And so we Wisely turn away from any summer purchases to Avid thoughts of stylish winter coats. Which means (surely) that the sun will shine, after wool jackets are bought....

[notyummy]

Stamp

I find it a bit bog and not that exciting anymore. The other stuff, yes I love. I'll show you one day. (although probably only interesting to people in my industry really).

Bargain CoH Avedon skinnies in teal too.

Can see you in this too, hopefully.

Those jeans are a great buy Marsha. Unfortunately even with the stretchiness of the Avedons I don't think I would fit into a 25, and the 29 would be too big. Alas!!

I'll keep an eye out for you NY. Hopefully some will come up elsewhere.

These black Ksubi skinnies are a bargain but only a few sizes left.

Can I ask a quick sizing question please? I really like the teal J Brand skinnies linked but am not sure which size to get? Do I match my waist or my hips? Thankyou.

Gypsy match your waist. My hips are like a 36 and I take a 27/28" in J brands.

Ok thanks.

Hello.

Just returned from my first drive alone, with the DC's. Felt good to not be waiting for a bus in the pouring rain, although we got really wet as I parked miles away from the entrance of the play place so I could reverse easily!

Well done MIM! So freeing not to be entirely reliant on public transport. I quite like that it has novelty value and would like the DCs to be confident using it, so we go on buses/trains often enough for that, but other than that I love my car

DH and DS1 just on their way back from seeing the torch for the second time. Was meant to be all of us, but DS2 is v sorry for himself with a horrible raw nappy rash/thrush thing that came on suddenly last night, and it seemed a shame to wake him up to take him out in the rain. Got cream from the doc this morning, so hopefully it will go soon.

Just filled a basked on NAP with sale stuff, then emptied it again. Could really do with a few bits, and this is the best time to do it, but I am suffering from post-handbag guilt .

Marsha your job sounds much more fun than mine!

Ok, received the Matches order. None of it is going back - Castaner Dayanas are übercomfy, have a modern square toe and are my favorite color, emerald green. Watermelon silk DvF top is perfect - will be my new favorite. And the mint-green Mini Harper bag is too cute for words - a definite keeper. Finally, the Lanvin dress is beyond divine. My aunts were over here when the DHL man arrived and they insisted that I keep it...

In compensation, I'm returning my entire Thomas Pink order (everything is too small). I decided I'll have my shirts custom made in Italy in the fall - DH does it all the time, inexpensive and great attention to detail (for example, they measure the wristwatch and make one of cuffs slightly larger to accommodate for it). I also returned the D&G boucle jacket - it was slightly too small and I want it to fit perfectly. As a compensation I found a Marc Jacobs chambray shirt on sale - slinky lyocell, and although labeled XS, perfect on me! Am wearing it with my 7FAM Roxannes right now, love the laid-back denim on denim, perfect for this laid-back gray city.

If I'm to spend 1,5 months in the rain, I need proper gear to tackle it: bought a raspberry Goretex monstrosity of a windbreaker plus waterproof black trousers that go swish swish swish when I walk - strictly for jogging. DH was aghast - he can't stand the local utilitarian-ugly dressing style. Actually I think the windbreaker is not that bad - raspberry actually looks good on me . But how do you keep your feet dry while running?

Found a perfectly good navy summer coat in the back of my closet here - the last two summers were lovely and hot, lots of bikini weeks, but this Year is just dismal. Didn't bring enogh fall / winter stuff with me, so need to emergency-shop for a salmon lyocell scarf (Mango) and two pairs of comfy everyday shoes for jumping the puddles

Oh, and finally, whoever recommended the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick was a genius. I picked up the Barbie pink L'Exuberante and have been wearing it ever since, layered with Gloss d'Armani.

MiM good job - enjoy the new car!
Hopefully I'm still waiting for my NAP order. This is the best time to buy anything

dona I'm going to need to see those Matches items please (not the waterproof trousers though...!). Really like chambray shirts.

Have sunk to a new low: it is 'activity' week so no teaching per se. Am in work in knee high black riding boots and a chunky cashmere waterfall cardigan. Funnily enough, the Wrap spot print blouse from last year is getting it's first outing. It is a strange design: a bit loose on top, but is working over a kettlewell vest. Have lost a bit of belly fat so fits better there. Like resurrecting stuff - loved wearing my New York Jimmy Choos from 9 years ago on Saturday night.
Great bargain VL amber!

Red or blue, ladies?

Red.

What am I offering a colour opinion for? The bikini?

Dona you are a v bad influence

Nah, the Dayana espadrilles that Dona has just sold to me by proclaiming them über comfy. Bikini is already paid for and winging it's way...

I know. I need to have a no-spend year after this summer And it gets worse - I found the D&G boucle jacket, online, on sale, in the right size
Blue my new stuff is up on my summer board.

The sad thing is the dreary waterproof gear will soon qualify for great cost per wear status Another item that has already deserved it's hall of fame status is the green Zatchel. So many people have admired it - it's great in the rain - and it brightens even my more staid / conservative outfits.

Oh, and 7E & Hopefully, your style analysis stuff is very very useful. I realized that my aunts are still Ingenues at almost 70 . The problem with my home city is that it is full of clothes for Naturals (that's why I get to nab the Valentinos and D&Gs from the sales racks - nobody else is interested). People here are either into indie quirky (the hipsters) or outdoorsy natural (the yuppies are into sailing gear, the rest into drab and dreary hiking clothes and waterproofs). Plus some inevitable Snooki-look-alikes among teenage girls...

Amber what are we voting for? I say red unless the blue is Yves Klein blue

Amber mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. The Dayanas are soft and delicious in the way canvas shoes often are - wish I were in Italy right now, I would never take them off. Sized relatively small and narrow BTW, if you are btw sizes, size up.

In my home city, people are obsessed with rain radar images online - with detailed maps, you can track the clouds and try to find a 15-min opening in the sheets of rain to cycle home Just took a look at it - the cloud system is almost over, ie, may have a chance to venture out later tonight!

Amber the red - the blue is too muted for you, I reckon. Based purely on a Google image search.

Dona I've been toying with the idea of a Zatchel for ages. It's not really perfect for my style (a bit too natural/classic, not enough drama), but I know I would get so much use from it. And it's a lot cheaper than most of the other bags that I could compromise on (I have yet to find a handbag that I truly love, although the small tote version of my De Manta is the closest I've got yet).

In other bag news, I keep wondering what to do with my briefcase. It is lovely (it is this gorgeous attache). DH gave it to me for my birthday when we first got together, and I had been wildly coveting it for about a year beforehand, but I really don't get much use from it at all. Seems a shame to eBay it when it's so nice and I like it (and it probably wouldn't get much), but seems so pointless hanging onto it. Ho hum.

I think the Zatchel is not perfectly me either - it's too schoolgirlish, ingenue. But that's the point. It's a visual joke, the small mistake that keeps the rest of outfit from looking too dull and serious and try-hard, something that makes people smile. I passed by a local supermodel today (she's in all the glossies) and I swear she was looking at my bag like this: .

That's how I feel about my Raoul, Dona, it's not perfect for me, but the neon pink is so incongruous with the classic, structured shape that it adds quirk to any humdrum outfit. I like to think it's the sort of bag Barbie might like.

Yes yes Amber - I love the Raoul and would get it for that very reason if I did not already have a gazillion bags

I got the idea to use a Zatchel to spice up a conservative outfit from a very stylish friend. She is too busy to update her blog any more but check it out via the neon yellow satchel pic on my Pin. She has lots of timeless A/W ideas, and shows beautifully how you can dress a real-world sz 14 hourglass shape and still remain edgy and visionary.

For marsha www.massimodutti.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/duttinl/en/30109954/306135/1130663/Lame%2Bcourt%2Bshoe

Yes me too with the orange Céline. I don't usually do small bags. But the brightness makes it good.