AVID and WISE: This is the place where you can harp on about your new buys.

[FritziGreenEyes]

Sorry about thread title. Hope everyone is back from holidays soon and will find us here.

amber Which JBrands did you get?

bonsoir I tried on those two tops in Cos before Easter and was tempted too. Bought a simple navy dress in Cos and shoes, which are not on the website . Will return this top. Cos is great at the moment I think.

Glad you've had amazing holidays red and ny

Gosh georgina how awful for your friend and her family

I have been trying to think what the rite of passage bag would be here and I'm not sure I've noticed any. Obviously I'm not looking hard enough and DDs will be most put out at some point

ny diet is working - 4lb off this week. Still need to tone up more though. Am trying Body Attack class on Monday...

Fleecy, you do have a fine collection of Mulberry bags for them to fight over! Well done on the diet. I need to tone up too. Maybe long walks in the morning with the baby.

Just wanted to recommend this Me and Em dress, I bought it last summer and they have it again. May need to get it in the new heather colour. :)

Hello All.

Great to have you both back Red and NY, sounds like you had fantastic times.

Red here is the Gap top, very pretty. Also, this denim shirt is lovely - comes up small though.

Georgina what an awful story - terribly sorry to hear about your friends husband. Hoping that he is home safe and well soon.

Good news that work went well Marsha - good for you.

What plans do you have for DH's birthday Amber? Are you going out at all?

I know what you mean about the weather Decam, it's been wet and cold here today, am longing for some sunshine and warmth.

Very quite day here, a wander into town and coffee but had to return sharpish for DH's beloved Liverpool. Am hoping tomorrow will be slightly more interesting.

I really like that me and em dress decam, but don't know how much wear I'd get out of it. Really hard to think of summer again today as it was freezing and snowing/sleeting/hailing off and on. What has happened? On the plus side I noticed it was only 11 degrees in Valencia this weekend too! I really hope my friend who was going camping in northern france over the holidays cancelled!

That is when I shred too, it works for me. I only eat with DH on Friday and Saturday. It took him some getting used to, but I find with my DH that like with children and schoolchildren, as long as they know in advance what's going to happen they're okay. He prefers that to the alternative of me running out the house the minute he gets in to try and squeeze in a workout at the gym before it closes at a ridiculous 8pm.

I keep thinking of the lovely Matches links I sent yesterday, and feel I need a stylish lunch to look forward to so I could emulate!

I still quite fancy red jeans, but I want full length ones. Too much to ask?

What Miu Miu do you have rufus?

[[http://www.miumiu.com/en/UK/e-store/dep/handbags/cat/top-handle-bags/product/RR1840_ASK_F0002# love this one - contender?

oops

I need someone to get married on a hot day.

Hello again - we've finally arrived home after a stay at the ILs to break up the travelling. Ollie the DC were amazing on the flight - 2 flights each way of 7 then 9 hours and they largely slept, indulged in the plane food and were complete angels. I couldn't quite believe it.

Have returned to the new bathroom and kitchen tiling and the house is looking great which is making things much rosier.

Georgina I am so sorry to hear about your friend's DH and really hope that he is found soon.

Decam the Me&Em dress is lovely - I've just been having a catch-up peruse of their website and very much like their belted linen dress - you'd look lovely in the lilac colourway.

MiM I ordered that shirt this morning - how funny! I'll probably go ahead and get the Gap blouse too. We really do have rather similar taste, hey?

Lovely Ollie - the Me&Em was here on arrival home and is perfect. I love it. I tried to send you a message but my phone ran out of battery and the charger is packed in the suitcase I can't yet bring myself to unpack. Nice stripy top, but am looking for something a little more boyish. I quite like this. What do you think?

I watched IDKHSDI on the plane and it was so awful. I also caught up with We Need to Talk About Kevin and had profound nightmares afterwards. And, one I'd really recommend is My Idiot Brother - Zooey Deschanel, Paul Rudd, Emily Mortimer and Elisabeth Banks and very, very funny.

Alos, random H&M order I'd forgotten about arrived and is great - this top in the black/floral is gorgeous on - very flattering. Also these navy trousers are incredibly flattering and soft, great mid-rise and lovely quality.

My post has been far too long already - big wave to everyone and I shall try and catch-up on everything I've missed..!

I could happily buy the whole Me&Em range! Dh would not be too impressed, however.

Your DC sound like great travellers, Red. Nice to come home to an almost finished house.

Mim, those Gap tops are lovely.

Nice bag, Bloss! I never eat with DH Mon-Fri anyway so I might try that. It could get DD1 eating better too.

The Whistles blazer arrived and is fab, a great cut, but I am reluctantly returning it as it would get wrecked by DD2 very quickly. I got a dispatch email from Matches for the boots, phew!

Hope you all have good evenings. We are having a (not so) wild night in with a takeaway and a bottle of wine.

Yes, Me & Em dresses lovely.

Funnily enough red I have that H&M drape top in the pink and those trousers in the grey/beige! I also ordered the trousers in the black/floral print but although I really like floral trousers on other people, I feel a bit wrong in them myself. Don't know why. Would recommend them to those with no such issues though!

ollie can I ask what white jeans you rate? Am thinking I might suit ones you suit as we both liked the Oasis jeans.

Have bought DS a lovely chambray shirt. Exactly the sort of thing I want but aged 4-6 years Wish I'd bought the Denim & Supply one now but it's sold out. Hmph!

Decam I really like much of the Me & Em stuff, although most of it no use for my lifestyle. I am excited about my new dresses arriving, and have also ordered the cap sleeved top and a tshirt.

Bloss lovely skirt. The bag is very classic, but is there enough drama for you?

Fleecy omg well done on 4lb loss! I am trying to resist indulging too much this weekend but am already halfway down my second glass of wine. And Amber 4st, wow! I weight daily, otherwise I get lazy and start eating too much. Don't really think much about it beyond the first 45 seconds after I wake up though, as long as weight isn't creeping up!

I shred right after the DCs are in bed, but as DH is home at 5:15 we all eat together then, and me and DH have a small pudding or snack before bed normally.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Georgina that is just awful about your friend, I really hope there is some relief soon.

Blossoming I saw that Miu Miu bag today it is just beautiful.

Glad you had a nice holiday Red. I never got around to ordering that Oasis dress but think I will now, your outfit sounds lovely.

Hoepfully has your DP order arrived yet? I was/am in two minds about whether to order the Champagne Linen Biker. I received this slate waterfall jacket yesterday and am so pleased with it. Wore it today with an oversized jersey scarf and felt a lot more together than usual. Think I need more jackets.

Thanks Suburban
Still no news,story going 'cold' I think.
We all tweeting/emailing/facebooking madly.

That's spooky Red, agree that we do have very similar tastes. That TS shirt is lovely in RL, really soft. If you do order the white Gap one, do size down.

I still love the Me and Em dress, and I am hoping it's still around in a month or so.

That skirt is beautiful bloss, the vest they have styled it with is very pretty too. Have you seen these red Hudson's?

Fleecy have stuck to straight white jeans rather than skinnies due to 'short and chunky of leg' issues. Im quite pleased with my, er, Boden cropped ones which are ankle length and my Gap ones from last year. Was actually wondering about trying the Oasis ones tho esp now they have a shorter length version.

Red Pleased the dress arrived ok and that you like the building work done whilst you were away. I really like that Warehouse t. I tried a navy striped one in NL but was wearing my white jeans and quite frankly, looked like a chef in Pizza Express, would have been fine with blue jeans tho so must go and have another try on. Am so pleased the flights went so well too - what a relief!

Decameron. I shred after putting the kids to bed and eat afterwards with DH. i eíther make a start on dinner whilst the kids are having theirs so its cooking when Im shreddng or DH cooks whilst im throwing myself around with Jillian. Shame about the Whistles blazer but sounds a sensible thing to do.

Funny Fleecy - the trousers are the kind that I want to order in every shade as they are so nice on. Floral ones are nice too - I always feel a bit odd in patterned trousers; leopard the furthest I've got. I guess they are the next logical step along from coloured skinnies.

Suburban you should get the Oasis dress - it's very lovely quality and was easy to wear. Very nice jacket.

Was going to order the S MiM, but shall go for the XS now, although I always feel a bit of a fraud doing so as I'm clearly not one! Have cancelled the TS shirt order as I have got the Gap darker one and, having looked back at some pics my sister has just put on FB, am not sure the pockets on either chest did me any favours. I did like it at the time though. I just did an Ocado order and a 20% off for Me&Em popped up - OCADO20.

Hurrah for the despatch of boots Decam, I really hope they are perfect (how could they not be?!).

Hopefully I admire your exercising stamina very much. I had a bit of an epiphany to do with my food consumption and have lost a few pounds in the last couple of weeks - am hoping I can keep it up!

My Grandma was being particularly manipulative/attention-seeking on this trip - she is 90, so we excused some of her behaviour but she is just awful. She is very obsessed with weight/size and spent much of the time commenting on all of our figures (she was the cause of much teen angst amongst my sisters/cousins). For example: to DH as I was trying to get a mark out of my top at the sink, 'Would you look at that fat roll' and then on our last day, 'Look at you, there isn't an ounce of fat on you, you look very good for someone who has had two children. And my poor Mum; 'you know you were very beautiful before you got so fat'. She's wicked. I am glad that I have the maturity and insight to deal with it all now.

That sounds very challenging red. Good for you. My gran died 10 years ago and I've forgotten how that generation can be. Mind you my mum can have her moments.
Thank you mim, 32" leg sounds perfect! Know nothing about Hudson. I might give them a ring.
Just bought the toucan scarf. Have only just warmed up after a morning getting wet mountain biking and an afternoon at mil's who had no fire or heating on despite it still being winter. So I sat in my hat and scarf and listened to her saying she hoped we were warm enough. And dd is coughing again.
How was your dd on holiday ny?

You'll definitely need an XS Red. Now, even more spooky...I tried on a darker denim shirt in Gap today, but didn't get it purely because DS started crying and so we needed to get out of there. Might go back tomorrow. That code is tempting for Me and Em though!

I have some Hudsons Bloss, in indigo. They are good jeans, very little bagging and giving which I like.

at Ollie working in Pizza Express.

Red, your grandmother sounds naughty!

Suburban, I had a look at your blog yesterday, you looked lovely in the jacket. In fact, you look lovely in everything.

I still haven't worn the Me&Em cap sleeve dress but I will be buying more from them when my account recovers from the new boots.

DD2 was up three times last night, I think I had more sleep when she was a week old. I'll be giving her a talking to later.

I was wearing those Hudson jeans in black yesterday, Bloss. I like them in red too. I like the coloured J Brands but wish they weren't all cropped.

Argh, placed massive Me and Em order last week without a code! Suppose I will re-order and return. Tiresome.

If you ask them to apply the code, they might do it and refund you the difference. I have called customer service there before, they are helpful. Returns are free but I had to return by special delivery last time so the dress was covered by insurance (Me and Em won't cover thr cost if Royal Mail lose the parcel).

red My paternal grandmother used to be similar. Always commenting on how we looked, how fat/slim we were. I remember once when I was wearing a padded bra and a tightish top and she was asking me whether I have had a boob job!? I was and at the same time.

Georgina, thinking of your friends at this difficult time. Hope today brings good news.

Had a good look around the Me&Em site - love this grey jacket but haven't the arms for it. Would look great on you Bloss, not necessarily for SS but just to have.

Amber, I take it you've seen the breton maxi on there?

Red, you know this NF is the striped top you want, also in navy and white at MW. Have seen the red and white in the flesh and can attest to it's loveliness.

I am still in suit shopping hell, brick red is so not my colour (is it anybodies?). How are you getting on with your smart look Hopefully?

Have a great Sunday everyone .

Red- she does sound rather naughty- has she got worse with age (like my Granny)? Loved the pics on fb and glad you had a good time.

Decam- which of the Me and Em dresses do you have? I do quite like the look of them online and I think we are not hugely disimilar height/build so I wondered if you could be my fit model to help me decide whether to order!!

My lovely CoH Avedon skinnies from Vin may be reaching the end of their natural life . I wore them a lot on holiday and whilst they were always a bit big o the waist, they are starting to loose fit all over. Any recommendations for black skinnies with high Lycra count but soft feel all gratefully received. Happy to sPend a bit for the right pair. I do have others (from Annie!) but these are slightly big too, but so comfy I can't help wearing them!

Back to reality with a bumP today. Sitting in dds swimming lesson. DH and I did L2 shred followed by L3 Ripped this morning and it was tough! That last circuit on L3 Ripped where you do all the arm stuff followed by jumping lunges for cardio is a killer! In good news, my running over lots of hills in Australia obviously worked because despite big brekkies and either Icecream or came everyday I seem to have lost a small amount of weight. We were pretty active though- either running or JM 6 days out of 7, plus walking everywhere together. Dd was fine thanks Bloss- was obviously just a cold and we never needed the ABs. We worked out in Sydney that we walked over 7 miles one day and she lapped it up.

Icecream or cake everyday. (Obviously .) And if I am honest, it was often both....