Pick 5 things

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

What five things have you bought recently or been using/wearing lots that you really love?

Trilogy rose hip oil - been using it for about 4 months every night. It’s really lovely.

Kenzo Flower perfume- a proper blast from the past for me! I bought a Chloe one at the same time, but it doesn’t last at all, whereas I’m aware of the Kenzo for ages.

Cos heavy boxy T-shirts - it’s a bit too warm for them now, but I was wearing them on repeat for ages

Urban Decay green eyeliner and eyeshadow- I get loads of comments whenever I wear it

Marks and Spencer black ribbed tube dress - just a really useful basic

I am loving the free spiritedness that runs through these threads. And the fact that most of us are between 50 and 70. It's fantastic that getting older really does not stop one having strong opinions on what to wear.

For me…
wide leg black poplin palazzo trousers from M&S - a bit of a cos culottes dupe and so comfy

Gold Arizona Birkenstocks

White boxy cos T-shirt

Oliver bonas tiered skirt with black scalloped edging (looks nicer in real life than on website) https://www.oliverbonas.com/fashion/white-black-ric-rac-tiered-midi-skirt-377961?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping%20UK&utm_term=39-248-966-231750&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19573636947&gbraid=0AAAAADrENCggGUm9MsT5ZSFoBPWbrA1ky&gclid=CjwKCAjwiezABhBZEiwAEbTPGIGozAbozsWKCRyK8u7nGXKNpHsZle5DooXZ9rudNmpMaVrAKjBZlRoCDT0QAvD_BwE#selection.color=26474

striped Aligne shirt from Vinted.

Just for you, Remus. Some of the photos still look pretty modern apart from the hair and make up.

PS They’re labelled ‘sensitive images’ so hope they get through!

Pearl earrings
olive green loose linen trousers
Monsoon skirt with leaf pattern
Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia eau de parfum
silver bead necklace

Rachel’s Holiday, one of my favourite reads ever, and I’ve read countless books. Hope the TV series does the wonderful Walsh family justice. Have you watched The Dry on ITVX? Very funny Irish family, echoes of the Walsh family, central character very ‘Rachel’.

That first photo made me think of Siobhan Fahey from Bananarama. The ultimate style icon in my sixth form gang.

I had that More Dash book in the 80’s too! I still think about it

An fresh orange flavoured perfume for summer

A few new cotton maxi dresses

A super comfortable and flattering cotton ribbed top with cap sleeves from H&M to wear under my pinafore dresses

Colourful lipsticks for summer

New bath sandals for the gym

I’m going to try and track a copy down. Love it!

Ahem.

Ladies, ladies. This is S&B. Sunloungers, books, teabags etc are cheating, however lovely they are. I might just allow the odd nice vase or two, if you’re all very good.

Link to the trousers please @Kaybee50

Do you have a link to the top please?

I'm interested in the alterations, what do you get done?
Do you get things altered for fit, or to change the design?
I'm trying to avoid buying, so looking for inspiration!

Both, @Isometimeswonder. Guess which is generally more successful …

The most recent tailoring to fit was a pair of chinos that were unexpectedly at least two sizes too big (last pair in a sale so I couldn’t just exchange for a better size.) They needed taking in at the waist and narrowing at the top of the legs.

A tweed skirt made from a mixture of fabrics needed the raw hem secured as it was fraying.

Several other minor things - hems, sleeves, lining repairs.

The one alteration I slightly regretted was a Huge Puffy Dress - which I stupidly decided would be better with a different neckline and the addition of a collar. The alteration people did a perfectly good job, but the finished dress just didn’t suit me. Luckily a friend tried it on and it was wonderful on her - so it has a new home.

I’m about to take my favourite cotton shirt as it’s never fitted me properly at the neck.

I care about clothes - and have a pretty good idea of which shapes and proportions work best for me, but I’m quite prepared for off the peg clothes not to fit me perfectly straight out of the shop. In the past I used to have suits altered by a shop’s own seamstresses at the time I bought them but I don’t lead that sort of life now!

Cost is obviously a factor. I’m not obsessed with ‘well fitting clothes’, and quite like an element of haphazard volume, and frayed edges - so I only ask for alterations that feel necessary.

I alter loads of things myself as I’m a sewer, but either way it gives you a lot more choice and flexibility. I often change necklines as loads of tops and dresses seem to have really small high necks that don’t suit me. I extend shoulders/shoulder straps to make things longer as I’m long-bodied. Add pockets to dresses. Wide leg trousers are often a bit too wide and flap about too much but I have a pair that are perfect, so I copy the leg shape and take in other trousers to match.

I love getting a second-hand bargain then tweaking and reworking it into what I want - though it can go wrong so I don’t tend to let loose on expensive new things.

Sure thing, here you go:
https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.1222097010.html

But surely a sunlounger is part of your outfit, if lounging in style? This is mine and it’s very on-trend in yellow…

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9347661

Stripe and Stare knickers in amazing fun colours and prints and they both cover my bum AND have a decent gusset width.

Fitflop ballet flats in a jungle print from Vinted to replace an identical pair I had worn holes in, because I love them so much.

Pale pink linen tablecloth, Stacey Solomon at Asda.

The latest C.S.Harris Sebastian St Cyr book: murder mysteries set in Regency England.

Deadstock Kate Spade fabric in red and hot pink for a summer dress.

Nivea soft cream - love it for hands and face (18 year old son hooked too)

I have been in my Asics Gel trainers a LOT in the last few months (marathon training )

A pair of gold birdcage earrings which always attract comments

Various Pandora rings which my children bought me

Ted Baker mminiatures (body spray and shower gel)

It’s a random Korean thing from a company called So.ko. I’ve taken a pic which I’ll attach:

This Le Marais t shirt from H&M which I saw on Instagram and took a fancy to. It's cream rather than white and the letters are velvety and I love it.

This Paris map dressing gown from One Hundred Stars which is just the nicest thing ever and I can't wait to waft about in it when we go on holiday.

These barrel leg jeans from Tu/Sainsburys which look awful in the picture but are one of the nicest pairs of jeans I can remember owning. I've been losing weight and have had them in two different sizes and am going to have to buy another pair in a size down.

A pair of light/bleachy wash mum jeans from Zara that I got on Vinted for next to nothing. They are an amazing fit and I swear they take a stone off me. They are also the smallest size 14 I have ever seen in modern times (I bought them based on measurements).

These pyjamas, again from Tu/Sainsburys. They are cotton/viscose but feel more like linen and are really just super comfortable and feel lovely to wear.

I have a nice lady who alters my clothes also,
Usually makes the waist smaller and fits them to my shape, takes hems up and so on. It makes such a difference to the clothes.

Only if you’ve got an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini.

Where did you get your fabric @bridgetreilly?

https://www.rainbowfabrics.co.uk

I don’t know if there’s any left.