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

[LetThemEatCake]

Ladies, welcome to Spring

Tracey that's where I saw thecjacket (Geazia). Did you see the M&S one too? I still dream ofvtge Rick Owens one but it's not going to happen so I think, for 1/11th of the price, one of those would be five for one s/s. What do you think?

Can everyone wear nude? I'm going to order that top-I think the grey at the bottom will go well with my wardrobe but wonder if I'm a bit yellowy for nude. There were photos of all the celebs in nude dresses in last week's Grazia & some looked washed out.

These are the Choos I love

Black rats I am going to order some. I am very interested now. I'm going to have to try and convince dp they're part of my christening outfit as we'd agreed no lavish spending this month apart from in Paris .

Anyone got any nice Paris tips with bubbas?

Carciofi, I am in luuurrrrve with my Citizens jeans. I am definitely winning on the cost per wear front (they're the only pair of maternity trousers I have that stay up!!)

I just realized that if I REALLY wanted to be an exciting pregnant lady I could get the infamous Black Rats - I am still wearing regular leggings, so I might be able to do this for now and after depending on stretch. But then I saw they were dry clean only, in which case I think I will wait! Pregnancy seems to be associated with spilling things on myself significantly more often and I can't imagine breastfeeding in satin leggings (although I would look great, briefly!)

On LTEC's travel wrap evangelism: I am getting very tempted. But what colour?? If it were in red I'd go for it in a flash, but am concerned black and charcoal are a bit dull and pastels do nothing for me. I can be planning ahead with 2 long haul trips in the future (one to Canada to see my family and one to Oz to see DH's) so I can glamorously lounge on the plane....with my two children under three

MM- wow! they are amazing!

LTEC - I think I ordered the wrong diesel mini skirt....the one I got (which did seem a bit cheap - must have been an end of line) would work very well as a belt. Urghhh. Back it goes.

morning all

looking pretty haggard on, ooooh, about 45 mins of sleep and, in the full expectation of more poo/ puke/ snot disasters today, I've dressed in ancient Lees, complete with ripped knee, and Sainsbury's l/s tee in dark grey. Given that I've already managed to flick porridge over myself, I think it was a good choice.

Speaking of which, what happened to isthatporridgeinyourhair? Long time no post

tracey well done on your weight loss, you are my inspiration to hit goal by the 6 month mark.

mm those Choos are swoonsome. We took dcs 1 & 2 to Paris, will post some tips a bit later

hells am glad you have decided to keep the rats. I just know I would love you if I met you but am not quite sure how we'd get around our wardrobe issues - it'd be Brenda & Kelly on prom night (90210) Re shoes, I think trainers or ballet flats are the way to go for day, or a shoe boot if you're after a heel

I bought the swan tee and esher's nude...

roary i have the charcoal ... looks good over purple, of which I wear a lot. If I were to buy another, I'd get the green. Apparently they are getting some new colours in, worth giving them a call maybe?

mm if you can get this delivered before you leave, it's brilliant. we used it a lot when we went with dcs 1 & 2 in May 2008. dd was then 22m, so sim to your dd.

Poor LTEC

We would have to have one of those teenage style telephone calls before a meet-up..."I'll wear the black rats if you wear the tam tam "

Who was it who was getting the M&S flats? Are they any good?

Roary - I had the citizens maternity jeans and a denim skirt too - and they were all I wore (well a top as well obviously!)- I too was a bit at the prices but they were worth every penny...my SIL has them now and she doesn't want to ever stop wearing them (she had her baby 4 months ago )

Oh bugger. Just did a really long post with about 4 links in and then lost it all. grrr.

in a nutshell; mm l live that rick owens jacket too. There was a similar {ish) one in Oasis.

I'm in search of a navy dress. Have got a few hen nights coming up.

So far I like:
this

this (but too expensive

and

www.petiteaffair.co.uk/home/p-523-navy-pearl-encrusted-dress.aspx

Mrs Juan, that expensive one you linked to is delicious. Maybe we have similar colouring. What colour hair, eyes, skin do you have? Thinking I can hijack your house of colour woman. How did you find her? Was she expensive?

Monkeysmama - those are my favourite choos too. Would love an opportunity to wear them, but sadly I doubt it very much. I have a few choos in my wardrobe, one pair of choo boots I've never worn .

By the way, I'm taking notes on your capsule wardrobe for Paris and any tips, thanks LTEC - me and dh both have big birthdays this year and I fancy a trip to Paris on mine.

Hellsbelles, I've posted a few times about the M&S flats. I had them last year and was excited to find them again this year. The sole is very thin, so they wore out. I think they're slightly wider fitting this year, but still great for the price.

Off to dc1's parent evening this afternoon. Shame I don't have black rats .

MrsJuan, the Roksanda Ilincic dress is just gorgeous. As are MM's red shoes.

Now that I have the money for the Mulberry Alexa, I am thinking I might be silly to blow it all on one bag. No wonder so much of my stuff ends up on eBay! I need to hold off and think about purchases more.

Right, well the long awaited my wardrobe order arrived and the verdict on the black rats is:

......they sent the wrong size !!!!
Called them up and they are going to send the right ones and pick up these free of charge. I couldn't work out why they were a bit baggy, I think they will be good in the right size but a bit hard to tell. they are a bit shinier than anticipated and as I am short I am not sure they will work for me with ASH hi-tops although I can see that would work on a tall leggy type (like Cakey ).
I can see mileage now with heeled ankle boot and then I also think with strappy flat sandals come spring.

Sadly theJ Brand boyf jean crops will have to go back as the 26 was too big - I would need a 25 or poss even a 24 so the sizing on these is way off (normally a 27). I liked them but then I remembered that I have an old pair of great plains baggy boyf fit jeans that I could similarly roll up and wear slouchy - the J Brand ones are nicer in that they are a carrot shape whereas my old ones are a baggy straight leg - but not £230 nicer !!!

Wow is my asos nude top really a tam-tam!! Feeling the weight of responsibility now as hundreds of asos parcels wing their way across the country! I don't even get mine till tomorrow - it could be minging.......

Oh yes and please can whoever bought my jaeger nude bag WHICH IS NOW OUT OF STOCK fess up please

Right, off to look at everyone's links.

Sorry to hear about vomit-fests - we are all coming down here with colds (again) but at least that's better then sickness bugs

Just looked at the other dresses again and they look shite compared to the designer one don't they . I can't spend that much though - £200 tops.

Blossoming - I only had a 'speed consultation' about an hour for £35 so not too bad. She said she was happy to do follow ups via email which i thought was kind of her. Just did a google search to find her There's quite a few about. I have got medium brown hair and blue eyes. It's all in the skin tone I think & I don't really know what mine is so just went along with what colours she recommended.

I might check out the m&s flats. I need something like that for work & the wider the better for my fat feet

rsJ this dress is quite nice

MrsJ*

MRsJ - love the Roksanda wotsit dress - really beautiful. Of the other two you linked to I liked the last one more, although the first poss more eveningy but might look a bit cheap irl??

MM - got married on midsummer's day so we were out on the terrace of Cd'A all day apart from the meal itself - was a lovely hot day. My wedding photos were taken outside The Royal Exchange, service was in tiny church on Threadneedle street . Aaaaaah, am going all misty-eyed at remembering it........

I have same thoughts as you re nude - am not entirely convinced whether it will suit my colouring (skin tends towards sallow) so will see how I fare with the asos items. I have feeling it may be a Q of finding the right shade.

MrsJ, tis true, the designer one leaves the others in the shade ... had a look on my-wardrobe sale for you for navy and I do think that this is rather fabulous, only one left in M though!!

esher how annoying about the rats after all that anticipation!! when are they doing the swap, will it be simultaneous or do they have to process the M/L before sending out the XS/S?

My asos order has apparently already been despatched - speedy!! glad I didn't pay extra for the "within 3 days" service!

also found this which could be good for Ratters....?

LTEC - sorry but that MCQ dress is a shocker

They will only send the S/M once I call to say DHL has collected - got to do school run in a bit so can't call DHL till my return (3.45pm-ish) so not sure if will get them back to them today now.

Not too worried though tbh, have waited this long can wait a few days longer

do you really?? I like it! can't imagine wearing it but think I would feel tres special if I did

Esher that sounds really lovely and made me smile reading it. Dp asked me to move in with him on that balcony. We'd been together less than a week and I did.

This is the grey jacket from Next What do you all think? I've decided I need a change of style for this summer. I have been looking at photos of last s/s when I wore lots of leggings with long tshirts and that style does me no favours really. I'd like to look a bit more put together this year and think this jacket might help. I hate Next though.

I thought I'd placed my asos order but it didn't go through and have decided to wait until you all get yours and let us know what you think. I think these look quite nice too - in the pink (have I gone mad) though some of the waist detail around the waist makes me think .

My problem is that I swing between wanting to look like I just stepped out of a Tods/Max Mara catalogue and much more fashionable so my wardrobe is an odd mix of things that don't go together.

Today I have a dowdy outfit on but have had lots of compliments oddly. Black Smedley polo neck, Nudie jeans, pewter Nike Airs, Black and silver star scarf and black leather jacket with red lippy. We only got the tube back from my mum's so nothing exciting and needed to be comfy to drag dd's mahoosive pram up the stairs because the lifts never work.

I think you'd have to be really tall to pull that MCQ one off. I think MrsJ is little like me. In which case it might drown her.

I really like it but think even the model looks uncomfortable in it.

I like that jacket MM, the trousers are nice, but i know what you mean about the waist, think you'd have to see them in the flesh maybe.

I know i said i wasn't going to get a new dress for this christening but what do you think about this.

Just ordered some light grey skinnies to wear with nude tops too.

Yes I am a short arse and there's no way I could pull off the MCQ dress!

Quite like the asos one but not sure that the shape would be very flattering.

I know what you mean, i just looked at again and it might might you look like you've no waist. Will keep looking.

Hello...sorry to hear about your poorly lot LTEC hope you have managed to get some rest!

Had a nice morning with couple of friends popping by whilst cleaning lady did her thing so feeling a little more refreshed after weekend of sickies in my house!

Would you recommend the Davina workout - been meaning to get to gym but impossible as DH away fair bit ...Also, I think she's quite good....bless!

Well done traceybath on reaching your 'target'! I'm sure you really don't need to lose any more weight but get completely where you are coming from.

I do like the 'rats' ...but can only really think of wearing them eves (around here anyway!). Don't think they really constitute appropriate christening wear though sorry ..... Saw pap shot of Ulrika wearing them, she of the newly honed body, and they did look good, although she wore them with strappy sandals (which I thought looked )...anyone else seen the photo, the one where her --long scraggy- skinny neck is the real focus....

ulrika black rats