MN Vogue - Vol 31

[libertychick]

Do you...

• love fashion (high and low end), style, beauty?
• spend way more time than is healthy for anyone thinking about the contents of your wardrobe?
• wish you had the nerve to apply for Mastermind with your specialist subject being the history of H&M collaborations?

If so come and chat! Hugs and kisses allowed

[shopafrolic]

Jesus Dry I can't buy a pint for that round here

[GrumpyOldHorsewoman]

Oh liberty - you know how to push my buttons! Loooove that T and the skirt, boots, bag I'm a total sucker for Burberry Prorsum (not that I own any...yet). It may have to be done. Crumbling on the Marant boots, too. May get ebaying to pay for them though. It was your mention of our skirt that did it - they'd look fab with it.

Do you have yours yet? Do you love it?

[libertychick]

Picking it up tomorrow Grumpy. I have mentally styled it with half my wardrobe - will not be happy if it doesn't suit/fit me - fingers crossed.

[Annianni]

Welcome back *

[Annianni]

Stupid phone...

Welcome back Fedup!

[AmberNectarine]

Morning!

Am embracing androgyny today as have new shorter haircut. Wearing pale blue shirt under navy merino crew neck with navy cigarette pants and my new tartan, tasselled Charles Phillip Shanghai slippers. Tartan scarf, navy peacoat and crimson Pashli on top. Feels great. Amazing how reinvigorating a haircut can be!

Welcome back fedup - sorry to hear about your MIL.

[Annianni]

Ooh how short Amber?
Good to see you back too.

[shopafrolic]

Pssst. Missoni pointed flats on Cocosa from under £70......

[QueenCadbury]

at dry dh. He sounds just like mine. I got annoyed with him this morning as he put an extra heater on in the kitchen because he was cold. I told him to wear pjs and get some slippers instead of wasting money on electricity bills that could be better spent on clothes

Ooh, how short amber?

[QueenCadbury]

shop it would be about £70+ a month for a nice gym membership here. It really is only worth doing I think if you go at least 3 times a week otherwise you're paying about £10 per visit.

[Annianni]

Shop how about waiting till ds is at nursery/school every day, then you could go more often?

[BecauseIsaidS0]

I pay a bloody fortune for exercise...my yoga studio fees are pricey since it's not a corporate studio and its running costs are huge, and then I pay for the subsizided gym at work so I can shower after my morning yoga!

But my yoga teachet is awesome and no one ever did not study with him for lack of funds.

[shopafrolic]

Thanks all. I could make it 3 time a week. Off peak membership is £85. Infinity pool, spa, gym, discount off hotel stays and restaurant..... I was thinking about dropping my two weekly pilates classes which cost me £17 a week. Carrying on with pilates at home (I've been doing it for 10 years) and trying the gym instead. But it is a cashmere jumper a month!

[MarshaBrady]

I'd love to go to a really nice gym. Not sure any of the ones round here are much more than the usual.

[shopafrolic]

But what would you be prepared to spend Marsha? As a proportion of monthly spend?

[MarshaBrady]

I would probably wait until I had enough days free to know that I can make it 3 or 4 times a week.

So spend, I suppose as £80 BUT I have to use it a lot and I'd have to love it. And even use it when everyone is home, that is how much I'd have to love it.

I don't like gyms that much . Unless it's a really plush one.

I think I'm better off waiting for lots of time, paying more and doing it that way. Until free exercise is ok.

[WhattoWearNow]

Grumpy - sorry for putting you in a dilemma but I couldn't let them pass without a mention. I would buy them and if you love as much in real life, keep them & ebay like bill-e-oo to raise the funds!
I bought the M&S cheap impersonators & they have helped me give a new lease of life to some tired outfits & they are no way as gorgeous as the real deal. Anyway let us know what you decide...
Right - I have cleared out 3 bin liners to charity over the w/e - they have already gone so I can't retrieve anything, which is what I have done in the past. I am also making a pile to ebay/dress agency & still have some more sorting out to do. It is quite therapeutic but unfortunately I haven''t found any hidden gems yet like Dry's dress - just some moth eaten cashmere jumpers. I have ordered the book too but in the meantime have been looking at her blog which is a bit out of date but has some interesting posts here
I have also been thinking about a capsule wardrobe like this one but not as high end unfortunately - you have to scroll down to the post, Wardrobe Favourites on 10 Jan here
So thanks for all your inspiration to get sorted - hopefully I will get there! Hope January is getting better for everyone, it is a tricky month and sorry to hear about your MIL FedUp.

[WhattoWearNow]

Shop - that's quite a good price for a plush gym I think. Can you take DS swimming there too to save on his swimming lessons? Maybe they could chuck in a child membership for free - they are quite often flexible on deals in January! Some days you could just go & drink coffee after sitting in the sauna - lovely...

[MarshaBrady]

Re proportion it's hard to say as the amount I can spend fluctuates a fair bit.

But I probably will join a plush one in Sept, you've inspired me.

[shopafrolic]

Good call What will ask them about DS.....

[QueenCadbury]

Ignoring the ridiculous scarf reminds me of a pencil case I once had what do you think of WITs jeans. Funnily enough I've been thinking about digging out my skinny flares. At some point I'll try on for your opinion.

shop I'd personally say that exercise is a better investment than 12 new items of clothing a year but only if you really do use it enough. Otherwise you may as well go to the local council pool and buy the cashmere. If you do use it that much think how utterly fabulous you will look in your existing clothes (not that you don't look fabulous already but toning up really makes a difference to how things look)

[libertychick]

Shop I wouldn't spend that much on a gym! . I've been a member at several gyms over the years and the ones I liked were small, friendly crowd, plenty of space for doing free weights, lots of treadmills, clean shower etc. The extras like an infinity pool, steam/sauna, fluffy towels etc are just not needed. If you are going to really enjoy all that stuff then you are looking at a visit being 2-3 hours (assuming an hour for exercise) and even before having DD I would struggle to find that time more than once a week.

Do you have to sign up for a 12 month contract or can you do a taster couple of months and see if you will actually use it?

[MarshaBrady]

That's a good point, I've paid that much for a gym in Covent Garden, for the nice clean pool. But only because I swam every day. So depends if swimming is part of your exercise routine.

[justasecond]

Welcome back Fedup and Amber
Sorry to hear about your mil Fedup
I am a lazy cow so no gym for me. I have been v lucky with my weight and am slimmer than I deserve to be given the crap I eat and lack of exercise. Although I am planning to take an exercise dvd I bought in 2008 out of the cellophane this year , it may even make it into the player. The only thing I do is sit ups and holding in my stomach a lot which keeps my problem area under control.
Not sure about that WIT look QueenC (hope you are feeling better too btw) I quite like wider style jeans but don't like the orange fluffy thing she is wearing and I do prefer her with darker hair.

[MarshaBrady]

Welcome back Fed up.

Meant to say I adore that Oscar de la Renta Liberty and the Elie Saab QueenC.