MN vogue vol 17

[QueenCadbury]

Following on from vol 16

C'mon lurkers, come and join us and talk fashion/style bringing lots of links please...

Interesting discussion - roles reversed here - I earn money and DH stays at home with DD. We have no family nearby and have not had a night out together since she was born - I'd like to try and find a babysitter but DH reluctant for all sorts of complicated messy reasons.

We have a constant low level row going on about who does what - he does most of the housework, cooking etc but regularly explodes about me taking him for granted. But I can count on one hand the number of bedtimes I have missed and I do work in a role where people are expected to work long hours, do evening meetings etc and I get massively stressed trying to balance it all. I went freelance to have a bit more freedom but have had to turn down particular projects as I knew they would be ones where more hours are needed. As novice says there is no such thing as a perfect solution or having it all.

And DH gets really cross about things like me not knowing which yogurt DD prefers this week or where her shorts are - he expects me to keep up to date with all the household stuff - I don't think (correct me if I am wrong) that most SAHM's expect that of their working DH's!!! Equality is a long way off....

Hello everyone!

Thought I'd pop in for a hello, since I seem to have well and truly fallen off the S&B radar recently - real life has been manic, trying to keep up with running two businesses and the DCs. Reading about work/homelife balance between you and DHs has been fascinating - I was always SAHM before we moved last year, as although I ran a small business, I did it in between DCs' naps, and after they were asleep, plus relying on family a bit. Am v lucky in that DH has happily taken up more chores (he was pretty useful before, TBH), but it does mean that we are both knackered, all of the time. In my head it will all settle down in a couple of years.

doo? DOOR. Way to make an entrance

Hi hopefully, good to see you! I've been meaning t pm/email you as I have a sweaty Betty code if you want it ( I think you mentioned it in your blog the other day).

Anyway, here's the link for issa at banana republic. Not sure if anyone else cn use it as I had an 'exclusive' preview email. Not that impressed tbh. Quite like the green dress but then realised that I don't really want to look like kate Middleton.

Like this [[http://bananarepublic.gap.co.uk/browse/productImages.do dress] QueenC...v me, high neck,sleeveless, in at the waist......

dress

dress haven't woken up yet!!!!

I'm wearing my Issa today!

amber you'll add cool accessories though so will look nothing like KM!

I'm wearing Russell and Bromley courts with it. The only thing that sets us apart is about two feet of hair and two stone.

Hi Hopefully

Good to hear from you. Interesting chat about all your struggling with juggling or not as the case may be. As parent of grown children, the freedom to not have childcare will arrive sooner than you think. Hang in there. My work situation is complicated and involves living part time in a city where I work when on call/working late then living the rest of the time in the country. I am getting tired of all the travel and separation from my family so may put flat on the market, quit my job and look for something new and fresh to do. I want to write and have registered a food culture/immigrant experience blog although being a troglodyte I have not a clue about how to design it/import photos and graphics etc. It is something fresh, not that prevalent a theme and I think I will enjoy doing it and interviewing people with tales to tell. My strengths lie especially in assessment so the interviewing and reporting process should utilise these skills. I am on leave at the moment as have loads of holiday stored up and also had special leave. I have to go back to work soon though.

Anyway back to clothes. I was inspired by Liberty's Murano pendant to go onto the website and I purchased three glass rings for upcoming Stepdaughters birthdays. They were ordered yesterday and they have just arrived ten minutes ago. How is that for service? I ordered this, this and this. I have kept the first amber one for myself!

Today the weather is overcast and so I am going to go to my allotment later this afternoon and harvest the courgettes before they grow to Dirk Diggler proportions. I am wearing grey Helmut Lang cigarette pants with this new sweatshirt and old flat pale orange strap sandals from GAP. My Outnet order arrived with the Tibi/Marni sweaters I pinned but I don't like the knit weaves and they are too 'woolly' so will send back. Shame.

And the fact that KM has scarcely worked a day in her life Amber

Lovely rings Mig - shame about the sweaters. Good point about how fast the children grow - when DD is looking for yet another song/story before bedtime and all I want is to go downstairs and get a glass of wine - I remind myself that someday very soon she won't want them any more and I'll miss it then.

Welcome back Hopefully

Nice dress Dry gorgeous print

My &otherstories order is turning into a right saga. Twice I've tried to order this dress and twice the order has been cancelled. Grr. In fairness, they've been v apologetic, have re-ordered for me, given me a 5% discount and free shipping. So I threw in this skirt and this pendant as well. Hope it makes it this time.

Cool skirt Skyler. That pattern is really different. At least their customer service is good even though we'd rather not have the issues in the first place.

Hello lovely ladies. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up!

A quick link to beautiful dress I have managed to resist - not much more than the collection at Banana Republic. Of which this is my favourite but sold out in my size unfortunately but fortunately for my strained finances.

Me and DH have similar issues to many of you I think. I call myself a SAHM but I do actually work freelance stuff very part-time, it just frustrates me a lot that no matter how much work I take on, and each project is a good thing surely? - it doesn't actually reduce the amount of housework I have to do. I love looking after DS and have just enough childcare to give me a break from him, but we don't have a cleaner and I am not one of these women who enjoys housework

That is a lovely blue-pink shade Shreddies. I hate HW too, really hate it but stopped having a cleaner because I do not like having somebody in my house picking up all my crap and then I cannot find it.

I would like to be freelance but understand that it can be a very unpredictable life and hard to maintain work/home boundaries too. Now my children are grown maybe it'd be worth considering.

I will never catch up at this rate...

Shopping...
J Crew cashmere is fabulous in the smaller size.
And the pink is amazing
J Crew linen tee is lovely in white.
Massimo Dutti bargain slouchy linen tee is fab.

I also tried this silk blouse which is lovely, just not right for me.
And a couple of other things that aren't on the website anymore, and i've just deleted the pins!

Also, if anyone (with skinny ankles) wanted those Whistles Chi Chi blue/black shoes, there's a size 6 on ebay for 50 plus postage.
shoes

I measured my ankles this morning Shop, and i'm 2 cm out

Was it MrsR who linked those Hudson boots for me?
They are a fab colour, just a pity that they don't bloody fit me.

Amber how's your dd, with her tooth?
Hello to all... i'll try and catch up with links later.

Anni I am going to order that silk blouse. It is the most beautiful shade. Is the picture accurate regarding the colour-am assuming you saw it IRL?

Did anybody have a browse on www.farfetch.com/? Loads of high fashion bargain on there including Stella sweaters for £128.

The colour is lovely Mig.
It's very sheer though, would need something underneath vest or camisole wise.

I bought from farfetch earlier in the year, and it cost too much with the delivery/loss of taxes when I returned the items. Put me right off ordering again.

That's a shame Anni. They act as a clearing centre for boutiques don't they? I guess only buying from stores in the same country might help? Bit of a faff though but they have some amazing discounts.

Hello, may I join in a little?

I have been feeling a sudden urge to think about bags (well to buy bags!) but got a bit scared by that bag thread which went totally nuts! But weirdly in spite of all the drama the thread inspired me to take a look at a whole lot of bags! I am now in an unstoppable bag browsing mood.

Hope I am not covering old ground but has anyone got/ know someone with/ have a view on these Milli Millu ? Curious really as I have seen them in some magazines but never in real life.

Thanks for the email Queen! Now I am even more tempted. Badly need some workout vests because one of the only two I own has actual holes in.

Issa for BR very pretty, but very KM.

Mig those rings look lovely, I saw them when you pinned them and was quite tempted. Would worry about breaking it while playing with the toddler at the moment though...

Shreddies does the woman actually exist who enjoys housework? I will confess a certain satisfaction at having a clean house (on the bi-annual occasions when it happens), but I think enjoyment would be pushing it. I used to quite like ironing, but a massive spider crawled out of one of DH's shirts the other week and I have been on strike ever since.

I have just been to a networking thing, liked my outfit of peacock Me&Em dress, bright coral cardigan with big brown belt over the top, and nude LKB heels. Got some business, so it must have been ok

at Mig harvesting courgettes in H Lang!!!!
Shreddies do some women enjoy housework?!! saddos
Amber ahem ....you're much cooler than KM.
Anni great links, fab shopping.

Well, I've had a wonderful few hours alone at my local retail outlet. DH ,working from home in the kitchen grumbling about not being able to work at home translates to me talking to him too much........we do have a study, go and work upstairs grumpy so I decided, out of consideration, to evacuate the homestead and check out the retail outlet which I visit probably once every 2 years because I hate those places.

Have tried to find links but it's all old stuff.

Project "turn DH into Bradley Cooper" coming along nicely;

Racing Green....dark checked shirt, navy merino v neck to replace the one I shrank.
Paul Smith.......3 pairs snazzy socks sure Bradley wears those
1 shirt, white background purple floral print
1 purple merino v neck
P Smith striped mini cuff links , so cute, should really keep
For Christmas, but not patient.
And one digital print scarf (mens) of buildings in dark greys,purples, pinks and mustard for my trouble, just slipped it in I was hypnotised by the model good looks of the bearded sales assistant

French Connection.....1 orange slouchy t (orange goes with everything) £7
1 orange silk sleeveless shirt with Nehru collar and

Bum coverage £19
1 cream,cotton, crochet lace shell top £19

Then........on the way to the loo and exit I passed the Radley shop. Now I know it's not a cool brand stupid dog but I saw
this bag that I linked the other day. Didn't realise you could get current stock in these places. Full price £299, there £209... Rude not to....at till another £20 off £189 thank you very much. Very nice pebbled leather, lots of pockets, big enough for all my crap and iPad. V happy. It was gorgeous in dark chocolate too. And no dog !

Phew sorry for the novel....v excited!