Frugal Follow-up

[FrugalFashionista]

We've hopelessly lost the old thread. How are you doing ladies?

I need to reawaken the thread as I need to get back on the wagon. I decided to temporarily suspend my shopping ban - it's summery here and I've started wearing summer clothes and I decided to make some purchases now so that I can wear them all season long (in low 20s it's still a bit too cool for my routine sleeveless dress/bare legs summer look). Most of my old summer clothes are in great shape but this is what I needed to update them -

1. white jeans (have lots of denim shirts and blue tops) - straight-leg, non see-through
   
2. colorful printed cigarette pants (my wardrobe is mostly solid colors - I want to wear prints but not near my face) - found a pair in my favorite colors from MSMG
   
3. sandals (bored of ballet flats and Havaianas) - black cage wedges, low-rent child-friendly version of the Altuzarra look
   
4. slingbacks (found a lovely two-tone white/taupe pair on sale)
   
5. a few bracelets to liven things up
   

I'm still looking for a couple of high-quality white or cream tops, scoop neck if possible. They seem to be the hardest item to find, but my refound Zara poly-viscose top is surprisingly versatile. Still thinking about a long and narrow snakeprint silk scarf in my best blues and also need to make a decision regarding nude/taupe courts (to go with my summer cocktail dresses).

Spring lasted for 3-4 weeks here and coincided with my 1-month shopping ban. By thinking a bit harder and digging a bit deeper I was able to find all spring outfits I ever needed without any spending! Summer will be around until the end of October so I hope that I will get quite a lot of wear out of my mix of old and new. But I think I'm almost done with wardrobe updates and might go back to tight-fist mode very soon

[teta]

I have succumbed to some leopard print hightops.i love leopard print [my kids hate it].This was an impulse purchase and they were heavily reduced and very comfy.The thing is i don't normally wear sneakers as i am only 5ft 3.So i will have to see whether they will fit into my wardrobe.Having perused pininterest,leopard sneakers look like a modern classic.Is this right?I'm also rather tempted to buy the plain white shirt from Hush thats on offer right now.I love lightweight cotton/silk mixes in tops because it drapes well.The very crisp traditional shirting does my body shape no favours at all.This is my first purchase in 6 weeks so hopefully i'm not derailing the thread.
Love the sound of your outfit Frugal.Isn't it interesting how children change so much in the early years.My children are of mixed asian/english parentage but they have all developed my english rosy cheeks this year[maybe due to the very cold weather]

[OneLittleLady]

FF I am a new convert to lipstick. I always thought I couldn't wear it due to the shape of my lips (thin upper lip but pouty bottom lip) but I realised I was just choosing the wrong colours. Now I've semi figured out what colours work for me, I know what to look for and have made a few considered lipstick purchases to brighten up my day to day wear without breaking the bank by buying whole new outfits.

[DigWeedSow]

Frugal love your suggestion of bleaching out stains in sunlight, alas as I live in the North of England and we have yet to see the sun this year only vanish will do

Your outfit today sounds lovely and very glam. Since I no longer have to do the school run on the days that I work from home I have resorted to wearing up old clothes/fashion mistakes as I rarely see anyone. The postman must think I'm a right scruff but it does save my good stuff I suppose!

A frugal beauty tip that works for me is using evening primrose oil on my face. Over the winter my skin has dried out and I have started to develop all kinds of fine lines. I read on a beauty blog that if you pierce an evening primrose capsule and massage the contents onto your face it makes a really good moisturiser. I do it at bed time as it does leave a bit of a sheen and find that 1/2 a capsule is enough (the rest I rub into my shins) and it has really helped my dry skin. It might not work for everyone but if like me you already take the capsules (great to combat PMT) it may be worth a try.

[OneLittleLady]

I take the evening primrose capsules for PMT as well, I do find they help along with having the implant. Before I started taking them, I was in agony every month and that's no exaggeration.

I've been through my make up bag this afternoon and thrown out everything that smells funky, has an odd looking crust or is clumpy and unusable. I have plenty of basics left, just need a couple of eyeliners and eyeshadows for night time wear now.

[QueenCadbury]

I agree, the sun totally bleaches out stains. If we ever have the weather to get the washing on the line.

For those of you doing your colours online,it's not always accurate. I pretty much always came out as a summer due to my blonde hair but am actually a winter. Online, you will hardly ever find a blonde winter.

[OneLittleLady]

IKWYM QueenC about doing your own colours but I've always stuck to the same colours so I'm fairly certain that I've got it right. I'll eat my own shoes if I ever have them done and I turn out to be a summer

[BillStickersIsInnocent]

Teta yes I think leopard print is pretty classic (leopard is a neutral after all ) Leopard sneakers would go with everything really.

But damn you, now I want some

[DigWeedSow]

OneLittleLady I was the same, in total agony. Thankfully no pain at all since taking evening primrose.

Still torn between soft summer and sort autumn colouring, even more so since reading that you never change your season only the depth. As a child I had white blond hair that gradually turned ash brown with a pinky beige skin tone and grey/green eyes. DS has the exact same colouring only with blue/grey eyes and is most definitely a soft summer.

I think that as I've dyed my hair for sooooo long it's skewed my perception and way back when there were only 4 colour seasons Autumn was the the one that I fitted into (green eyes, rich warm toned hair). Back to the drawing board for me I think!

[QueenofWhatever]

I know I'm now biased, but I'm not convinced you can self-diagnose your colours online. I did loads of different tests described on blogs and each one brought me out as a a spring or possibly a warm summer. I sort of knew it wasn't right, maybe that's partly why I went to have them done properly.

I'm a vibrant autumn and she spent quite a bit of time double checking I wasn't a spring, as I'm close to the line. But we could all see it as the spring colours just made me look a bit washed out. Her rule of thumb for me was expensive, classy and it's too spring if it looks a bit cheap which is spot on.

Also QueenCadbury is a natural blonde, but definitely a winter. I've yet to see an online guide that says that. I think they place too much emphasis on hair and eye colour. The other women with us had that slight Irish thing, pale skin and dark hair but was a spring. When you see the colours draped in daylight, you really get a sense of what works and what doesn't.

Completely agree with getting stains out by hanging in the sun. DD was in washable nappies and all those poo stains came out, so think what it can do to your clothes!

Clothes wise I've still not bought anything, but that's not unusual for me. I tend to get a bit paralysed and then can't buy anything at all. However I still had a wardrobe largely full of benchwarmers before starting this.

[QueenofWhatever]

Oh, yesterday's outfit was more post-worthy than today's. it was ChablisLover's denim flares with orangey red ballerina pumps. On top I had a coral lace White Stuff vest, a deep purple skinny rib lace-edged top from Jigsaw and a blue velvet Monsoon blazer, topped off with a slinky Missoni-style scarf from Accessorize. Unfortunately I was still too cold, as there's a bitter wind here in the South West. Today it's sensible tights and boots yet again.

[FrugalFashionista]

I think some seasons may be easy to self-analyze but it get's trickier if you are not a textbook case. I've actually done both. I became familiar with color analysis around 1989 when I was living Stateside. Someone there had been diagnosed Winter and it had transformed her life (she found bright lipstick) so she gave me the CMB book. Back then it was just 4 seasons and based on the book I knew I was some sort of summer but it didn't fit completely and I found the pastel shades quite difficult, less flattering than some Spring shades. (I often get compliments when I wear coral and terracotta but never when I tried to wear pale pinks - felt like an oversize baby in them.) I used the palette for a few years but then got bored and started experimenting with everything else until I completely lost my way. I finally saw a color analyst (not in the UK - she's a blonde winter too!) two years ago and it was a revelation - she had used many different color analysis systems and said that she had started using a system the has hundreds of slightly different palettes, kind of like going bespoke after buying clothes in S, M, L or XL. Mine is 'Light Crystalline Summer' and I think it's spot on (a couple of shades on it are horrific - mauve anyone? - but I'm happy with most, particularly the bright reds and greens. If you want to see some of the tailored Summer and Winter palettes, check this site). I miss black and still wear it. Cool burgundy, rose beige and taupes were totally new territory for me and I also found my best neutral, smoky blue.

I keep my palette on my iPhone for quick reference.My MIL has had her colors done very cheaply at the local community college, she's a Spring and I can see my DH is a Spring too. (He looks fantastic wearing yellow and bright pastel shirts.)

Re: leopard print shoes as a basic , I bought a pair of ponyskin leopard flats 2-3 years ago from Zara and have worn them to shreds. If the rest of the outfit is very plain and simple, say a black or white top worn with jeans, they give it some individuality. But I've grown a bit tired of them and have started preferring my mock ostrich leather flats - and will probably move on to snakeskin A bit of exotic skin is like Vitamin C, no?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Fake snakeskin frugal?

[FrugalFashionista]

Yep, always fake snake in shoes! I have a bit of real python in my bags disclaimer, I've eaten snake meat too - tastes like chicken like nearly every other un-PC meat out there and it's an incredibly supple and delicate material - not sure what to do if one of the scales falls out. If someone else is having similar First World Problems, here is a good care guide. Will probably need to buy DYO Reptile Conditioner
I do realize I sound like a bizarro fetishist

But there are weirder exotic skins still... I've heard about leather pants made of salmon skin and here are tilapia (=that cheap and muddy tasting freshwater fish farmed in Africa) Manolos (saw similar but cheaper fishskin shoes recently on Yoox). And, ahem, when I saw small sleeping crocodiles in the zoo my first thought was that someone had accidentally dropped her purse there - almost rushed out to get it before realizing that it was the real thing Alligator tastes like chicken too

[OneLittleLady]

I've never ventured into anything snake skin print be it clothes, shoes or bags. It's never really appealed to me. I like a bit of leopard print but snake skin print has just never been on my radar.

[FrugalFashionista]

I agree OneLittleLady that snakeprint overkill can look pretty bad roadkill but I love it in small doses. Most of my snakeskin items are dyed. I do have a pretty pair of natural-toned faux snakeskin ballerinas that I should be wearing much more often...

I just praised Le Catch yesterday and in return she is showing an outfit today that makes me want to walk to Bermuda triangle of dangerous shops to try on the jacket and break my shopping ban. But I won't. At least not right now

[QueenCadbury]

Wish more people would eat snakes and then make them extinct. I'm utterly terrified of the buggers

[Fluffycloudland77]

Well, my boden tops arrived. Total tat so back they go.

I ordered 3 Zara tops, white, black and ink blue. I just need skinny white jeans and I'm done.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

I'm an animal print whore at the moment. Since I decluttered by wardrobe leaving pretty much just neutrals the the amount of leopard, zebra and snakeskin pieces makes up a large proportion. I've recently self diagnosed my colours and have no doubt but I seem to really fit the stereotypes. I already was drawn to 'my' colours and know they look better on me. A colleague at work has a very similar colouring to me and always gets 'our' colours right, I think I play it too safe much of the time. I also ignore the fact beiges and browns aren't great on me as I like them so stick a 'good' colour close to my face with a scarf.

I've spent the last week or two by sliding back to old habits and wearing old and tired clothes. I've promised myself I'll make more effort for the rest of the week, even if it's just the clothes as make up is normally a stretch too far!

[OneLittleLady]

Beiges and browns are rubbish on me as well CeeCee I love them but they really do nothing for me. I have whittled down my browns to two cardigans and one dress. I gave everything else in those colours away or to the charity shops. My sister took the bulk of them and they look fab on her.

[teta]

My dh is terrified of snakes too.He once had a snake fall on his head off a tree in his garden.I should imagine the Italians are not scared of a bit of skin,or fur for that matter.Isn't Italy the place where you go for beautiful shoes and handbags?[and clothes for that matter].My dh bought home stingray purses once as they were a specialty in the area he had just visited.
Bill i don't want to encourage you to buy more things.These leopard sneakers may end up going back.Maybe they have been arround a while and i am a late adopter of this particular trend but so be it.If they suit me i will keep them and everytime i look at them they will cheer me up.I like the look of them with block color black,marl grey or white with indigo denim.
Regarding colour analysis i'm pretty certain on mine.I tend to lighten my hair in summer[highlights] and when i tan i think i veer towards the colours in a light summer like khaki and rose.Is it possible to move from a soft summer towards a light summer with a change in seasons?
Incidentally has anyone had kangaroo?It tastes like steak,not chicken for once and is quite delicious.

[QueenCadbury]

teta I'm going to having nightmares about that now . I'm hoping that didn't happen in the uk?

[Fluffycloudland77]

I've eaten ostrich, very dense meat a bit like venison in taste. I'm vegetarian now.

[teta]

Oh dear,Fluffy,was that because of the venison?No,Queen it happened in a far off land,a long way from dear old blighty.So don't worry.I thought the only snake that can hurt you in the Uk is the adder?[and that used to be in the south mainly].Though i might be wrong about this.

[FrugalFashionista]

We had a poisonous snake entering our kitchen yard when we lived in the tropics and DD1 ran toward it

CeeCee I think reporting my daily outfit here makes me a bit more creative - would it help you?

I'm enjoying my new formula - the white jeans were probably a good purchase because they help me to wear clothes that might normally not get worn - pale sunshine today, a bit cool indoors so still dressing transitional:

White jeans (new)
White leather slip-on shoes (old)
Teal blue merino V-neck sweater (from 2 years ago, rarely worn)
Blue/aqua silk snakeprint scarf (new)

What's the weather like where you are atm and what are you ladies wearing?

[teta]

Sunny n cloudy here but mild.Its market day today and i am going to buy a big bunch of scented flowers for the kitchen table.I am still in my gym kit but will try and dress more creatively later.