That sounds tough, Auld. Is there a lot of stuff to clear out? Late mil was a bit of a hoarder and there was lots of bedding (and that's after we had already got rid of lots of stuff when she moved into the bungalow).

AuldAlliance · 26/08/2021 10:23

I hope Charlie Watts is happily strumming wherever drummers strum after they depart the earthly stage. I loved the Stones when I was a teenager, although in the mid to late 80s they were deemed pretty uncool by my friends, compared to Wham and Duran Duran.

Thanks for your sympathy. My parents have got trapped in a very difficult setup of their own making and are utterly miserable together but unlikely to take steps to remedy it. I can do nothing about that, but have done lots of cleaning, decluttering (my Dad is a hoarder) and weeding, which are within my capabilities.

Style comments:
I agree with whomever said (possibly on another S&B thread...) that there has rarely been such a diverse range of styles on the streets. Few of which, if I'm honest, I am much inclined to wear, partly because I don't feel the urge to revisit the late 80s and early 90s in their new incarnation, partly because almost none of the new baggier, wider shapes are ones I feel right in. I think I've reached a point where I know what I like to wear and what suits me, and am happy with that. If I start to feel I look very weird, I'll adjust.

It's fun and interesting to people watch, though, and the absence of a single notable trend feels very liberating.

And there are loads of big, wide-shouldered jackets and coats lurking among the clutter that my mum can now sell or give to charity in the knowledge someone might actually buy them.

XingMing · 26/08/2021 10:32

Auld, that sounds a miserable predicament for your parents, and for you to witness their sadness when you live elsewhere and can do relatively little to ease the situation must feel like a malign deity is twisting the knife.

Floisme · 26/08/2021 10:37

That sounds very difficult Auld. I think it's scary how easy it can be to get yourself into that kind of situation and then find yourself trapped, whether through frailty, poor health or dwindling resources. I'm sure they appreciate seeing you and your support.

It's hard to convey, because I forget myself, just how shocking the Stones were in the 60s. The only analogies I can think of are Elvis gyrating and the Sex Pistols swearing on live TV.

AuldAlliance · 26/08/2021 17:31

Thanks for your sympathy.

Yes, what is sort of workable, or bearable, when you're healthy and mobile is quite another matter when you're not. And being far away is tough, although a guilty relief in some ways. Not great.

Anyway...enough about that.
Today I walked up the road for a while behind a girl wearing cinched and perfectly fitting bright green combat trousers, a beautiful sheer black blouse, tucked in, with a black bra beneath (the straps thin and crossing low down her back, leaving her shoulders and upper back bare; don't know how visible it was from the front) and cool trainers. She had a bleached very short haircut with an intricate black pattern on the back of her head; from what I could see, she had very delicate facial features.
She looked beautiful.

banivani · 27/08/2021 14:41

Hope the situation isn't too bad, Bo.

Auld, that sound difficult, but you seem to be handling it well! Love the description of the girl in the combats!

Oversize discussion has reminded me of coat I bought to alter shoulders on - dilemma dilemma, do it myself or find a tailor? Also there's a photo I meant to take and put up here from a book. I keep forgetting.

I'm unethically shopping at Asos now for my teenager. V hard to have an ethical stance with them in the house :(

Have noticed Uniqlo's new Ines DLF collection. She's still on rather fitted blazers.

H&M are doing a rather mad "no-gender" collection in a bit, too.

TwoBlondes · 27/08/2021 15:33

@banivani tried to order one of those blazers last night but they'd already sold out. Does anyone know if they restock? I know it's all about oversized now but I'm a very pronounced hourglass and it looks dreadful on me.

Floisme · 27/08/2021 15:38

Even if they don't restock, they'll almost certainly get returns TwoBlondes - check the website every day and I bet they'll have some in again in within the week.

TwoBlondes · 27/08/2021 16:11

Thanks @Floisme

XingMing · 27/08/2021 17:22

I was looking at them earlier TwoBlondes while searching for a replacement charcoal cashmere sweater... Sadly, no charcoal at all, only a rather odd colour range. But I succeeded (though at greater cost) via House of Bruar. Last one, in the sale, and possibly a bit oversized but 3-ply cashmere so fingers crossed.

quirkychick · 27/08/2021 19:50

The charcoal cashmere sounds good, Xing. It's been quite chilly here, yesterday I was in an old cashmere cardigan with a charcoal cashmere poncho over the top. Autumn clothes are appealing, now.

I haven't looked at the Ines DLF uniqlo range yet. I do have quite a few fitted blazers, of which I've only worn my denim one, this year.

AuldAlliance · 27/08/2021 19:56

This is on the French site. Maybe not what you were after, Xing.

TwoBlondes · 27/08/2021 20:11

@AuldAlliance page unavailable ☹️. I'm in France too.

AuldAlliance · 27/08/2021 20:24

Oh, weird. Sorry about that.

It's in the Pulls & Cardigans section of the IDLF collaboration on the French site.
Then Pull en Cachemire Col Boutonné.
In grey, green, navy, bright pink and cream.

On the UK site:
IDLF Collaboration
Jumpers & Cardigans
Women Inès 100% Cashmere Henley Neck Jumper

Original poster

botemp · 27/08/2021 21:14

Ah, sorry didn't mean to leave people on tenterhooks again, vagueness is not my strength. It's just not really my business to blast the gory details on the internet but similar yet somewhat different to Auld, we arrived to BIL&SILs marriage imploding where SIL announced she'd be leaving with the kids by plane the next day, filing for divorce, and BIL could do the multi day car journey back on his own. This all happened while FIL was picking us up with GC in tow, so we just witnessed the aftermath.

As you can imagine, quite tense for a few days as flights weren't that easy to arrange (SIL had sequestered herself in the villa rental OH & I were supposed to stay in with the overlapping stay so it wasn't that bad but still all around uncomfortable and especially confusing for their DC). OH has gone with BIL on the journey back for mental support and company and he'll fly back here Sunday or Monday, maybe later we'll see how it goes. So it's just me and FIL watching a lot of University Challenge reruns and looking at properties for him to buy here (that was already on the books) and personally trying and failing not to doomscroll too much about Afghanistan. It's a bit of an odd start to a holiday but it is what it is. Luckily FIL and I get on really well and the weather and food is great so really shouldn't complain and count my blessings.

We can extend our stay and work remotely from here so time is not really lost in that sense but I feel bad for OH especially who was really looking forward to having all his family under one roof again as due to everyone's geographic locations that's quite rare even without a pandemic.

Back to lighter things, hopefully, I'm off to check IdlF and Uniqlo.

OP posts:

banivani · 27/08/2021 21:38

Jaysus Bo that’s about 4 AIBU threads waiting to happen! What a nightmare!

Original poster

botemp · 27/08/2021 21:50

I know all it needs is a parking diagram thrown in and I win MN bingo... it all sounds much more dramatic than it was written down, it's mostly just sad.

I'm a bit blah about IdlF and Uniqlo, totally missed the announcement there was a Theory X Uniqlo collab, bit too synthetic couch potato for my tastes though.

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AuldAlliance · 28/08/2021 06:59

That sounds very sad and difficult, bo. And a bad way to spend your trip. Bon courage.

I'm a bit uninspired by IDLF, though there's a pair of wide-legged cotton trousers that might be good for work (if I'm not WFH again).
Not sure there's any point, but this is the link:
www.uniqlo.com/fr/fr/product/pantalon-ample-en-coton-idlf-femme-442710.html?dwvar_442710_color=COL68&dwvar_442710_size=INS024&cgid=IDtrousers17002&hassubcat=false

I think there might be too much fabric round the waist and just below, though, from some of the photos.
And why's Inès giving her sizes in inches?

Original poster

botemp · 28/08/2021 07:46

Bon courage to you too Auld, your situation sounds very difficult too.

They're quite low waisted and she does appear to be long waisted or the size is too big for the model but some clips would have solved that in a photoshoot so I assume it's just the intended fit and the model's proportions aren't showing it off at its best. But I do agree it looks like they're a bit ample in fabric around the waist, especially on the bum which just makes it look flat and wide which I don't think is ever the fashionable or a desired bum shape although I do often spot it on 'classic dressers' who are very much the IdlF target market so I suppose there is an audience for it. I think the inches sizes are a Uniqlo thing with trousers and why I've never ordered a pair as I'm clueless which size to get. I had a bit of a drama with their jeans sizes in store when I needed a size 23 inches and it was still coming up too big, that level of vanity sizing just did my head in.

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Original poster

botemp · 28/08/2021 07:49

Btw, I was thinking about your lovely pillow case finds, would it not be possible to rework them into smaller pillows and fill with lavender? That way you'd have a bit from both homes as a soothing night time comfort thing.

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AuldAlliance · 28/08/2021 08:43

I suppose I'm a "classic dresser", but since I have quite wide hips and very thin legs, I don't need extra bulk round the middle.
These might be better in that respect, but they look flappy round the ankle.
www.uniqlo.com/fr/fr/product/pantalon-ample-lin-et-laine-melanges-idlf-femme-442708.html?dwvar_442708_color=COL69&dwvar_442708_size=INS024&cgid=IDtrousers17002&hassubcat=false

I've been thinking about the pillow cases, too. Your idea is lovely, bo.
They are 66 x 90 cm and I wondered about halving them, but the embroidery is only along 3 sides and they have a wide band all around them, so it would look odd, I think.
This is a sample of the embroidery (bit crumpled from the journey).

Original poster

botemp · 28/08/2021 09:18

Zara Home sell some 70*90 pillows, in a synthetic and a feather version, I think you'd be able to squeeze them in with that 4cm difference. Mango might have some too (they recently started selling home ware) I think it's a Spanish size, would be nice to have two on a large bed (180cm). The embroidery looks lovely and very delicate, that's a beautiful bit of treasure to uncover.

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