Avidly surveying the sales... but already starting Wisely to wonder about A/W Wish Lists.

[blue2711]

New thread!

The fake tan is on (with requisite orange patches, naturally) and hair is done. I'm on countdown to Big Night Out, aware that will have to get ready whilst putting 2 DC to bed.

40bum lady is wearing my black suede Zara sandals today. I heartily recommend. She goes out a lot, doesn't she?! . I have a wardrobe full of going out clothes but not enough occasions to wear them all!

bloss is right: coats and warm jackets are the way forward. I am stupid; I have 20 odd blazers and lightweight jackets perfect for May to September but only 1 jacket and 2 coats I like for September to April. Must rectify.

Oh yes, I also need to explain the cookery book situation. I have been collecting them since 1998. I have had several points in my life where I have seriously considered changing careers etc, and working with food. So they are all in the name of research.

My favourite Marsha? Very difficult, but I have a few that are very special to me, namely "How to Eat" - Nigella and "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons" - Diana Henry. Like Ants though, I read them a lot - there is always a few piled up on my bedside table. DH thinks it's bonkers.

MiM I have well over 100 cookbooks in various languages (used to collect them). Use mostly just three of them - Nigella's Express, How to Eat and sometimes Claudia Roden's Italian cookbook. I love The Geometry of Pasta too... DH endures them because I cook good food and he gets a lunch at home on workdays too

Sending Apuski good nanny karma and Ollie a St. Anthony's statuette.

Pickled, thanks for the styling tips, yy to Hasbeens and Mini Gracie. Love the H&M Hasbeens, very good for walking (love the clip-clop) and quite unique here in Italy. Plus love to incorporate something Scandinavian into my roots [waves the flag]

Hopefully- where have you got to with Insanity? It is currently on my Amazon wish list. There was a little article about it in the Sunday Times Style section last week saying all the NY models do it!

Am hungover but was fun night. Have just forced myself out for a 5 mile run because unbelievably there is some blue sky here (not set to last...) and I thought I just had to take advantage. Have hardly run at all recently because of weather.
Dona- you temptress!

One great thing about pinterest is that I can have it on my iPhone which means I can check my wishlist when I am out shopping....

Thanks MIM. Back at ya!
(think we had a similar evening last night )

See 40 bum lady has discover Massimo Dutti. I went in there yesterday. Some great A/W stuff coming in. Perfect colours for springs and winters (Bloss lots of "ice" colours, for springs lots of pinks and corals)

NY I am theoretically half way through month two, but I have restarted it today as first week I had PMT and no energy and I had four days off this week (way too much mental energy taken up with work-things, just couldn't muster the physical energy too), and I could feel I hadn't improved since the beginning of the month.

I have just burnt a cool 596 calories doing a workout, which puts me at a net calorie intake of -72 for the day so far . To be fair, I have only had breakfast as I avoided snacking because I knew I was Insaning.

I think it's bloody brilliant, but my gosh you have to watch your diet when doing it - if I have a few days where I don't eat a properly balanced diet (crucially, enough protein, but proper wholesome meals generally) I absolutely cannot get through a workout. I am out to buy some protein powder today as I am really struggling with protein intake, and there's only so much tinned sardine and cottage cheese a girl can take in a week.

Thanks for the link-looks like I'm a soft Autumn. Who knew! Am quite excited by this revelation-seems like a good excuse to go shopping to me.

I went to Mango this morning and tried on trousers but got so frustrated with the massively long legs (if I'm buying in a sale then I'm not paying extra to have alterations!) that I gave up. I did find a suit skirt for under £20 that's rather lovely though, albeit with no matching jacket

Breaking news: Mr Ollie has gone clothes shopping. By himself.

Agree about MD Ants V nice new collection coming in.

Have been on a bike ride, and now off to a Guatemala fundraiser with gingerbread for the cake stall. Not feeling the love.
Sun is shining though, contrast to the washout that was yesterday.
Love your posts dona. Lot of sense there.

Loved this but its too smart to be casual and vice versa.

Ooh that's nice Ollie.

Love the soft Autumn stuff you are putting up Kaloo.

ollie I saw that top in the shop yesterday. It's very lovely IRL.

fritzi I am loving your wardrobe

This is the Cos jumper I saw last week here. House of Colour analysis says I should avoid boxy shapes - but still v tempted!

The thing with the MD top is the cream overlay is sheer and silky which is too dressy for me everyday. Still nice tho.

The nice boutique I frequent now has lots of A/W stuff in - its a riot of teal and rusts - Autumns will have a field day this year.

Mr Ollie back from shopping trip. With another grey pinstripe suit. To add to his already vast collection of them.
But he did stop by the Apple store and says we are getting an Apple Macbook Pro

at Mr Ollie's shopping adventure. DH always comes back with one t-shirt and a pair of jeans when he goes shopping. Always in a size too big, and I always have to go and exchange them.

Fingers crossed for joy for Autumns this year! Maybe I can finally have some actual clothes in my life.

Wearing a kettlewell skirt which I bought and have decided was a mistake. It is theoretically within my clothing personality, but it's very dull. Think I may add it to the ebay pile.

ants Thanks! Going to have a peek into your wardrobe now

emo Love the fact that your Pinterest profile pic shows you wearing that orange jumpsuit you wore on that oil rig

Mr Ollie - my DH did a proper runway show yesterday when he came home via his tailor's - he has his shirts and suits tailor made these days. He's much fussier about his clothes than I am and says that just three colors exist: gray, black, and navy. I fail to see any difference between his suits.

Ollie boxy shapes at COS don't suit me at all. I'm too bonu and angular.

Fearing the autumn Autumn trends - rust, mustard, wine, baby poo look terrifying on me although I love Kaloo's palettes. In fact, it makes sense for me to blow my money in summer - doh, that's when Summer colors are on sale.

Have been doing a Pinterest photo inventory of my closet, but it's too hot on the terrace - the ceramic floor was burning my bare feet (my excuse for lousy photo quality - how do you clamp an iPad on a tripod?), have to continue another time. But I have far too many clothes.

Notyummy I love 5K.

All, do you ever wear a silk slip/chemise/negligee under your dresses? I need one, preferably white, beige or some other neutral color. Let me know if you have found a good one!

Me too, too soft for me. Though they look nice and can see they would be lovely on a soft Autumn.

Ollie I wondered if he would come back with a car for you

Is anyone else's heart emphatically not bleeding for Dona on her hot terrace? it is drizzling here, just off to town to try on shoes.

The sun has finally come to York!!

dona the white company do a nude slip that is invisible.....is synthetic though
here

Hello, also feeling a bit jaded here. Fun party last night. Wore black lace shorts, pink neon RSs and a plain ish chiffon and jersey black whistles vest. Felt good although got lots of comments from the men and not so many from women... . I had lots of leg (well... relatively lots, I am 5ft 1!) on show and felt quite a contrast to the lots of mid calf flowery dresses with leggings /black opaques! Hmm, not getting that at all, even though it's grey and rainy it's actually not that cold (and I say that as a complete wuss) and legs encased in thick black material in July is just wrong!

Light chambray GAP shirt dress today to show off (fake) tanned legs.

Missed loads as the thread has moved fast! Loved all the colour chat. I think I must be summer too: pale freckle skin, light blue/green eyes, highlighted ashy blonde hair. Need to know for sure!

dona I just love your posts. So vivid and evocative of your world.
amber lol at your DH benefitting from your reading...! Just the same here
apuski sympathy with child are situation. Hope you get it sorted asap.

Welcome to all newcomers! I am JE on pinterest if anyone fancies following me.

Oh and I got the Whistles animal print skinnies! Feel pleased with myself that A/W wardrobe has begun!

Hope that dress looks fantastic hopefully.