I don't dress for the school run, I dress for my (wise & avid) life!!

[LetThemEatCake]

continuing from here and quoting esher!!

Jealous of your meet up but glad you all had a fab time and looked amazing.

bunny I also know someone who had DD then twins 18mo later. She said it would have been awful if she'd have had the twins first but she already had lots of experience and tricks up her sleeve so it was fine. They are a lovely family.

cake I saw that skirt in Grazia I think and loved it. So I say a resounding yes.

tracey I bought some grey lace-up boots last winter and wore them loads. They look fab with rolled-up jeans and I also found they worked with dresses or leggings if I only laced them up part-way and had them loose at the top. very slimming!

carciofi I don't buy jeans from bulk sellers on eBay as I don't know how to tell whether or not they're fakes. Instead, I do private, individual listings. If they're selling lots of the same thing or lots of different sizes, I'd steer clear. Someone selling a few things all in the same or similar sizes and with good feedback as a seller and buyer would be a good bet.

Thanks for posting re-saturday's meet up..all sounds very fabulous(bar those late night trains)..but now I wonder if I am quietly relieved this get together was not to be for me..I drink AND talk too much(with nerves) when I meet a new crowd of people as I am shy with new group situations..and of course I would have been far too fat for purpose!

bunny..I think I forgot to congratulate you on your twins..I am a fan of Queen Charlotte's too and I would imagine deals with a lot of twin births as also a lot of ivf twins in west london.Glad you are starting to feel the excitement..I think it is such a gorgeous miracle for everyone else but as mum,you are entitled to a little trepidation at the logistics of it all,but really,I just can't stop smiling for you

ltec..I don't know why but I was really tickled by your ethos of wearing items from opposite ends of the price spectrum together..

re-lace up boots..there are some on the hasbeen website now and I have found an ancient pair that are similar and bought very cheaply from Buenos Aires so will be digging them out for A/W,though have almost forgotten how to walk in heels

apuski..glad Alexander's weight is going in the right direction..dd2 has had weight issues too and it is stressful but keep the faith he will get there!..

Apuski - well done on A's weight gain...relief, eh?

Tracey and Esher- oh yes to lace up boots and yes, yes, yes to Mulberry messenger - its gorgeous...I have a few Mulberry's (some quite old), but still used...and would like a messenger for AW....black looks cool...like the sound of black hunters too....and indigo straight legs...

So glad you had a nice time on Saturday! Everyone sounded suitably glam and svelte...

DH back and bought me some Armani Code, which he'd picked, bless him...I really like it.

Oh, weather looking dull...sproggies at home today...relaxed day! Have organised the full on pirate theme birthday party for Saturday: but so much else to get! Including wine for the parents.....

notyummy - wow! Your DD is a beautiful little girl and your DH did a fantastic job w the cake!!

cakey - I saw that skirt in Grazia and it stopped me in my tracks. I love it!!

Fleecy - thanks also for the encouragement re twins! Am feeling more and more confident that I can do this and do it reasonably well. Am sure everyone understands that my main concerns at the mo are that Delie is OK when the twins arrive (ie going from 100% attention to something far less) and that the twins are OK (potential complications w twins in pregnancy). DH and I will be fine, albeit tired.

Reine - thanks! Coincidentally am already at Queen Charlotte's, so v pleased to be at best hospital for twins. V fortunate! These aren't IVF babies so huge shock to have twins, but how they came about is irrelevant, really, isn't it - same issues I think regardless. But agree that fertility treatments are said to hve caused an increase in multiple births.

Esher - ha ha, bad DH encouraging us all to spend more! That said, shopping together sounds fun- count me in!

Cake - skirt is stunning...buy it!

Notyummy - Your little one is cute, cute, cute! Pretty girl! Cake rather fabulous too...!

Bunny - glad you are feeling better....DD will be fine....just don't get too hung up on making sure she doesn't feel 'left out'. She will enjoy helping you to do things...

P has just pulled the tablecloth off the table and smashed my ancient and v beautiful Italian stone bowl ...turned around to see her stunned little face wondering what on earth had happened! Boo hoo....oh well!

Dolce - oh noooo!!! You poor thing re your bowl! It does happen w little ones, doesn't it?! Thanks for the advice re DD and the twins. ALL advice v welcome - unknown territory for me!

Hey Bunny

Saw this and this and thought of you! Good basics from the new stuff they have in.

Thanks for all the kind words ref DD btw everyone. She is at nursery, no doubt giving them a blow by blow account of the three - yes three - parties she went to this weekend.

Quick question re Spanx. Was thinking of getting a slip to go under my new black silk dress. Anyone can recommend a slip? Found three different ones: A, B or C. Would I need to get it in black as dress is also black or would nude be ok? Nude would be more versatile for wearing with other dresses...

Excuse the DM link, but doesn't Naomi Harris' dress look FAB?! (You have to scroll down a bit btw - and the jumpsuit next to it - ermm, not so good IMHO.)

Glad you all enjoyed the meet-up. I will have to come to the next one.

Notyummy, your DD is a cutie and I am very impressed with the cake!

Dolcee, sorry about your bowl.

Fritzi, I have C in both colours. I am sure the nude would be fine under a black dress.

Esher, I have that Mulberry bag and use it loads. I love Mulberry.

Fleecy, thanks, will try that.

Tracey, I got these straight-leg J Brands a while ago and they are perfect.

apuski great news about the weight gain (not often we celebrate weight gain as females!) hope he keeps it up.

LTEC love that skirt and think it could be dressed down with opaques and heavy boots or up with sheers and those L shoes you own.

esher nice bag, big enough for nappies as well, hmmmm....

tracey I love lace up boots, the victorian governess stylee if possible, extra points if they don't have a bloody zip up the side! As for bbq food I always like a good greek salad as can never be bothered to make it myself but it is always yummy, or a really simple tomato&mozerella salad with fresh basil (make sure it's at room temp for eating)

Dolcee good luck on the party, I am refusing to have a party for DS until he is at least 4 but feel guilty as keep getting invited to fab ones by his friends.

notyummy sorry think Naomi dress looks too busy.Like her clutch.

Esher - Its all your fault, but got to thinking about Mulberry bags, and need a crossover/messenger style...absolutely do ! ...its so practical...Love Mulberry because they are understated and 'cool' ...well, would love a Birkin but hey ho! One can dream...........

Thanks for bowl consolations bunny and carciofi! I was surprisingly philosophical about it ....only because P is just so cute and blameless! Now, if DH had done it - wudda been different!!!

Had nice morning anyway, in park and field in sunshine in halterneck! Really warm and sunny here...bloss - how's weather up there?

Tracey - my BBQ staples are always: lamb kebabs with rosemary....veggie brochettes (red pepper/courgette/aubergine) with sage; couscous salad with feta and beetroot; rice salad with pesto....We also tend to cook prawns in foil - steamed with ginger and garlic:yummy!)....Creatures of habit us!

Not forgetting peaches and banana in foil with brown sugar and maple syrup)....

Libra - DS will be 4 on Thursday, and its his first proper party. He had a small gathering at home last year. I'm hoping that we won't be doing mega parties each year up to the age of 10...?

I'll give you one guess what I'm looking at outside my window dolcee, and it started out so promising! Wanted to plant some pansies in a ceramic bowl and take them to the grave. This may sound odd but there seems to be some competitive grave decorating going on and we're behind. How wrong does that sound? Anyway dc1 is keen and we could do it in the garage I suppose and 'borrow' compost from next door. Otherwise it's a long 3 hrs until my friend arrives with her daughter.
Also wrong to have impure thoughts about dc1's new swimming teacher this morning? There's free swimming lessons all summer, and hopefully dc1 can go to level 3 in September.

Dh is keen to buy me the bec dress for my bday. I think I could dress it down with opaques and chunky knitwear maybe too. Seems to be lots of knitwear in the previews I've seen.

Right, enough. Must do something.. But it's raining (wails).

Blossoming, the Bec dress is gorgeous.

dolce..your menu sounds so perfect I'm not suprised you never deviate from it!yum!re-the bowl..what a shame..i find it funny how it really depends on who breaks something..my best friend broke a teapot a very dear ex boyfriend had given to me,when we shared a house together.She came to my room to tell me..I'll never forget how worried I was when I saw her desperate face,I thought something horrific had happened,I just laughed when she explained.

yummy your daughter is beautiful and mr yummy did a great job on the cake.

fritzi..I meant to tell you,your daughter is gorgeous too.

bunny..sorry if I offended you..I knew your twins are not ivf,I just didnt emphasise it in my post because I didnt want to offend ivf users..sorry if that was just silly..I am in west london and I know a lot of ivfers and because of the way it works twins are much more likely than usual..
QC AND Hammersmith are both amazing for research..professor winston is based there..so you will be in great hands.

blossomjust caught your post..lump in my throat..

cake - Skirt is fabulous!

carciofi - Thanks for comment re spanx. Will get C in nude I think. I'm a 10 so M would probably be OK.

reine - Thank you! Gorgeous DD is in a really in a bad mood today and I'm not used to that. Throwing things around, generally grumpy and angry with me for no particular reason. Will try to give her lots of water as I suspect they don't drink enough at kindergarden in this heat. Oh well here she goes again...

Oh bloss....the pansies sound absolutely beautiful...hope you manage to take them up, it'll please you. I think it's true to human nature that people always feel they could be doing more, (comparing themselves unfavourably against others in a variety of ways/things)and 'graves' are certainly one area..

I remember my SIL being distraught when she went to the grave of her sister (my other SIL), and found that her flowers were wilting and dead when all around her on others the flowers were beautiful and fresh, and some had placed pictures and even made them out like little gardens! It's natural, but you know in your heart what really matters. A bowl of pretty pansies will just make you feel a little better about the world.

But this bloody rain won't!

I am keeping everything crossed so you can get some of this here sunshine!

Yes, do get the dress!

Nah, impure thoughts about swimming teacher okay by me!

Reine - yes bbq works for us! We have a Weber and we even bbq in autumn...

Fritzi - grumpy DS here most days at the moment! We think due to lack of sleep...he seems to be 'playing' in his room of an evening for far too long, so lights out/curtains drawn at 7pm tonight!

Notyummy - is DD a bit grumpy at the mo - cos other reason I thought (in DSs case) could be starting school and all the changes etc...?

OWW I love how you found roary that dress: you are the Good Fashion Fairy!! Made me want to hug you

roary hope it's lovely in RL

Dolcee - DD is quite an unpredictable little soul and trying to work out why she is grumpy is hard work - never usually tied in to anything obvious (apart from food and sleep!)

She is mostly ok at the mo,but we had a a 2/3 month period from March until the end of May (think I posted on here in despair!!) when she was FOUL. V hard work.