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?

Just when I thought I would stop shopping on Ebay...

I bought these brand new rock stud ZARA boots for 99p!

I thought I would try to work the rock chick look with leather skirt that I have read elsewhere is the height of cool...

 It didn't work, I looked frumpy and yet still mutton dressed as lamb.  So switched for cream lambskin skirt and grey pullover, which is a little better.  It's for a casual dinner in 5 minutes so no time to change again!

Party attire...

London party dressing is really very straight forward, pretty much formulaic; one 'designer' piece of clothing, something from Zara, and either an expensive bag or expensive shoes, both at the same time might be a little flashy, but depends on the event.

Oxford is very different, a couple of weeks ago I was invited by a workout buddy to a birthday 'get together', no RSVP necessary, just come if you can make it.  And goodness what a get together it was, 3 bars, one room with DJ, one room with live band, a buffet marquee and breakfast served at 3am for the last of the revellers.  I had played it safe in a LBD, but most of the other outfits were spectacular, full length gowns, 1000 vault glamour, randomly someone had even come as Cleopatra.  I felt boring, but more importantly, I felt that I hadn't shown enough respect to the time, thought, effort and cost that had gone into the evening.

Saturday night was a similar casual do, but this time rather than just throw on something at the last minute, I thought I would try out some options.  I showed these photos to my husband and he chose the outfit that he thought would best suit the occasion. Standing in front of someone while they pick to pieces what you are wearing, isn't the best start to a night out. Him flicking through pics on my phone and offering a final verdict is far more amicable. 

 

I started with this TOPSHOP top which had something a little MiuMiu about it.  But I'm not sure about the grey skinnies, they should be consigned to daywear only...

I tried this Monsoon top which was a bit longer and fuller.

And topped it off with a Warehouse shrug, it was meant to by size 8, but it is teenie tiny and just gets lost in my enormous shoulders...

I switched the grey skinnies for ZARA coated leggings and Donna Karan shoes...

 And then replaced the billowy Monsoon top with an ultra long vest from Warehouse...

 I tried to break up the black by finding a way to close the shrug...

 It really didn't work, I succeeded in accentuating my thick waist and giant shoulders...
 Finally I just safety pinned the bottom of the shrug and phew, finished at last...

 The bag was reduced to £249 at Bicester when there was a supersale of all the 'skin' finishes, I bought it and kept it in the carrier bag with its receipt (in case guilt got the better of me), this was it's first outing, along with the Donna Karan shoes.  They were promptly discarded so that I could play horsey all night to a six, four and two year old.  We ended up boogying to One Direction while I spun them around like whirling dervishes. The kind of laughter emanating from spinning children, way past their bedtime is about the most contagious there is, I haven't had such a good night out in years!

What's your party fail safe when you are not sure what to expect or who will be there?

What I bought last time the sun came out...

I bought a few lightweight bits in hope of an Indian Summer, this silk Warehouse dip dye tunic....

This ZARA cream sequin jacket....

Another silk tunic with Autumnal colours...

This Jasper Conran at Debenhams embroidered top to go under cardigans...

And this heavyweight linen French Connection top, a beautiful dress...on someone else...

...in my defense it was a baking hot day and I was trying to evade UV photo aging before it really is too late...but as a look, even just for dog walking, wrong in so many ways! Apparently I was too quick to put them away, it is going to be 22 degrees and above this weekend yay!

Tomorrow night we have a rural party, this is a sartorial minefield, since you never really know how to play it, you could be turning up to a hog roast and bonfire or a full on catered drinks party where everyone is in Vivienne Westwood Couture.  I asked the host (who is very glamorous) and she said that she was wearing a 'dress', I know it won't be anything like my FC one above, but I have no idea where to start!

Time to read...

One of the first things that I did when I moved to the cottage was create a magical reading room, I have no sense of direction, but I think it might be South West-ish facing, since it has sun for most of the afternoon and when the rest of the garden is in shade from about 5pm it is still warm and sunny. This is where I drink my tea (a new self-made variant of Jasmine red tea and Earl Grey green tea) and eat cake, biscuits or a bit of ultra dark chocolate.

I still haven't got around to changing the light, although I have found a beautiful new Italian Floral one which could work quite well.

 Nothing too taxing on the book front... (I do have some proper reads, but these are yet to be unpacked)...

A selection of Vogues that date back to the 80s...

 Dogs join me, with their own afternoon snack..

If Bella can't have the bone, she'll go for American Vogue Living instead...(don't you love the way Hamish Bowles edits? He did the Vogue Houses, Gardens, People hardback, I  hope that he is the heir to Anna Wintour)...Bella agrees...

 However much she loves Vogue, she loves a bone more...

 Bert makes a great cushion (and seems to have turned into the hound of the Baskervilles)

I wore my Zara pregnancy t shirt, if you are short of a top that makes you look 6 months pregnant, you can buy one here, old Gap jeans (re inherited from my eldest now he has outgrown them) and knitted cricket sale top. If you like the round neck 3/4 sleeve cardi, this one is a great deal, still deciding whether to bid or not. And this one looks warm and good for any size or shape.

Cricket and clothes

Last week I went to watch my youngest play cricket at a school in Berkshire, the sun was shining, and the school was beautiful (with a fantastic tea) Victoria sponge with proper cream filling, if the Four Seasons did schools, this would be it. And to make matters even better, they had a charity fashion sale.
I bought quite a lot of stuff, mainly Blumarine, Mona Lisa and Simonetta clothes for my nieces (have you seen the prices of them in Harrods?) I always wonder who would spend £60 on a child's t shirt or £300 for a party dress. I managed to find two year's worth of wardrobe (for two of them)  for about £200 for everything.
I bought the Monsoon cardigan for £5, it is a kid's one, and probably not meant to be worn like this, but I like the shape and it is perfect for the Summer just to throw on top of anything to keep the cold out.
I also got this (£25) Zara biker jacket, this leather is so soft you could spread it on toast, but I just can't do this look, it makes me look really butch and like a motorbike courier.
I also found this (£8)jigsaw T shirt which is very me, I like the detail, and it goes with jeans, shorts, day, night etc etc.
They had Clarins doing mini manicures and facials and wine! The other ladies were so friendly, lots of chatting in the changing room, help on and off with clothes and opinions volunteered about outfits, no one knew each other, but in that environment it just came naturally to talk. I wonder why shopping has become so solitary and if someone talks it is almost intrusive, if shops were more like this evening, I might visit them more.