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

Plum - thats a lovely tunic. Would also look fab with white skinny jeans come the spring.

Riven - ok jennifer a does look very groomed but she does a casual look very well - nice jeans, t-shirts and pretty necklaces. Quite simple but looks nice.

Mrs S-B - I tried lots of stuff on yesterday and realised I need a few t-shirty type tops and some necklaces to pull things together a bit.

I don't really need anything else until the weather starts warming up.

Ok, am joining this thread as cant stay on the other one...i keep buying stuff.

Am buying smarter though...today I bought the m&s perfect long sleeved tee in a inky purple, lightly ribbed and great for layering ..only £12..Resisted stuff from marks' more expensive sister autograph..as I dont just need things for the sake of it....

this thread is great btw

Hana - thank you. If anything stone, taupe and cream look even worse on me than white though. Such a pity as I love all the cream silk 'Victorian lady' style blouses etc, and I see from the Nobserver that 'nudes' are going to be big again too. I love them but they don't love me.

Lupo - are you pleased with the Perfect t? I looked at them yesterday but then made myself walk away. Should I walk back again? They didn't have it in purple in Birmingham though - just neutrals. I like purple!

Janeite - I'm still after a white 'screw that turned' blouse to wear with my jeans.

My big realisation is that black just really doesn't suit me at all. I look like the undead in taupe and all its incarnations. However a pinky nude colour looks ok.

Tracey - I watched Miss Pettigrew yesterday and thought of the 'Screw' thread! Glad it's not just me who's a sucker for wispy bits of silk in the wrong colours.

Now black is a good colour for me, thankfully.

Well, the other thread certainly made me think and I have spent the week doing a massive clearout. I cannot believe the amount of stuff I no longer wear , I have bags for recycling, for charity and for ebay. I also have bags of dcs clothes that they have outgrown, although nothing will part me from dds beautiful dresses!

I couldn't join the other thread as I knew I wouldn't be able to stop shopping, but since sorting out my wardrobe, I was able to see what I needed to pull it all together and I got some great bargains during the week which will help me make the most of what I have.

I do know that I need to stop buying navy dresses as I have 4 almost identical ones, and silk sleeveless tops as I have 8. I have cashmere cardigans for every day of the month, and more coats and jackets than there are months in the year. I need to stop buying.

I think I will have to take up an engrossing and time-consuming hobby that will leave me with no time to shop, or think about shopping.

So Riven you may be that answer to my prayers. Perhaps I could shop for you, or at least help to give you some ideas? I am deeply envious of you height being a mere 5'3", what is your colouring, and what are your favourite colours.

I know you have things tough with your dd, and clothes can seem frivolous, but don't underestimate how much of a boost looking good can give you. It's much easier to pull on a pretty dress in the morning that the same old jeans and top, and you could feel so much better about yourself, which I think you deserve.

So come on, more info please so we can get searching

Tracey, do you live near a Massimo Dutti? I got a beautiful victorian blouse with embroidery, pintucks and cut-work in their pyjamas section reduced by 70%. Thay always have pretty pj tops that don't look remotely like pjs. I got a liberty print one there last year.

I also got a 'turn of the screw' blouse in monsoon for half price.

Now I need to stop buying them, two is enough

Im no style guru but I think Riven will benefit from 'fitted' jeans and some t shirts and some funky beads to get started ......

Oh, this thread is so much more in keeping with my outlook for 2010. I have had two lean years, looking and feeling like a frump. A late MC in Nov has made me re-think a lot of things and I have decided to take more interest in the way I look and dress. But as I am not really rolling in money I want to buy judiciously, not just throw money around on unfashionable stuff.

I would love to run some of my purchases past the infinitely greater wisdom of the S&B regulars (we really need a fawning emoticon )

Oh good shopping.....have been on a few courses and picked up the following tips. Took a while for everything to sink in but now it has I find what I learned really useful.

Tip 1: Never go shopping to buy for an event that's about to happen. If you do, you may buy something that you regret just because you feel you have to get something that day.

Tip 2: Only buy something if you love it. Never buy it if you think "it will do" but are not inspired.

Tip 3: Buy things that go with other things! You can make more of what you have if you can switch things around and mix and match.

Tip 4: Use accessories to make most of what you have (e.g. necklaces that make something look different from one day to the next).

Tip 5: If you can invest in a colour or style course, in the long term (I know this sounds silly but it is true) it's cheaper because you know what to buy and don't end up with things that just don't suit you. Having done this I've found that I've bought some quite cheap things that really look good.

riven, forgive me if these are inappropriate questions, but...

are there religious considerations in planning your new wardrobe eg length of sleeves or skirts, necklines etc?

are there practical issues re caring for DD eg trousers / leggings are better than skirts, heel height, nothing that needs hand washed or dry cleaned etc

Could I suggest you have a look at Trinny and Susannah's the body shape bible? I know that they can be a bit cringe worthy, but I found this book helped me sort out what shapes do and don't suit me

i am sorry you are feeling so crap about your appearance . never fear, the S&B laideeees will help you

What's a 'turn of the screw' blouse?
< intrigued >

OurLady - did you watch 'the turn of the screw' over christmas on the bbc.

The governess in it had a fab wardrobe and I've been coveting a pintuck/high necked blouse ever since.

Ok, this might well be a silly question, but I'd really like some advise re. t-shirts.

I've worn out most of my plain tees and need to re-stock. I've got two new long-sleeve tees (black and white) but nought else. Which shop does the best tees - needs to be thin material as I use them for layering, and needs to be round neck or crew neck (no scoop or v-necks for me please, norks too big ).

Also what colours would you recommend I get? I.e. which colours have you had most use out of? I want to be a bit more adventurous with colours but don't want to buy colours I'll never wear iyswim?

LastTrain - interesting you want crew necks and have big boobs as I have big boobs (bf) and crew necks make them look bigger. Or do you want them to wear under v necks?

Generally M&S perfect, top shop and american vintage are good for layering. AV expensive but lovely.

Regarding colours - what colouring are you?

tracey, I want them for wearing under stuff. I wouldn't wear crew necks on their own - they make my breasts look mahoosive, as you so rightly point out. But they're fab for layering, especially for work. I have to do a lot of bending in my line of work, which is also very male-dominated, so I NEED high necklines. Especially when I have to bend over to examine a skirting on a site filled with workmen and contractors, who wouldn't like anything better than getting to peek down the architect's blouse

If you're not sure about colours, have them 'done.' costs quite a lot but could maybe be a birthday present?

I was going to leap in about big boobs and crew necks, but not sure what I'd do in your sitch.

I suppose it might mean you win more arguments!

I'm olive-skinned with dark hair. I wear a lot of reddish and light-blue-ish hues. Would purple be a good buy or would it be no good with my skin tone?

OurLady, lol about winning arguments. It's really quite a brutal environment. I'd love to wear lacy camis under my work suit but wouldn't dare. Once, when I was young and naive, a contractor bullied me into climbing up a ladder to examine the roof sheeting. I complied, only to find out later that he had been dared to do it so the others could get to look up my skirt! I'm older and more cynical now, and anyone trying the same trick would get the sharp end of my stilleto.

erm, my stilleto heels. Not that any of you thought I roam around with a stilleto dagger wedged in my boots

Hmm, maybe not then. < naive >

There's bound to be a purpl(ish) colour which suits you, but as I say, having your colours done will mean you know for sure.

@Happyandyouknowit: that's really good advice - and whilst I agree about shopping for an event, I can't see how you solve the conundrum of what to wear for said event.
Do you randomly buy a selection of posh outfits and hope for the invitations to flood in? What!?

Like the sound of your course - where did you do it?

Read this thread with interest, Riven I live in Swindon and go to Bristol all the time shopping (my DH works there so meet up with him for lunch a fair bit too) I am a large lady but i love shopping and finding clothes to suit my shape (its not as hard as it sounds btw). By the sounds of it and from what everyone else is saying you have a really good shape to dress and it would certainly be no hardship to meet up and find you some nice clothes (along with everyone else who has offered to go shopping with you and make a new friend).

I know it's really hard to find clothes when you dont think you look that great - that was me just a few years ago too but i have a much better and more positive outlook on me now and it really does make a difference when you make the effort to dress nicely. I understand there will be some practicalities and you can direct the kind of style you want (even if it means going around quite a few shops and things catching your eye perhaps) but developing your own sense of style is something that will happen over time. If you are up for a shopping trip then let me (and anyone else know) and we can arrange it in no time at all

Lasttrain - how about these.

Janeite

I walked away from the perfect ribbed tee last weekend in light of the other thread, then regretted it and spent this weekend trying to track one done...liked the charcoal then found the purple...had to drag ds and dh along to out of town shop as our M&s were out of stock...

the plum/purple is lovely, charcoal nice to. very flattering and good fit ...for £12 you cannot go wrong and it loos quite expensive in the plum/purple colour