Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

sashybo · 28 March 2018 at 3:12PM

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the well wishes for the mauled finger, it looks & feels better already so the penicillin must be doing its job. :T

Ooh maman you shouldn’t have mentioned books, I LOVE reading. I read a lot of historical fiction so in no particular order here are my recommendations off the top of my head; Susanna Gregory - both the Matthew Bartholomew series (set in 14th century Cambridge) & the Thomas Chaloner series (set in Restoration London), both are whodunnit type mysteries but very readable & not too heavy; C.J. Sansom - the Matthew Shardlake series (set during Henry VIII’s reign); Elizabeth Peters - Amelia Peabody series (set in late Victorian/Edwardian period but mostly in Egypt) again mysteries but quite funny with it; Philip Kerr - the Bernie Gunther series (a detective series set before/during/after WWII in Berlin); Lindsey Davies - the Falco series (a detective series set in Ancient Rome) & the subsequent Albia Flavia series. All very readable & not so heavy on the historical details that there’s no story but enough so it’s an interesting backdrop. I have just realised I read a lot of whodunnits & mystery/detective series. :rotfl:

LL I hope you’re feeling better soon. I like KIKO too, reasonable prices for things so I’m more likely to experiment with different colours.

maman · 28 March 2018 at 3:44PM

Floss wrote: »

Maman I like Cathy Kelly, Patricia Scanlan and Marcia Willett, also Erica James, Millie Johnson, Sheila O'Flanagan & Marian Keyes.

Oh thank you floss . Many of those are favourites already but there are some new names to try too.

Thanks for your recommendations too sashy . I don't think I'm familiar with hardly any of those. I'll try the library after Easter as well as the CS.:)

I know the Queen is 90+ but I'm surprised she's not kept her weight down more. Rumour has it that she's quite fussy about what she asks for at formal functions so maybe she has a secret vice! Perhaps too much shortbread at Balmoral! :rotfl:

I agree LL that older women can look scrawny if they're too thin but it's a fine line. I know there's only about 6 lbs difference between a good weight for me and my arms and neck starting to look too skinny.

Like you MM I'm pretty appalled at how many British people 'let themselves go'. Sadly it's not just older people either. I've expressed my views on the beige M&S Classic set many times! :rotfl:

I think it can be worth looking at public figures for ideas but we have to be aware of just how much time and money they spend to achieve a look. I'd just love to have my own personal hairdresser.

lessonlearned · 28 March 2018 at 4:17PM

Oh yes a personal hairdresser......now you are talking. :rotfl:

I have decided I cannot stand my hair the way it is any longer. Needs must. I have not made an appt so I will just pop into one of the walk in salons tomorrow - just get it tidied up for Easter.

Well I managed quite a decent walk, a good 30minutes. I am a bit tired now so just having a break. I need to do some yoga in a bit. Then cook a nice healthy dinner.

I have bought the Rangan Chatterjee book too so I am going to read that and have a quiet evening. I made a start on it the other day, he talks a lot of sense and has some useful tips.

My sleep is really bad at the moment. Last night was dreadful which is probably why I feel so wiped out today. I am going to try changing my routine and follow some of his suggestions. No internet use or caffeine after 6pm. See if that helps.

Sashy........Glad the finger is better.

I bought Kikos CC cream. I love it. I have also bought a primer and a special primer for eyes.....not tried them yet but they certainly made the skin on the back of my hand look better.

I have always had hooded eyelids a la Charlotte Rampling but of course now that I am knocking on a bit my eyelids are starting to get a bit crepey. So I am experimenting a bit and no I will not be going for an eye lift. :eek::rotfl:

Even if I could justify the money I would be terrified.......bad enough having to have a knife to my skin cancer.......I certainly will not be going under the knife again unless it was for medical reasons.

Do you remember I did have threads a couple of years ago to make my face more symmetrical again because it was lopsided as a result of the cancer surgery. Well I pleased to say they are wearing well.

Although I could see a marked improvement immediately after the treatment it took around six months for them to reach their full effectiveness. They are still working well. Apparently they should last for about 5 years at least.

Now if only I could grow my eyelashes......:rotfl:

lessonlearned · 28 March 2018 at 4:47PM

I wonder why so many British people are so lacking in pride and self respect.......is it a self esteem thing. I know it sounds a bit contentious to say this but Europeans do not seem to let themselves go quite as badly as we Brits do.

Obviously not everyone in Europe is style conscious, in fact many dress very conservatively, but on the whole they do seem to make an effort to be nicely turned out, even when they have no interest in fashion. In fact I would say that most really well turned out Europeans are not slaves to fashion, they prefer to find their own style.

Yes you still get some of the older country folk who are not really interested as such, but they will still get themselves up in their Sunday best when the occasion demands.

Certainly the people in European cities, men and women, seem to love getting dolled up. In fact dressing up to the nines and promenading seems to be the done thing. You see whole families decked out in their finery.

And as Maman says it is not just the middle aged women either here in the U.K. Even some younger people, males and females, can look very unkempt. Pyjamas for the school run, onesies in the supermarket.:eek::rotfl: men going shirtless.......I doubt you would see that in Paris or Rome......

Is it a throwback to some Puritan teaching where anything that could be construed as vanity was seen as sinful. And of course, even in our Grandmothers day, nice girls dressed demurely and did not draw attention to themselves. Make up was for fast girls......

Even today, you hear in court cases when it is a rape trial, some bright spark will trot out the old arguments about how a girl is dressed, how much make up she was wearing .....that it was her fault because she was dressed provocatively or whatever.

Expressions like Mutton Dressed As Lamb strike fear into hearts. So it is not surprising that so many women stick with beige. It is safe and non threatening, helps the wearer to blend in and not draw attention to themselves.

I still think it needs to be banned though.:rotfl:

3forholidays · 28 March 2018 at 7:01PM

Floss wrote: »

Maman I like Cathy Kelly, Patricia Scanlan and Marcia Willett, also Erica James, Millie Johnson, Sheila O'Flanagan & Marian Keyes.

Another couple of authors to add to the list above are Sinead Moriarty and Jill Mansell.

moneyistooshorttomention · 28 March 2018 at 7:25PM

I think it's partly the "copycat factor" - so much of it's down to "Well - they don't bother - so why should I?"

Well - I've been getting myself together a Pinterest board of things like capsule wardrobes. I've decided I should sit down and work out logically what clothes I need exactly. Now I do know which colours suit me - and that will be rather more difficult to achieve (ie actually finding them in the shops):cool:

Going out with friends in a second and hoicked out a scarf I've not worn for a long time to jazz up outfit a bit. Some of my pinterest pins I've saved are "umpteen ways to tie a scarf". I thought "Well - I can do that - regardless of what weight I am - so must have myself a little teach-in about that".

Floss · 28 March 2018 at 9:29PM

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

...Well - I've been getting myself together a Pinterest board of things like capsule wardrobes. I've decided I should sit down and work out logically what clothes I need exactly. Now I do know which colours suit me - and that will be rather more difficult to achieve (ie actually finding them in the shops):cool:....

Perhaps buying a palette or swatch of the colours that suit would be useful for those occasions where you are out shopping and see something that is on your list of needs.

chanie · 28 March 2018 at 9:50PM

maman I love the Victoria Hislop books. I bought the new one a few months ago, but I am saving it for holiday (not that we have one booked). The Works do 3 books for £5 if it helps.

All this chatter about shrinking is scaring me. I am 5ft, so I will probably dissapear if I get any shorter.

I bought myself a new pair of pointy flats today. I have been eyeing them up for a few months now and they have been reduced, so I snapped them up.

I have some big news. I have asked for voluntary redundancy at work. We have to make cut backs in our department and i will get a really good package if I go now. If I go later, the deal will be much worse. I have a few months to find something else and if I can, we can save my redundancy money and there are lots of things we could do with it. I feel excited about re-entering the world and exploring new possibilities. Luckily for me, I have a good cv, with lots of skills and qualifications, so I should be able to find something.

Needless to say, I will need a new work wardrobe. So today, I bought a skirt for under £5 from Sainsbury!!!8217;s which I will keep until I get a new job. This will be a good opportunity to rebuild my work wardrobe as it could do with replacing.

Floss · 29 March 2018 at 6:32AM

Chanie exciting news! I did that 4 years ago when I turned 50 and have never regretted it.

lessonlearned · 29 March 2018 at 9:01AM

Good morning lovely ladies.....

Chanie......that is fabulous news.hiw exciting for you. You are right there is a world of opportunity out there just waiting for you.

Go Girl ...:T:D

Well I think my new sleep regime worked. Although I did wake up in the night I managed to get back to sleep instead of lying awake for hours... so today I feel a lot better.

The sun is shining too, which always helps. Going to go into the city. Get my hair cut and have a little mooch.

Have a great day.

Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

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