MNV Volume 75......the Christmas edition

[Drywhitethanks]

It's time to get out your sparkle. Over here for festive fashion cheer, friendship and anything frivolous.

lara thank you. I've been knee deep in cement and paint and such like! At the moment it's just ikea carcasses, I wanted the flexibility of something I could change about, but haven't yet bought any poles or drawers or anything.
amber it's nothing glam just local and only three days a week, but I'll be able to walk there and get home at lunch time to deal with the dogs, but it'll give me some structure and independence, whichll be nice.

That sounds ideal then Karcheer! Good luck with it.

I'll hopefully be fitting out my dressing room soon, so may have to pick your brains!

Hello!

Greetings from the mountains, not much snow but very sunny, crisp and lovely. Had a lovely Christmas but am feeling completely mil'd out after over a week, snapped at her the other night and feel bad but not sure she paused for breath to notice! Having new year with friends somewhere else and really looking forward to it.

Shop well done dh on the gifts and particularly the wrapping!

Karcheer welcome back!

Amber so your offer was accepted on the house? Congrats!

Good questions QueenC,

Best buy- my dark navy Céline trio, so chic and versatile. Also love the Marant high waisted prince of wales check trousers.
Mistake - none I can think of, am pretty good at returning things that aren't right. Thought equipment camo shirt may have been a mistake but have been wearing by day under cream Marant jumper with side split so you see the pattern
Resolutions - need to think about new jeans and trousers, also to keep up with SW and exercise, feel so much better in myself a bit lighter.

Some good news is that I have a job, well, internship. Start in the new year, at a really good place. All very exciting. Dress code sounds a bit like you describe Lara except jeans ok done in certain ways. Will need some new stuff but the Marant trousers will be good as will my marni day dresses.

Have to go, being called to the table for yet another big meal!

Well done on the internship mara. That's fantastic news.

I am really enjoying the responses to QueenC's questions....

Having given it a lot of thought I think my tan Clark's hamble oak brogues were a very good buy. I wear them all the time and they suit my style.

Not too many mistakes. I regret buying 2 if the same skirt from Uniqlo!! One get worn occasionally and the other is hardly ever worn. Also slightly regret a red Iris and Ink sleeveless silk shirt. It has raw edges and they annoy me.

S&B lessons - don't buy multiples!!

This year I'm going to buy more accessories and I am going to upgrade my work clothes a bit. I've been gradually dressing down a bit at work but I have some opportunities coming up to expand my work horizons so I think I need to look a bit sharper and more authorities. So I am looking out for a good jacket or two and some dresses - maybe DVF or Goat.

All the typos 😭 my other lesson is to find out how to switch off predictive!!!!

So my answers to QueenC's questions:

1. It's been an accessories year for me! I think my favourite is still my vintage mulberry Roxanne as I have loved using that for most of the year. But loved the Highlands also (though didn't get much wear out of them before I got sick!) and the red Aquazzura heels. Better stop as I might name everything like a bad Oscars speech!

1. I returned most of my rubbish buys with the exception of 2 that I bought just before I got sick. So I shall be gifting on a yellow is issa dress and pleather skirt if anyone wants it!

1. Putting myself on a work clothes ban turned out to be a great thing for me.

1. By this time next year, we will be mortgage free again so i have started getting more comfortable paying a lot more for non work clothes (without feeling like I need to justify it) and will do more of this next year.

mara it was, but we need to sell ours. Have had a couple of offers, hoping one will go up a little and then we can agree a sale.

blingy I have the exact opposite problem - we will be going from mortgage free to having one again. DH is already making noises about 'reigning in' my spending, which I'm ignoring. He will be getting salary uplift in the summer so hopefully he will calm down and leave me alone.

I probably will be channelling funds into interiors more than clothes for a bit though! DH made the very valid point yesterday that when we move I will probably rediscover a lot of stuff as I currently can't see it!

well, everything's at that stage now int he flat where it's a complete shit tip and doesn't look like anything's been done even though loads has and i have a metric ton of recycling to go out tonight so once that's all out, that should give us some room. we are taking a break today as we've been so busy that we've had no real time to relax but we will be back on it tomorrow!

brilliant news ont he internship mara very well done to you my lovely!

Well done on the internship Mara

One have you moved already?

Amber your move sounds exciting! I love shopping for interiors.

Liberty I meant to say that a sewing machine is a brilliant present! Mine has saved me a load of £££ and given me a lot of pleasure over the years.

A bit of a front pre molar has just cracked off .....how the heck will I get to a dentist in the next few days? Feels awful, really worried more will crack off......eek! am I falling apart now in older?

Evening ladies, I tried on a couple of black tops and they didn't really look right, maybe black really isn't my colour or maybe I'm just not used to it on me anymore?
Anyway...
Today I got.

[[http://pin.it/94acE18 this]] mascara from Charlotte tilbury, normally I'm a Lancôme girl, but decided to give this a go. Threw away 8 very old mascaras when I got home!

Quickly popping in to say I am back home after a hectic 10 days spent with family and friends.

Will try and catch up later but now I have to unpack and tackle a mountain of laundry.

this lippy from CT, I'm not sure if the colour is a bit dull, but it'll be fine for daywear. Realised my newest lipstick was two years old, so everything bar a couple have gone to the bin!

this in brown and olive. Tried in black and just looked odd.

My new favourite shop is Claudie Pierlot I could've got everything, I'm starting to think it's a bit of a waste of time looking anywhere else apart from the village in Westfield, I tried on lots in Zara, massimo, coz, H&M etc and it all just looked cheap, I guess being prime time sales time didn't help!

this top.

Hey Karcheer lovely to see you back. It all sounds a bit hectic for you. Lovely lipstick - my new fave lipstick is a CT one too.

Mara congrats on landing the internship. Can't wait to hear all about it at the next MU.

Dry 'ouch' hope you find a dentist open somewhere.

I think I missed that your offer had been accepted Amber or more likely very rudely forgotten! so exciting moving to a new place - hope your move goes well too one.

Lib sounds like you're having a good time back home. Hopefully you're managing to put work to the back of your mind or a while.

Great questions Queen. I will have a think and post in a minute.

I got these trousers, they are black (first black thing in two years!) and I know they are a bit tuxedoey but, I figured I'm more likely to wear them of an evening after I've used them for work. Plus couldn't see any day straight ones that I liked, loads of floaty wide legs around (who knew... fashions change whilst you're building!!)

I also got this useful little top from Reiss.

Hello all. Had a lovely evening with friends last night and enjoying a booze free night tonight.
Hello karcheet. Pin is playing up so your links won't open for me.
dry sounds unpleasant. Hope you find a dentist.
To those of you moving/having work done, it's very exciting, I'm hoping that next year we can sort our bedroom out. I don't have the luxury of a dressing room but the room is pretty big with fitted wardrobes although there's not enough hanging space.

Loving everyone's answers. I'm tempted to try no spend January. Anyone with me? Also going to do dry January (from 2 jan).

Hello all, hope everyone is well and had lovely Christmases! We have just got home after a big family lunch today, it's nice to be back and just us 2 after a week of seeing everyone :)

I have bought nothing in the sales yet, that might change later!

Mara great news on the job front, knew it wouldn't be long. It sounds great.

at the necklace Blingy, just exquisite!

Hi Karcheer, nice to see you back. I have a few things from Claudie Pierlot on my sales wishlist.

On queenC's questions:

1. Best Buy this year - LK Bennett Jessie handbag, it's just perfect for work for me.
2. Mistake buy - nothing, haven't bought as much as usual this year.
3. Any s&b lessons learned - I can do casual!
4. S&b resolutions for the new year - I don't really need anything at the moment, so I'm going to buy some S&B related books to help me put things together better.

Oh and I got this bag strap from Accessorize for Christmas, it's quite Gucci-esque with the stripes and looks amazing on my mini Strathberry bag.

Best Buy this year - definitley the Stans, I have worn them and worn them

Mistake buy - hmm, not made many purchases in 2016 and am pretty good at only keeping something if I really love it

Any s&b lessons learned - just because it's fashionable doesn't mean it will suit me. Culottes and cropped flares are a case in point

Any s&b lessons learned #2 - to read care labels on clothes to avoid shrinkage.

S&b resolutions for the new year to stop slobbing around the house in yoga pants and shapeless jumpers, (no matter how comfy) if I'm not going out and make an effort

I really wanted to,buy trainers today, but just find the stores overwhelming and intimidating, going to have to order on line later.

fedup you reminded me that I got my Isabel marant faux stans, I love them so much. I do have a question about them though. They've got a suede label on the back and are looking a bit scruffy, ordinarily I'd put them in the washing machine, but I'm a little worried about them, what do you think?

Evening!
Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Ours was quieter than normal but nice. I've been back at work yesterday and today but it's very very quiet so I've been able to browse the sales online uninterrupted which is good and bad!
This Whistles dress arrived today, have coveted it for ages but it looks awful on me so back it goes!
Also picked up these Metallic Mary Janes for £15 in store and they are lovely so keeping those.
Have a load more stuff to be delivered 😬
I will be doing a dry January and thinking a no spend until Spring once my sale shopping is done!

id like to order some new jeans tonight, which ones are everyone loving at the mo?

dry I feel you - discovered a massive hole in my back molar in Milan and have done sod all about it! Need to go to dentist ASAP in new year!

I'm really lucky - the house is done, fully extended and newly renovated totally to my taste. All that needs doing is fitting out the dressing room (I'll take that on the chin) and we will probably replace the glass banister (why?) because fingerprints! We do need more furniture though! It will be a long term project!