Frump to Fab 2026.

helensbiggestfan

Thanks Srn. I'm glad you found that collagen worked well for you. I have been reading lots of positive reviews and increasingly from people on here so I'm hopeful.

Watty1

collagen helped my knees. I was feeling pain walking down stairs and assumed it was from a bash some years ago but then one day I realised pain had gone. It came back after a while and I realised the pain went on collagen and comes back if I stop. That convinced me!

Watty1

Fell down the rabbit hole as predicted @helensbiggestfan However I got some really good ideas and suggestions. My life is a combination of work and outside with horses. I live in an old brick barn that is poorly insulated so from reading and looking on line I need to invest in much better base layers. And sheepskin insoles
I knew this as I used to do that when my horse was at a livery yard but somehow in the trauma of the last 10 to 15 years all that got forgotten

I don’t want to change much between inside and outside and work so I’ve now ideas that start with good quality base layers and good insoles on wish list

helensbiggestfan

Watty…….Glad my recommendation for you tube videos helped. I love you tube, you can learn anything on there. I know people slag off the internet, social media etc and blame it for all society's ills but it's just a tool. It's how we use it that matters.

I firmly believe that, when choosing clothes, we have to take our lifestyles into account. Yes we want to look good but we also need to factor in comfort and practicality.

Yes, layering is the best way forward, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors, the priority is to be warm and dry and if dealing with horses you also want freedom of movement. And yes, living in an older property with lower levels of insulation also means dressing for warmth. I was taught that several thin layers keep us warmer than a heavy bulky sweater so I recommend good thermals. Thermals have come a long way in recent years and can look quite stylish.

Since getting older I swear by thermal underwear and I too like sheepskin insoles, paired up with thermal socks. My feet can become very painful if I let them get cold. My old bungalow was F rated and the floors were very cold.

I once read a piece by Jilly Cooper when she talked about the aristocracy and their cold draughty ancestral piles. She said the ladies often wore thermals under their ball gowns. Lol.

The other thing we can learn from aristos is the choice of their clothing, the materials used. Tweeds are warm, robust and up to a point drizzle proof, perfect for outdoor pursuits. Pure wool is warmer than polyester. I find jeans to be rather cold in winter but maybe that's just me. If I do wear them when it's cold I usually wear leggings underneath. Corduroys and moleskin trousers are beloved by dukes and gamekeepers alike for a reason. They are warm. Wax jackets are timeless and worth their weight in gold. And a good trench coat, with a detachable warm lining is also a good investment. It doesn't have to be a real Burberry, there are plenty of good cheaper versions such as M&S or Dannimac. There's usually a good selection on eBay.

I think in general natural fabrics are better than man made at controlling body temperatures, letting the skin breathe, keeping us warm in winter and cooler in summer. I appreciate natural fabrics can be more expensive but if you don't mind preloved then they needn't break the bank. I have gradually replaced most of my polyester/acrylic knitwear with pure wool such as fine knit merino, cashmere. The cashmere sweaters are all preloved from eBay and the most expensive cost me £25. And you cant beat a pure Aran sweater or a proper fisherman's Gurnsey sweater for warmth. A Gurnsey worn under a gilet is perfect for outdoor pursuits. A jacket can be a bit restrictive but a gilet allows more arm movement. Gurnseys also use wool which hasnt been stripped of its natural oils so again is drizzle proof. My dad had an old army Gurnsey sweater, my sister and I used to fight over it. Lol.

A few years ago now my dad confessed he had always wanted a real Harris Tweed jacket but couldn't afford one. They can cost hundreds. As luck would have it, a few weeks later our local Cancer Research were selling some at 2 for £5. They were beautiful. I bought him 2, had them dry cleaned and presented them to him. He was chuffed to bits.

If you want to dress up a bit, then velvet can be nice and warm. I have black velvet trousers that I bought for the princely sum of £1 and an amazing midnight blue velvet evening jacket that I snapped up for £5. I am on the hunt for a nice embroidered silk waistcoat to finish the look. Lol. Might have to make one.

Right time for breakfast and then get cracking. Ocado have just delivered my groceries, the window cleaner has just finished and the handyman is due later to dig up my dead shrubs. It's all go. 😂

2Scratters

Good afternoon all,

my contribution is very small in the grand scheme of things I have used up a lip conditioner that has lasted all through the summer. I am now using up a designer lip stick that I have had for a very very long time (years) I had kept using it for best - why? it's now at the stage where it needs the assistance of a lip brush to continue using it till the bottom of the tube/ holder it is sat in. This is nearly half of it was in the first place. It is likely to see me towards Christmas. With the price of cosmetics today it continues to save me money.

2 Scratters xx

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning Lovely Ladies

Scratters. I too am on a use up mission for toiletries, cleaning materials. I've probably got a few months worth. Lol.

Just a quick question, has anyone tried one those light therapy masks. Considering whether or not to invest.

chanie

Thanks for the tips on warm clothing. it has made me realise i need more warm clothing. Me and OH are down to car sharing for the foreseeable future and he needs the car for work, which means i’m on public transport for my commute.

@sugarbaby125 thanks for the Royal Mail tip, i never knew they collect. maybe not work for me, as we are all at work/education for at least some of the day, so won’t be around for the Postie to collect .

@helensbiggestfan i have one of those light masks, it was given to me, but i haven’t used it. I’ll dig it out and give it a go.

helensbiggestfan

Good Afternoon Lovely Ladies

Well I'm jiggered as we say in Derbyshire. I have been working like a demon this week, gardening, shampooing carpets, sorting out the garage. My back is killing me and I need some serious TLC.

I've not bought one of those light mask thingies yet. Instead I bought a pack of those Korean face masks and I am currently resting with one on my face. You are supposed to wear them overnight but I cannot see how it would stay on so I am wearing it whilst I rest. They are flimsy, fiddly and tear easily. So far not very impressed but will see how it goes. Just about to give myself a manicure, see if I can rescue my poor overworked hands. Lol.

Hope you are all well.

Watty1

I'm about to spend a couple of hours on a wardrobe tidy. I think the summer camisoles need to go away and I need to find some exercise leggings that fit as I am trialling going running. My ex running club was doing a coach to 5 k for beginners and thanks to a supportive partner I have been for 2 sessions.

When I left my ex a few women at the club were very unsupportive, one going as far as to say "it was ok for me to walk out, everyone else had to put up with it" then later - and bearing in mind I ran with these women 3 times a week and thought we were all friends - I walked into a cafe to find them all together happily but had not invited me. I was so hurt and then covid came and lockdowns and in the mess my life became I stopped going running and when I did go back after covid I couldn't face talking to "the gang" at all so stopped going.

I shared with my new partner that I might like to try again and I know I wont do C25K on my own so, I pulled my big girls leggings on and went to the club for the beginners sessions this week. He very kindly drove me as I know I would have bailed without him. So I need to find exercise gear for week 2.

2Scratters

@Watty1 you go girl - we gotcha!!😍

Going for a win win. Declutter wardrobe and getting them legs running.

2 Scratters xx