The CrepeVine

[MrsSchadenfreude]

How did we finish the other thread so fast...? Less than a month.

What a fab description - I am loving the 'self employed, blended families' :)
Before I had ds dp and I were always the odd ones - not married, no children yadda yadda - I recall dp saying to his brother once 'it's no to the next three questions you are going to ask'. I decided I was going to become the eccentric aunt :)
I am far more conservative lacking in confidence these days

Oh Stropps, what a relief. We have some Very Posh Rellies-in-Law courtesy of DP's brother (who has a habit of marrying princesses from various south East Asian countries - well, he's married two) and I absolutely dread the remote prospect of any inter-family kneesups. Specially given that I am prone to coming home with a haul of bohemian garments from local charity shops - have had exceptionally good pickings in recent days, it must be said

We don't have any posh or well-educated rellies

Stropps, the person making that speech sounds like he's stuck up his/her arse and frankly not worth bothering about - you are a much more enlightened and interesting person.

MI, princesses!

Yes, rather puts my delight in new Kaliko dress and Oasis violet silk number (both fab over jeans, will ruche up Kaliko number) in shade

MI, any news on the party dress front?

Yes! I commandeered a friend to come round John Lewis with me and we found The One! Is curvy little print number - it pipped the DinD frock at the post

Let not my posh lower middle class veneer fool you, my family gatherings are all like something that would go on in the Queen Vic in EastEnders, with my mother starring as Peggy Mitchell.

Glad it went well, Stropps.

And at MI's charity shop haul.

Stropps that's brilliant ; so glad for you that it all worked out ok. That's very nice as well to link up with some of the long lost cousins .

MI do we get a preview at The One?

I have mothers 70th coming up fast so there will be some family terse ness to look forward to there. My dad barely speaks to my uncle because he was left all the money and dmum got a chest of drawers. My grandfather was a complete traditionalist and left everything ( a lot as they were wealthy farmers) to uncle as he was male. Uncle could've done something about it but no kept it all and mum got nothing. Cousins now idle rich millionaires.

Well done on the dress, MI. And I am much of your ability to find splendid things in charity shops. I do not, however, feel at all at the prospect of having to attend a formal do with any princesses. Woah, even the thought of it makes me break out in a sweat.

I haven't been shopping with a female friend or indeed with anyone other than the dcs in over 20 years and not many times before that, in all honesty. Hence my inability to purchase dresses or indeed much else besides jeans-type trousers, as I am rarely brave enough to try anything else on. (I did buy a Warehouse dress after being encouraged by yous lot last year, but it just hangs in my wardrobe as I am convinced I look ridiculous in it and I have no appropriate footwear to go with it except for some black boots I don't like.) I don't much get shopping for "proper clothes". I just don't know how to do it without slipping into a black depression that can last for ages and cause me never to want to step outside my front door again. I like buying books, scarves (I truly have an obscene number of both) and practical bags. And cosmetics I rarely wear

Ooh, Crem, that inheritance situation does sound like a recipe for resentment soup.

Oh yes and that HoC "getting my colours" done thing has just made me buy more scarves. I've tried hard to "get" the advice that was given by the colours lady, but I can't help but feel that a) it's actually a load of old flim-flam and b) if I don't know how to get dressed by the age of 48, I should probably give up trying and accept my denim-bounded limitations.

Stropps I have wardrobes full of stuff I buy because I like the look of, but then feel a fraud wearing, or its oo much of a faff. Weekends - jeans/jeggings and tshirts or jumpers. Work - black trousers and tshirts/shirts... Really way out here me :)
I should just stop buying!!!

Stropps, if it has that effect on you, just stop doing it. One can work up smartish variations on jeans etc - and do it online too. You don't need the hassle. Really!

Ooh, can't wait to see The One

Cremo, that inheritance story sounds truly shite for your DM

Non-shoppers, online is your friend! And just choose a nice top which dresses up the jeans

DD and I had a lovely shopping trip in MI's manor - she got 2 (body-con dresses, shorts and a Tshirt and I got magic shorts and gym shorts in the M&S outlet! DD tried on one body-con maxi-dress which made her look like a very sexy 18year old. Luckily she didn't think she was really grown-up enough for it and chose two which were much more suitable for a nearly 14year old!

Hell no, I can't give up. I have to crack this neurosis before I'm 50. :) I have about 18 months left. This is what I've been "working" on by hanging around in S&B with the stylish Crepey Crew for nearly 2 years now. I promise I actually present way better now than I did 2 years ago. I at least threw out all my size 16 clothes. Those who have met me will know that this was a good thing.

BD, thank goodness it's not just me. :)

BTM, what are magic shorts?

Ah and I would like to add another positive: I was sporting some new glasses yesterday. The response to them has been very positive (old ones a bit boring). I would not have dared to get a pair like this a while ago. I am quite proud of them.

You know, those suck-in-your-wobbly-bits underwears

Size 16 clothes You can't be more than a 10! And what are the glasses like? Dame Edna stylie?!

And DH and the DC are going to MILs on the 8th June, so let's pre-party on down

Glad the party went well Stropps - ignore judgy speechmaker.

Blackduck - I am exactly like this with my clothes buying - every now and then I decide to get it together and try to be more sophisticated - it doesn't work - tons of unworn stuff in my wardrobe. BTM - the trouble with online buying is I for some reason think that buying the garment will magically transform me into the model. Why haven't I learnt by now. I also feel like giving up at nearly 49.

MI - we need a link to your new dress.

I have spent a lot of years shuffling around in tents. With some denim sticking out of the bottom of the tents. See, I have made progress :)

Ah, magic shorts. Perhaps that is the way to confident dress-wearing. I have always had a hardline attitude that if I can't wear something without a wobbly bit showing, I shouldn't wear it at all. Hence the tents. You have no idea what kind of a step forward it was when I bought a bikini last summer. Even though I only wore it on the beach under a wetsuit.

Glasses are small, rectanglar, quite heavy, matte bronze frames with lime green inserts on the arm bits. Or whatever you call the bits that go over your ears. (Hmm, I read that back and they sound a bit scary).

Glad you enjoyed your shopping trip, BTM. One of the reasons I am trying to sort my getting dressed isshoos out is to try and do my best to be a more positive role model for dd. She also tries to avoid shopping and, I'm afraid, dresses a lot like me at the moment.

Try the Warehouse "Try Me" model options - it will leave you under no illusions!

Yayy to party!!!

Off to look at this Warehouse try me thingy..

Be warned Stropps, it is not pretty!