M N Vogue vol 3

[shopafrolic]

A continuation of style chat for anyone wanting to talk fashion, new purchases etc.....

Hope you find your way back to us Dona!

Thanks for your kind words everyone! I've decided to limit my time spent online so will prefer the role of a background lurker/occasional poster for now (= less time on MN -> more time for seeing RL friends; had an extremely social week last week - a full work week plus a party, a lovely day out in the city, a playdate, a dinner with friends... I really need all this before a busy month of travel and work deadlines).

I also find I have less and less to stay about style - have found my personal style, have a great wardrobe now, but it's mostly about maintenance, not new purchases these days.

But you all are doing very well stylewise. Shop sorry to hear about A&W, so irritating when something you love closes down/ changes. Liberty I can remember three Diptyques that start with a V - Volutes (warm and soft), Virgilio (herby like a roast ready for oven) and Vetyverio (woody). They are a treat and I also love the packaging.

You all ladies would deserve your fantasy shoe/bag named after you. I'd probably pick a vintage Roger Vivier shoe from the period he was designing at Dior as my signature style. Not the boring stiletto, but perhaps one of the quirkier styles, such as the comma heel .

An emerging trend: blue eye shadow. The pale retro air stewardess blue you though would never come back - saw it on three young and stylish women last week. A surprisingly fresh look.

I would have suggested Rocco for my namesake, but she is out of favour after the leather has worn off the trim in under a month. She is going back to HN for repair this week.

Nooooooo Amber not good news!
Dona I understand completely about the need for more RL connections. MN is brilliant for chatting and keeping up to date but I have found myself getting a little addicted! Please do keep dropping back though, if only to update me about our NY resolution to visit more galleries? Any progress? A friend has invited me to a Debbie Harry exhibition which looks interesting.
I am wearing a light green reflective eyeliner under the eye today called Pistachio. A old one from Lancôme. With liquid eyeliner and black mascara on the top lid it looks nice and fresh. Feel the need to brighten up.
Off out into the snow with DS. I spent two hours building him a snowman yesterday. My efforts were not appreciated!!! He just cried and said "in".
Starting to feel couped up already. Am going to see if DS can get us out in his car for lunch.
I stocked up on Heattech thermals from Uniqlo yesterday. They probably won't arrive until the snow has gone.
I don't feel I've found my style completely yet - still no idea for Spring Summer so for now would have to ask for a vintage Mulberry bag to be named after me. Or a pair of RayBans!

Love the talk of galleries. Contemporary art museums are my second home (as well as dh and my favourite place in London and my favourite sandy beach in the sun).

Amber oh no that is a pita.

Dona great to see you. And Dior, yes!

Shop Pistachio sounds gorgeous and the vintage Mulberry.

I feel I know what I like, but I always would like new things - that'd be fashion then. I find it easy to go for labels that I trust. There are many of those, so I always feel like I'm discovering new things. Especially if you get on the outnet for good discounts every once in a while.

Shop I went to Galleria Doria Pamphilj last night. It's one of the best private collections in the world, renaissance and baroque art (I counted three Caravaggios) in a palace that is still also lived in, on Corso in the heart of Rome. I went in the evening and walked through the sumptuous mirrored silk and velvet lined rooms thinking what it would have felt like during a ball. Almost no one there so I had the place to myself. The most valuable paintings were in half-lit/ semidark rooms - about 10 meters high, with oppressive carved ceilings and cold draughty winter air - ready for a ghost story. From outside, the thwack of a helicopter and the roar of a mass demonstration. If anyone here remembers the scary pope/cardinal paintings of Francis Bacon, the original is here (the palace belongs to that pope's family).

Bad weather today, so we might take the children to a contemporary art museum later today (three very good ones in Rome).

Not much going on fashionwise but really enjoying eye shadow with my new tools - I pick a different palette every day. Still loving Bourjois Flower Perfection foundation (miraculous coverage) plus now wearing my darkest lipstick - Chanel Coco Rouge Etole, a rich plummy shade. All this makeup would be too much during spring and summer, but feels just right right now.

Amber sorry to hear about the Rocco. For me, the luxury bags are not everyday workhorses. Python, lambskin etc far too delicate. In bad weather, I wear my vintage and modern satchels and sturdy department-store grade calfskin and my indestructible Argentinian leather bags.

This is just gorgeous isn't it. The colours, I even love the tights.

Sounds lovely Dona.

Dona that sounds stunning, combined with the weather, and the sumptuous interior I bet it was wonderful. I'm always interested to hear how often you take the children to galleries. My mother used to drag me round but I never really understood what I was looking at so switched off. It took me 20 years and a relationship with a Creative Director who told me it was up to me what I liked (and not my mother) before I began to enjoy it again! I am due in London again on the 9th so fingers crossed I'll have some time then.
I'm selling 2 pairs of jeans on EBay one from GAP and a pair of 7FAM Roxannes. I've had more interest in the GAP ones! V strange......

shop premium denim has one of the worst resales on eBay. I bought a pair of Paige boyfriends for £20, £225 on Donna Ida. I refuse to ever pay full price for denim, I paid over £100 for my second pair of Goldsigns and it stuck in my craw, but I know I'll wear them until they disintegrate so it's worth it.

Shop we went to MACRO Testaccio today. Another good place with DC, it's an ex-slaughterhouse, full of meat hooks, cow skulls and other things that fascinate children. The art was a bit ho-hum, but on a rainy day we just love the big open spaces. The star attraction, a bamboo treehouse, was closed because of rain and slippery conditions.

I find museums easy with DC because I love them. I tend to point out animals, flowers, princesses etc for them, plus conceptual art is always fun. We leave after about 45 min and the girls often get a cornetto and the milky froth from my cappucino/ the sugar from my ristretto. I grew up in a home where everyone was into art and classical music & learned early how to take in a concert/ ballet/opera plus toured lots of arts museums. Some of them I loved, others bored me, and there was a phase as a preteen when I tuned out, but very soon I became interested again. Not sure what will happen to my children, but I try to share with them what I really enjoy.

Installation ones can be great for the dc. Fiona Banner's jet plane suspended from the high ceiling was amazing. Plus a long cave made from masking tape at Hayward. They like the paintings at the Dulwich Picture Gallery too.

Amber totally agree. So much these days, wonder if they price up so people pay the real price during the sales.

Oh yes, I remember taking DS to the Pompidou Centre when he was 5m and he was mesmerised by some of the installations. DH and I were occupied trying to find the wankiest piece of art. Oh for the sort of easy, lone baby life where we could just flit off to Paris, look at art and get drunk over dinner in bistros.

I know I took ds1 to openings. Have pictures of him in a pram in front of the work looking blank . Remember wearing the wrong dress and having to practically take it off to bf in the loo. What was I thinking.

Another rainy day. At home, working, wearing my MiH Vienna skinnies and the cool plummy Filippa K longline mohair sweater. I cannot believe how hardwearing mohair is compared to cheap cashmere - almost a full season of frequent wear and not a bobble in sight. Low maintenance and so warm.

Experimenting with blue eye shadow. I can't do that full-on retro look, but sapphire blue liner in the outer corner and a subtle wash of the lightest smoke blue and baby blue adds a playful glint.

Also finally found a place that sells Smashbox primer in Rome. Really loving it.

Completely agree re: mohair. I have two sweaters from A&W they wash well, dry quickly and are toasty warm. Lots more snow overnight. We are going to try and take DS to nursery in DH's car otherwise I fear we'll all go crazy looking a each other. We've been couped up for 3 days now other than snowy walks. Need to get out....

Will check out mohair. Love angora, although not sure if I have to hand wash or could get away with delicate cycle. Ditto a new merino polo neck.

My Filippa K on sale just in case someone needs more mohair. I saw a coral version on sale at Zalando and ordered it to try it on - great transitional color. I know I shouldn't do duplicates but couldn't resist.

Hello. Cooped up with my littlest and snow all around. We are rural (Cotswolds, so not too isolated, thankfully), and brilliant sledging here; managed to keep warm in hooded puffer coat, Joseph roll neck and Brora thermal tops. I am in hibernating mode and made Minestrone for lunch with sourdough. DD loved it. V warming, but now aching for spring days, and spring colour.

We ventured to the new house at the weekend, drove to the top of the hill, then walked about 1/2 mile to house in deep virgin snow. A delight, but made us realise how organised we are going to need to be when we finally move in, especially during the winter. DH fantasising about a huge wooden sledge to pull the groceries along in.

Funny, talk of galleries, I love going with DCs. We enjoy all sorts of museums. Very calming and interesting for them, I find. I adore modern art and have decided to display some of our relatively small collection in the rented house as a burst of colour is needed.

Ah lovely to hear that others like galleries and museums. A little pocket of civilisation .

Dauphin your lovely life sounds idyllic indeed. The Joseph and Brora, the homemade bread and minestrone yum. How exciting about the new house.

Well done Dona on new jumper, looks lovely.

I am itching to buy something. Really I am. But I keep looking at sales and it just doesn't feel that inspiring to get a sales item. I liked a Vince jumper but not nothing in my size left meh. I'll need daffodils, blossom and new Spring colours soon.

That sweater reminds me of the Marant honeycomb one from AW11 Marsha, I loved that sweater.

Have potentially bottomed out today style wise. Wore navy marl sweatshirt of DH's with indigo Goldsigns and long dark grey socks scrunched down over Cobra Society boots. Hoping I'm still young and slim enough to et away with wearing mens stuff! Had sleeves pushed up, natch.

Ah Amber I blinking loved that Marant one. Dang wish I had seen the Vince one earlier.

Yep you can do men's style for sure.

I had pistachio JCrew t, Wang black knit, indigo avedon skinnies and some old but look like new Italian black leather flat boots with a good sole for snow. They are really well made I've got to say. Save them for snow and ice.

Hi ladies. Can anyone tell me what trouser sizing is like in JCrew? If I'm a 12/14 with a 32ish leg do you think I'd be okay in a 12 tall? Thanks!

Ah ha! Vetyverio - I'm fairly sure that's the one - Thank you Dona!

Great to hear people enjoy galleries etc with DC's. My DD is 2 now so hoping to take her to a few when the weather improves a bit. I can't face the trek from the suburban doldrums to central London when it's this cold.

I have finally stopped shopping - need to take stock of my sales purchases and continue purging my wardrobe and figure out the gaps. It's a slow process.

Marsha that Oscar de la Renta look is just gorgeous.

Me either Liberty the last thing I feel like is getting on a wet soggy bus into the centre with ds2.

Inspired by Shop I have ordered this Aubin & Wills cream cable knit jumper.

And these Karl black skinnies.

Have been wanting to do all black or monochrome for ages and rather liked the discounts.

Ooh Marsha I've been eyeing up that A&W jumper too, is a great discount. Are you going for super slouchy or did you manage to snaffle a smaller size before it sold out?

Ah Blonde I must have got the last small. It said only a few left as I bought. They weren't joking, one left!