Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

Good morning lovely ladies...

Maman. My donation to the charity shop yesterday was mainly skirts and sweaters that I decided were a bit old fashioned or just plain boring. :rotfl: I thought they were a bit "mumsey". Like you I figured it was January and I hadn't worn any of them so I could safely get rid.

Actually since losing weight I have changed my style a bit. I feel it's a bit more modern and youthful. One of the joys of losing all that extra weight is that I can now dress for fun and pleasure rather than always looking for styles, cuts and colours to cheat and make myself look slimmer Iyswim.

Choosing clothes and dressing nicely is so much easier now and so much more fun these days but it has also been a bit of a learning curve. It's trial and error but I think I'm getting there, experimenting, refining my style and honing my look.

My new mantra is "WWHMD" - What would Helen Mirren Do. :rotfl: Would she wear mumsey clothes, bet your sweet a@@ she would not. So I got rid. Time to up the glamour stakes, show off my new svelte shape. I don't need to hide my body anymore.I won't suddenly be revealing a lot of flesh but rather I shall concentrate on clothes that enhance rather than camouflage.

One thing I have found is that photos give a much better idea than the mirror of how I actually look, so now if a garment doesn't look good on me in photos I get rid. I think it's easy to delude ourselves when we look in a mirror. The camera is a much harsher critic and will reveal that actually that bra is no good, or that style of trouser makes me look short and dumpy. So now my clothes have to pass the photo test.

My DIL paid me a lovely compliment the other day. As you know her family are all very glamourous Latinos, seriously beautiful and good looking and it's hard not to feel a bit intimidated by them at times. And as they are all quite wealthy they can afford the best beauty treatments and fabulous clothes. They are all fashion mad. They are a big family and she has has several aunts all around my age. Anyway, unknown to me she often sends them pictures of me and my home. Apparently they've all told her they love my style, that they think I'm elegant and "classy".

I felt a bit embarrassed by their comments and laughed it off but she said no you really do look great these days.

Nice to know.......:rotfl:

I think my modus operandi of not trying to copy them But rather to concentrate on finding a style that suits me, my height, colouring has paid off. I do feel a lot more confident with my wardrobe choices now and I don't make so many mistakes.

Grey and miserable here, although thankfully not raining. Need to pop out for some milk and fruit and veg but no real plans. A bit more sorting and decluttering perhaps. Give myself a facial and manicure later.

Maman. Your comments about joining groups for talks etc is interesting and it's definitely on my agenda this year. I'm definitely up for broadening my horizons this year. Aiming to get the kitchen done by early May and then I'll have a lot more time to pursue other interests. Try new things and feed my mind.....so exhibitions, talks, lectures, seminars etc.

Tomorrow, I'm going with a friend to see a costume exhibition. 20s and 30s clothes, I think mainly evening wear. Designers such as Worth, Chanel - should be fun. Especially as my friend is actually a dress designer (semi retired). She is a Londoner, now decamped to the wilds of Derbyshire, who worked in the rag trade all her life. She is very stylish in that odd "designery" way of dressing. Very offbeat. She's a Londoner through and through but she reminds me a bit of Yoko Ono.

She really knows her stuff so she will be a fabulous guide tomorrow. Then a nice lunch and possibly a trip to a couple of chazzers. She really knows vintage so I love browsing round charity shops with her.

Right time to get cracking.....brunch first. Doing well on WW, enjoying healthy eating again and getting back on track. It's true, we are what we eat. I feel tons better.