MNV Vol 64

[FedupNagging]

"One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress."
— Karl Lagerfeld

Its that time of year again when our thoughts turn to winter woollies, Christmas jumpers and party dresses. Come and join our musings and purchasing, high end and high street, we love them all.

Have fun in Prague marsha! (I do realise it's for work, but have fun nevertheless)

queenc I just bought some lambswool insoles to wear in my loafers and ballet flats as I want to keep wearing them without socks as long as possible. I wore them for the first time today on the school run and my feet were nice and toasty.

I said it before but as a foreigner I really don't get the British Christmas jumper tradition.

Morning!

Marsha you're probably on the plane, but have a fab time in Prague. I'd like to know who HF is too, I'm drawing a blank!

shop this is the site I was thinking of. I used it to complain to tesco mobile a few years back, though I think I wrote a letter in the end and sent it by recorded post. I think you could definitely ask for some sort of goodwill payment, given how much time you've spent on the phone to them etc. There's also lots of good advice about complaining on the money saving expert website.

Glad you feel better Viva!

I might have guessed you beat me to it Dry

Marsha hope you got up ok this morning - enjoy Prague. I love the St Pancras hotel, it's such an amazing building and the g&t's pretty good too!

Topaz sounds like you're renovations are coming along - don't forget to share your colour scheme and accessories with us!

Loving the idea of lambswool insoles Linus.

Ootd is flared jeans, j crew black chiffon sleeve s/shirt, Ash platform pumps and tartan scarf. Not particularly exciting I'm afraid.

Emailed customer service again and their new CEO. I got a call back from a senior CSA who is now personally overseeing the matter - still only offered 10% off and free shipping though......
On a positive - I also received a response from the CEO (or perhaps his PA) but still.... within an hour of sending.
Still waiting in for DHL to collect the sweater and won't be issued the refund until they have it back

I am wondering what the problem is with winter shoes as there are so many great ankle boots about, my problem is that I have bought too many?

(It may just be that I have indiscriminate taste I guess?)

Is it working in an environment where ankle boots are too casual?

Go shop. Don't they realise how many lurkers on here will be reading about their terrible service.
here I'm just personally finding that my boots don't go with my trousers. Love ankle boots with jeans though. Tempted to try insoles but my skin literally turns blue if cold so thinking not a good look . Maybe my office will to toasty warm and I can just run to my car to do visits. Or maybe I'm just resigned to pop socks

Gah, posted too soon. No glamour here today as I'm doing a spot of decorating. Dc are either on playdates or with gps. Took leggy dd to primark to stock up on tights-womens now fit her better-and she left the house looking gorgeous in denim shorts, teal tights and ankle boots. Wish I could wear coloured tights without looking an idiot as she's also got the most gorgeous damson shade and there were loads of gorgeous colours (and fleece lined!).

QueenC I don't believe you look like an idiot in coloured tights! Feel like one maybe, I definitely would I saw a little old lady yesterday in patterned white tights, they actually looked very cool, so maybe more of us should try it!

I like a pop sock (don't like bare feet in shoes at work, feel icky) but don't think they count as warm.

Shop fingers crossed.

Have just tried on these 2 dresses with these boots and black opaques - plan is to wear for work, quite like them as smart professional gear, non-designer but with budget-ish interest in how I look. I think my style is "vintage" - not vintage clothes but vintage me!

I am not sure about the SE would be rockstuds, they definitely did not look right with opaques. Maybe I should try sheer tights? I did also order some Kat Maconie spiky courts, but life is too short to wear uncomfortable shoes.

By the way, I did look at the Uniqlo Roitfeld stuff, completely agree re the colour scheme and the only thing I was really interested in, the pencil skirts, were sold out

here I really like both those dresses, where are they from? I bet the boots look great with them. Agree rockstud type shoes don't go with opaques.

This next wall of text is for Lib, Bernice and anyone who actually still cares about HoC SPs...
So a while back I got reading this blog about colour and style analysis. I just started from the most recent and read back, which gave me a good understanding of what she talks about. I think she explains several things a lot better than some HoC consultants or other sites do (obviously I can only speak for my own consultant) - I think she has a unique way of looking at some of the style types in particular.
What I really found interesting was how she accepts that combinations of three style types are possible. I looked at her pinterest boards for some of these and had a bingo moment - I think I'm a romantic-classic-dramatic. She even has pins of items I've owned and duplicates of my own pins on that board.
Anyway, I think that the reason Lib and I both felt not-quite-sure about our RC diagnosis from HoC is that Lib is more of a romantic-classic-ingenue (link to board). I definitely see you as more of a ladylike RC, you can wear the wide shapely skirts whereas I only feel right in tight pencil skirts.
And FWIW I was going to say Bernice may be a Natural Gamine Ingenue but I think some of the things on there might be a bit twee.
But I definitely found it useful to read about the 6 different types on the blog, so hopefully someone else will too. Nice to have a different perspective!

/End wall of text

Oh and also meant to say, the other thing that makes me think "a bit of ingenue" for Lib (after reading that blog) is your beautiful curly hair.

Dresses are I am afraid Boden Ottoman Aurelia (with code of course) and Boots are M andS but I love them

DH said of SE studded shoes, "Aren't they a bit erm S and M?" "And are you complaing?" I asked.

Thanks here. I've never tried Boden dresses - I think the styling does put me off with their wacky poses - but the same could be said for Baukjen which I do buy from.

Lol at your DH :) he's come round I take it!

blair that's very interesting to read. You have met me, what type do you think I am?

here I like those dresses too and the ankle boots.

Blair that sounds really interesting! Am on train and near my stop so I'll take a proper look later on

I can see me not doing my ironing and losing myself to that blog tonight blair . It's been a while since I visited it. I love the gamine/ingenue look and have realised that's the quirky looks that I love but I woukdnt feel confident in. I'd love to inject a little bit of it in my look though (maybe I should start with coloured tights!) and should be easier now that i won't always be wraring a uniform of jeans.

here I like those dresses but didn't order as I don't like gold zips. I picked up the dresses I'd ordered from JL. Just had a quick try on. One is no good, one is too big but maybe ok sized down and one maybe ok but ive ordered the size down too. Ridiculous really, they're jaegar and I ordered small as that's size 8 so ive just had to order xs. Will report back tomorrow!

Having dinner here. Prague is pretty! A fairy tale.

Am a bit tipsy dos am turning into vogue travel - will desist

Wow what an amazing view Marsha, hope the dinner is as good! I'll happily subscribe to Vogue Travel.

Linus I don't think I'm that good at "getting" people but I reckon you are either Classic Gamine or Natural Classic Gamine (need to avoid automatically trying to give you 3 categories, as I definitely believe that people can be 2 or even 1 - the rarest - but think people who don't slot neatly into HoC will probably need to "add" a type). I think you are definitely classic (ballet flats etc) and natural (checked shirts) but your style can be quite preppy (gamine influence?)

QueenC I agree you probably have a touch of gamine, your pins of looks you like (and shoes) do usually seem a bit more quirky than how you actually dress. I always think your pins would suit you so you should definitely try it.

I know you haven't met me RL blair but i wonder how you'd tag me int hose personalities. I feel like none of them truly fit on their own and I absolutely defy what I know they'd place me in which is mostly romantic just because of my body shape and i just cannot see myself as classic in any way shape or form if i'm honest. pondering now, pondering.

One I've always had you quite close to Amber in my mind in terms of style personality. I don't see you as romantic at all - but there are many factors. Your height would suggest gamine actually. I might place you in this one, not that I think you're especially girly but because it's a bit softer than just DG. Although when you buy quirky things they are often quite cute and girly, like your bags!

I definitely don't think I'm any better at this than anyone else though, it was just that I read the blog and had a lightbulb moment for myself. I think the pinterest boards are well done though, I wouldn't really be able to give any opinions without them!

Also I think HoC place WAY too much importance on body shape. As the blog lady explains, it's about so much more, even the pattern of your eyes can contribute. That was really where my HoC day went pear shaped (much like I am...)

gah, I just lost a huge post of my musings!! Can't be bothered to write it all out again.
blair think you're right about the differences between you and lib and wrt to me having some gamine I'm definitely going to try and introduce more quirks but the typical boyish gamine look wouldn't work.
Night all.