What’s the best advice/tip/recommendation you’ve got from the S&B board?

[TheOGCCL]

I’m always struck by how helpful and nice everyone is on this board (‘frumpiness’ arguments notwithstanding). What’s been the best thing you’ve learned?

Solace earrings when I had given up on earrings because my ears were sore no matter what I used. After a few months using these, I found I could wear my other earrings again. No idea how that works but many thanks to the poster who suggested this as I hadn't worn earrings for years.

That seems a false dichotomy to me, @TheOGCCL. It’s possible to have a strong interest in ‘high end’ fashion (either cutting edge or purely functional) whilst having no interest whatsoever in standing out. And there’s no doubt that it’s possible to look astonishing, dressed purely in Primark.

But I do find some of the really vicious reactions on this board to anything unfamiliar quite - shameful. They’ve certainly taught me something I didn’t know before I joined MN.

I think the main thing I've learnt recently is to shop from my wardrobe & that I don't need a constant flow of new items. I've stopped buying cheap things for the sake of it.
I've learnt about the Whering App & I'm finding it incredibly useful in identifying what I do have & any gaps ( non-existent).
Using brushes to apply make up.
A game changer for me!
I do mourn for the old MN 20 odd years ago. The Style & Beauty board was fantastic, with so many genuinely helpful posters. Now when you try & help very few posters return & say thank you. So I've basically stopped.

It's my favourite thread on Mumsnet. I love the what people are wearing each day.

Due to this thread I signed up for the Liberty beauty drop.

I love the dupes threads.

Love best when people ask about a product eg Jones road, is it any good and people will honestly answer so you know if it's worth buying or not x

That I could tint my eyebrows with Just For Men.......honestly life changing!

So if anyone posts a picture on S&B of, say, a dress, styled with an enormous bow and silly shoes, the whole thread erupts in outraged fury and scorn and vituperative name-calling because they think they would have to wear the whole picture.

@WhatWillIWear I think it's more a case of those clothes being totally impractical for most people's lifestyles and budgets.

The best tip I've got from S&B is to use a Newtons chiropody sponge!

Agree @Floisme I miss Marsha Brady on MN, she posted all the time but seems to have disappeared now.

I think there's a big difference between the op of a thread saying, 'No, that's nothing like what I want' or 'Whoah that's way over budget' and other posters taking it upon themselves to intervene on the op's behalf, leading to a series of competitive put-downs, sometimes before the op has even responded.

I really don't care who started the sneering. It feels bizarre saying that on a parenting forum but here we are. We're not 12 and no-one forces us to interact with another poster unless we choose to.

I'm retired, don't go to posh events and this last few years I've spent more time in hospital waiting rooms than at parties. I still like to see what's out there and what's new, including the wacky and the unaffordable, and regardless of its place in my lifestyle. Isn't that the beauty of an Internet forum - a window into a world beyond your own?

Apologies to the op as I'm sure you're looking for more positivity. But I think the relevance to your question is that these days, and apart from a thread where I post regularly, I don't offer as much in the way of advice and tips, because I don't feel like it any more.

But the thing is @Floisme, as I've said on here before, why does nobody start a thread about out there fashion for anyone who is interested instead of recommending it to someone who wants something they can wear in everyday life including visits to hospitals, etc. Some of the suggestions on threads are ridiculous and I can't think of a single person I know who would wear them.

I also love looking at the designer stuff I can't afford and would have nowhere to wear but it's the posting of it on threads where someone wants something nice to wear to a wedding for instance that is ridiculous and people will take the piss.

If you don't think it's a good suggestion why not just scroll on to the next one? Or make a better one? Why not let the op decide if it's ridiculous or not?

something they can wear in everyday life including visits to hospitals, etc. Some of the suggestions on threads are ridiculous and I can't think of a single person I know who would wear them.

I wonder if it’s possible that you and I might know different people?

I’ve done my own share of hospital visits - interspersed with the odd conference or night out - all while wearing appropriate clothes from my own wardrobe. It may well be that you would consider every single garment I own (perfectly normal shirts, skirts, trousers and dresses) to be ‘ridiculous’ for some reason - I can’t help that. (I imagine the shops I bought the clothes from have enough customers to maintain their business.) I’m still going to recommend or suggest things that seem familiar and wearable to me and appropriate for the OP’s purposes. If they then say that’s not what they’re looking for - so what? Its the Internet - every comment will find its home.

What is thoroughly disgusting, however, is any poster attempting to prevent another from posting on the board, purely because they have differing tastes in clothes.

That's what I do but I do read the threads

I wonder if it’s possible that you and I might know different people?
Yeah I guess so. No need to be so snarky with me. I'm just pointing out the bleeding obvious. I rarely post on S&B any more anyway.

What are those MN Vogue threads, can anyone share a link? I can't seem to find them

I used to be one of the original posters on the Mumsnet Vogue thread. I stopped posting because the tone of the board changed. A few newer posters, or maybe they had simply name changed were really nasty to me, so that took the shine off things and since then, I rarely post on here anymore. A shame, this board is what made me sign-up to MN, and I really enjoyed posting on the inaugural Mumsnet Vogue threads.

Am another who misses Marsha Brady, along with Bonsoir and AmberNectarine.

More of a lurker but I’ve just joined dermalogica thanks to pp for the code!
Mostly it’s been skincare for me. Using a vitamin C cream and retinol has really helped my skin glow.

I lurked on those threads and missed them. We all have to wear clothes, so it might as well be fun while we’re doing it.

I picked up a simple but effective skincare routine from this board.

I also hopped aboard the Tret* train. Choo choo.

*Dermatica

Anyways I never answered the op's question properly so:

The Whistles tube skirt and the Me and Em ruched jersey skirt. This was a long time ago and I don't wear them any more but, when trouser / jeans waistlines literally hit rock bottom and I wanted out, I turned to these and lived in them for about 5 years.

Community Clothing - I'm not entirely sure where I heard about them but it was almost certainly here.

Cabbages and Roses - the prices might be out of my league but the clothes are dreamy and next time, I'm going to stalk those wool or cotton drill jackets into the sales.

The entire 'If Monty Don was a Woman' thread - and I don't have a gardening bone in my body.

Young British Designers - whenever I feel like I need a bit of a shake up, I go and browse.

Unorthodox, The Queen's Gambit and the Wham! documentary on Netflix.

I really got into Korean skincare thanks to MN,love it!
Babyliss big hair
Origins Vitazing tinted moisturiser, wear it everyday now and it gives me a lovely glow.
A botox clinic was recommended on here near me which I finally plucked up the courage to go to this year, excellent results!

Whoops, sorry the Wham! doc recommendation was from Twitter, not here!

Oh, are there good clothes in Unorthodox?

The Queen’s Gambit outfits were dreamy.

Ha sorry, it was more about the story than the clothes but an S&B tip nevertheless, from one of the Parisienne threads!

You know what, I've just read my post again and I've still not explained it very well It was a tip I read on the Parisienne thread on S&B, not an S&B related tip!

Oh! I found lots of things on here that were great. Cashmere jumper recommendations, tube skirts, a lightweight rainproof jacket which had been mistakenly reduced to £24 instead of £124.

My tastes have changed and I’m probably more on the look out for unusual and interesting pieces now, and agree that some of the posters are quite prescriptive in their opinions. Just scroll on by for crying out loud!

I just noticed the Wedding guest thread- lots of you could wear it but why would you comments. Unnecessary and unhelpful in my opinion.

The best help I’ve had is for skincare. Great advice and recommendations there.

I also lurked on the Vogue threads, they were fun, for a while.

I feel you have to take all things with a huge rock of salt, in real life, I’d absolutely weight your opinion on All things style and fashion on how you looked!