Anyone interested in forming a "shop more wisely and less compulsively", "no more expensive mistakes" and "make the most of what you already own" thread?

[LetThemEatCake]

There seems to have been a digression from the original intention of Penth's very worthy thread so, rather than cause anyone any offence or detract from what Penth and others were setting out to achieve, would anyone like to do a thread in a similar vein? Discussing potential purchases (advising each other for/ against in sensible fashion!!) and talking about how we're wearing existing pieces etc

Am off to Sunday lunch with friends but will check back in later.

Wearing purple Tam Tam dress, grey opaques, grey slouch suede boots, charcoal travelwrap for discreet bfing. Pretty exited about the sunshine so nearly cracked out the new OP sunnies but am saving for summer proper

have a good day all

Am a slow typer!

hello Choo, would love to hear what's on your list for SS10

LTEC - I am v excited about the cavalrys - don't hang about if you want them as they go out of stock v v quickly. You can always send back but the postage charge might be a bit of a killer

DH also works ridiculous hours so always on my tod in evenings (although he is actually here tonight and I am ignoring him )

S&B meet-up? Imagine the linkage and thread traffic prior to that!!!

LTEC - have 1.75 lbs to go. Then a further 2lbs once I stop bf in the summer - am assuming bf boobs weight at least 2 lbs . Have just started weaning Bea and must say that as much as I think bf is a wonderful thing I won't be sorry to stop in the summer and get my body back.

Marsha - after 2 ds's it is fun having a dd to dress but I was totally surprised not to have another boy.

Esher - I really like the nude colours. Have a couple of tops and I find the colour very flattering - I like the peachy/nude colours.

dashing in quick as DH is cross with me for too much mn'ing. LTEC - yes it was Harry Eastwood -the heartache chocolate cake - totally delicious and surely 0 calories as it was made with aubergine chocolate, honey eggs and ground almonds

off to watch The Wire....on series 3 now...

Tracey - I love the idea of nude heels and indeed the look but I simply wouldn't get the wear out of them to justify. Also, I find that since getting out of the habit of wearing skinny heels I am so out of practice that I now opt for a much chunkier heel - I like Chie Mihara for that reason although I've only got one pair.
Am truly amazed at SAHM's who wear heels on a daily basis as I just couldn't, far too lazy.
Am thinking of having my smart trousers shortened to wear with flats as otherwise I will never wear.

I have 2 dd's and I do love dressing them but I dress them in a totally different vein to how I dress myself (I mean, obviously it goes without saying that I've not got them in black rats ) in that I do buy some mini boden. I like them in colourful stuff - I automatically steer away from anything that is a mini replica of stuff I would wear myself. (For myself, I would rather DIE than wear boden.)

I love Zarakids for my dd's - find the balance between colourful and yet still trendy to be spot on.

Zarakids is brilliant for girls - DD has the sweetest pair of tweed pedalpushers from there.

I love the look of Bonpoint but can not justify the prices unless heavily discounted from Bicester. Actually Bicester is brilliant for dc's clothes but I'm never impressed with stuff for adults.

If I were taller I wouldn't wear heels all the time but at just 5ft I feel the need. However they are nice heels not Vic Beckham style 6inchers whilst at Disneyland .

I do like boden for the dc's and gap but am generally quite traditional in my tastes for the children. Although DS1 who is 5 is developing his own likes/dislikes - he'd have me dressed in a floral frock like his old nursery teacher (age 60+) if he could!

LTEC - this is how I want my hair cutting - but blonde.

Esher totally with you on the kids clothing. I love dd wearing bright coloured comfy stuff-the total opposite of what I buy for myself. I like Zara Kids too Tracey though sometimes their girls' stuff is a tad twee. I am v lucky that bff in this country has a kids' clothes shop selling the coolest Scandanavian stuff & dd wears mostly that so looks pretty damn cool . Everyone always thinks she's a boy tho even when I dress her in pink froufrou (is that a word?) stuff.

I'm wondering what shape I'll go back to when I stop bfing soon. Been feeding dd for 20mo and I was a 32B before & am now 34F .

I quite like those M&S pumps and think they might be a good cheap way to see if I like ballet flats. Iam going to investigate flat shoe choices (again) & will report back.

Night all

MM

M&S pumps look great -

MM - I went to try and get a nice bra yesterday and I'm still a 32G (well one boob is, the other seems to be an f?!). Normally I'm a DD and I'm looking forward to getting back to that as I'm fed up with all this norkage (I gave up bf a few months ago. How fecking long does it take to get back to normal? I can't remember from last time round).

So today I found some old Hermes scarves that belonged to my grandmother - I'd folded them neatly away when I inherited them and forgot all about them . I'm wearing one in the hope I look gorgeously french - but aware I more likely look like an 80's airhostess

I need a new denim mini. My one is now slightly on the large side (yipee). Which makes are good?

DPAM is also nice for kids.

Tracey, I think you have the East-West Bayswater, is it big enough? I would like an Alexa bag but I think they are out of stock everywhere.

Am with you on the huge bosoms front MM. Have had a huge trying on session this weekend, and with current BF boobs I look practically deformed in a lot of my tops/dresses.

Today I have a residents meeting to go to with our MP to talk about a proposed development on our road to house parolees , and then a playdate for DD this afternoon.

So, for me, it's
Topshop white ls tee
Marc Jacobs striped boyfriend cardi
Next jeggings
Frye Campus Tan Boots

Will add mutiple strands of chunky white beads, but not until after the meeting-don't want to look too frivolous when on my soap-box, now do I?

Morning all

Great haircut tracey, like it a lot.
Have decided against Cavalry boots- put off by prospect of postage, plus fact that I don't want to buy in to more winter. Will focus on the hunt for the perfect metallic flat instead. Also aware that I have slight lemming mentality to shopping, must keep that in check.

Have been on 5 mile run this morning so was in my nikes but having friends over for Australia Day lunch today so about to change into Leona Edmiston tea dress in a black and bright pink print over black opaques and patent leather heeled ankle boots.

Final episode of 24 tonight!!!

Air kisses to all. Happy Sunday.

Carciofi - I find the east west bayswater big enough for my needs. I normally have in it purse, diary, phone, lipstick, wipes and 2 nappies - wouldn't get much more than that in it though.

BF boobs are nightmare - I look positively porn star like in anything which reveals cleavage. Would rather get legs out than show any cleavage nowadays

LTEC - wow good run! A friend was meant to pop by this morning so I didn't run and then she didn't turn up - frustrating.

Which series of 24 - are you box setting? If so well done on your restraint in saving an episode.

Am wearing jeans, pink vest top, pink meandem ruched side top and long winter white cardigan.

goodness 24 was my saviour when I was stuck on bedrest. DB bought me series one and I used to ration myself to 2 a day - got to the end of series 2 and am now persuading DH to try and catch up. Deal is that I have to watch the wire and he'll watch 24! Can't wait to see series 3

I've had a frustrating weekend trying to get dd's new pram .

Off to the gym shortly to drink wine coffee & read paper while dp and dd swim. Then off to friends with my god daughter's birthday present. Wearing straight leg Lucky jeans, a white shirt and long green angora jumper. May need to get changed though as I'm
having the ever present footwear dilemma.

Loved The Wire - we recorded them all when they had one each day on BBC2 last year and we had big marathon sessions of watching them. I didn't know what to do with my time when it ended!

I find 24 patchy. Some are amazing, edge-of-seat stuff, others less so. Not a big fan of Kim but love Chloe.

Did someone mention Glee earlier? Think I'm going to like that.

Red floaty chiffony dress today, grey wool tights. Slobbing at home.

Hi all.

Lovely haircut Tracey - I had mine a bit like that for a while and really liked it.

Well I had quite a good time at the Trafford centre yesterday. Got some Martha jeans which are a good fit but not particularly exciting but then got side tracked looking for boots which wasn't very successful as I'm very fussy!

Bought this dress from warehouse but I'm not particularly inspired by it - can anyone find me a similar one but better?!

Tried on this dress which I thought looked surprisingly good - very cute! But thought I'd run it past you before I order it to get your opinions and see if you had any suggestions of when to wear it and what with.

Also spent an inordinate amount of time lusting over bags in Selfridges. this one is especially nice in the flesh.

LTEC - hope the lunch went well. What did you make? I'm another sushi fan - can't get any decent stuff within a hundred miles of me I don't think!

Fleecy - I'm afraid I hated Kim in 24 - so incredibly irritating. Chloe is cool though.

MrsJ - I was wondering how you'd got on. Martha jeans are good - they work well with heels and are very flattering on.

The dresses - agree that warehouse dress is ok as is the m&s one but both black and I suspect you'd look better in some colour. When do you see the colours person?

It finally came to me today: we all know how to look good, we read plenty of magazines, watch the makeover programmes; for f* sake we know that a good heel can make us all look fabulous. What all these experts can't tell us is how to look good and stylish on the school run, in the wind and the rain, and in flats! Anyway, after a week on this thread and a little longer on s&b in general, I reckon I've worked it out. I'm doing the school run in skinny jeans (the ones from m&s on another thread), fly mols, long top and massive scarf etc, and when the weather gets better I'm going to swap the boots for the m&s ballet flats. I can't believe I look good in leggings and these, incredible. I love that we can buy cheap versions of cool stuff to try them out i.e. the m&s skinnies before I succumb to past behaviour and spend a fortune on paige in the US.
Thanks girls. Also, anyone see Nicole Richie's photo in Times Style today? She's wearing Paige jeans so I'm informed, and looks great.

Not heard back from colour lady yet -will ring tomorrow if I haven't had a reply by then - am getting impatient

no wonder mrs juan, its not very good customer service, is it?

Happy Australia Day, LTEC!

Blossoming, that is pretty much my uniform. I love Paige jeans.

You are all so nicely dressed today that I am not going to bore you with my outfit.

I have just listed my red leather Louis Vuitton bag, I hope I don't regret it. I haven't really used it since I finished work so I might as well put the money towards a bag I can use.

Thanks for the info on the East-West Bayswater, Tracey.

Cute bag, Mrs Juan.

Agree LTEC ,i don't want to buy any 'winter' stuff either.
blossoming am aiming for similar school run look myself
Will check out Marks skinny jeans,as my current ones are so bloody uncomfortable!
Am wearing them today ,keep hoiking them up.
Together with
brown Autograph boots
White tee
Topshop grey tee
leopard print scarf.

I think they're called indigo slim leg, there's a thread somewhere. Just happened to be in M&S the other day for the first time in months and I've been watching How do I Look on the Style Network during the 2pm feed. They're always telling them to try new things, so I tried these jeans on and they are higher than I'm used to, but great on post baby tum, and SO cheap, £19.50. Will not admit how much I normally spend on jeans. By the way the Portfolio range had an animal print scarf which was quite nice. Here

Carciofi, re dpam clothing so cute!!!

Have been lurking, as do not have a good enough wardrobe to make the most of and have only started buying again after over 3 years pregnant or bf'ing. Just wanted to say that I have those Indigo slim leg and really like them.

I find all jeans really uncomfy and they are not too bad comfort-wise and look flattering. The price is great.

I do seem to have to keep hoicking them up though - not quite builder's bum but heading there. I really do need high-waisted.

Gah! dpam! look at these!! We went to France when ds was six months old and got him loads of lovely stuff in the sale. It is really tiny though