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?

Aha!

I’ve learned from a couple of other current threads that Top Shop has been more or less properly revived at ASOS. It’s not quite the same as losing a happy afternoon to browsing, trying on, and then retiring to Selfridges for hot chocolate - but for some reason it does still seem to have some swagger. Saw a couple of things that would be perfect Christmas season additions to my wardrobe.

Contrarily posters are raving about Whistles dresses elsewhere. I had a look and couldn’t find a single thing I’d want - in fact I’d cry if I were made to wear any of them. Once again - people are all different.

I have a vague memory of bashed up aspirin tablets being used as a face mask?

I'm pretty sure it was someone on S&B that first linked Andrea Ali's make up dos and don'ts. Without fail if I follow her advice carefully (which I don't often as I'm in too much of a hurry) I get told I am beautiful/ten years younger/have amazing cheekbones. It's just well applied make up. i love her.

That’s awful. I do remember there were some unpleasant and air-headed posters - I remember having a bit of an eyeroll at one lamenting in a total panic that now she had transferred her DC to private from state she needed to ‘up her school run look’ - but most were kind and supportive.

The site where you put in the name of your favourite foundation, and it gives you exact colour matches from other brands. It really works.

findation.com

... I don't know why that hasn't created a link. Maybe it needs the www:

www.findation.com

https://findation.com/

?

OohI didn't know Top Shop had managed to reinvent itself. Please tell me Philip Green's nowhere near it.....

I googled:

https://www.asosplc.com/news/topshop-and-topman-new-chapter/

Splendid, thank you! Admittedly I should really be avoiding Asos too (a friend worked for them and did not have a good time). But then I have no morals.

@WhatWillIWear It might have been me (under a previous name) who suggested that since I hit 63, I've spent as much on exercise classes as clothes, and I was ridiculously thrilled that you assumed I was elegant!

I stand by my contention that, provided you try to buy decent quality stuff and hang on to it for long enough, you should be able to shop your wardrobe for a fairly close approximation of whatever the fashion world thinks is current. It's one of my silly habits to try and pull together a look from my cupboards (!) on any day I feel inclined.

There have been some wonderful threads over the years I've been wasting time here but S&B seems to be off the boil right now, perhaps because the world has felt a colder, darker place since the pandemic and everything else.

Retinol

(at risk of sneering) colour analysis by Emily Innes.

Getting my bra size right for me too! In fact it was the thing that brought me to MN via Google. It was in 2014/15 and the threads were often titled 'bra intervention'. Unusually I didn't drop a back size but went up 3 cup sizes. Still don't know how I fitted in the old size! Downside is spending lots on Curvy Kate, Fantasie and Elomi, but I love my new bra wardrobe!

I didn’t know the way my legs naturally fall(?) with toes pointing slightly inwards makes me an attention seeker who wants to ‘appear feminine and coy’ until I started reading S&B.

Oh, and I enjoyed being called a ‘Clapham wellness woman’ for wearing activewear out and about and not just at the gym.

I could watch and listen to her all day, she's captivating!

Although I don't think I've ever actually tried one of her looks, the sheer amount of products, brushes etc she uses for a 'simple, everyday' look completely bamboozles me. (And the cost of it all.) But she is an artist.

How did you sort it out?

There used to be long running threads about it that were IMO good and helpful but for some reason some people found it annoying and basically snarked them to death. A shame, because honestly getting the right bra size really helped me feel comfortable and stopped my neck hurting all the time. Search "bra intervention".

From memory the majority of the advice was to use Boob or Bust website, or visit Bravissimo for a fitting.

I did the latter during a visit to London (from the other side of the world). The bras are expensive and I don't find them particularly comfortable in either fit or fabric compared to others I own, they do give a very nice shape though. I went in the hope that I could find out my 'real' bra size and then order online from there, but that wasn't possible as the 3 bras I ended up with are all different sizes, even though 2 are the same brand.

@AngryBirdsNoMore yes basically the same advice as Boob or Bust. I think MN may have been ahead of the field though! Either way, the method of taking measurements is important.

If you search Bra intervention and/or @StatisticallyChallenged on here you'll find some of the threads.

So many good S&B tips:

• OPI nail envy
• Home dyeing my lashes
• Babyyliss Big Hair
• Revlon One step
• Keratin Blow Dry from Amazon
• Parisienne threads reminding me of APC
• Monty Don threads introducing me to Carrier Company

Loads more that I can’t remember

Thank you, I will look!

@Saggypants thats my experience of Bravissimo too. Which means I’ve basicallt just been reordering the same size and style of bra for several years (Goddard). Problem is my boobs have changed size and shape after two pregnancies and things aren’t fitting the same any more…

I started a thread asking about perfume a while ago. Was a complete perfume newbie then. The responses I received were so lovely, intelligent and articulate, many of them were a joy to read.

My journey of discovery into perfume started there. Without it I wouldn’t have even thought that perfume is a whole other art form but for the olfactory sense.

Reading books and articles about perfume, watching perfume reviews on YouTube, discussing and testing perfume at the perfume counters and ultimately wearing perfume has become one of my new life pleasures, and I thank mumsnet style and beauty for that.

@Caterpillargirl23 which tights, please?

@Shiremum40 I use straight tret but it's taking a while to sort out my brown spots. How bad were yours?

@ThreeTescoBags which sculpting jeans please?

@SpringMeadows they are a brand called Manzi. I bought the 70 denier tights, I sized up as usual.

Revlon One Step, plus some great suggestions for flat shoes that don’t make me look like a traffic warden! A poster advised that your flats should look “intentional” rather than “that’s all I can walk in” and that was such good advice.