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

Halston Heritage..dribble,drool..do you think any of those outfits are bf friendly

Re-whole hair debate..i don't think there is a cut off age for long hair..depends on the individual and whether they can carry it off looks and styles wise..i had a client in her 70s with waistlength grey hair who came to see me wearing a banana yellow sundress,in her banana yellow sports car and i thought she Rocked.

I have thick wavy (unruly )hair and if i have it short it would take a lot more work than doing a pony tail and don't think it would actually suit my features so much.

i did the fringe thing a couple of years ago and 2 old friends didn't recognise me at all(in a good way)and i was dithering at xmas when i got my hair recut whether to go for one again but my blowdrying laziness/imminent baby put me off a bit but have been trying to do more with hair lately so may reconsider postbirth as knocks years off too!

loving snooping profile pics..no one seems to have taken a photo of me since the mid 90s! so will have to sort that out.everyone looks so scrummy already..are you sure you need S and B?!

Morning ladies!

Well, what a gorgeous, stylish bunch you all are - we deserve a morning swoon . We are a kaleidoscope of loveliness... We could have a S&B calendar

Badie - love the Miss S dress! Buy, buy, buy! I think it will def work as day wear in summer, too, w metallic flat sandals.

Re fringes, I love them, but I get a sweeping fringe. Very flattering, but also not as extreme as a blunt fringe, so can pin it back if I want to. I think my ideal hair is Liz Hurley and Elle MacPherson - very glam, but easy to tie back [sensible mummy emoticon].

LTEC and tracey? ('twas a page or so ago!) - THANK YOU for the cashmere recommendations! Will have a look at Pure Collection. The hair cut in that ASOS photo is fantastic - love that choppy but soft and flattering sort of style. You could have it slightly longer than the model in that photo if you didn't want to lose too much length.

Who said they hate handwashing or dry cleaning cashmere? I just throw mine in the washing machine on delicates , as don't hand wash anything so perhaps best I never buy expensive cashmere!

Tracey - that Halston range is divine - I adore most of it and would wear it if I could (ie if did not have mummy tummy or SAHM lifestyle!!).

Esher - I hope the coat works out for you as its gorgeous in the photo on Outnet, really lovely! Re delivery costs, I try not to worry about that, because you pay for petrol, parking etc or cab/bus fare when you go shopping anyway, not to mention if you "value/cost" your time.

Morning!

Style updates from you all please?

Today I will be mostly wearing a green sweater dress from Banana Republic, black opagues, black knee high boots from Dune, green/silver necklace/earrings from Fatface, shearling wrap coat from Zara and accessorised by a dribbling baby.

I'm loving the mumsnet/S and B calender idea bunnymother..does this mean 'calender girl style' participants with their 'bits' artily camouflaged by pottys,prams and baby bottles!

have done some v early shopping today..really versatile bf dress Ltec found for me so cheers again Cake..v excited(about a bf dress???!!)

Forgot to say i too love asos model's hair too.

have a fashionable fun day everyone.

Good morning ladies

I've been looking through my wardrobe this morning and have decided I nee to join this thread. I have bought something every 2 or 3 days for the last few years, have several wardrobes full of clothes many with the tags still on, but I always wear more or the less the same clothes and have stopped feeling good in my clothes. I am going to force myself to wear something new from my wardrobe every other day even if it's only a scarf or brooch.

I am planning some purchases and will look forward to sharing and hopefully will be guided out of buying more things I'll never wear.

Have a happy and stylish day everyone.
MM

Porridge - great outfit, and love the ubiquitous dribbly baby accessory, very "right now", yet timeless...

Bodsmum - ha ha, yes, great idea! Due to state of body post DD, will park entire Phil & Teds in front of me. The only good bit left of my body are my legs. So I have them out every day.

Today's outfit:
black lace trimmed cami under dark grey low cut jersey dress, w black patent moc croc belt and black opaques. Lighter grey wool cardi over the top. Splash of colour? Either royal blue pashmina or red coat - haven't decided.

Ladies, I have slipped off the wagon... Just a little. Went on eBay just for a look, I tell you. Bought purple Zara grecian style summer dress. We are going to have summer this year, right?? About to buy white bra in new post DD size, too, as my boobs think they should stay bigger for some reason .

Lordy, lordy - how gorgeous is this.

But I have nowhere to wear it and it may swamp me a bit as am only 5ft.

I wanted to just post and say my American Vintage tshirt arrived and it is brilliant and bright, and very good value at 75% off. But also huge as a medium, like a tent, I'm guessing that is on purpose?

Then got distracted by that beautiful black HH dress... Oh dear...

I love this too.

I could swish around the house with some heels at 6ft in that one.

Tracey - I am petite like you, so have the same problem. I do love that dress !!!

I've just been very good and tried on a very old black jersey dress which is quite halstonesque and I haven't worn in ages as pregnant etc.

It looked fab and killed my desire for the Halston Heritage one.

I do love that whole one shoulder thing though - perhaps they'll do a top . . .

Also my bargain jeans just arrived - £15 Jbrand for topshop and they're lovely. Need taking up but all my jeans need that as I am a munchkin.

Also only 2.25lbs off goal weight now.

Oh and today I am wearing, baxters, brora winter white thermal top, bright pink cardigan, bright pink cashmere socks and black boots. Also wearing an amethyst pendant which I re-discovered at the weekend.

Do you ever find time looking at something online and then realise the reason you like it so much is because you already have almost an identical one in your wardrobe?

Morning everyone!

Tracey, I do that all the time. If I like something, I have five of it. Probably why I only seem to have two looks this winter:

1. Skinny jeans, layered tops, scarf, ankle boots

1. Mini dress or tunic worn as dress, coloured tights, long boots/ankle boots

Same colours as well usually - black, charcoal, pink, green, navy, purple with a bit of white here and there for contrast.

Have many dresses and many layering things. So today I am easing myself in a different direction. Have black vest and jeans on with red fitted cardi (a departure from usual boyfriend style), leopard print Stephen Sprouse style oversize scarf, tan riding boots and will be using Somerset in Oak.

So do AV tees come up small then? Should I size down if I want fitted?

Fleecy mine is big, slouchy might have been that style. Not on my-wardrobe anymore as sold out.

ie... otherwise I would link.

Today I have on:
A brown cord skirt bought yonks ago from goodness knows where (can't decipher the label)
Bright green vest from Next (a summer staple)
Tunic in a lighter green with butterfly sleeves - White Stuff sale
All pulled together with a long black cardigan and black opaque tights.

I am the queen of re buying samey clothes.
Have god knows how many White Stuff/Boden/Fat Face tunic tops/dresses,3 in a similar purple pattern,2 navy ones hard to tell apart,ec etc.
I get a certain 'look' in my head then go on a quest....
Hence my outfit on monday,wideleg tweed trousers and top.However,didn't feel right in it,must have been out of my comfort zone!
Today I have Marks navy velour lounging joggers and top on as DH did school run!
Am going to peruse wardrobe at length to decide on outfit for later...

Everyone is sounding very glam

Tracey - I must resolve NOT to click on your links. I always go weak at the knees when I do I love the Halston stuff and have visions of that black dress for my holiday - but in reality it would be wasted as it's just a villa holiday with B & SIL and DH

Choogirl - I have that app - dangerous.

Today I've totally misfired on the outfit. I knew I was going out for drinks tonight but thought it would be a local pub so have on a decentish black sweater dress which would be fine...but now find out we're going to a poncy private members club. Gutted as yesterdays outfit would have been perfect and now i"m just going to look like a frump.

O.k...I better get some work done.

hells - I'm sure you'll be fine. Surely that whole point of a black sweater dress (or most black dresses for that matter) is that they can move up or down to fit the tone?

Or am I misguided, having never been to a private members club in my life!

What was it you wore yesterday?

Fleecy, you are gorgeous!

LTEC, I think that hairstyle would look good on you. I am envious of your move to Sydney. I do wear green sometimes but would brown be a bit drab?

I love the Halston dresses. I also saw a leopard print trench that I liked in Marc Jacobs but I think DH would mock me relentlessly.

My shopping list for summer is Current/Elliott skinny jeans, a couple of dresses, tan sandals and I need to be talked out of buying the Mulberry Alexa bag. Very tempted despite the name. I have just listed two dresses on eBay so hopefully the proceeds will fund something.

Today I am in skinny jeans, black knee-high boots, red wrap top and have straightened hair (now have Sudocrem on jeans due to DD very carefully applying it to the sofa).

Hello everyone...the outfits described on here today sound very impressive!

Today, as I am at work, I are mostly be wearing:

White tailored blouse (Hobbs)
Teal sleeveless cardigan (Kew)
Charcoal slim leg trousers (Austin Reed)
Black heels
Turquiosey/teal/silvery/grey necklace of unknown origin (sounds mysterious)

The blouse and the trousers are recent purchases in the sale, and despite that were carefully considered before dosh was handed over. They also seem to tick the boxes about being decent quality, flattering and age-appropriate (that's a good expression) and so I am feeling quite chipper about fitting in with the spirit of this thread...long may it last!

g'day everyone.

monkeysmama am very pleased to see you, one of my fave S&B ladies, here. Sounds you have a lot of shopping from your wardrobe to do and your softly softly approach sounds totally the right way to go.

traceybath you are a wicked woman... I just know that I am going to end up buying one of those dresses to wear 'for my birthday' ... which is in December . Well done on the weight, you are an inspiration!! my new scales arrived today (old ones gave up the ghost beginning of Dec) but am resisting urge to get on them ....

was running about this morning - nursery, friend's house, dc2 to hairdresser - so wearing:

black Ash high top trainers
7FAM jeans
charcoal l/s tee (Sainsbos)
shrunken Fair Isle sweater (charity shop)
red fitted Diesel parka (charity shop)

hells - you sound very fab, am sure will be fine for night out - have fun!! What shoes have you got on?

bunny dress sound fab, can you link? I sold some stuff on ebay last night and just as swiftly bought ... a pair of BNWT JBrands for £21 .. so that's good, right?

thanks all for the feedback re hair, think I might go for it when I've lost a bit more weight

Hey ladies

Tracey - the dress is lovely - I think to make a fai judgement you would need to try it on

Well shopping didnt go quite as planned, as mum poorly with gall stones so had to take toddler with me

Did manage to pick up a highwaisted pencil dark denim skirt in ted baker - 50% off, tis lovely, will look nice in the summer (((hopeful emoticon)))

Also bought chanel foundation, a bosch play tool kit and a pink waybuloo bag

speaking of pink bags ... just took delivery of my summer bag

opinions?