Royal style & gossip: back to style, back to reality...

[QueenOfTheAndals]

Sorry! I was in a meeting and dropped the ball.

Previous thread and previous rules apply!

Meghan looked really good today.

Not so sure about about the clothes and TBH thought some items were rather pricey. The blouse and trousers worn by Meghan plus the John Lewis bag cost over £350! (£500 if the £200 jacket that matches the trousers is included). I think that I, personally, might find it rather a burden, if I were were in the charity's target group, to be struggling to get into work and pay bills but have £100s of designer clothes sitting in the wardrobe and it might be tempting to sell them. I would think that donating the money to provide vouchers would be more flexible and help more women.

So poor people can’t be trusted with nice things. OK.

She looks fab. Love the look - young but smart, and totally 'her'.

Kate does the hair fiddling thing too. Especially outside. I suppose it's a result of long hair and the wind, but I don't care for it either.

Meghan and Kate and their hair makes me want to say what I used to say to my dd “Come here and let me plait your hair for you!”

Actually, Meghan would look fab with a single plait. I wonder if she ever does it like that off duty.

I did kind of wonder what the point of the collection is? It’s great that the stores are donating items to Smart Works but they could’ve done that anyway. I just don’t really get why they’re selling the things to the rest of us as part of a collection. The focus has been on lifting up the women who use Smart Works rather than inspiring the women purchasing the collection for work. Which isn’t wrong at all when the whole point is to help Smart Works but it just makes me wonder where the buyer is in this. Hope I’ve explained that right because I don’t want to sound critical of the initiative! What am I missing?

Why not? Working women and those looking for their first jobs can benefit from this collection too. They might not be entitled to the free items from the charity but could buy them for themselves.

Tom's shoes whole business runs on this model (buy an item and another gets donated to someone in need) and is a huge part in why it is successful.

I like the clothes but my question is does the capsule wardrobe that the smartworks people are given include 3 of the same dress in different colours or do you get 1 dress?

Had a look on the Jigsaw website and they're only offering their suits up to a UK16 which is really disappointing as I'm sure smartworks has a lot of clients who are larger and both the M&S and Misha Noo items go to a UK24. Hate it when companies won't do larger sizes because larger people aren't "their type of customer" surely for this promotion Jigsaw could have done larger sizes or Evans or someone could have provided the larger suit sizes if they weren't willing to

They fiddle with their hair because they have extensions. Probably not terribly wise.

The collection is a PR stunt. It has people talking about a charity that I don't think was that well known pre Meghan there is no deeper meaning. It's designed to raise awareness and help some people out. That is the point! Yes the stores could have just given money or vouchers but would be people have been interested? Talking about it would it have got half the coverage? I don't think so. It's done a good job as far as I can tell and hopefully will help raise the profile (and donations).

Smartworks gets given a piece from the collection on a 1to1 basis.
Each item sold has the equivalent donated to smartworks.
Meghan said in her speech that when she was going through the smartworks inventory; there were key pieces missing, which is why she came up with the capsule.
The big sale at Somerset house is a fundraiser for smartworks.

Why does having extensions mKe you fiddle? I do hope they have, by the way- I would then be able to cease my search for products that might make my long, thick hair look even remotely as good as that!

I think it’s pretty good PR for smart works, MM did well.

But honestly I don’t see the point at all of the collection. It’s so limited , it would be like dressing everyone in uniform.

I still think if for a limited time , proceeds of sales from JL, M&S jigsaw were put towards vouchers for SW it would have been a better idea, it would be a treat for some of these women to go out and shop for a change,

She looks great and good touch to wear the outfit. Slightly bothered by the problem she was fixing which is that the garments being donated weren't sufficiently smart or on trend. If I had donated a lilac blazer I would be a bit offended.

I don’t think the issue was the garments not being on trend; I think there was just a gap for basics. The Jigsaw Paris suit ( Meghan was wearing) is a bestseller.
There is obviously a demand for a decent work bag because the JL has sold out.

“. If I had donated a lilac blazer I would be a bit offended.“

And if you had donated a rail of 20 lilac blazers which you wanted to get rid of because they hadn’t sold because nobody wanted them? Would you be offended then?

Surely if you give a struggling mother vouchers for M&S or John Lewis they would spend them on treats for their children to make this Christmas a bit more special?

I think they need and deserve to be given a gift of smart clothing that is just for them. I think its win win for everyone.

I think there's a transparency issue too - donating items on a one for one basis is easy and completely transparent. Donating proceeds of sales or vouchers might get trickier as there'd be questions about exactly how much had been donated, why couldn't more be donated etc etc.

As for the lilac blazers, it sounds like they were end of season stock that was donated by a store rather than by individuals. Not something to get offended by!

There is always someone's just waiting to be offended. Usually on someone else's behalf.

If you have ever worked at the sharp end for a charity you will recognise the “rail of end of season lilac blazers” heart sink feeling.

Also by selling the items the women wearing them aren’t obviously wearing hand outs.

“Also by selling the items the women wearing them aren’t obviously wearing hand outs.”

Don’t understand this...?

Because who knows whether you bought the item or received it via Smart Works.

I’m not keen on the trousers, their fit in the front was a bit odd, and the shirt creased, but that’s in no way at Meghan’s fault, she did great to wear items from the collection.

It makes sense to have more basics available, I know I wear mine out and they never make it to the charity donation bag.

I really disagree when posters say that vouchers are bad because women will spend it all on Christmas treats for the children. Give them more credit for common sense.

Another point is that SmartWorks is not just about getting clothes. It’s about coaching, and prepping women who may have been out of the workplace for ages. Giving them a completely free choice doesn’t fit in with this side of the brief.