We shop therefore we are.. Wise & Avid

[blossoming]

Thanks to ltec for the new title.

blossoming - loving the pink dress and the butterfly one to0.

The 'online capsule wardrobe' exercise concentrates the mind doesn't it? Can't just throw the contents of your drawers in a bag!

Tracey - not the ideal homecoming!

ltec, there's a photo on your blog of you in skinny jeans and are they louboutins? I would wear that with a fab top. Designer anyway. Or your grey snakeskin?
Something sharp and in control iykwim.

Now I've got one for you. I'm going out tonight with the welsh equivalent of the WI, young mothers division.
It's to the golf club for a golf taster then scampi and chips. Swap anyone? For Nobu? Petrus?
Haven't been out with them for a year and a half. Think pint drinkers and lambert smokers.

Are you packed yet notyummy?

Good to have you back traceybath

Have a good holiday fritzi. Sorry your dh can't make it.

LTEC - I convinced myself that the jumpsuit will be great for summer and I am going to keep it. And if I am not brave enough, I'll just wear it around the garden.

Right - have sort of caught up but got a bit confused as to who did/wore what.

MM - snakeskin defo!

LTEC - what were you wearing today?

I feel as fat as butter after holiday - DH did a lot of cooking and he does like to slosh on the olive oil and cook a lot of pasta. So back on the straight and narrow for me.

Regarding relationships with fathers - I don't have one. Parents divorced when I was 4 and he's been absent ever since. I must admit to feeling a certain poignancy when I see DH with DD and suspect I will miss the relationship I never had as I watch theres develop - if that makes sense?

Regarding looks/body - I look about a 100 at the moment and would really like some botox for forehead lines. DS1 told me I looked pretty today and DH said I looked slinky on the beach but I had positioned myself favourably near a larger lady .

Have got this waiting at DH's office - was a last minute order pre-holiday.

Blossoming - loving your night out - would your J Brands be overkill?

Need to mark my place til I catch up - its been so long since I posted, I no longer have any threads left in my 'I'm on' section.
I suppose I could 'watch' instead but that feels a little stalkerish!

hello Parliament!!

tracey LOL about your canny beach positioning. Sounds the kind of thing I'd do. Bet you looked slinky regardless though. Hurrah for dh cooking but ugh, can't they just cook the way we eat every once in a while??

re today - not wearing anything spesh, just UO combats, ribbed khaki tank tucked in (Zara) with hasbeens & straw trilby.

am sorry about your dad. Can understand that there will be many 'what ifs" as you watch dd grow.

You'd all hate my house. We make our own olive oil at our Italian farm, so I have a 50 litre can of organic, extra-virgin, cold-pressed oil in the kitchen! I am a serious slosher.

Blossoming - mostly packed. I just leave piles of stuff in the spare room and DH magically transforms them into packed bags with things rolled up/wash bags arranged/clothes split between cases if one of them should happen to go missing etc. He also weighs them carefully.

He would make a great butler!!

Welcome back Tracey - lucky you with your DH spoiling you with lots of cooking. We've done the villa thing for the last 4 yrs, since DD's been around and the cooking is the only thing about it that I'm not keen on. Hope bird situation is under control

I went to Peacocks to look at Monkeysmama's beach bag - bought it but will probably use as yet another recaptacle for stashing the kids toys away! Also bought this cheap and chearful dress. The neckline is high at the back and it suits me, so will do for knocking about with the kids.

Hope everyones been slapping on the sunscreen - all this sunshine is no good for ageing process

Notyummy - my DH is the same re packing. He was most unimpressed with my packing although it was fairly random - for some reason I only packed 2 pairs of shorts for DS1 and no linen shirts for DH.

Romana - if I were as slim as you without having to be very careful about what I ate - I too would slosh on the olive oil .

God - british women did look generally pretty dreadful on the beach. Lurid coloured swimwear in unflattering cuts.

Was one stunning german woman - ultra slim in a tiny metallic pale blue bikini and white chloe sunglasses. I thought she looked amazing but DH thought she looked way too thin - so just goes to show the differences in what men and women find attractive.

Oh I read 'The Help' whilst away and would recommend it. Also skim read the latest Jane Greene - utter bilge.

I use a lot of oil but only on low-cal things (salads etc) so that it all balances out. Hopefully.

right. Dh home. Am going to make the most of this glorious evening and go for a run.

Roman at your homemade olive oil. I think olive oil is too good to miss and once I've lost this weight I'm going back to it with a glee. All your outfits sounded gorgeous btw.

LTEC - Hope the dress is good though I have to admit I doubt you are an M now. I like longer at the back too (bottom covering properties )...just not a sudden drop down (if that makes sense) and that's what I wasn't sure about (but I was just being weird as usual). Usually when I say something won't be right for you it turns out to be perfect - so it's a good sign that I wasn't sure

Tracey - I wondered why everyone wanted to sit near at the beach - now I know why

NY - love your DH's packing skills...can I borrow him in mid July?

Off to download the next episode of 24. Have a lovely evening all.

Hello All! Its been ages since I have posted. I have attempted to catch up but I
have only managed a quick skim (with one eye on Britains Got Talent

All this nonchalant talk of having been models! Good grief, you beautiful lot. I don't feel worthy. Marsha I have always pictured you as a more well groomed and together version of Agyness Deyn, so your modelling came as no surprise

And all your super healthy diets! I must confess to loving food and cooking too much to restrict myself too much. My dh is a brilliant cook and we have friends and family round to eat a lot and I've also got two dds with food allergies so there is already too much restriction in our lives to contemplate more! Luckily I stay at size 10 (am 5 ft 8) so probably no real need. I have, however, entered a 10k run so need to get back into running as soon as possible. I am hoping this will sort out all the saggage. I love running once I get past the initial first few sessions. Its just getting past the first few sessions thats the killer.

LTEC I love that dress but I fear the M will be too large for you. You sound super skinny!

Some of your stories about comments about your appearance in childhood made me feel so sad. My own hang-up is my lily-white skin which I endlessly tried to tan when I was younger. It only took one or two comments of someone saying 'beautiful Celtic skin' rather than 'God you are white' to make me feel much more positive. My dd1 looks just like me and of course I think she is the most beautiful little girl ever. This in turn has led me to appreciate my own looks!

Interesting that so many people covet the dark hair blue eyes combo as my most beautiful friend has just that. I'm a wierd anomaly that has strawberry blonde hair and dark brown eyes!

Tracey - Goodness your homecoming sounds a bit Hitchcock! Hope al is sorted now and holiday was good. I'm sure you are not fat as butter but I love the analogy!

Whelk hello! It was a (very) short moment in time but it helped me get over that I-wish-I-had-boobs-and-fatter-arms that I used to feel at 12 .

I feel exactly the same as you wrt to having children. Ds who looks like me is beautiful (as is the other one, but he looks like dh so that's his little mirror) and it has made me learn stuff. Good stuff. Am so glad you feel this way about your dd and you . (Strawberry blonde hair and dark brown eyes must be one of the most stunning combinations there is btw)

TraceyB I love the Chloé blouse. How do people keep linking to the outnet items I haven't seen? How? And the birds! My word, love the image of you just shutting the door again .

I have a Tibi red floral skirt winging its way to me from the outnet too, but given my recent history with them might see what it is like before linking....

Evening. Back from a lovely day out with DH. Went to a town fairly close I'd not been to before and had a lovely potter - lots of homeware stores and some nice boutiques. Had lunch on a sunny terrace overlooking the main sqaure - saw 3 wedding parties go by (que much neck craning from me)! Best of all, DH was so good about hanging outside of chaging rooms and insisted (yes, insisted!) I buy 2 jumpers (half price in the Mexx sale, good for slouching at home with BF jeans etc), a smart vest top, a pair of ballet pumps - and then went and brought me a dress cos he liked it so much. I've no idea when I'm going to wear it cos its smart but not really dressy but fits really well and I love it. Had no idea DH had such a good eye! May have to take him shopping again! Oh yes, also brought a tape measure so I can chart how much I lose when I eventually get round to starting the Shred!

Also found my favourite French shop for kids clothes had opened up here - called Okaidi - so stocked up on cute tshirts and shorts for the boys. MIL took DS2 to the beach and DS1 had a playdate after school - just as well as we got stuck in bad traffic jam - but still gave us opprtunity to chat about all sorts! Am trying to wangle another day out next week if MIL is free - DH says its his turn to choose where we go - which means we will end up looking at a castle in the middle of nowhere!!!

Roman - not been to that area - but have a lovely time! Dont envy you re MIL! Re taking DS out of school - we are for 2 weeks due to holiday - the school is so relaxed about it til they turn 5 that its not something I feel too bad about (plus we have saved 700e by avoidng school hols - ie the wine budget!!!) I say if it helps you get thro the 3 weeks, do it!
Blossoming great wardobe pic, love the butterfly dress. FF shorts nice too - good find. I've just brought a cropped pink cardi from FF and want the white cami trimmed with blue. Sis has the bright pink cami which really suits her too. Agree re it being good for casualwear.

Was there a facebook group set up? I searched at the time but couldn't see anything S&B related - is it a private group?

I'm very impressed by everyone's exercise regimes, I manage an hour on the crosstrainer a few times a week but have to start pushing myself with some of the more taxing programmes. I have also just started using my Wii Your Shape that I was given for Christmas and can already feel the effects of the 'plank' OUch! NotYummy, thanks for the thigh reducing suggestions.

Things that have changed my life? This thread, internet shopping, heels and mascara. I love how shallow that reads! I should probably add DS: I love him so much, sometimes it overflows and makes my eyes sting with tears. And XP probably, for helping me to understand how much crap I am not prepared to put up with. Our relationship was a learning curve.

YotYummy I would really appreciate your DH's packing abilities, I find packing really exciting to start with then the longer I spend on it the more frustrated I get! I hate having loads of bags and cases (stems from trying to travel alone with ds) so aim to travel really light, which creates such logistical issues!

blossoming that bikini is lovely, taking notes from your capsule wardrobe.

I love the jumpsuit links, especially (I can't find it now) the black bandeau one with hareem(?) legs.

I don't think anyone else on this thread is in the Manchester area but just in case, I had an email about this today. I really think it would make a big difference to my shopping confidence so I'm going to try and arrange childcare (or let him spend the evening in the cinema!) and book a place on each of the sessions. Its a good 45mins drive from me so I wouldn't risk just turning up.

Welcome back Tracey! I hope your home is back to normal now, how did they get in? I like your juxtapositioning slimming tactic

I really need some inspiration for a name change. This one was only a topical change and now the election is past I'm struggling. I'm thinking about starting a thread about it but am sure I will get a flaming for 'attention seeking'. Has anyone got any suggestions?

These are at the post office awaiting my collection, they are 'faux' leather but I don't really care as long as they are comfy. What do you think? I intend to wear them to death with my jeans.
At least its a step away from trainers - these but a version from about 6-8 years ago which I had lived in until I saw the S&B light.

So there is my very long contribution again...

Have a lovely sunny weekend everyone, I am hoping for a little bit of a bbq in the garden but am going to leave it until the last minute to decide and shop incase I make it rain!

No facebook group- general feeling in the end was that it might be seen as a bit 'exclusive', especially given the fact that there are regulars on here who don't have fb accounts. There are at least 10 of us on fb though who are now friends. Let me know if you want my details viaCAT and then I can recommend the rest!

Evening ladies! Have been reading, but lurking rather than posting.

Tracey - we are off on holidays to Venice soon and you can be sure that I am v grateful there's no swimwear required. Am looking a little rotund and not at all slinky. But loving your DH's compliment! Less impressed by the housesitter birds. Yuck.

Cakey - sorry your heritage wasn't exactly celebrated at school. DH went to school w a girlfriend of ours who has a similar heritage to yours (which DH has, too) of ours and she also has bad memories of being made to feel undesirable for it. Interestingly DH was completely shocked she had that experience as he is certain it didint happen to him and def wouldn't have been tolerated at their school. Wonder if some boys aren't as perceptive of such things? Brown dress not speaking to me, but no doubt will look lovely on you.

Roma - olive farm in Italy, walk in wardrobe? Please stop, you are killing me. Actually, keep it up - vicarious thrill...

MM - oh how funny is your DD?! Her outburst was hilarious!

Marsha - I totally imagine you as the first blonde in that Sartorialist blog. I would love to look like her. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy was one of my S&B heroes.

Just waiting for Delie's 1st birthday cake to finish cooking. The kitchen is covered in a fine layer if icing sugar dust. Oops. Still, 'tis the Hummingbird red velvet cake so should be worth it. Her birthday party is tomorrow, together w some other babies. So excited!! Style challenge will be not to melt.

notyummy Have a great holiday! I love the way when I type in your name too quickly it reads notummy How apt!

tracey The birds, how horrible. Hope you have recovered.

LTEC Just knock the media crew dead with your good looks, wit and brains! Oh, and a fab outfit. Like Bloss's suggestions of your skinny jean blog outfit with killer heels.

YotYummy, thanks I would be delighted to be fb friends with you and the other ladies but I don't have CAT. Tbh I only go on FB about once a week to touch base with family and long distance friends. I have a grand total of 36 fb friends so not a big user, some of my friends have hundreds. I don't know where they find them all!
I get plenty of ideas from lurking on this thread anyway and usually get way behind by the end of the week!

choogirl, is it you who's headed to the Grand Prix in Montreal and was looking for shopping suggestions? A couple for you:

Mona Moore -- secret accessory source for many a New Yorker esp. when the Canadian/ American dollar exchange rate is favorable.

Club Monaco -- similar vibe to Banana Republic.

I also need to mark my place again as you've dropped off my "threads I'm on". LTEC did you ever buy a gray vest?

We'll be needing a new thread soon - how about LTEC's WWYW (what would you wear)?