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

Fleecy: have you checked the outnet? Last time I looked there was a cute stripey marc by marc Jacobs one... Also the monkey one by See that hoxtonchick linked to earlier...?

Am going to end Jan on a no-spend note, having realized that I've bought 11 things in last week But am going to wear a long-forgotten item each day and work on body overhaul. And look for the perfect metalllic flat

right, got to go to bed after this so will be quick

hoxton - shoeswise I would have said it needed a heel but maybe that's coz I would envisage wearing it out to dinner type out and not out and about with kids etc. At mo, my default setting for anything that needs a heel is a heeled ankleboot/shoe boot - seem unable to wear heeled courts anymore as make me feel old and overdressed (but in a bad way, normally nothing wrong with being overdressed

Right,off to bed, night night x

aaaagh, I am going now honest

LTEC - metallic (gold) flat ballerinas - try NEXT, yes, really !!

My spending also a bit of late, still want a boyf blazer though

I think the long sleeve nicer than short, the proportions look better and I think it will be more straightforward to wear. Re the draping/tummy I've never seen you in anything quite so drapy so am honestly not sure, but the vw dresses you have are cut in a simlair way aren't they. Anyway, you can try them on in person on weds, that's good

esher - I love the navy as well

One of the VW dresses has arrived and can you believe I haven't had a chance to try it on as house is such a tip and I'm unpacking from weekend away (plus I don't really want DH to see it just yet). May even have to wait till DD is asleep at lunchtime to try it on. All this waiting is actually rather nice!

Marsha - I would appreciate it if you could come and choose my clothes for me in the morning....i always want to wear yours.

At the moment I'm in j-brand skinnies and a grey jumper plus some delectable white company knitted grey booties But who knows...maybe later I will be in VW anglomania stripey dress. Depending on try on result.

Fleecy, American Apparel have some nice t shirt dresses, though quite plain.

hells were you looking for wedges? Nicest I saw last SS were Castaner, came up bit too small for me though.new ones in at my-wardrobe. Good luck with the dress!

patience didn't last. I tried it on and it's brilliant. It's a bit shorter than I expect and the bum bit is quite tight but because there is lots of drapery above it sort of balances out. And certainly is great on the tummy (lots of flattering drapes in that area.

I tried it on with a cashmere black James pearse long cardi thingy and I think with black tights and boots I wil wear it now...and in summer it will be perfect with flats. HC - it's not quite the same as the one you linked to. The one I've got doesn't have sleeves and I think is shorter this is the one I got

Thanks LTEC - they are perfect.

Morning all.

Hells - that dress looks gorgeous.

Esher - love your coat and navy is probably my favourite colour.

Right i am going to have to write a list of what I want/need for spring/summer so I don't get distracted by random purchases.

Morning all,

went through my wardrobe last night and got rid of all the clothes I never wear but had just clung on to and it feels rather good!

Also determined to get rid of some stuff via ebay. Bought the boden biker jacket in brown but wish I hadn't - I should learn that if in doubt about something don't keep it! May stick that on ebay. Also got a brown leather jacket from Mulberry some years ago which I've never worn so that could make me a few pounds. Never done clothes before on ebay - just bags. Hard to know what to put stuff on for, think when I've put bags on I sold them to cheaply. What do you all think?

Hells, that dress is just divine, I love it!

Marsha - how do you manage to sound so put together?! (In fact loads of you do!)

Tracy I too am going to get list writing. Nothing better than crossing the stuff off once you've bought it!

Meant to ask - LTEC, did you get that toast top? Quite fancy it myself but not sure of the sizing of toast.

Hells I really like the VW dress too. Looks really versatile and your styling sounds good.

Waiting for my deliveries. Have just ordered some of the M&S pumps too (thanks blossoming) to try out the ballet style and see what I think. Can't go far wrong for twenty quid I figure. Have any of you seen the shoes on the flats thread I started . That sounds horrible - I don't mean to be but my fear is that those are the only kinds of comfy flat shoes .

I also ordered the navy scarf. I have a weakness for animal print I don't even try to fight. It's very colorful for me but I am hoping it will pull together some of my outfits.

Also waiting for delivery of our new pram (Baby Jogger City Elite for who asked, to replace the Quinny Speedi that ate a chunk out of dd's hand last week )

I have a cold today and we're having an at home painting day so am wearing navy AA leggings which are the most comfortable bottoms ever, and an old shirt of dp's - it is a lovely soft Smedley though.

I ended up changing yesterday and as I had more time than usual to get dressed I decided to wear some things that've been hanging in my wardrobe for ages and never worn. I liked the idea of the outfit but think it was missing something. I wore a long cream silk shirt (Max Mara c.5 years ago) a kind of granddad style with no collar and quite baggy (in a good way), a mushroomy-beige long thick cashmere mix cardigan with a V neck that my mum bought in Stefanel in the 80s with beautiful grey buttons, grey skinnies, brown over the knee flat boots. I think the brown boots may have been a bit harsh and it needed a belt but I tried a leopard print belt, a yellow snakskin thin belt, a large brown one and a medium grey one and all looked wrong. Still, 'twas nice to wear something a bit different and dp said "wow" which I think is a good thing.

I meant to ask, if it isn't prying, what do your dps all do? Mine is also away a fair bit and spends hours in resturants networking works long hours. It just struck me when reading a lot of posts that our dps seem to all be away quite frequently. We met at work (high end construction) and enjoyed the work hard play hard life together for years before dd arrived so I understand how it is and think we have a happy balance most of the time.

Enough rambling! Have a happy Monday everyone.

MM

oooo. Just got my extra maternity pay as a lump sum. Struggling not to buy that yellow bag...

Today I'm wearing a grey dress my mother bought me by fransca. Never heard of that label at all, but dress is lovely. Knitted cotton, ribbed sleeves and yoke, with covered buttons under scoop neck.

Report back on the ballet flats MM - I have a host of ballet pumps I love but can not walk far in if you know what I mean!

Where did you get your grey skinnies from? My skinny jean search is always ongoing!

My DH is a hospital dr so whilst he doesn't go away much he's often working funny hours, weekends and nights etc. Think I notice it more now we have DD but we juggle things rather nicely. Think its harder for people whose other halves do go away for work.

[whispers] Buy the bag hana!!

oops hells, cross-posted- you;ve already tried it on! glad it looks good, 'tis a lovely dress.

Mimi - can be a bit hit and miss with ebay, but if you've got brand names like Boden and Mulberry to put in your title, you should be fine, as people tend to search by brand, I find. I usually decide what the lowest price I'd be happy to accept is, and then knock another 10-15% off in the expectation that the bidding frenzy will bring it up top the price I want.

Have had a few good ones, like the £3 charity shop Jigsaw cardi I bought going for £18!!

Today am wearing
7FAM jeans
L/s AV black tee
and, in the spirit of reviving long-neglected items: an embroidered oriental jacket that I bought from Bondi Market for $30 in 1997. It's like the one that Julia Roberts wears in Notting Hill when she goes to Hugh's sister's birthday dinner, but black with bright embroidery (pinks, blues, greens)

Foul weather!! going to take the dcs (who are being angelic again) to the library.

Mimi - yes I bought the toast top in charcoal .. haven't got it yet. Think I will love it though. I love that Toast do such long arms (I am part chimp)

re: my dh - he works in film and TV and is often away on shoots or filming late night. Leaves very early in the morning too. Awful about your dd's hand, hope she is okay!!

Last episode of 24 was amazing!! Is it worng to say that I was in floods of tears

Marsha - I am so getting some Belstaff boots for next autumn/winter.

Re my DH - he's got an IT company so at the constant beck and call of clients.

Am liking the wedges you mentioned ltec - do the backs stay in place though? As have had too many pairs where the backs slip down.

LTEC - how about these boots?

Hells - I've ordered the topshop mini and will let you know what its like.

May buy a more expensive one for spring but haven't seen any around.

DH & I have a business together so I see him all the time . Makes it rather difficult to sneak in clothes - but he is actually worse than me (actually he's better as he is naturally very stylish) at spending so he never really moans. He also hates it when I revert to my default frump mode (baggy black clothes) so is always rather too enthusiastic if I get anything fitted and colourful!

Weather is shite isn't it? DD has the most awful cold and seems to have endless rivers of snot. So all clothes worn have to be mucus proof .

MM, re those shoes linked to on the other thread. Can such ugly shoes exist?

I thought the same blossoming - some of them are foul. I always used to wear heels and last year when I was a newbie mummy I spent a fortune on flat shoes which varied from frumptastic to a pair which resemble diving booties. - all unworn in the shoe wardrobe .

Tracey / Marsha re Belstaff. I was in TKMaxx the other day and they had a few Belstaff leather jackets and I saw two pairs of (unpleasant) Belstaff boots in the men's section so may be worth a peek if you're passing.

MM - the other shoes - well umm - they did all look comfy i guess.

How about these. Probably too ballet shoe esque but I love them.

Does anyone know do they come up big? I've got tiny size 3 feet so struggle . . .