Friday 30 October 2015

Dress Agency – my new favourite thing?

With it being half term we have been away to sunny Norfolk and also headed to the frozen north. Spending lots of time with the family is ace but pretty full on in our house. It was therefore a nice surprise to find myself at a bit of a loose end on a Friday afternoon, what to do. Well obviously a bit of shopping was in order so the trainee shopper (nearly 7 year old daughter) and I headed to the small market town of Wetherby with a bit of a plan. I'd been told about a new ish dress agency run by the In-laws neighbour so I had to go and have a look - be rude not to.
The sun was out, we found a scooter to propel the young one into town and we were off. I wasn’t sure what to expect but a bit of a quiet shopping I was quite excited. We arrived at “Practically Perfect” and I immediately loved it. Not only was it small and quirky with a brilliant spiral staircase and there was a massive range of designer handbags that were just lovely and very tempting. The lady who was working there was so nice; she made a fuss of the trainee shopper and was v nice and chatty – such a lovely northern trait. I soon got carried away, the fur coats weren’t really my thing but the red Coast coat definitely was. There were plenty of good names from Whistles, to Hobbs and the odd bit of Burberry - all a bit swish but all pretty affordable.
The shop sells on behalf of individuals and takes a cut, EBay with a front door. The stock moves pretty quickly and anything that doesn’t sell immediately gets a second chance (or third?) upstairs. I could have stayed for hours and bought plenty but I was aware that the trainee shopper can only be kept quiet with so many sweets and time on You Tube. So I bought myself the Coast coat, which at £38 was a bit above my normal price point but it’s gorgeous and I felt frivolous. I also got a little black skirt from M&S for £6 so a nice little haul.
It did make me wonder whether I should try and sell some bits and bobs through such a dress agency but with my luck with EBay I’m not so sure.

I might just need another trip back to look at those lovely handbags again though.


Thursday 22 October 2015

Can clothes make you grumpy? Part 2

A couple of weeks ago Ingrid asked the question “can clothes make you grumpy?” She concluded that, yes they can and I completely agree. There’s nothing worse than being inappropriately dressed. Well, obviously there is, but who hasn’t had a perfectly nice walk ruined by shoes that rub or a day out spoiled by wearing their more flattering coat in favour of their kagoul. Not to mention the sheer embarrassment of turning up at a party in a cocktail frock when everyone else is in jeans. All of these things are sure to make you very grumpy.

And it’s not only being unsuitably dressed than can get you in a grump, some clothes are just plain uncomfortable. Skinny jeans may look great but they do dig in. Heels can look fantastic but can be crippling. I’ve not worn a shirt and tie since my school days but I don’t imagine they’ve got any more comfortable over the years. And then there are tights; if ever an item of clothing is going to make you grumpy it’s them. They are either twisted, wrinkling at the ankles or the gusset is round your knees – shudder.

So why do we put ourselves through all this? Why don’t we wear comfy tracksuits or onsies all the time? It’s only social convention that says that one outfit is smarter or more acceptable than another. If everyone turned up to work in tracky bottoms that would be fine. I was thinking about this in the playground at school drop off and the question baffled me for a bit. I was on the verge of rushing home to put on my leggings, but then I got it. Clothes can make you grumpy, true, but they can also make you feel amazing. And that’s why we put up with blisters and droopy gussets because people rarely feel amazing in a tracksuit.*


*Unless they’ve just won a gold medal at the Olympics or something similar.


Friday 16 October 2015

A dress inspired by Corrie?

I don’t know about you but I am known to have a bit of a gawp at other peoples outfits and try to emulate them. As I write this I am wearing a pair of red skinny jean which make me look a bit like the posh one off Gogglebox but without the Gin. Yes I know, sad but true. I look to many places to get ideas on what to wear, I rarely read magazines so being super fashionable isn’t really my thing but I do look to the TV, high street shops and other people to find my inspiration.

Now those who know me will know I’m not exactly edgy in my style and I’m pretty mainstream but I do like to look at different things every now and then. For example, I own a fabulous green skirt (from Salvation Army) made by a designer in Turkey which I love but I lack the cool edge to really pull it off. I’ve not quite made it to a Jean Paul Gaultier like Sophie but I do own a rather spectacular pair of purple knee length boots which would look fab if they fastened and I didn’t look like a middle aged Super hero whilst wearing them.


I do watch a lot of telly so I have been known to try to wear something a bit sparkly on a Monday after a weekend marathon of Strictly Come Dancing. One staple watch in our house is Coronation Street, I’d even say it’s a family favourite. My husband and I have always been big fans and I do sometimes worry about the story lines and the characters (poor Tyrone and Fizz) but I never thought my going out outfit would be influenced by one of the characters. Now, who on earth do you think I mean? I’ve often think that I could pull off the Carla Connor look and I do look forward to ageing like Rita or Audrey but in this case it was the one and only Liz McDonald. I kid you not. I bought a dress from Banardos inspired by this very special Landlady who does have some somewhat unorthodox outfits. It was the way the arms were cut that attracted me, have a look and see what you think, I will hopefully be serving in the Rovers very soon. X


Friday 9 October 2015

The weird and the wonderful.


One of the things I love about charity shops is that you can find some very odd items in them, some so hideous that you can’t imagine why anyone would have bought them in the first place and some so wonderful you wonder how anyone could ever part with them.

Last month I spotted some black culottes in the Salvation Army shop and thought they’d be useful for work. I’m often up and down ladders so skirts are not always practical or even decent. But I had the kids with me and they were a full £10 which is expensive for a charity shop so I left them. Another trip to the shop and they were still there. As I was alone, they had been reduced and the shop now has a changing room, I tried them on. It was then that I realised that they weren’t actually culottes but a skirt with a full split down the front and the back - and that it had built in pants!
Then I looked at the labels and had more of a surprise. They were brand new and had been £79.99 in TK Maxx but originally £320. Ten pounds, now seven, didn’t seem to be quite so bad now. Closer inspection revealed that they were John Paul Gaultier which might explain a lot. For some reason the thought of built in pants really amused me and I wondered if the person who bought them originally just didn’t realise what a odd item of clothing it was and that is how they ended up in the charity shop with the labels still on. Or does TK Maxx give any clothing they can’t shift to charity? Needless to say I didn’t buy them as I wanted culottes for modesty’s sake.
It may also be needless to say that when they were reduced again to a pound I did. Mainly for the novelty value; I can now say that I have a John Paul Gaultier skirt (if that is what it is) in my wardrobe and that I’ve saved £319 - though I know I haven’t.
But will I ever wear them? Yes, I think so, if I can decide whether I should wear pants with them or not.

Sophie





Friday 2 October 2015

Can clothes make you grumpy?

A bit of a random question but one that dawned on me the other day whilst winding myself up into a proper mood. We are in the midst of a marvellous Indian summer, which I love and loathe at the same time. Every year I do the same thing (I really should learn), at the end of August I decide that summer is indeed over and all my summer clothes are going away back into the loft and the jumpers are coming out. I say goodbye to with a wistful sigh to my strappy tops, floaty skirts and summer dresses only to replace them with knitted jumpers, boots and a plethora of dresses – all v warm. The only thing that stays are my trusty flip flops of which I have a fair few pairs. I must admit that being able to keep them going for a few more days is ace! I wonder if I’m the only one who is struggling to fit my summer feet back into shoes and if I’m the only one in agony by the end of a day in ballerina flats?


So when the sun started shining and the temperature headed for the high teens I found myself in a proper old pickle, I can’t wear my autumn stuff, as I will be boiling and annoyed. But then all the summer stuff is away and lets face it, it’s a bit fresh for a maxi dress. What to do? So I head for tops and jeans, but here again is another problem I can’t quite fit into them – horror mc horror I nearly got the January jeans out! I did try to squeeze into a pair of black jeans that are a little snug to say the least. I’ve spent most of today (Tuesday) pulling them up, wriggling them around and basically trying to retain my muffin top inside the waistband – not a pretty thought. This, along with the fact I was hot and a bit sweaty made me rather irritable. I must admit I may have lapsed into “mardy mother mode” and wasn’t quite the patient, kind and thoughtful mother it is suggested we all should be. And all because I put on the wrong bloody jeans!!! Who would have thought an item of clothing could have such an impact?

I’m writing this in my trackies, hoody and I am happily shoeless. I couldn’t be in a better place (well apart from Sky Sports babbling away in the background) and feel like a different person. I might just make this my new every day wardrobe although I think my 6-year-old daughter may have an opinion or two on it…