I have £40 to spend on 'non essentials' and want 3 things. I can't justify them all. Please help me out...

[MrsSeanBean]

If you were me, would you rather spend it on:

this Brora hat; or

this ensemble for ds; or

this smythson notebook?

decisions, decisions....!

AAh not quite but pretty close

If you are dead set on getting one of them, I'd go for the hat, as it will last a long time, and cashmere is so yummy.

I'm not a big fan of the outfit, meself.

The notebook - nah. I love stationery, but I'd get the hat, and sped the extra money on a nice fabric-covered notebook from Paperchase.

I always shrink cashmere! What will happen if it rains when you're wearing the hat? I have visions of it shrink-wrapping itself to your head!

No, no, no to the little tartan number. You will scar ds for life.

Notebooks are not expensive. Get a cheaper one, that one is obscenely expensive.

Buy me something instead.........I'll send you a list!

rofl at that link!

aww, sorry mrs SB. You know I think you have actually got off very lightly really. No one has come on and said yet how many weeks' groceries your shameful splurge would equate to. Come back!

if somebody held a gun to my head and forced me i'd buy the hat, although it is overpriced and looks like it has a tendancy to ride up.

the clownsuit ensemble is awful.... i'd pay you £40 not to do that to a child.

the notebooks is you can get far nicer notebooks for far less than that

I'd buy the hat and the notebook and not buy anything else next month so I could have both. I love the hat and never regret buying cashmere and the new year is a great time to focus on you and have a thoughts book.

I don't like the fake tartan outfit.

£40 - I would use it on an event rather than a thing - family day trip to the zoo, posh afternoon tea out with a mate, cinema tickets and fish and chips etc etc

oh come on...the "ensemble for ds" was a joke.....has to be.

This is nice

nobody would dress a kid like that..would they??
its like something from a horror film

this is a bargain

ikwym harley...was thinking more of the sound of music, when julie andrews made all the kids clothes out of curtains or something.

I got a nice hat similar to that for £15 from Accessorize. Probably cheaper in the sale... Grey does you no favours though, you know. Drains your inner sparklenand makes you look old.

May I suggest you get yerself off to Poundland with the rest of your dosh?

yeah, but they could get away with that austria around the time of world war 2

in austria

ffs

Out of those 3 I would take the hat, love it.

Not sure about the DS outfit

I think Smythson notebooks are a bit disappointing in real life - the quality doesn't match up to the price imo. Maybe get the hat and paperchase notebook or a moleskin one (however you spell it)

I would get the hat and a moleskine notebook. I saw some patent moleskine recently, it was utterly lovely

Mrs SB - ignore all the negative comments (except for those relating to the boys' outfit which is truly heinous).

I totally understand that you wish to be frivolous (sp??) with your new found wealth. Personally, I love Smythson and I love the idea of owning something so irrelevant to the humdrum of every day life as a "Thoughts & Dreams" notebook . I have their personal organiser and it gives me real pleasure to own something so fab looking and well-made.

Cashmere is so incredibly expensive (especially from Brora) so that would be a good buy too.

Write each item on a piece of paper and fold them up. Put them in a cup, shake it up and choose one randomly. You love them both so it won't matter either way

Hi MrsSimm!

So many MNers can't be wrong about the outfit. Sigh.

I am leaning towards the hat I think, and have also found a corsage to pin on it (also reduced). I am (now) aware (painfully) that my taste is an acquired one, and also that if Brora models' expressions can be relied on, this is also a dubious choice....

But how about this to pin on the hat?

I may still get a Paperchase notebook with the change!

How about this hat and corsage?

I do like that mrsSB, and it would certainly make that hat more funky. (Just realised I got mixed up and it was brora not white company so ignore my hat warning.)

Ooh I like that Ingles, that's very pretty!

Hmm, now let me do my mental arithmetic - would that leave me with enough for the Smythson notebook?! [stubborn devil emoticon]

mrsseanbean - treat yourself to what you want.

lordy from some of these responses i thought you were talking about blowing thousands of pounds rather than £40.

however not sure about the outfit and i like traditional clothes - have you looked at tulip and nettle for sweet boys shirts and trousers?

also agree smythson not brilliant in the flesh.

i'm not a hat person so can't really judge.

however if i was going to treat myself with £40 i'd probably buy a diptyque candle as i love them!