Travelling On

Karmacat · 16 January 2020 at 9:01PM

Awww, thank you, wish

thats really nice

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

No, you've not done 'naff all' today, you seized the opportunity to be social, and do something that interests you, isn't that what retirement is all about?

The bit from you that I've quoted is really interesting (especially in light of it being today that I saw the Mary Quant exhibit! I'm bolding ... but I might as well tell you upfront, I'm not spending that on a style day, I admire you for biting the bullet!

Re: 'smartening up' I did a style day recently (ridiculously expensive, but definitely an investment) the thing I picked up mostly on was 'look finished' things like:

I love this overall point, I think its really, really important.

Don't just pull hair back into a mum bun - brush it into a pony tail properly
Thats a handy tip for me, because thats exactly what I do

Wear a pair of earrings
You know, I got my ears pierced in my last year at college because I knew I was lazy in looking after myself, and I felt that earrings helped me *look* as if I was trying. Even gold studs would be a good thing.

Never less than foundation, mascara, blusher and lipstick - should take 90seconds.
Ah. Not going to happen. What I might try to start using, when I leave the house, is under-eye concealer. That might lead on to other things, I don't know, but it could help.

Shoes & scarves appropriate for your clothes (rather than just putting the same old pair of scratty trainers on)
I'm not the world's worst, but I'm very, very far from the world's best. I could use this.

It's made a huge difference to my approach. I've still got some work to do, and some shopping for clothes, but, I'm getting there.

I appreciate you posting it, wish, I really do, thank you :kisses3:

[Deleted User] · 17 January 2020 at 8:17AM

Karmacat wrote: »

Wear a pair of earrings
You know, I got my ears pierced in my last year at college because I knew I was lazy in looking after myself, and I felt that earrings helped me *look* as if I was trying. Even gold studs would be a good thing.

Have you worn earrings regularly since your college days, KC? Just asking because I had my ears pierced for the first time in 1990. Very late to the party but after that date wore earrings every single day. I had loads, I really loved my earrings:rotfl:. Even when not going out I wore gold studs.

I stopped wearing any for about 3 years for various reasons but then last year decided to start wearing them again in an attempt to smarten myself up a bit;). Very easy in retirement to stop bothering:o. Frustratingly, after numerous tries to get the posts through the holes I had to give up. Discomfort, pain and even bleeding wasn't a price worth paying. The pierced holes had totally healed up:eek:. I had to go and get them re-pierced with that 'gun' thingy they use with the studs with a more pointed end. Expense I didn't want but at least I'm happily wearing all my old favourite earrings again now and I feel so much better whenever I go out:j

Karmacat · 17 January 2020 at 10:14AM

Hi FS - no, I haven't, but I do wear hypo-allergenic dangly earrings every now and then. I couldn't wear them every day as the old reaction starts to come back. I had some filigree Venetian silver ones, and the fiddly bits picked up muck from somewhere, I started to get bad reactions - had to stop wearing them for years. But the holes have never closed up like most people's do, I've no idea why. My skin is weird.

Thats great that you've got your earrings back! Good for you :j
Today - I'm off to Next to pick up/drop off trousers bought on the off chance. Then circling round to Waitrose to return wrong-sized bootee slippers I bought as a pressie. I have a million little financial admin things to do, and I need to ring my brother and I also need to stand under a shower for at least 5 minutes and breathe

Suffolk_lass · 17 January 2020 at 10:25AM

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

No, you've not done 'naff all' today, you seized the opportunity to be social, and do something that interests you, isn't that what retirement is all about?

Re: 'smartening up' I did a style day recently (ridiculously expensive, but definitely an investment) the thing I picked up mostly on was 'look finished' things like:
Don't just pull hair back into a mum bun - brush it into a pony tail properly
Wear a pair of earrings
Never less than foundation, mascara, blusher and lipstick - should take 90seconds.
Shoes & scarves appropriate for your clothes (rather than just putting the same old pair of scratty trainers on)

It's made a huge difference to my approach. I've still got some work to do, and some shopping for clothes, but, I'm getting there.

I am an almost total fail on these.
Short hair that I just wash and brush
Yes I wear earrings (left in, all the time - hoops like 50p size)
Never wear make-up - just some lip-salve if it is cold dry or windy and they feel dry.
I do wear specs that frame my eyes but if I wear mascara my lashes touch the inside of the lens and stripe it.
Rarely pick up a scarf and always wear comfortable shoes or walking boots (usually with jeans and a hoody!).
I don't give it a thought what others think of my appearance. I just think of the warmth, comfort and content of the meeting. Apart from underwear (which I don't like to be knackered), I have not bought new clothes for ages.

Oh well...

Karmacat · 17 January 2020 at 10:47AM

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I am an almost total fail on these.
Short hair that I just wash and brush

Used to do that all the time - then I stopped going to the hairdresser!

Yes I wear earrings (left in, all the time - hoops like 50p size)

My new ambition

Can I ask, why do you wear them, SL?

Never wear make-up - just some lip-salve if it is cold dry or windy and they feel dry.

On that level, moisturiser is essential, I can't bear the feel of itchy skin without it.

I do wear specs that frame my eyes but if I wear mascara my lashes touch the inside of the lens and stripe it.

To be honest, I'd really like to see that :rotfl:

Rarely pick up a scarf and always wear comfortable shoes or walking boots (usually with jeans and a hoody!).

A scarf is kind of a medical necessity for me, because of the aftereffects of the shingles in my jaw.

I don't give it a thought what others think of my appearance. I just think of the warmth, comfort and content of the meeting.

And in one sense, I agree. But nor do I want to give the impression of being so infirm that a young woman leaps up off her seat to offer it to me. And (I'm digging right down now, SL!) where do the earrings and occasional mascara come in? You're doing some things for yourself, right? I know my self image hasn't caught up with my reality, but ... I'd like to look "better" (for complex values of "better") than I do. For me.

Apart from underwear (which I don't like to be knackered), I have not bought new clothes for ages.

Thats what I was on about the other day - I bought a warm coat to go to Norway, and a multipack of socks, thats it :rotfl: though I *had* just stocked up on underwear :rotfl:

Oh well...

That about sums it up

apple_muncher · 17 January 2020 at 11:00AM

I consider myself to be very low maintenance!

No make up - it irritates my skin. Occasional earrings for 'occasions' - so once or twice a year then! Poshed up for parents evenings with a jacket, possible scarf and smartish shoes.

Otherwise, comfy rules!

wishingthemortgaheaway · 17 January 2020 at 11:08AM

SL, I was a bit like that - I don't give a jot really what other people think of me, no body ever commented negatively, but they didn't comment positively either. (Which I know contradicts what I said earlier about being accountable to others, it's hard to explain how compartmentalised my thinking is sometimes / I'm an odd bod. )

But I was feeling fed up, frumpy and unkempt and was just buying the same clothes over and over again - I guess I was bored. The style day was in 3 parts - the colours you should wear, how to do make up (I've never been taught so actually had no idea and I'm 37!) and the style of clothes that suit & flatter me. But it was the 'be finished' that really struck me.
So today:
(Taking Pickle into the city to pay his Christmas cheques into the bank and spend a toy shop voucher)

Hair, brushed back simple pony tail
Simple Gold stud earrings
90sec makeup (but the lippy's rubbed off already)
Natural wood necklace (my go to favourite)
Clothes all in my neutral colour apart from my mustard scarf- which is a wow colour for me and adds a pop
Then my neutral coloured flat, comfy, waterproof boots.

So, minimal effort, but 'finished'
And now I shall stop clogging up Karma's thread!

apple_muncher · 17 January 2020 at 11:20AM

And the Marty Quant exhibition sounds wonderful. Dd is dong 'the swinging 60s' in history and did a hwk on fashion - and MQ figured highly.

Karmacat · 17 January 2020 at 11:21AM

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

SL, I was a bit like that - I don't give a jot really what other people think of me, no body ever commented negatively, but they didn't comment positively either. (Which I know contradicts what I said earlier about being accountable to others, it's hard to explain how compartmentalised my thinking is sometimes / I'm an odd bod. )

And I think thats why we're commenting - working on our appearances for *ourselves* - we all know thats how it should be, and its starting to be, actually, but its still in flux a bit.

Your thing about negative/positive comments got me thinking here - (imagine a big paragraph deleted here). I know what it is! I want to look like **me** again - because I don't, not at all. I've adjusted my self image to an age-appropriate one, yes, but there's still a lot missing.

....Then my neutral coloured flat, comfy, waterproof boots.

So, minimal effort, but 'finished'
And now I shall stop clogging up Karma's thread!

Thats a nice example of the "finished" thing, thanks for that

And you're not clogging up - the reality is that I started it, with this woman who gave me her seat on the tube!

ETA - I was too young for the full-on swinging sixties, so it was a bit of news to me too. Fancy it being hwk! Good to know though

Karmacat · 17 January 2020 at 12:22PM

- check those credit card payments show up, because they didn't even show up in Pending.
Yes, they're done.

- enter the savings account tax payments into the hmrc form.
Done - it was kind of easy :j I'm learning!

- work through home and contents insurance very quickly - looked at the renewal very quickly, they've lifted the amount by about 12%, don't know if I can do better.
They did slightly better, but not good enough. I've gone with Admiral, perfectly good company, very slightly different policy, 40% cheaper (£201 down to £122).

- I also need to get my new computer mouse working, the mousepad on here is seizing up again.
done.

To do:
- find/ try to find the two dividend payments I get: SSE, who I like, and Santander, which was originally freebie shares from Abbey National I think. I've sold the Santander, but still need to declare until that point, of course.
- if I can find both divvy payments, input the info to hmrc. Don't submit the form yet, need to check it.

Travelling On

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