HoC Winter Thread; the cool and clear chat continues PART 5

[AsBrightAsAJewel]

Following on from part 4

If you're a winter then come and join us for chat and links about clothes/bags/make up/hair....

Oh Mimi I didn't realise you were doing a style day. I am still keen to do one but thinking I might wait until I go back to work to help me get some work clothes etc.

My seasalt coat arrived today. It won't win any style awards but I think it will work for me. I need a smaller size though which is a pain as the postage to send back was £££.

Gorgeous hand made bags - fantastic value too. A lot of the the styles are fairly natural though but have bookmarked these sites as I know I will need a new work bag before too long.

I'm really looking forward to it, apart from the drive, which took nearly 2 hours last time. Hopefully the traffic will be better this time! Just got to sort out my example outfits to take, which may take some time .

mrpop I think the style day was useful in some ways but I don't feel like I've grown up yet so I haven't found my groove ! The questions on the day were very black and white and while I think I was borderline in terms of season, the style was pretty clear cut. It was all the ying and yang - I think I was 100% ying which the consultant said she'd never had someone score so high on. Questions about whether I'd want to have a house where my teenage sons could bring their mates around to hang out, that sort of thing. I don't remember anyone of the questions actually pertaining to clothes but I could be wrong. I think it may just be that I don't have a clear sense of who I am in terms of clothes. I have to present a work persona (black trousers, nothing ditzy) and most the time I wear a lab coat with safety specs so flowing skirts are never going to work as I need to wear sensible shoes/boots to protect my feet. My household is all make and I wear blues mainly because school uniforms and sports kits are blue and that makes laundry so much easier. The few red things I have get worn once a flood and take ages to rematerialise from the washing system !

Just spotted these on the Kurt Geiger site. Can one own too many cobalt blue items?

20% off everything on the KG website until Sunday with F&FKG20

Sorry, should have mentioned that I won't be buying them, not even with 20% off!

Yes, I found the style day amazing. Just made perfect sense and she got me spot on. It's made me much more comfortable and confident in my style choices. I think Ive said before that I often felt frumpy as I like certain bits from fat face/white stuff etc but it was like I was given permission to wear them as they are totally me. I'm never going to be high fashion and I'm never going to look good in masculine tailoring or pointed shoes. I'm waiting for my consultant to do the advanced style day training so that I can do that day too.

Today I love my outfit-jeans, mid grey tee and Chinese blue cardi.

I think my consultant and I have non overlapping lives so I found it hard to take on the idea that I should send 20% of my saksry on clothes and a couple of hours a month just going around shops looking at clohes. Child care doesn't leave that much money and the last time I went into town to a real shop to clothes shop without kids is before DS2 was born so at least 4 years. Which is why this thread is great (thank you all!) as it allows me to.explore clothes while patting children to sleep at night.

I still haven't decided on a pair of boots. I think I'd prefer sueded so I'm currently down to these two:

KG Ralify

KG Tiger

I think the Tiger ones might be more flattering on my less than slender legs!

I really like the first ones, but I never really get on with pointed toes. Stupid wide feet. The tiger ones have the better name!

Both are gorgeous - the Tiger ones are a bit sexier if this helps?

Do you think this is a bright enough blue for jewel winter?

www.frenchconnection.com/product/WOMAN+COLLECTIONS+SALE+TOPS/765ZJ/Polly+Plains+Pocket+Top.htm

There is a ice blue-ish version too

Standing - that's a beautiful winter blue.

What about these? I think it's e3ither these or the KG Rallify ones. Same price.

standingonlego That's a good blue. I wish it didn't have a pocket.

These are just as lovely Sorrel.

I am currently wearing a damson LS top under a Boden ponte black shift dress, damson tights and knee length black boots (bought 12 years ago from Next).

Your outfit sounds lovely Neither. I'm in dark grey bottoms and light grey top and feel v drab.

I'm still looking at cashmere cardigans from PureCollection, which are £75 today via their promo email link. I got a bargain merino one from them earlier in the year and wear it a lot.

I'm thinking of a v neck but can't decide about colours.

www.purecollection.com/m/clothing/extra-10/classic_v_neck_cardigan_toasted_berry.htm

Raisin, jewel blue and toasted berry are the ones I'm drawn to (although perhaps black or navy would be a safer choice). It's so hard to tell - in some images the pink & blue look all wrong and in others they look ideal.

NowhereNow The Jewel Blue looks a little bit muted to me. The Raisin and Toasted Berry look better IMO.

Any opinion on these from Zara? I did warn you all I was bad at making a decision...

I like those Sorrel, possibly more than the others. Nowhere - the jewel blue looks fine on my monitor. Maybe one to see in the flesh - or fibre so to speak.

Had my style day today. I had a lovely time, and was diagnosed as a romantic, with a little bit of classic. This explains fully the profusion of sparkle and netted skirts in my wardrobe, and quite gratifyingly the reason I dislike housework so much! Apparently its not in a romantic's nature to enjoy domestic drudgery. ( I may be paraphrasing). Unfortunately this means I have to ramp up the accessorising a bit, and I'm not too fond of things on my wrists. I guess I'll try - after all, I never thought a red lippie would be an everyday thing for me before either.

The blue is sold out in my size :( boo hoo

I need some good basic t-shirts / casual tops any recommendations ?

5'3, jewel winter, inverted triangle, size 10, gamine.

lego I get most of mine from Gap (I have A LOT of the Bowery super soft long sleeve Ts. They're proper basics, wash and wear brilliantly.

Stupidly popped to Bath this morning (had to as had to pick up a few click and collect items). Hadn't made the Black Friday / payday / Bath Xmas market/ month before Xmas link. It was hell. BUT, I bought myself MAC Plumful lipstick which is lush. Highly recommended.

My Kettlewell stuff arrived today. I love the colours - I got vibrant pink, berry red and pine green - but not sure about some of the styles/ whether I chose the right size. Even half price it seems a bit expensive for very basic tops, but I've heard they wash & wear very well.

Thanks for opinions on the cashmere colours. The colours look different in the catalogue (more wintery IMO) so agree it's probably a case of seeing them in real life to know for sure.

Lego I just went on a basic t search and came back really impresses by Primark... I'd never bought anything from there before but got a red, charcoal & grey scoop necked long sleeved for £3 each. I also got a couple of Boden ones, scoop neck basic which was good in white and a lightweight layering tee in navy, but the Primark ones were thicker. Uniqlo heattech also good basics.

I get a lot of basic tops from Primark as well - they do a fantastic range of winter colours such as cobalt, pine green, purple, emerald, chinese blue and burgundy, perfect for laying. Go up a size though.

Thank you folks....will get on the hunt next week :)