Firstly I apologise for ANOTHER  clothes obsessive post. I was going to cover my diet cake (cracked it!), but it was so delicious it was all eaten before I had time for pics).
So instead it is more clothes, I realised as all my purchases arrived, in 'the big spend' that I hadn't really been buying for me, more for the person that I thought I 'should' be, in reality none of the items reflected my taste, but I think subliminally I had bought stuff that I knew I could wear a the gym if all else failed.
This week, I went to the most AMAZING sample sale, there is another one on next week at The Music Rooms just behind Bond Street tube, if anyone is in the area GO FOR IT, everything was £10, £20, £30 and £50, but the brands were Iro, Carven, Phillip Lim, Malene Birger, Theory (brands schwands) it's the quality, all beautifully made, heavy silks and detailing stunning workmanship and the same price as Primark/Top Shop.  Whatsmore I found some clothes that are me now (or perhaps the me from a decade ago), not the me that I thought I should be trying to be.  Here is the first haul...

Vince shirt £20! Iro matt sequin leggings £10! Scholl shoes £30!

 Paul and joe wool coat £75 and Hudson wax jeans £40...

 By Malene Birger coat £50

It's a nod to being more modern, but still very much in my regular comfort zone of how I used to dress for the office 10 years ago (minus the sparkly leggings).  Thank you so much to Sian from Blondpolka dots who was brave enough to say 'Don't be ridiculous woman, stick to your own style why are you falling for the hype and marketing?' Her words were a lot more gentle, but the point was similar.

Has any one else gone back to work after time off? Can you adapt or is it natural to look back a decade in your wardrobe choice?

If anyone else is keen on a bargain, the Music Rooms on Thursday March 6th, I think it opens at 11 and finishes at 10ish, it is being run by London Boutiques and I have been told there will be lots of bargains to be had!

PS Lovely Jane Hattat, I  have emailed my brother and asked him to get in touch.
And Cynthia, when you have your schedule ping me a date for coffee in London (I replied to your previous comment).

Frugal Feb......not really

Normally I'd like to think of myself as quite frugal, I've never been a big 'shopper' and clothes are ebay or charity shop bought.  I'm in a new job where everyone is weirdly encyclopedic about fashion.  Literally, they could win mastermind with their knowledge, I do slightly wonder if the endless fascination we have for the contents of our and other people's wardrobes could have found a cure for cancer were it channeled a bit more usefully, but hey-ho here I am writing about clothes (again)

I have bought too much but my excuse is new job and no 'new' clothes since about 2001, so I do need a few bits and pieces....

I bought these in the my-wardrobe sale, they are Ash and were about £80, they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn

 These are Joseph gabardine and leather trousers also from my-wardrobe, I think still on sale now (£495)

 I bought a jumper from ZARA like the one above, but can't find online (£60)

 The top above from Joseph on Brompton Cross £180

 Markus Lupfer from matches.com (on sale £165)

 Another jumper from Joseph £140

Herve Leger leggings from Net A Porter (too expensive to admit but I will wear them forever)

Missoni dress from my-wardrobe £585 still on sale now

2 wild fox from ASOS about £90

What is interesting is most of it is just 'buy now wear now' there is no point in even thinking about Summer as the weather is awful and by July I will have changed my mind 10 times about what I would like to wear.

The Missoni dress is my only forward planning.

I notice I have basically bought all luxe sportswear, it just shows you can take the girl out of the gym but you can't take the gym blah blah blah.

They'll be pics to come of all of it as I put it together in my usual haphazard way, it is no wonder my mum feels inclined to keep a steady supply of clothes coming my way.

Have you succeeded in having a lean February?

Does anyone ever actually buy 'new season' and wait for the good weather?

Or like me are you more, buy it now, wear it now?

Lunch at Cliveden

Cliveden is one of the most beautiful country houses  in Britain, its chequered history makes it all the more fascinating.  Architect buffs will love to read about how it has evolved through many different styles since is was first built in the 1700s, but for most of us, it is from the Astor era onwards that it really gets interesting.

There is a new play about the Profumo affair indicating that it was all a bit of a 'set-up' and of course the film Scandal tells the original 60s tale of Russian spies, call girls and the British establishment.

We just went for lunch at the newly renovated restaurant. It is beautiful and only £28 for the set menu, I was loathed to take pics after the recent French chef banning food photography and saying that it is 'ill-mannered'.

The entry hall where afternoon tea is served is about as 'English castle' as you can get.

But the new dining room is light, modern, beautiful and airy...

This was the only 'food' pic I snaffled...

Sweet things to choose to go with coffee...

The Duchess of Sutherland for whom the house was originally built.

The library next to the dining room.
It is so close to London that it is worth the trip, a walk in the grounds rounds of lunch nicely, and once it gets its Michelin star I am sure prices will shoot up.

I forgot to take a pic of the outfit , but wore a Whistles lilac fish scale skirt and purple top.

Are there any good restaurants that you have discovered recently? Are sequins too much for lunch?!

Is it wrong.....not to love Chanel?

Mum's been having a clear out, I have inherited the beige lace skirt, that matches my Uniglo cheap-y jumper and Sergio Rossi (not so cheap-y) boots.

I topped off with my J Crew necklace (from the new Brompton Cross store and a rather odd cross-eyed facial expression.

Then I added what should have been the piece de resistance.........................
And immediately reverted to my mum c. 1985..................
Complete with hair that miraculously sprang into a shampoo and set...........
And the body language of my old head mistress......................
Mum had generously handed over her prized Chanel (her shoulders no longer comfortably take the weight)...................
But it just doesn't work for me, in any way at all.......

Are you a sucker for a bit of quilted leather or are their other brands that you feel you 'should' love, but that just don't work their magic on you?

More holiday snaps just so i don't lose them...Food in Seville...

Food in Seville was delicious, it is not cheap, but everything is good quality from perfect ice creams to crunchy salads, there are lots of Michelin starred restaurants, but you don't need to eat'expensive'to eat well.  My favourite for the ambiance, food and crowd, was the restaurant at the Eme Hotel by the Cathedral, we went on the last night and sat outside drinking Champagne on the roof bar(in December!).