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

lastrain - you sound of similar colouring to me and I think purple is great on us! I always get compliments when I wear purple.

I've been watching both threads, and have already been inspired to wear different things in my wardrobe. I am breast feeding my 4 month old and have a 2 yr old and only really buy from charity shops (we have good ones) and ebay. I would like to buy less but better, being at home means sometimes I just click on my size on ebay and buy things that are my size without any thought. . I'd rather spend more on less but better.

o.k...now the shackles are off I've ordered a brora black cashmere dress and also some long sleeves tees (American vintage - I have white already and got another white and a black).

Also got some belts that were in the brora shop sale (but out of stock on the website).

Those of you that own the Princess Tam Tam dress (I think 65% of MN has one don't they ) have you tried washing it in the machine. I'm a lazy cow when it comes to handwashing so I'm hoping it's safe to bung it in the machine.

Ooh Hells - I keep looking at the brora cashmere dress - it is so lovely. I like the wide belt they've got it with in the picture too.

I've got one AV t-shirt and just love it - I even hand washed it!

Thanks for the help ladies! I've been dithering over purple, but I'm going to get myself a tee in that colour now.

tracey, I never thought of uniqlo as a layering tee...I assumed they were akin to thermal under-layers. The price isn't too bad too

After having a pretty shitty day - ds2 being very grumpy and just getting slightly bored of the relentlessness of dirty nappies and cooking food no-one eats - I ordered a few bits from topshop.

Just got a long sleeved scoop neck top in rose and some j brand for topshop jeans which were £15 reduced from £85.

So now off to look on ebay for a sports bra.

oo hanaflower that is a useful list. I agree that white is a complete no-no right next to my face, I have no idea why it makes me look so ill !

Traceybath what a coup on the J Brand jeans!

Just had a look - pretty much all sold out. They look great (cigarette ones?) and £15, bravo.

That sounds great Riven, im always up for a good ole' shop, lunch and general natter. There are loads of places we can go to in Bristol depending on what you are looking for. I can drive us around or we can meet up at your chosen mall (shopping mecca!) Can you email me at [email protected] and we can organise something?

Definitely count me in for this one .
I felt a bit of an imposter on the other thread because those on it seriously wanted to stop buying whereas I have no intention of not buying but I definitely could benefit from buying more wisely and with my current wardrobe in mind. I think I have quite a few really rather nice things but it's all a bit disparate and bittty so combining and forming outfits that I am happy with is a nightmare.

It doesn't help that I am having some kind of (early) midlife identity crisis where I can't decide if I want to be a sexy rock chic with gothic tendencies or an uber-groomed yummy mummy, all caramel and toffee hi-lights so I kind of lurch between the two, doing both badly!

Here's the current ledger on purchases:

I went back and tried on again the Phillip Lim cardigan that everyone hated - DH was with me and he liked it and he is very scathing about anything too directional - but it was £255 so have decided will only buy if they substantially further reduce it.

Yellow Vanessa Bruno handbag - had in virtual basket but am not going to buy because have decided really want Mulberry Roxanne (choc or oak) and if I forgo the Lim and the Bruno am half way there

Spent £50 at Hush last night - that's you lots fault - saw link on the other thread, couldn't resist looking and with pyjamas at £10 seemed crazy not to!

Have had totally rubbish day today (dd's very challenging and been on own all weekend as DH in office day and night at min ) so am about to order this tshirt to cheer myself up.

Have decided this Spring I will be recycling my many pairs of jeans. Have barely worn jeans all winter as tights/leggings so much warmer in snow/cold but come spring I am getting back to jeans and cute t-shirts. I really like all these quirky little trompe l'oeil ones about.

I would also like a little shrunken jacket to wear on top. Must be warm for early mornings in March/April. Maybe a little wool blazer. Maybe with military buttons? Toying with this - any opinions? Is it too suity?

One of my main resolutions is to not spend so much money subsiding DHL - I buy lots online only to send straight back with the free courier pick-up - but the net result is that it is costing me £10 a time to try stuff on!!!
And as for the time spent re-packaging stuff up and at the post office......

ooh, how exciting to log on and see this thread jumping!!

hells, cannot believe you ordered the Brora dress!! am going to stick to my guns on that one, although tempted to place my order again!! re: the Tam Tam dress, I wash mine in a pillowcase on the handwash cycle with Ecover delicates/ wool wash.

Had a last minute change of heart on the outfit front today and switched into black suede boots, which have been with me for 16 years. Now that is making the most of what you already own LOL. Also comforting to know that my calves haven't expanded with the passage of time ...

Riven, if I was at my normal weight and had, say £100 to spend on a new look (is that a realistic budget?) I'd buy a pair of straight leg jeans (about £40) a couple of decent quality tees (about £15 each) and then look for a longish cardi and a fitted jacket in a charity shop. All the other bits and bobs can be built on top of that quite cheaply. I don't know much about your circumstances, but have noticed that other posters have mentioned your dd?

on the straight leg jeans front, I've heard Marthas mentioned here a few times - can anyone advise? I just don't feel skinny enough for my Baxters yet, would the Marthas be a good in-betweener?

Tracey, well played on the shopping front! bargain!!

I'm in. I haven't completely abstained and have bought leggings from Wolford on sale and got my mitts on an American Vintage tshirt at 75% off. Am excited about this after reading great things about AV on here.

Plus got some cute stuff for ds2 on little fashion gallery. So really I can't last that long. Plus how great was the weather today, looking forward to buying spring clothes and wearing clothes with my chunky cashmere cream scarf without a coat.

Eshermummy I really like that cropped peacoat.

Also am wearing a grey plaid button dress and light grey Theory cashmere cardigan with bright yellow cuffs and down the front and new Wolford leggings.

I have found my sartorial heaven finally in rl and now here online. Am very happy.

oooh, all this talk of cashmere dresses got me searching on ebay ... any of you slimmer-than-me ladies fancy this

marsha - your theory cardy sounds divine

Well, i probably belong more on this thread too, so joininng in.

But I am very pround of myself. Some of you may remember my post on the other thread, saying that yesterday I had a moment of weakness and bought a pair of boots in Liberty. Well, after a restless night thinking about it (well, not really , I decided to take them back, and in fact did so today - you can't believe how good it felt to do it ! The problem was I not really sure about them, and I had a feeling that they were going to be just another expensive mistake !!!

Eshermummy - your post about having a bit of an identity crisis could be me !!! I am in my 30s and really not sure what look I should be going for.

Around where I am (you can probably guess) it's very much a cool look (the cardigan you were looking at wouldn't look out of place !!!). The look I most lean towards naturally (at least on weekends) is the flat boots, skinny jeans, some sort of long sleeved t-shirt/tunic type top, with an interesting cardigan/jumper/jacket, etc. But I often think I should go for a more sexy look, or the classic and uber-groomed one I see when I go to Kensington !!

Damn your link LTEC - my size and my sort of dress. I don't have £60 though (well, I do in my o/d but I resolved not to go in that this year).

Can I ask, are AV really that much better than other t-shirts?

And lots of you on the other thread are fans of J Brand - do they really hold you in well?

Am wearing purple 7/8 skinnies today and fancy a dark blue pair for summer. J Brand have some nice onces but they're £160. Are they really worth it?

Cute tee, Eshermummy, and LOVE the jacket too.

This thread is not going to help me spending, is it? Hmmm?!

aagh - so shall get the jacket and see how it is?
It's got an extra 40% off till midnight tonight I think

yes
no
don't know

right, back from taking advantage of free listing day on ebay, good girl Cake

esher - those bags sold out on me, just disappeared from my basket! Felt curiously bereft. I like that coat but would probably change the buttons.

I also suffer on the identity crisis front.

Well done on the boots Feelingoptimistic. Where are you? my guess is Stokey or thereabouts??

Fleecy the AV t-shirts really are good - lovely fabric, they feel expensive. Wear well as long as you look after them (which I think is sometimes a benefit of paying a bit more - makes you a bit more careful with your things..

LTEC - a bit south of Stokey...

Feeling optimistic- are you in hoxton?
Used to be an S&B poster called hoxtongirl but haven't seen her in a while??

Last day of John Lewis sale today, just panic-ordered this with vouchers from MIL that I had for Xmas.

Think will work well over long sleeve tees for now, and over a vest once it gets a bit warmer.

Can collect it in store on Tues, so we shall see...

www.johnlewis.com/29879/Style.aspx?SearchTerm=Tara+Jarmon+%c2%be+Sleeve+V-Neck+Jumper