Frugal Frump to Fab - 2015

maman

lessonlearned wrote: »

Maman - you did not cause offence.

So pleased about that because I'm told I can be bossy (well that's what DH tells me:o).


Thought of you today when I picked up a magazine at the chiropodist. Photos of Helen Mirren through the various decades. I'm not a old as her but many of our hairstyles were very similar including the curly perm in the 80s!:eek:


Feet feeling very good now.:)

lessonlearned

Well I'm a bit of a bossy boots too, but I prefer the term "feisty". :rotfl:

Helen Mirren - someone said recently that I reminded them of her....would be nice but I can't see it myself.

It is funny isn't it but over the years I have been told I looked like the Mona Lisa, Janey whats Her face - the pre-raphaelite model, Cathy McGowan (Remember her, Presenter on Ready Steady Go) , Liz Taylor, Claudia Cardiinalie, Cilla Black, and now Helen Mirren.....

My BIL still makes cracks about me being Stevie Nicks' long lost twin.

I guess I just have one of those faces.............;)

It is funny though how people often remind us of other people. When my sister was younger she could have been Kate Bush's doppelgänger, her daughter resembles Nicole Kidman, a female cousin is a dead ringer for Merill Streep whilst my male Belgian cousin always reminds me of Topol......

My husband was Jack Nicolson, in both looks and personality.....my eldest boy was mobbed in China because they thought he was Michael Owen and my youngest son is the spitting image of my belgian cousin so he looks like a slimmer version of Topol too. And dear old Aunty S looked liked Dame Edna.......bless her heart. Even she admitted it and she used to have a good old chuckle about it.

80,s perms. Oh yes, had one of those.......never could commit to huge shoulder pads though. I used to remove them.

Ellsbel

Oh gosh - I had an eighties perm too! On highlighted hair!!! It ended up looking like shredded wheat!
Just waiting to run youngest to school; second day back so we're both still readjusting to the routine - I've not even had coffee yet; I'll have to wait till I get back:)
I have showered, moisturised, and put perfume and make up on though:)
Just jeans and sweatshirt for me today as I'll be indoors or in my car for most of it
I have a fair bit of housework to do today, but the chat about meal planning has inspired me, so I want to spend a bit of time looking at the healthy eating and meal planning type threads on here to get some ideas for eating plans; I'm out of ideas apart from the same old, same old, so need some new ones!
Have a fab day everyone

indiepanda

I think I was the only girl in my class at school that didn't have a perm at the height of their popularity in the eighties. I did experiment with bendy rollers though. At the time I didn't realise my hair is actually quite naturally curly - I was merrily blow-drying every day and pulling the curl out. I didn't have the right cut to really bring the curl out anyway.

Apparently Helen Mirren went to my school - a couple of decades before me. Wasn't a fancy one - just the local catholic all girls school (I still shudder when I remember it - girls can be so cruel!)

I went into central London yesterday to start looking for a long evening dress for a black tie do I am going to with my boyfriend later in the month. The only dress I have of that kind I am now too small for, which in a strapless dress makes it impossible to wear.

I was pleasantly surprised to see strapless dresses are far less popular now - hardly any in the department stores whereas last time I bought an evening dress there were nothing but. I hate them - strapless bras have to be tight to stay up and for me that makes them really uncomfortable. I prefer to be a bit more covered up anyway.

I started to get a little overwhelmed by the choice so I've booked myself in for a personal shopping session at Debenhams who seemed to have the most choice, especially at the more reasonably priced end of the spectrum. I don't want to spend a fortune as I want to shift some more excess weight over the coming year. At least if I buy one that isn't strapless I can lose a little bit of weight without the dress being in danger of falling down (which my current one would!).

I'll need to get whatever dress I buy taken up to fit - they seem to make for taller women or those who like wearing really high heels. They have a tailor they can recommend and hopefully the personal shopper can help pin to the right length if I take my shoes with me. I have some nice gold Hobbs Mary Jane style ones with about a two and half inch heel which should go with anything.

I am going into the office today to have lunch with the only female partner in my team. We've always got on well, she did my first interview back in 2006, and she's been very supportive when I've struggled with stress. Am hoping I might manage to get a role on one of her projects when I get back - she wouldn't expect me to work myself into the ground.

Will be picking out an outfit designed to show my weight loss and applying a bit of make up for a change - it's vain, but I want my colleagues to look at me and see the positive change in me!

Have a good day everyone x

Floss

Will be doing Fab Fursday instead of Fab Friday this week... Its our 5th wedding anniversary today and me & DH are going out for lunch. Will be blown-out hair, makeup, a Phase Eight dress & heels that I can walk to the bus-stop in (so glamorous but means we can both enjoy the wine!). Nails & brows were done last Friday & roots too, so maintenance is up to date Will also be wearing my "wedding" scent, Miss Dior

lessonlearned

Happy Annivwrsary Floss - have a lovely day.

Indie. I went to an all girls Catholic School too :eek: taught mainly by nuns.. I couldn't get away from the place fast enough......

Loving the idea of the personal shopper at Debs. Do tell all when you've done it.

And of course you want to look good for your office colleagues....

When do you go back to work. Hope you get the opportunity to work with your preferred partner.

Busy day planned, finally finish the Dinjng room and then start putting the place back to rights.

In the next few days hopefully a couple of nice little shopping trips to Ikea and the Range to get some "gorgeous little things, dahlings" :rotfl:

Expensive month though this month, car insurance and service plus two new tyres......hey ho, needs must and then back to thrifty living so I can add to my holiday spending fund.

Healthy eating has somewhat gone to pot, due to kitchen and dining room chaos so the sooner I can get organised again the better.

chanie

HI everyone, just caught up with the thread, as I have been out of action due to my cold - just as I was getting over it, I got an ear infection, so I feel like I've been unwell for a two week now. Luckily, I feel I'm at the tail end of it!!!

indiepanda

lessonlearned wrote: »

Indie. I went to an all girls Catholic School too :eek: taught mainly by nuns.. I couldn't get away from the place fast enough......

Loving the idea of the personal shopper at Debs. Do tell all when you've done it.

And of course you want to look good for your office colleagues....

When do you go back to work. Hope you get the opportunity to work with your preferred partner.

I am back to work on 15th Sept - on holiday next week then a couple of days at home to get organised before I go back.

My primary had nuns, the secondary didn't. I didn't mind the teachers, it was the other students. Too competitive and !!!!!y. I was shy, clumsy at sports and very academic, which was probably the exact opposite of what you needed to be to enjoy school.

I don't know why people think the school days are the best of your life. University, now that was fun - although being broke was a bit wearing after a while.

Have been told I look very refreshed by my break and glowing by my colleagues.

maman

Hope you are having a lovely day floss. Happy Anniversary! DH and I always go on the bus to the city so that we can both relax and enjoy. Great idea!


Glad to hear you're on the mend chanie. There's something about getting a cold at this time of the year that seems so unfair whereas in winter it's par for the course.


It's not vain to 'dress to impress' indie. Like verynewmoneysaver said yesterday, it helps with the confidence and that can only be a good thing.


My DD1 has bought quite a few 'occasion' dresses from Debenhams as they have such a good range and I've heard lots of good things about their personal shoppers too. I'm with you on strapless bras. I have three (black/white/nude) that are as old as the hills but have never found any suitable to replace them although I'll keep looking. ETA: just googled and it seems they have what I like in H&M, must have a look.


Well done for being all dressed, perfumed and made up for the school run ellsbel. Any more jobs on the horizon? I've always done meal planning long before I joined mse or started my healthy eating plan. I found when I was working long days it saved me so much time. I can whizz round the SM because I know exactly what I want and each day I don't need to think what we're having. meals can always be swapped around and I always plan in some straight from freezer meals that can be cancelled if plans change.


Sofas arrived this afternoon but only one set of covers:mad:. No time today but we'll put them together tomorrow and unless they have a set locally I'll have to put a throw over one of them temporarily.


I've been doing more people watching today. It's been a bit chilly here but bright and I noticed that although most people (that's tourists and shoppers) were wearing a sort of smart casual autumn 'uniform' the variation is huge. So main trend seemed to be trousers, flat shoes, long sleeved top and fleece/cardigan. Some looked really chic others like bag ladies!!


I need to book an eyebrow wax for next week. Shape's still OK but will look better for getting them done. I find it makes me look much more awake and one of the cheapest treatments for such a big difference.

Ellsbel

Funnily enough, maman I have been offered a job!
Nothing fancy, and still not the part time number that would have been ideal, but I've accepted because I think, for now at least, it will do me and my confidence the world of good to have a purpose:)
I'm not getting too excited just yet though as the offer is subject to background checks and I've a feeling that my previous employer may no longer have a record of me! So I'm waiting anxiously for confirmation
Hope you get your sofa covers sorted - the simplest things are never straightforward are they?
Hope your having a lovely day Floss
Glad your lunch went well Indie and that you're feeling better chanie