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

[LetThemEatCake]

Ladies, welcome to Spring

Or nip to Boots, find a close copy and pretend it's the real deal

I love OPI, Hana. My local nail place - Glamorous NAils (which I assure you is anything but!!) uses OPI - on whicih note must make an appt, been too long since my last pedi!! I saw another OPI shade called Over the Taupe that looked as though it might pass muster too. Have to admit to a yearning for the real thing though - like Marsha, am a sucker for the 'hard to get"

On the lookout for a dress for you red!

we're meeting up with friends in Hyde Park today. Can't tell you how much I want to be getting dresses in dress, flat sandals, big sunnies etc .. instead it's going to be jeans, boots, big North Face parka etc - AGAIN.

OVER IT!!!!!!!!

so, with V Day looming - how did everyone meet their DPs?

Am pretty much outing myself w this one... DH and I used to work together at a v glam fine dining establishment. Its called "The Pancake Parlour". One evening after a hundred bourbon and cokes (his not mine - loathe bourbon), DH confessed his true feelings (like Marsha's DH, mine 'tis the anti-flirt) at another v exclusive establishment. Called Mooseheads . Course of true love never did run smooth, so.. a few twists and turns and we got together about 2 years later (in 2000).

They are very wise with their limited launches aren't they? It's one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book but it works every time!

I met my DH at work. He seemed terribly dark, brooding and mysterious and for some reason I found his arms rather wonderful.

I meanwhile looked like Olive from 'on the buses'. My eyes had decided to become intolerant to contact lenses so I was forced to wear very very thick glasses (couldn't afford the better versions). I also managed to get some sort of adult acne. After getting through my teenage years with rarely a blemish I suddenly started getting all these tiny little spots....which obviously added greatly to my overall attractiveness.

Needless to say he didn't fall in love straight away But one evening at some do I decide to stagger in without my glasses (and as I was blind as a bat this was quite some feat)....and he says it was love at (second) sight.

lol at Hells and Bunny these stories are so sweet! Dh is dark and broody too. We met at work, or rather he noticed me when I ruffled my hair (messy hair, rather than a hair flick!) and I noticed him 6 months later over a pitch for some new work.

We went for a drink, we held hands on the steps of work (Covent Garden) like we were in Sesame Street. So young! (well 26, but it felt young).

Marsha - we were 25 and poor and DH drove a car that was older than him that leaked petrol fumes into the car. And I used to get v nervous before I saw him. He used to buy me flowers and I would cook him breakfast frittatas on weekends. Lovely memories!

Such heartwarming stories! hells you do make me laugh.

I also met my dh at work.. Except that he was a customer . I was fresh off the plane, waitressing at Satsuma in Soho and he had his face in a bowl of noodles. Was love at first sight for me, he was oblivious, far more interested in his ramen and Asahi. I put on such a performance- pouting, strutting, hair flicking- that eventually one of his friends asked for my number. I replied 'yes but only if you give it to him' or something similarly callous. They both looked mortified, dh stuck his face back in bowl but was eventually shamed into asking me for number. I've never seen someone drag their heels quite so much. Obviously over the course of the night he thought better of his reluctance - always best to stay on the good side of a bunny boiler - and phoned the very next day, while I was at lunch with another bloke . First date a few days later and that was it. Love!

Esher, hope you are feeling better.

Lovely stories. My DH was a friend of my cousin's. I thought he was really shy when I met him but he was just mega hungover (students!). We have been together 16 years, married 10 years next July.

Plum, your old house is fabulous, your new house must be amazing.

Off shopping now to celebrate my last day being 37, eek.

We met at work and were friends for a year before getting together when he was 21 and I was 22. We bought our first house a year later, got engaged a year after that and married a year after that when we were 24 and 25.

DH then changed careers and dropped to minimum wage - and just when we were starting to earn some money, I fell pregnant and then got made redundant.

Best thing that ever happened to us - I then went freelance, we both now work p/t from home. We don't earn a vast amount (hence my eBay habit and high street expertise)but we feel lucky to spend so much time with the children. And once they're at school, we can up our hours and I can swap New Look for NAP!

Lovely stories. I met my DH on the internet(!!!) I didn't even see a photo of him before our first date. He sounded great on the phone (has a v sexy voice) but my first thought on meeting him was he's def not my type. Went on to marry him a year later, but in many many ways he really isn't my type so things could be better hence the online shopping habit!

Anyway don't want to put a downer on the thread, so happy valentines to everyone for tomorrow

We met at work too,a doctor /nurse romance

ahh...I'm feeling all nostalgic now - lovely lovely stories.

Zembo -sorry that's the way it feels right now. He still has the sexy voice I'm sure?

Hello

Thanks for all the nice messages. The meal
was amazing but I am feeling very deliate today. In laws have just left so going to put Peppa Pig on for dd and slob.

I met my DH at a school Christmas disco. He attended a different school from me. I thought he was a stalker when he told me (during a dance - Get Into The Groove by Madonna) that he had seen me in Stirling (oh about 30 miles away!) at Easter (ie 8 months previously!). Turns out he had a wee fancy for me for a very long time before we actually met. Anyhoo, we had our first kiss under the mistletoe, our first date the next night and have been together ever since. We were both 16 .

Quick question re ballet flats. Are French Sole really the best? I have a pair of blue gingham ones and they are pretty but nothing extra special imo. I am looking for plain black ones. What are your recommendations for THE BEST ballet flats?

Loving these romantic stories, I met dh when he was going out with my best friend - oops

Zembo, hope that changes for you

So, I now have 2 fingers on my left hand painted in the fabled 505 - don't bother if you've pale skin. I think it's another of those Emporers New Clothes products Karl is soo good at.

I've been thinking a lot about clogs, but I don't think I'll go there I might go here though. They don't look amazing in the photo, but in RL they are beauties, the heel is cylindrical and I am smitten.

Bathtime calls, hope you all have a lovely Valentines day

Thanks Hells and Verity - I do have 2 delicious DC so my life is full of much love and I'm generally pretty happy despite shortcomings of relationship with DH

mm so pleased you had a lovely meal. Hope you are feeling fragile for all the right (booze-induced) reasons. More detail when you feel up to it please!!

Zembo there are no downers on this thread! we're all friends and I think that more than a few of us have touched on the fact that we attribute our shopping habits, at least in part, to our dhs/ dps - in some cases because they work too much and aren't around in the evenings .. so hello internet!

I must post that thing about emotional shopping .. can't lay my hands on it atm.

Huge Happy birthday for tomorrow for Carciofi and here's hoping that esher made it out on her night out tonight.

Had a drool-inducing drive down Sloane St on way home this afternoon .. luckily traffic was bad so we were able to go slowly and I had time to perve!

Evening All.

I have short hair - well just below jaw length and its very nice - much better although ds1 thought it looked like my mum's hair so kept calling me granny - how I laughed.

Well the swedish hasbeens in natural are on order but will take up to a month to come as none in stock in my size at the moment.

Choo - love the scarf you linked to - am sure they'll re-issue a lot of the scarves.

Right - off to watch some tv with dh - oooh the excitement.

ASOS top arrived (am on iPhone so can't work out how to link) and is mumsy so heading straight back. It's a subtle thing, but the trim and background colours are too beige and the crochet trim is too tablecloth, so tipped it from cute and sweet to mumsy. Not a look I am happy to adopt. So am feeling v virtuous at not spending.

BTW loving all these DH/DP meeting stories!

MM - I had a hangover last week and it's the cruelest to be feeling so wretched w a DC to entertain, isn't it?!