We're Avid & Wise, We're discussing our Buys, we're not so keen on Flys, We prefer Peep-toe Sky-Highs!!

[LetThemEatCake]

sorry couldn't help myself

phew - have had 2 friends and 4 of their children over for the morning - mayhem! but lovely. Now playing 'beach' with dcs 1 and 2 which basically involves me selling them ice creams in an Italian accent so if a random 'pistachio' or 'chocolate' appears in my post, you will understand.

Speaking of pistachio - what think we to:

Pistachio nail polish?
Graduated nail colour - eg dark thums ranging down to light pinkie, but all in same colour iyswim?

My new lust nail colour - D&G Drama - anyone have it? And agree 505 best on toes.

thanks for your kindness re the 16s but I am quite fat at the mo (a week away from the scales - never a good thing) and tbh, will only ever be a 12 at best on bottom half and you never know with sizing - I tend to think RI aimed at teens so possible that their 16 could be a 12-14 in my terms? anyway, will phone around to see if I can get my hands on a pair. Thanks esher!!

So many skinny ladies on this thread - MrsJ, get you in your 8s and Bunny in your 26!! And tracey - well, I take my hat off to you.

Bunny - typical - I think the AK bag is the nicest of the three. The TB ones both look a bit like the leather wouldn't be so nice, I think?

hells is there a pic of your jacket?? I can't remember it!! Yes, Day 5 is a good'un - LOL Tony Almeda, he is the spitting image of my brother (my brother is usually quite buff though)

MM sorry that your dd has been unwell. Glad you got to wear your jacket yest - one good thing in a bad day for Spurs
LOL about the scooter - poor dd!! Feeling bad for my dd too as her pink scooter got left behind at nursery pre-hols so she and ds1 are arguing over sharing his blue one. Very tiresome.

Dolce looked on LaR for cargoes but can't see - what did you have in mind? Am prob just being dense/ blind.

Notyummy glad you had a lovely time away - I do really like that peacock maxi and if it works on you may well be okay on me too as I think we are similar heights and shapes?

by the way, can't find it on the website but saw what looked like a lovely All Saints dress in a mag - orange and white stripe, style a bit like a VWA one - seemed to tick a few boxes as I know many of us were loving some orange, some stripe and some drape??

But LTEC - don't forget I am only 5ft and I still have fat around my middle. Mind you, DS2 has got vile nappies at the moment which certainly puts me off my food [vom emoticon].

Did you see the new look chinos I bought - would they be any good?

it's this cake. Cheaper now as it's out of date I guess!

they could work tracey - what's the fabric like though? think it needs to be quite 'tough' so as not to be odd with leather.

when is ds2 3? am considering toilet training my ds2 - he's in pull ups and does all of his poos on the loo so just have to nail the wees but not sure I have the energy at the mo...

oh hells that is divine. You must look so fab.

sorry re Spurs. My dh is a supporter. I like to take the mick. Am half-hearted Gooner.

That jacket is heavenly Hells!

DS2 isn't 3 until december so will try potty training in july/august I think.

MM - I've just taken delivery of that next stripey jacket and after removing the badge - I love it!

My ds2 is a december boy too!! they could be mates if we lived closer. While we shopped ;-)

Wouldn't that be ideal

Just going through my wardrobe putting ironing away and I really don't need much more for the summer.

Did see a nice flippy skirt from whistles in grazia I think but not on the website yet. Also quite fancy a pretty white blouse to tuck into skinnies - chloe'esque.

LTEC - the khaki biker skinnies I got in Zara a while back are probably what you're after but not sure if they still have them - they also weren't terribly long in the leg.

What else do you ladies need/want to purchase for spring?

Oh actually 2 more things - a bag and some slip on type shoes for poolside. Not flip flops though as I have ugly splodgey feet.

Cakey - well...Madam, me being ever so wise (now!)...but ever so inept, aaargggh ...the links not working - anyway, have found straight leg combats (which you can roll up with button), for, aherm, £13.00 on LaR.!!!! They are cutesingly called 'mini price combats' look at the beautiful model in the yellow vest for the full effect... Sorry about link btw...

I am rhapsodising ly-ri-cal..about LaR now. I have found they do those fab little Bensimon 'daps' for the summer: you know the canvas rubber toed shoes all the elegant french mademoiselles wear...and madames too for that matter. Isn't it depressing btw, the first time you are addressed as Madame by a frenchman...?!

Oh Tracey, I'm liking those chinos! Can sympathise over the nappy thing - Phoebe has the squitties too!!! Poor things....

And hark at you missus...I am sure there is no visible fat 'around your middle!!!'

Love the RO Hells...you are one lucky girl!

Have to say, I told my DH what a fab DH 'some women on MN have'!!!! , and he was, bless him, somewhat put out!!!! So, of course, I had to backtrack quickly....He is quite good, but not THAT good!!!!

Yes, I covet a beautiful fine 'blouse' to go with jeans...although still need to shift some weight to feel happy 'tucking tops in'...Phoebe is 6 months and I am still nursing a little tum! I am at my 'normal' weight BC...about 8 1/2 stone (after all those mini eggs!!!)(I/m 5' 4), but probably 8 or under would be fab (thinking of the face!!!)..

In my twenties I was always skinny, skinny...

I must get DD1 toilet trained...she's 3 in August! We just got her 'Princess Polly and her Potty' book, so hope that it helps!!!

Romana- thanks for tip re the choos, have not ordered, sizing looked all over the place on basis of the comments on site to size up/size down etc and I won't wear that colour enough to justify the price, so my quest is for some boring nude coloured high heels that are not patent, don't cost very much and don't kill my feet.. hmm

esher- E&J blazer has arrived and is a little larger than expected actually, but I like it so it's staying. I'd say it runs true to size, I ordered the US 8 which is big and I'm usually a UK 10, ish. Not unbearable in the polyester stakes- more shoulder padded and structured than I expected but yes, def keeping it

hells- gorgeous jacket!!

I ordered the magical leg stuff but hasn't arrived yet. I got it in light due to being frightfully pale at the moment, but usually I'd be medium. I bruise easily too, I have about 4 bruises on my lower legs at the moment- pale legs plus bruising= not a good look for public viewing

LTEC you wouldn't be a 16 in RI!!! Maybe their sizing runs small, in which case a 12 is the absolute largest but I'd guess a 10 would be better as you want them fitted. Great look by the way, I am not brave enough to deviate from the monotony of usual clothes.. yet..

blossoming sorting out DC2's room must have been very difficult, there must be a lot of conflicting emotion involved.. DS sleeps in DD's cot and plays with her toys and it's more than a bit strange. Can't use her pushchair though and can't bear to get rid of it so it's still there with rusk crumbs and her favourite book attached. I almost have to tiptoe around myself.. some stuff is just too hard to do, some needs to be done, etc

well, I have been terribly avid but not in the slightest bit wise, so I shall leave the links til next time lest I calculate how much I've spent in cyberspace today [will be wise will be wise will be wise..]

When's your eldest 4 Cakey? And how olds your eldest Tracey? They're at school aren't they?

DC1 is 4 in July....

P will be 4 on Aug 2
C will be 3 on Dec 5
L will be 1 on Sep 26

so many cakes to make!!

vin show us yer links!!

There are lots of pretty white blouses in Vanessa Bruno and in Sandro, for those of you coming to Paris in the near future.

I have a fashion crisis now! I am going to DSS1's school for a meeting about next year's lycée choices in 45 minutes. I never normally do school meetings at the boys' school, but both their parents are away on business and this is one all important unmissable meeting. What shall I wear? DSS1 will mind how I look! Was thinking:

• very pale khaki skinnies rolled up
• navy crepe blouse
• wide brown leather belt
• black patent/brown leather heeled sandals

?

I'd go for the brown leather heeled sandals but that outfit sounds perfect.

Thanks tracey! Don't want to look frumpy or muttony or bling, but need to be dressier than usual (this is Neuilly-sur-Seine, not Paris!).

Another vote here for brown leather heeled sandals but otherwise whole outfit sounds very chic and well put together, good luck

erm, links would total one month's salary, I think..... will be wise will be wise will be wise...

well, you deserve it vin. For me too, your post about your dd's buggy was very moving. All of my dcs have slept in the sleeping bag that was bought for dd1 in early pregnancy. L has now pretty much outgrown it but I can't bear to pack it away and it's still in his cot. Silly, but there you go.

BTW, I showed my friend today my bargain £4.95 trench without telling her that it was from a charity shop. She said "Oh my god that is gorgeous" and she has worked closely with alexa chung so I like to think she knows a good trench when she sees one

Vin -can only echo Cake & Tracey's words about your moving post.

Glad to hear the jacket was good. I can't tell whether it was the same one I ordered - I don't think it is.

LTEC - good feedback on the trench!

I can understand why all you ladies who have lost little ones want to treasure every memory as your other DCs grow up, and keep all those special things you bought for them.

hells - you are right reference the holiday links - to do with the privacy settings. I have tinkered though so this should be visible by all - nice advert for HdV and the Cotswolds!!

ltec - Yes, would have thought the Animal maxi would be v flattering on you. I am a 10 top/12 bottom and 5 10. Seem to recall you are very similar. Ref RI - I think you would be fine in a 12, as I can usually fit into a 12 there when I venture in.

ok links but not v inspiring this which I could have got in H&M for 1/10th of the price, these a load of random stuff from beauty expert website (most notably korres watermelon body scrub, oh how I love the smell) and possibly a lanvin bag which I cannot link to due to obscene cost and this bag which I thought would be good for nappies, visits to park, jaunts in guatemala etc, but not sure

sorry I don't mean to make anyone sad I try to keep life compartmentalised, so on here I can be happy A&W girl, but yeah it's v hard to pretend it hasn't happened, and it is strange to think 2 years ago it was DD in that seat, or DD looking at that mobile, where now it's someone else. I guess I long to turn back time even for just one day.

On a rather more irritated note, I ordered something from John Lewis and it was not right at all, but was somewhat expensive, think around 180. I got the return number straight away and followed the instructions in the email for returning it- taking to post office with the label on it already and getting a certificate of postage. I also got it sent recorded. Now, said parcel has gone missing in royal mail's bermuda triangle of parcels and I obviously am not being refunded by JL, despite following their instructions for return. I have a recorded receipt, but no compensation with recorded delivery only special delivery- I'm reeeeally irritated by JL saying in their blurb they do courier collections but telling me to send it back with royal mail, and then of course royal mail being so totally useless! No idea what to do, being on stat maternity pay til I go back to work (OK I have the 'occasional' wasteful spend but I genuinely cannot afford to give money away) I just can't shrug my shoulders at a £200 dress going walkies.

Hi folks.
Have been put back a week on the shopping front as I booked a Comcab to pick me up for a day of hair and shopping and the blasted thing was 45 minutes late! So I missed the appointment and didn't do either. (Driving is a bit of a pain as bizarrely ds2 hates being in the car).

Anyway all re-scheduled for early next week and can get back in the A&W mood. Lots of lovely links here. I am particularly impressed by Hell's (nonchalant Liberty-wearing) dh and the excellent shopping at Selfridges. As we all are!

nice work vin

re Royal Mail, can you not get comp through RM? I've had to do this once before for a lost ebay item - paypal refunded the buyer and RM refunded me... how annoying though

quick bit of advice pls - I have a number of dresses by this designer, roughly along these lines but more fitted and shapely ... anyway, perfect candidates for trench-wearing methinks but shoes-wise (for day) have been a bit stumped until I spotted these which are alluringly ugly. What do you think of such an ensemble?

Vin - how annoying - hope Royal Mail do offer compensation.

Marsha - have fun on your shopping/hair trip - do you have a list of purchases?

LTEC - I think those boots would work as you have long legs.

Right - uniqlo skinnies - there are two types - tapered and normal - which are best?

Grey and straight

Pretty colours and tapered