Frump to Fab 2023

ammiLy

Hi ladies.

Hopefully it is quiet here as you are all busy living your best lives   

I have been reading this thread with interest and feel like I know you all a little bit. Thank you all for sharing your journeys, I have been inspired to make changes to my life too. Like many, I have started with perfume.such a small thing, but it really make a difference! I have also visited the No buying new toiletries thread and will be doing a full inventory of my multiple stashes of lotions and potions. In the meantime I have started using my makeup. In part to bring out my fabulousness, but also to improve my skills in doing make up. I really get cross with myself when I want to look extra pretty for a special occasion, but because I don't do makeup regularly, it takes me forever do do it half decently and I get stressed, flustered and not that happy with the final result. Lastly, it's not very MSE to invest in good quality products just to use them handful of times (and not do them justice) before they expire, dry out or go off. So i am putting an end to that and giving my face more attention when I get ready for work every morning. Nothing elaborate, just foundation and mascara most days. But a few times when I felt a little more adventurous, I put on eyeshadow or eyeliner    a side effect of this is that I cleanse my face every day and use cream too. My skin looks happy with this routine too.

Next steps will be to learn to do more with my hair and nails. My wardrobe is a separate huge task. Dream would be to have a capsule wardrobe. But before I tackle this, I must sort out my relationship with things. I grew up where things were not readily available so many items were repaired or kept for spares etc. And I think that is one reason why I struggle to let go of things. That fear of getting rid of something and then needing it. Despite that item gathering dust for a number of years and me not even remembering I have it! Over the past few months, I have been slowly letting go of some things and donating them to charity, Freecycle or eBay where I can. It is liberating! One day I will not have to serve my possessions anymore.

Hugs and kisses to all!

helensbiggestfan

Hello Lovely Ladies.  

ABBAFAN. I'm fine, thanks for asking.  I have just been busy with life and trying to be fabulous. 

 Last week was the 9th anniversary of my husbands death and in all honesty I was absolutely ok.  I am now able to forget the worst aspects of his illness and just look back to the good times and celebrate the fact that we had 34 glorious years together.  

I heard in the news last week that Sandra Bullocks partner had died of what they call ALS in the USA. I believe it's what we call MND. My heart went out to her, well to both of them.  My husband suffered from MSA-CA.  Multiple System Atrophy with a Cerebellar Ataxia presentation.  There is a MND variant.  All these conditions are currently terminal and they have many similarities.  All are utterly miserable, not just for the sufferer but for their loved ones too.  Hearing that news did bring back some painful memories of those dark days but luckily, for the most part, I am now able to put those sad memories  to one side and focus on all the good years we had.  

AMMILY.  Hello and welcome to the thread.  Sounds like you have got off to a cracking start on your journey to Fabulousness.  Just take it in easy steps and you will find that better self care and showing up as your best self starts to become second nature.  

Reading your post really struck a chord.  I too grew up in a household where money was tight and nice clothes were an unattainable dream. It wasn't until I started work and earning my own money that I even had a proper winter coat.  Now I am obsessed with coats. 😂.  You don't need to be psychologist to work that one out. LOL.  I have far too many and I am determined to part with a few this winter.  In fact I have far too many clothes. Full stop. I do have purges but like you I never seem able to grasp the nettle and let go. I think once you have experience lack and/or financial hardship it does colour your thinking.  That fear that you just might need it or miss it is very real isn't it.  And, yes it's very easy to let our possessions rule us.  Much food for thought there, a gentle  reminder for me to have a proper clear out this autumn.  At least get rid of a few coats.......😁. 

I have been enjoying the summer, getting out and about, fancy restaurants, the cinema, family gatherings, meeting up with friends.  

Alas all this socialising hasn't helped me lose any weight.😂🤣.  

sheilavw

Lovely to read your post. It is nice that you can look back on the happy times with your late Husband. I too was sad to hear of the loss of Sandra Bullock's Husband from MND. Yes they do call it ALS in America. Having lost Mick to this cruel disease it struck a chord. I wish that they would find a cure. It is hard to watch the current story line in Coronation St. I think that they put this in the story line because Paul's fiance Billy in the programme lost his Grandfather to MND.  All being well we are off on a cruise this week.

Glad you have been out and about!

2Scratters

Thanks @Abbafan1972 for the prompt of a welfare check to us all. 

I have been busy with RL in various ways of the not so good and the good of meeting with friends and having a laugh too. 
My wardrobe does consist of several dresses that I have chosen to use as future proofing into retirement. Many are cotton and linen and I intend for them to see me enjoying timeless pieces. There are also many clothes of my previous years and still I hang onto them as they are in great condition, some I have managed to sell on. I too have several coats (I blame the English weather) but I do prefer the long flowing coats, My favourite one is cashmere and angora which I found in a charity shop 13 years ago being tactile and touched it on the way past it hanging there. I didn't have enough money to pay the asking amount and was able to purchase it minus the shortfall of £15. I wear it quite often and feel like a million dollars in it. I just love it. 
I still have a collection of Jo M perfumes and other items to use up. The cost of that easily runs into 4 figures!  that too, is work in progress of being used up and I wear perfume daily. I have managed to train my mum (she has dementia) to use her perfume up too, I had found it at her home unopened. She puts some on daily, as each day is a best perfume day 

2 Scratters xx

ammiLy

Helensbiggestfan, thank you for sharing. It is sad, that after many happy years together, your time with your husband ended in pain and sadness. But it is good to hear that the pain is moving away and letting the happy memories to shine through ❤️

You have reminded me that I may need a winter coat. Probably more want than actually need. In my mind a nice coat is a classic and would be essential in a capsule wardrobe. But with my current frumpy ways, I might wear a nice coat maybe 2-3 times in a season so reluctant to invest time and money at the moment.

2 Scatters, I love each day as best perfume day! And you collection of clothes in natural fibers sounds lovely and timeless.

Iam putting into practice something I was reminded of recently - anything you want to do more, make it easy to do, and things you want to do less - put obstacles in the way. Now I have a lipstick by the mirror in the hallway, hand cream in my handbag and a small perfume bottle in a drawer at work, in case I forget to use one at work. Or just fancy a top up.

Hugs and kisses to all.

Watty1

Just catching up.

AMMILY.  Hello and welcome to the thread, About 5 years ago when ! was going though a tough time with the man who would become an ex and work went really well so I invested in someone to help with me my wardrobe.  OMG what a surprise. First of all we did some work on "me" and finding out what my style was and then we cleared my wardrobe.  I ended up selling some clothes but also taking 5 or 6 bin liners full of clothes to the charity shop.   There was so much stuff i let go of.  Now, without her, i would never have been brave enough.    But, an amazing thing happened.     The woman showed me how to "style" what we kept and unworn clothes became "treasures"   I was left with about 30 items in total, but, for the next few years I wore every single item I owned and loved them. 

Menopause has meant I have gained more weight and I do need to do a focused session on my wardrobe again as I've slipped into "buying" but I still own a lot less than in "those days"

Watty1

I've been really focusing on using up products or donating and throwing and as a result can now open bathroom cupboards without lots falling out.   i have invested in a hair cut and talked through my hair loss with the hairdresser. The new style makes it look thicker for now.   When I can afford it I will investigate wigs and toppers. I bought a topper on line but hated it so that just taught me I need to "go shopping" rather than use the internet.     Also have invested in hair fibres which help disguise the almost bald spots.  For now investing in osteopathy to try and resolve the headaches and pains in neck, and that is helping with that.

Blood test with doctors yesterday and a couple of appointments booked. One is a medication review but another is a wellness check so will try and get pain in breast investigated then.

chanie

hi fabbers,

i’ve been missing in action for a number of months now.  I had a really busy and stressful project at work, which, thankfully has come to an end, but it took up all of my time and energy, so i didn’t get to post much.

i will try and keep up with the thread going forward and maybe will scroll back a few pages if i get time.

otherwise, things are going okay here -we had a nice holiday in the sun in August which was much needed and DD has just started secondary school.

It’s birthday soon, so i’m planning a little shopping spree and nice lunch.   As many of you on the previous threads know, i love shopping, but my new job isn’t anywhere near any shops, so i haven’t been shopping in ages.

Wednesday2000

Hi Chanie. I wondered what happened to you. Good to "see" you again on here. I keep forgetting to check this thread.

I have been out today to see the new Denzel Washington film The Equalizer 3 at the O2. I did get my CEA discount card to use which was fab. I really liked the film although a bit predictable like the first two.

I am thinking about changing my hair colour. I used to have it blonde then dark over and over but I had it natural for about 13 years, but then changed it to dark brown just before I moved house last year. I'm thinking about getting some blonde highlights as I am bored. 

Abbafan1972

Hi all. 

Hope everyone is well. 

I haven’t posted on here for a while. I haven’t been in a good place for the last couple of weeks - on 1st September I had to take my beloved cat Jasper to the vets to be pts. His health took a turn for the worse in the last couple of days and I didn’t have a choice. It was awful. I was in bits when I came out of the vets. I still have moments where I just still can’t take it in. 

On the plus side we are going on holiday in 3 weeks, so am looking forward to that. 

Take care and speak soon. xx