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February's "shop more wisely {but no less avidly)" thread

997 replies

LetThemEatCake · 01/02/2010 12:04

Ladies, welcome to Spring

OP posts:
isthatporridgeinyourhair · 04/02/2010 14:41

Hello all - seems a long time since I last posted (last stages of our barn conversion) - and reading the thread it really is a magnus opus!Needs publishing!

Followed the black rats debate - sure that they just need to be worn with attitude.

The nude heels - I coveted these- practically begging to be bought!

Went shopping and purchased this. - views?

And really love this (pink leather and suede) at the moment.

LTEC - out here in very rural Norfolk "proper" country attire consists of ancient wellies, a flat cap and mud/manure covered trousers held up with baling twine. Not a good look.

I have at least 600 pairs of wellies, would swap them in a heartbeat for another pair of Choos - just go with the gaudiest wellies you can find and order the Choos.

Must rush off - need to catch two chickens to take to school. Unfortunately true.

OllieWollieWoo · 04/02/2010 15:09

Am a regular lurker/lover of this thread so jumping in!
Re white tank LTEC - do you mean something like this or with wider straps?
gap

Have just found out a good friend is getting married (overseas) and the whole event is going to last 3 days and in theory I will need new outfits for the ceremony (civil), formal dinner (posh frock), a brunch and party with band etc. Sure DH will say I already have suitable outfits hiding in existing wardrobes but I disagree (and must remember to go and hide anything that would be remotely suitable!!!). Wedding is not until Oct so look forward to picking your collective fashion brains later in the year! Feel way too wintery (ie pale and stodgey) to be trying floaty dresses on at the mo!

Hoorayhenrietta · 04/02/2010 16:49

phew - need light relief from painful toddlers - ...I am soooo bored of my own nagging voice!

Anyway, think red Hunters great idea - boring green/navy must be muddy and knackered - or look wrong (around here anyway-Cotswolds)...Anyway, LTEC either get these or ditch the caravan idea and book into The Tresanton where your Choos would not be out of place of an evening!

traceybath pain about the car- but at least sorted when you are not too far away from home! Now treat yourself to large glass of wine

isthatporridge lol at your post - yeah would love to be in a life where Choos were the shoe of choice on a daily basis...

hellsbelles · 04/02/2010 16:55

welcome Ollie - that will be some serious shopping required

went out and managed not to buy any clothes...though did buy some deep red eye shadow which is either incredibly flattering or awful. Can't quite decide. On the plus side it tones nicely with my spots.

porridge - looks very snuggly & lush(always a plus for me)

LTEC - red hunters sounds like a good compromise...and I'm sure someone linked to some warm welly socks! So you can be cosy as well (I sense a theme in all my posts...must be because I'm feeling grotty)

Hoorayhenrietta · 04/02/2010 16:56

BBFF not sure about twinges - was potential pg the first thing that sprang to mind - have you been feeling generally out of sorts ? Are you doing a test? Good luck !! ...

isthatporridge sorry not keen on Stella shoes; like wrap and love bag!!

Hoorayhenrietta · 04/02/2010 16:58

ollie welcome and knowing laughter from me re 'hiding' unsuitable outfits!

Bonsoir · 04/02/2010 17:03

MarshaBrady - definitely get the Louboutins! I had a pair of nude Louboutin stiletto sandals in my youth a few years ago and they were so glamorous and went with everything. I can still remember the heartbreaking feeling when the heel snapped off during party games in the gardens of the Swiss embassy residence . A suitably elegant sort of death, nonetheless!

And there are so many gorgeous romantic dresses and blouses this season in ivories and beiges - the Louboutins will be amazing with them.

MarshaBrady · 04/02/2010 17:14

Bonsoir how nice to see you on this thread - adding Parisian chic!

Well that's unanimous on the nude Louboutins, thanks everyone.

Bonsoir · 04/02/2010 17:19

Now I want some nude Louboutins too .

LetThemEatCake · 04/02/2010 17:23

Ollie am very glad to see you here - and very excited about all the shopping that lies ahead! Thanks for the tank suggestion, but I don't want ribbed and would prefer a slighter wider shoulder ..

HH - sounds like we are leading parallel lives ... there is a child whining in my ear as I type

Porridge lovely to have you back!! Lovely wrap, not keen on the shoes though, cheeky to charge so much when it's not even leather!

remembered in nick of time that my between-seasons parka is red so red hunters are a NO. Have purchased black aigles for £50 and let that be an end to it

And ... have sold and sent off my Bayswater so officially have nearly enough cash to buy pink Choos with impunity

OP posts:
PCPlumIsMyHomeboy · 04/02/2010 18:14

Will pop back in later properly, but just quickly,

LTEC, have you seen the short Hunters?

here

The red is v cute.

Porridge, has the wrap come yet? How does it look/feel? Am tempted...

traceybath · 04/02/2010 19:10

Oh LTEC those choos are so divine - have you worn your metallic ones yet?

God - I am loving my belstaff boots - they are comfortable but so nice. I think cheaper boots are ruined for me now.

I also very much want those louboutins - have been after nude patent shoes as find them flattering and useful.

MarshaBrady · 04/02/2010 19:43

Great news on the Belstaffs and go for it on the Louboutins TraceyB.

LTEC congrats on the imminent acquisition of Choos!

(and Bunnymother thank you for the wonderful compliment earlier!)

eshermummy · 04/02/2010 20:40

Evening all, hope everyone who was having a horrid morning has had their day improved by now

Had 2 deliveries today:

Toast - cerise pink merino poloneck which although lovely colour am sending back as fit was a bit snug and I wasn't sure how well it would wash and I don't really need another poloneck.....

ASOS - had not ordered from ASOS before and the quality and sizing is a bit . The nude ombre top was ok but shorter than anticipated and very wide. I ordered an 8 but think I needed a 6 . The nude waterfall cardi was also huge and just too thin - thought it would end up as a dishcloth after the first wash. Ordered their cashmere mix leggings in navy which were a lovely shade of blue - french navy rather than navy blue/black. That's the only thing I might re-order in the correct size - the rest is all going back
On the plus side, I think that particular shade of nude (peach) DID suit me and I liked it so full steam ahead with the nude plan

My rats are due here tomorrow - yay!

So tired today, so might have early bath and bed. Hairdressers tomorrow am (thank God) then out to dinner party in evening so must get early night tonight.

Anyone else got their ASOS parcel yet?

OllieWollieWoo · 04/02/2010 20:43

Thanks for the welcomes! I'm really trying to do some investment buying instead of just always looking at the same ole shops so enjoying seeing whats out there!

Are we looking out for nude clothes to go with the lovely nude shoes??
Several here: L K Bennett or here or here
OWW - a blonde and a very pale one at that - sighs wistfully at not being able to wear such a lovely colour..... Even the Daily Mail is on board:here

bunnymother · 04/02/2010 21:15

Ollie - that last dress you linked to is beautiful - v classic. And the model in the Daily Hate Mail article is oh so glam - I hope I look as good as her when I am older. Shame I don't look that good now!!

Cakey - v excited for you that you are ordering the Choos!!

katy1katy · 04/02/2010 21:17

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LetThemEatCake · 04/02/2010 21:22

oh bunny - I'm not ordering the Choos. Not really.

In a parallel universe, though ...

OP posts:
isthatporridgeinyourhair · 04/02/2010 21:24

PC Plum - yes, wrap arrived and I have been wearing it. It's very fine knit so drapes well, very soft, seems unlikely to pill, a slightly warmer colour than I had been expecting. I love it. Even my plumbers liked it.

BBFF - don't know if this helps but had cs 6 months ago and feel those sort of sensations too. I put it down to things moving back into place after all the rummaging/yanking that goes on during the birth - sorry TMI.

Love a bit of Loub/Choo action and am very of new purchases. Is it odd that I have my Choos on shelves and backlit? Is that a bit OCD?

eshermummy · 04/02/2010 21:33

Katy - I ordered the leggings in a size 8 and they were ok on the leg but a bit baggy at the waistband and tummy so I was going to go 1 smaller. I am a topshop 8 if that helps.

Don't forget the 20% discount code (like me). Is somewhere on here - ASOSINSTYLE maybe?

The colour is really nice though - a real spring/new season navy, not a winter navy. hth

Thanks for the lkbennett links - never thought of looking there and they have lots of nude. Lovely nude handbags too. I suppose it is too early for lkbennett discount codes but iirc they generally do some via some magazines don't they.

katy1katy · 04/02/2010 21:38

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hanaflower · 04/02/2010 22:09

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monkeysmama · 05/02/2010 08:41

Good morning

I think I've mentioned that my 20mo dd isn't a great sleeper. Well, for the first time ever she slept from 7:30 - 6:30 and I am the happiest mummy in the whole wide world. I am so pleased and know it might not happen every night but she can do it & we've had a lovely morning so far. Means dp has also forgiven me for "starving" her at night by denying her the 3 bottles he wanted to give her every night.

After spending hours on line looking for two tops yesterday and a trip out shopping I decided to shop in my wardrobe (or loft) and found two tops I forgot I had. Found a pre pg black wool tunic from Nicole Farhi I never used to wear because it was too big but now fits perfectly to wear over skinnies. It feels so nice on and is much, much better than anything I'd have bought last minute on the high street. I also found a grey silk Max Mara weekend top that wasn't smart enough for work so still had the label on . Looks perfect with a l/sleeve tee underneath with my Marthas. So I am happy and didn't spend a penny. Well, not entirely true (I bought a frilly umbrella!) but very proud of myself. I feel a bit looking through the two wardrobes of my prepg clothes in the loft - so many expensive things with their labels still on. I must've had money to burn and a big gap in my life to fill with random purchases. Ebay here I come!

LTEC Do you know Bullfrogs in Greenwich? They had a white tank top in. I only saw it on the way out but it looked quite nice and simple with thick straps. They had it in magenta pink as well.

Off dancing now then to mum's for dinner tonight so we're all ready to get up at the crack of dawn to travel to Paris. I'm so excited. The City Walks box came this morning LTEC and I love it. I wouldn't have ordered it without your recommendation. Thank you.

I've packed a "capsule" wardrobe which is a combination of comfort and nice clothes. I'm pleased with my obsessive work as I've found 3 new outfits in my own wardrobe partly with the help of this thread and reading others' outfits and thinking "I've got something like that"

Asos stuff - I did wonder what the quality would be like and am glad I waited to order. I have a feeling the quality will really show with nude colours and it might be best to spend a bit more? I'm very interested in everyone's nude purchases.

I have black Hunters. I bought them for our Steiner forest group not realising it would be a brand free zone and felt very in them. They're molto fashionable in Italy atm which made me laugh - seeing tens of chic Italian women wandering around designer shops in the middle of a city in Hunters.

Right, off to charge the mini tv and wrap up some little pressies for dd to keep her entertained on our travels.

MM

hellsbelles · 05/02/2010 08:41

morning all - Hope all those that had rubbish days are waking up to a calm day!

Love all the links - the nude stuff is beautiful. I really want to be able to wear it but I'm not sure it's going to work for me...but lucky those of you that can. I do have these shoes from last year and I'm hoping they still work. What do you reckon?

I think I'm about to be properly ill (horrid throat and headache) but absolutely can't be as I have DS birthday party t/m!

Last night I wore my anglomania dress of many colours with black stuff...and DH was very complimentary - so I think it was good.

Today I've got on black current elliott jeggings and a really nice (sale) vanessa bruno grey sweater dress.

I am finally getting my horrid hair cut and the grey blasted away. And then taking MIL for a make over at the chap that does hair on '10 years younger'. MIL absolutely deserves it and I'm hoping he does something wonderful for her.

Got to rush off but look forward to coming back to seeing what everyone is wearing and all the gorgeous tempting links.

monkeysmama · 05/02/2010 08:41

My love affair with the smiley is getting silly. Sorry.