry if I have bored anyone on this thread with my birth story before...

Amber. Amber Amber my lovely trying-on fairy! Have just seen your post about the HL dress! Yay for the length! Will def order on later today if my search proves fruitless over here! So excited!
May I ask what size you tried? Shopbob suggests a UK 12 is a Large but NAP says is a Medium! I dont need extra room up top but have hips and bum issues! Would would you suggest?

Got DH to research Dutch custom taxes and it would be a whopping 32% if it got picked up - he said to forget about the potential savings gained on Shopbop and buy it via NAP (and then proceeded to point out that the model is standing like she has back pain and the one on the ShopBop website needs the loo! Honestly - men )

I'm generally a 10, and the M was perfect on me. It is very close fitting but has a lot of stretch in it. Really lovely dress, hope you find it today!

Those of you who have Houlihans - what is the sizing like? Just looking at waxed ones on Brandalley - thanks Amber!

Ollie - my PM wont send!!

£184 inc tax/breakfast and nonrefundable is the answer though

I am still dithering over the Outnet dress I linked yesterday but I think I am coming down on the 'not ordering' side. The sizing is crazy, and the smallest they do is an US 6 (allegedly a 10, no?) The waist size on that is 30 inches!! I am generally a 27/28 so I just think it will be too big, and one of the reasons for buying it is to showcase the good bits, not to have it massive and flapping round the waist. A shame, but Wise I think.

Off out for a run in the sunshine!