Frump to Fab 2019 - Here We Go Again

maman

:wave: Welcome retired lady and thanks for introducing yourself. It helps to get a mental picture.


I love shellac but it does affect my nails after a while too. My DD1 has hers done regularly with no ill effects but mine need regular breaks. I'm having a month 'off' at the moment . Do you mean you use the pinky gel polish or do the full French manicure yourself?


You've been a real busy bee LL. Don't try and do too much though.


I thought of you and the others this morning. The headline in the fashion supplement of my paper was 'Beige is Back':D It wasn't about M&S anoraks and elastic waist trousers though!:rotfl:
RThe article was a mixture of stuff about how the super rich (Waity Katy, Meghan, Mrs Trump etc) can and do wear pale fawn shades (with their nude shoes) because they don't have to care about dry cleaning bills. Then there was more down to earth advice on trenchcoats and layering various shades from off white to camel together.


I know they are colours that suit me but you do have to be very careful not to look frumpy. Before I go away I will have my hair cut again and have the caramel and coppery highlights but back as my hair's been very fair for months and now it just looks mousey unless I've just washed it.


I've been battling with the eVisa application for India this morning. What a faff that is. It takes forever, not just with masses of questions but fiddling about downloading photos and documents to very precise sizes. I've done DH's first and hopefully my own in the next couple of days.


I had a great time dancing last night and I wore a bit more make up than usual. I've got a foundation to use up that's a bit heavy for me so I'm using the tip they gave me at the Benefit counter and mixing it with a bit of moisturiser.


No exercise today but I have read some more of my book and plenty of water. Thinking of you with your chair LL, I'm like Goldilocks here. I tried lying on my bed to read but that was too sleepy, I tried the dining room but that was too hard (couldn't put feet up) so today I've tried the sofa in the sitting room with a footstool. I think I'm close to just right.:D


It's been bright and sunny today and tomorrow promises the same. I'll be out for a good walk in the morning to make up for today.:)

humptydumptybits

Maman I remember helping DD with the India visa, it is a bit of a faff isn't it.


I think I've been neglecting my hands/nails so that is something I should try a bit harder with. At the moment I just want the cold sore to go, it makes me feel awful. Opened the door to DIL last night and she said, "Oh quick, you've got a nose bleed." Yes it does look like a lot of blood running out of my nose, I don't think I've ever had a cold sore like it and I've had a few.


I'm going to buy a new bra but I don't think I need anything else, I'm not big on buying clothes, I definitely have a capsule wardrobe and I positively hate buying shoes. I have a pair of ankle boots, just a few months old, a pair of shoes unworn ready for DDs wedding and a pair of sandals that are probably 3 years old. If I had a good sort out under the stairs I might come up with an old pair of trainers. No one can call me Imelda Marcos. I might go mad and have a new pair of sandals come the summer.


My goals are to get my hair sorted out, first step finding a new hairdresser, and clearing out all my old make up and starting again. I daren't go to a make up counter at the moment so that is on hold.

lessonlearned

Of course I have overdone it. Maman you know me too well.

Goldilocks chairs.....:rotfl:

Retired Lady, hi welcome. If you are a jeans/boots/gilet kind of gal have a look at "Scandi Style". Still relaxed and comfortable but quite sophisticated too.

candygirl

I'm shuddering at the memories if doing the Indian visas , year after year :eek: When are you going Maman?
Bonnie was v good at the vets, only barked in response to a massive GSD sniffing her bum !!What a diva :rotfl:

humptydumptybits

What jabs do you need for India maman? I seem to remember DD throwing up on the bus after one injection, maybe yellow fever? She was living in a hospital so I wasn't too worried about her healthwise although the diet was restricted i.e. potato curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She looked forward to her day off every week when she went into the city and had pizza.

lessonlearned

Bonnie sounds a hoot. :rotfl:

Thinking about Retirement Lady's dilemma about what to wear now that she is retired. I think this is a very common one, especially when you are used to wearing formal business dress most of the time.

I also think "smart Casual" can be quite a difficult look to pull off. We want to feel comfortable and relaxed of course but without becoming sloppy or slovenly. A lot of people get it wrong, especially men. :rotfl:

(Sorry but I really do think joggies and sweatshirts are either for the gym or Lounging around at home, they might be comfortable but they are neither smart nor stylish).

So how do we achieve the right balance. Well I think we could do a lot worse than look at two of the greatest style icons of the 20th century. Princess Diana and Jackie Kennedy. I think their "off duty" dressing really did hit the right notes, especially when they both retired from the public eye and could dress down a bit.

Diana developed a style we might call Euro chic and Jackie dressed in that East Coast "Preppy" Style. Both styles are Very similar, nice cut jeans or trousers, a good jacket or cardigan, a simple tea shirt or collard shirt, boots or loafers. Pared down jellery, usually just a watch and earrings, a nice bag. A good hair cut and simple day make up. It's a look that is right for most occasions.

I have several Jackie O style dress and jacket ensembles, always appropriate for dressy occasions but I will often wear one of the dresses with a cardigan for a more casual look. I also often wear a structured jacket with jeans or chinos. A satin or silk jacket can work surprisingly well with jeans.

Retired Lady....take a look at your office clothes and see if you can mix and match them with more casual items unless of course you want to scrap them and start from scratch. :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Thanks LL and Maman for your very warm welcome.:)

LL re: your last post, I have actually put a lot of thought into mixing my former work wear with more casual things - think jeans with blazer/trench coat in the Spring? I think my idea of jeans/gilet/boots is something I aspire to, but don’t know if I can actually pull it off. I’m OK with the jeans/gilet, say with Breton/striped top, but I don’t know if I can pull off the boots! For the first time ever, last year I bought a pair of skinny jeans, and whilst they do fit nicely into my boots, I’m not sure that it’s age appropriate (well for me, at least). I always wear a long jumper or top with my jeans and boots and yesterday I wore my jeans/boots with my Michael Kors quilted jacket. I teamed it with a matching scarf. I have beige and navy trench coats, both long and short, including a lovely leather trench coat (which I’ve had for years) and lots of jackets, so I think the way forward for me, is to team them with more casual trousers, and accessories. I’m going to have fun experimenting!

Oh yes - style icons! Jackie O. certainly! Her shift dresses! I wear a lot of shift dresses in the summer, as I find them cool, comfortable and easy to wear. In the winter, I find it more difficult to put an outfit together.

Sandra Howard (former model and wife of former politician Michael) is another style icon my mine. She is in her early 70s and always looks immaculate and put together. I bet she could pull off the jeans/boots look!!! Princess Diana nailed casual, as does the Duchess of Cambridge in her skinny jeans, flat shoes and Breton top.

Anyone else have a favourite style icon?

humptydumptybits

Retired_lady wrote: »

Thanks LL and Maman for your very warm welcome.:)

LL re: your last post, I have actually put a lot of thought into mixing my former work wear with more casual things - think jeans with blazer/trench coat in the Spring? I think my idea of jeans/gilet/boots is something I aspire to, but don’t know if I can actually pull it off. I’m OK with the jeans/gilet, say with Breton/striped top, but I don’t know if I can pull off the boots! For the first time ever, last year I bought a pair of skinny jeans, and whilst they do fit nicely into my boots, I’m not sure that it’s age appropriate (well for me, at least). I always wear a long jumper or top with my jeans and boots and yesterday I wore my jeans/boots with my Michael Kors quilted jacket. I teamed it with a matching scarf. I have beige and navy trench coats, both long and short, including a lovely leather trench coat (which I’ve had for years) and lots of jackets, so I think the way forward for me, is to team them with more casual trousers, and accessories. I’m going to have fun experimenting!

Oh yes - style icons! Jackie O. certainly! Her shift dresses! I wear a lot of shift dresses in the summer, as I find them cool, comfortable and easy to wear. In the winter, I find it more difficult to put an outfit together.

Sandra Howard (former model and wife of former politician Michael) is another style icon my mine. She is in her early 70s and always looks immaculate and put together. I bet she could pull off the jeans/boots look!!! Princess Diana nailed casual, as does the Duchess of Cambridge in her skinny jeans, flat shoes and Breton top.

Anyone else have a favourite style icon?

Be a devil, go for it. I'm older than you and I spend my life in skinny jeans and boots, well unless we have a heat wave and then I wear sandals and linen capri pants.


The wonderful thing about being retired is that you can wear what you want, no rules other than if it makes you feel good.:T

Katie_j

I couldn't do it. I ended up with highlights and about 2 inches off!:rotfl:

lemonade_money

Hello Fabbers, may I join too please? I’ve been lurking for a week and thought why don’t I just dive in, you seem like a great bunch and this sounds like exactly what I need right now.

I’m 36 but look more like 46 (no I’m not kidding). I’m the definition of frumpy. I hate to admit it but i might as well be honest upfront and say I’m quite overweight, which ages meneed to turn things around for myself.. I don’t look after myself, I used to but I’ve really let myself go over the past couple of years. Gone are the days I used to be properly groomed, hair/nails/eyebrows all regularly sorted. Now I use a box dye every month or so, and haven’t visited the hairdressers in over a year.
The positives are that I wear makeup every day anyway (foundation/powder/blusher/mascara and pencil in eyebrows) and am embracing the perfume trend. I got a bit over zealous with decluttering my wardrobe last year around October time in a bid to do project 333 and threw out most of my clothes! I tried it but realised I like more choice and luckily received some lovely tops for Christmas presents so I’m wearing these with my jeans for now.
I really need to make more of an effort, for my own benefit. I’m not doing so great right now and I’m miserable and lonely. So you’ve popped up at the right time. I look forward to getting to know you all