Frump to Fab 2026.

Watty1

I'm still loving being able to dress in my summer wear of leggings and vest tops, which I smarten for work (on screen) with a blazer or nice blouse.

Thanks for the tip about the sales for running leggings - however - I routed around in my wardrobe and found a small box of running stuff that I could not bear to throw away in a tidy up. In there was a very nice pair of h and m leggings that fit, plus a pair of 3/4 length leggings and a pair or shorts. So the too tight pair need to go out.

Remind me to be firm on the throwing away as these pair are sweaty betty and very nice - but - they are tight so I need to strength the resolve and get them gone.

TheGrubbyGardener

Hi Ladies!

I used to post here a few years back (I was Phoebe before) and it's lovely to see so many names I remember from then 👋

In 2024 we sold our little Welsh mill and bought a Georgian wreck cottage by the sea back home in England. We're very slooowly renovating it, but I'm also trying to renovate myself lol, mainly by way of a complete wardrobe refresh!

There's lots more opportunities to go out here, plus although we're sadly dog-less now, we're looking after our lovely granddog 🧡 indefinitely so loads of dog walking happening too.

I'm gradually clearing out the tat (years of DIY on multiple house projects is reflected in the manky old leggings and holey jumpers squashed into my tiny but treasured antique wardrobe) and replacing with - mostly preloved - higher end labels in natural fibres where possible.

I'm not seeking to put together a capsule wardrobe (my tastes are too eclectic/quirky to restrict it in that way 🙄), but hopefully by carefully choosing stuff I love, I'll have some great outfits that will stand the test of time.

As a starting point I have some nice knitwear (Zadig & Voltaire, vintage AllSaints, Bella Freud etc) and a few other old favourites which I've had for 10-20 years. Also some good coats (how many is too many? Currently I have seven including jackets, but two are earmarked to sell, see below…), one of which was bought on my first Zara foray in 2004!

What I'm lacking is autumn/winter weight skirts/trousers and a good, warm but lightweight jacket for walking the pooch.

I just made my first Vinted purchase (I'm naturally an eBay girl 😉) - a cosy but stylish top from Wiggy Kit and have set aside a few unwanted items (two coats, a dress and some trousers) to sell. Any money made will go towards the new stuff!

GG x

chanie

Welcome back @TheGrubbyGardener . The brands you have in your wardrobe are high quality brands and you can tell that by how long they have lasted.

i bought myself a rain mac recently, not something i ever thought i would buy, but i need to dress for my public transport commute, having either driven to work or WFH for the past 5 years. Interestingly, i chose an off-white rain jacket, which isn’t like me, as normally i go for darker colours. they had a mac in my favourite colour, which i forced myself to put down in favour of the off-white. I’m trying to expand my colour palette and be a bit more adventurous in what colours i wear. i tend to deviate towards certain colours that i love like black, burgundy and green, but ive been experimenting with red and white over the summer. As i’ve been typing, i’ve decided i want something yellow. i’m not a fan of yellow but i think a mustard yellow will suit me.

Watty1

Also considering what my wardrobe needs to be like :)

Wednesday2000

Welcome back TGG.

I have just moved back into the winter bedroom and I have forgotten how much I like it in there as it is much bigger. I bought myself a new dressing table, stool and mirror for our "new" bedroom and I bought some storage for my makeup to put on the table in charity shops the other day. It looks very nice.

I'm going out tonight as I won a £50 bar tab in a pub in a raffle at a charity event and it needs to be used up by a certain date. I'm about to go and see what to wear. I was looking at my wardrobes now that I woke up in the new bedroom and I need to do a major declutter in there. I'm not in the mood today.

I have a massage booked for tomorrow that I'm looking forward to and I have a meetup this weekend.😀

chanie

@wednesday - ‘winter bedroom’ is making me chuckle.

2Scratters

Well I certainly seem to have grown some life lines on my mush this year. I really have been neglectful of myself. Bought a small pot of Nivea to see how that goes. The product I used for decades has now been stopped by Johnson & Johnson. Not sure why though. I bought hubby some natural product which apparently is very good on mature skin and only a very tiny amount is needed. Think I will pick up on that at a later date.

2 Scratters xx

helensbiggestfan

Good Morning Lovely Ladies.

Like many of you I'm having a wardrobe sort out, as we transition from summer to autumn. I am being a lot stricter this year. Whilst I don't believe in the If you havent worn it in a year maxim I am being considerably stricter this year. I am trying to be a lot more objective, keeping only the best of the best, clothes which I like and which I believe look good. I have a nasty habit of wearing my old clothes which have really outlived their lifespan and saving the good stuff "for best". Why on earth. I am 75 fgs. My goal is to reduce my wardrobe by at least 50%.

I have a huge ugly triple wardrobe that the previous owners left behind. It takes up an awful lot of space and it encourages hoarding…….lol. I am actually doing something unheard of for me, donating some coats and jackets. Don't worry I still have plenty left. 😂🤣.

I have converted a storage cupboard on the landing into a wardrobe where I will aim to keep most of my coats. My son gave me a nice chest of drawers where I shall store knitwear, jeans etc, so hopefully I can buy a nice smaller vintage/antique wardrobe for items that need hanging.

I am also ditching all acrylic and polyester knitwear.I I want to go over to natural fabrics as much as possible, natural fibres seem to be kinder to my excema prone skin. I am perfectly happy to buy preloved. Most of the coats I am left with are pure wool and they are all preloved.

Scratters..Life lines, lol. I'm still trying to find a decent moisturiser, and a skin care routine that actually works. The older I get the drier my skin becomes. Hey ho, the joys of aging.

Wednesday2000

Chanie - my house is like two seasons. My neighbour said her Mum used to say the same thing. One half is so hot during the summer that we were barely use the rooms, but much nicer in the winter.

I just had a massage with a different therapist and she used so much oil! It was nice, though. I feel quite relaxed. I'm just going to have a glass of wine and watch TV.

Floss

Just unlurking to ask if any of you have tried the My Best Colours app? I've used it for a couple of years now and it's really handy, especially when you see something and you're unsure of how it will suit.

https://colorwise.me/