Day 39 and 40 | The Fave Outfit and The Titfer!

Good evening. Here finally are the last snaps of my 40 day challenge. I have worn the dress 40 days straight - with one day in my jamas - but it was popped on to go up the road for some supplies. I haven't actually worn it today to be really honest.

I fashioned into a hat - that makes me look like Eliza Dolittle - before Professor Higgins gets hold of her. Even I wouldn't put the boys through that embarrassment. Me?! I don't give a fig.

I rather like the hat - but it is pretty precarious and doesn't hold up to close scutiny.

So here for completeness sake is the reprise of my fave outfit. Astute among you will spot it is the same pic as the original day - because I completely forgot to take a photo. In fact the outfit was worn with black and red fishnets and brogues - but the bobbles and lippy etc were all in place!

The rest of the shots are of today's hat!

I've had a ball with my little black dress. I didn't get around to practicing with my proper camera - and I really should have got it together to raise some cash for some local charity - and put some effort into promoting it a bit more. But in the end - it was a whim - for me and now it's done. I'm happy I saw it through.

I'll post again with a little reflection on wearing the same dress for over a month.

I am grateful to be in a tee shirt and jeans and my lovely Biba jacket today.

Oh and I made brownies with sweet potatoes - and they aren't half bad... You'll notice the hair is exactly the same as ever.

My hairdresser's little boy was ill - so I will have to wait for the big chop until the end of the month - she's now on holiday for couple of weeks!

Next time you see me - there'll be way less hair!

Time for supper and then the slow slide into Sunday evening - I'm in the middle of a brilliant book. Queen of Dreams - Chitra Divakaruni. A charity shop score for a quid. I love my kindle - but cuddling up with a book will never EVER get old.

Back to juicing for another five days tomorrow. Which is just as well after the burger and chips incident yesterday lunch time!

Thanks for reading... Sorry it's a faff to leave a message if you are not a google/blogger subscriber.

luli x

Day 38 | Blue About My Non New Do

Here's me in Spring like short sleeves. It's glorious outside & I'm wearing a beautiful, soft grey tee. I'm not taking any chances - I'm also sporting grey tights, blue DMs & my new op shop scarf...

N'er cast a clout 'til May is out. 

Or as we say in our house - 'it's not as hot as you think - so take your cardy.'

I'm in the 'still unfinished' office next to Andrew's 'Work Ethics Poster.' He announced that he had work ethics. Sit down. Shut up. Do it!  So I made him a poster & now it's my motto too.

More rediscovered tat, bling wise. This is a wooden painted ring! 

My hairdresser cancelled. I'm gutted. Finally made the decision to chop it off & change colour & psyched myself up into a frenzy of happy change - got there to find they'd been frantically trying to call me. Bloody flat battery! 

So the old Barnet will be dragged into a very unflattering pony for another couple of weeks! Oh very yes. Charlie is on holiday until the 24th. 

Arse! Watching Sheldon to cheer up. It's bakery Thursday on a Friday today & as usual I am juicing. End of second week. 

Yay me... 

Fave outfit of the project tomorrow. Then the final day... Maybe a Hat!

Day 37 | I heart my LBD

Hello! 

Back in red today. Couldn't find my plastic fantastic, red, heart ring or my Disney necklace so the outfit isn't totally complete - but some days  - good enough needs to be good enough. 

Day 4 - Week two of the big spring detox & I confess to a narna & some grapes. I don't think it's cheating - I narrowly avoided absent mindedly sticking a finger full of pâté in my mush this afternoon. 

I reckon I add @500 cals a day with unconscious nibbling & tasting. One for the pot & one for the cook. Oops...

I met the most adorable pooch yesterday he looked like a real live teddy! 

Extras today are brought to you by Anonymous Tat inc. a copper coloured, plastic rose ring & a big, red, enamelled heart. 

I managed to send my niece's present late & forgot she's 3, so it's too big. Poor little dab isn't well so she's already grumpy - then her ninny of an aunt doesn't send her present on time & when it does arrive it'll be too big!

On the up side - I got it together to include an 'on-time' birthday gift for sis & popped in a silly chicken ornament for littlee!

I've written a birthday story for her too. So I hope that makes amends...

Day 36 | Britchic in Bath

What a glorious day! The sun was out all Day and there is no better place to be on a perfect spring day than in Bath. 

I have had a lovely day - drinking peppermint tea by the roaring water, watching gulls playing in the thermals; steaming in quiet, stoic contemplation & giggling with my Bristol bestie in the perfect rooftop ~ pool that overlooks the buttery bath stone architecture; meeting a real teddy bear! 

I have juiced all day too & now I'm cuddled up in my new charity shop shawl with a cup of hot coconut milk & vanilla. You get a better class of cast off in Bath...

So the pics were taken at home - I forgot to ask my pal for a shot in the sun outside the Thermae Baths.

And yes. That is my new scarf! 

I'm wearing the dress over a fine knit 3/4 sleeve tee with my blue DMs & lovely chic navy jacket.

The good news is my 3/4 trews now look comfortable enough without wearing a tunic (or dress) to my knees. 

Juice rocks! 

Day 35 | Blue Skies & Old Faithful

Today I have mostly been nose deep in paperwork - but I did have a lovely walk across the park for peppermint tea and some supplies. I stopped off on the way back and sat in the sun - it was lovely. I'm hoping that the weather really is going to pick up as promised. We all need some sunshine to feel bouncy!

Yesterday was a complete flumpy day - so with a bit of sunshine and a suitcase full of old favourites I've gone for a turquoise and purple combination which pleases me.

I've also repurposed a pashmina that is normally used as a throw over a nasty piece of Ikea furniture. I've never really liked the pastelly vibe of it - but some times a bit of pastel, paisley is what the day calls for.

I didn't trot out in purple, suede, platforms - I wanted to yomp across the grass.

Clever layering makes this cosy - I've got a long sleeved vest on under a purple, whistles tee!

My hair looks a fright - it's lovely hair day on Friday. I'm going for the chop!

Day 34| Stuck Indoors. Green Day

Thai fishos and bed socks ... that is all!

I am juicing all week - again. It's cold & wet. I've made a vague effort to channel a beautiful raw vegan hippy vibe.

I think this might make another entry in the mean girl's 'Don't Wear This' board. FYI mean girl - bed socks rock at any time of day - so nyarg boo to you. 

I am trying out Siri on my iPhone to see if I can dictate this without sounding like I don't speak the language for coming out like gobbledygook. 

Not bad for first girlie any trouble is I have to speak so clearly and annunciate so pronouncedly that its freaking me out so I can't actually think of anything in any kind of proper order

What's get the hang of this and can speak a bit more naturally into the microphone I think it might be a good way to post the only problem I have at the moment as I can't Conniff compose and speak and think altogether so by the time I figured out what I want Sam I just as well type it because that goes at the speed my brain works that makes sense anyway that's me signing out today and I'll practice a little bit more with using Siri to post.

Yoiks - you'd need to edit a lot - but for dictating notes for transcription - this tech is awesome.

Yeah - you read that right!

I've left the gobbledeegook as it is. 

Time for my 4th über green juice. 

The dress is clean, the fishos are green & bought in Thailand & I only wear them when Podge is away - he loathes them!

Can't see why - they are practical. I thought boys liked practical?! 

Toddles...

Day 33 | I Wanna See The Sunshine After The Rain...

I wanna see bluebirds flying over that mountain again... doo bee doo.. Me and iPodge are having a singalong this afternoon with his guitar. In fact he's doing an acoustic version of Dancing in the Dark - which is lovely. While I put away the shopping and take yet more pictures of myself - in the same set of poses - because despite watching EVERY single AMNTM - I am not a natural born modelle!

So with wonky bobbles and exactly the same tights*/shoe combo as yesterday - because I loiked it! BITE ME... here is Day 33 - of this Lent Challenge.

*fresh tights - natch. I do have some standards...

In fact because all of these elements have featured before I won't put myself through the tedium of re:listing them - and just shove up the pics...

Yellow Cardie, purple silk scarf, grey tights, green shoes. When you put it like that all in one place - it's a bit of a jumble!

Day 32 | Lulu? C'est Moi!

Bonsoir mes amis et mama! I'm sliding in a bit late - with the pics of today's little ensemble. So Apols the light isn't great for a phone selfie. Truth is - I've had a very lazy Saturday sans enfants, avec le podge! We got up and I broke my juice 'fast' with clean and lean pancakes, bacon, black pudding, grilled baby toms, a wonderful mushroom melange wot I make and some agave syrup - which is a perfectly good alternative to the Maple Syrup I went to Tescos to get and forgot yesterday!

Nana Alert...

We've been pottering around our neighbourhood all day. Spent a lovely half hour in the Amnesty Book Shop and had Rooibosch and an Americano at the Boston Tea Party - a locao Bristolian cafe chain - well worth checking out if you're in the SW. We did Sudoku, read a Beidecker on Rome, and pondered the big question about who will replace Brucey on Strictly Come Prancing.

We're settled on Julian Clary - who isn't in the running, but should be.

The Dress: Worn inside out - I feel less dumpy in it this way.

The Rest: Lovely little Benetton jumper with 3/4 sleeves and a V. Gap Cardy - best charity shop purchase ever - cost me a quid in the 'sale' had it 7 years - and it doesn't owe  me a penny! Grey marl tights, green plastic ring. Betty's ring and a little grey beret...

The Shoes: Glorious faux snakeskin clompers - a sort of dull green. Ted Baker. Also bought in a Sale - years ago and dragged out every Spring. Might be my fave platforms. (My treasured De Havilland's had to be discarded after a freak accident involving my crystal ball - I am NOT lying!).

The Doo: Woefully undone and messy - you couldn't drag a comb through this haystack!

The Pancakes: 100g organic oats, 200g ricotta/cottage cheese (I use a combination), 4 eggs. That's it! Beat them all together (I grind the oats a bit if they're big). Add a little soy milk to loosen the batter.

Use a really good pancake pan - and you don't need to butter it.

Pop a ladle of mix onto pan and jiggle it to level it. (These make thick pancakes not crepes).

When you see little bubbles popping over the whole surface - flip for a few more seconds.

Pile up, interleave with grease-proof paper if you can be faddled.

Yahoo! So good for you it's perfect!

Day 31 | Balloons and Shoes

Good Evening! We had a proper job Spring day in the SW today - culminating in a big balloon launch. I love this time of year when the big hot air balloons go up. They were flying incredibly low over our street earlier. Your first clue that they are near is the unmistakable whoooshrush of the burners.

Then you rush out to wave - the baskets were so low - I had a chat with the chaps in the Tattinger Balloon. How lovely is that?!

I've lived here over 8 years now I think and I've never been up in one - we had one at Somerfield but I didn't manage to wangle a ride. Ah well!

Today is the last day of the Juice Spring Clean. I finally feel like I usually do on Day 2! Quite bouncy and clear. The TV has gorn bung - and iPodge has been 'hijacked' by one of the teams. They wanted me to trekk into town to hang out - but I'm not in the mood for boozy 'shop' talk.

The Dress: Worn conventionally under a jumper. It's not that warm yet!

The Rest: Gorgeous raspberry V neck. Purple Waterfall cardigan - I think it was supposed to be pjs. Silk scarf as before. Raspberry cropped trews. Coast. Acid Green, plastic knuckle duster.

The Shoes: Purple, John Richmond, vintage, winkle picker, stellies - there you go all your happies in one pair of shoes.

The Doo: Accidentally looking fairly good on the tumbly curl front - but this whole 'get back to natural' go grey - inbetweeny thing is getting a bit tedious. I think its looking well dodgy. The day is fast approaching when I must decide if I can dare to chop - like Li'l Sis. Who recently chopped her big hair and it looks great.

The Balloons: Tattinger and the Bristol Balloon Company went overhead. Hooray!

Day 30 | Monsoon Stripe

Hello. Here we go!

Caffeine headaches have completely cleared - I reckon that was a full 96 hours to ditch the physical habit this time - but 'tis done and in a few more days - I'll stop looking longingly at the flat whites being handed over the steel and concrete counters of my fave java shops up and down the Gloucester Road. *sigh

To celebrate, I have got dressed and even wielded the mascara brush and rotated the lippy tube. It's hours since I did and I've drunk lunch - so you won't notice it in the  pic - but I did and I'm counting it as feeling better. I am very un-girl in that respect. I shove it on once and hope for the best for the rest of the day.

So to the outfit. I'm still struggling with the necessity for layers and jumpers - and by Day 30 I'm feeling dumpy and a bit frumpy in this daily combo. So I've dragged out some beads and bangles to jingle and jangle. Oh and a very, very posh cardigan!

I'm not bothering much with matchy, matchy either - but we're still in the same tonal range. Just.

The Dress: Worn conventionally - I'm rather glad there's only 10 more days of the challenge to go - I have renewed respect for the chic that wore the same dress for a whole year. There are only so many ways to make a jumper and boots look interesting!

The Rest: Thermal, lace, long sleeved vest. M&S. Gorgeous stripey cardigan with tiny buttons. Missoni. (Oh yes you read that right!) - If I were rich I'd be clad head to toe in this label. One of my all time faves - even before their renaissance. Burgundy thermal tights. Black and green plastic beads, green printed perspex bangle, wooden bangles. All collected on my travels.


The Juice: Minty Sunshine.I made mine with an orange, a red grapefruit, carrots, mint and ginger. Happy juice in a beaker.

The Shoes: Blue, DM boots - extra socks.

The Doo: Pobbles trusty Bobbles!

Day 29 | Dress and Blankie Combo

Hello! I'm rushing through again today - because although I have pulled the LBD over my head - I am still feeling a bit miz and so I still have half  of me jammas on! If it wasn't for the LBD Challenge I'd still be in full nightgear hopping about in a sleeping bag.

I'm still doggedly sticking with The Big Spring Juice Thing - today is Berry Banana Crunch Day - which means narnas and berries all smushed up with soy milk and juiced apples with added ground seeds and whatnot. Delicious and blissfully cold for my sore throat. (My berries are frozen).

I'm half way through and can report that the caffeine headache and sugar withdrawal symptoms have abated. Which leaves me with a common cold. So I'm feeling better - doubly busy now all the things I didn't manage yesterday are coming home to roost today. Pah!

For form sake then...

The Dress: Yes I am wearing it - you can just see the bodice. Conventional way round.

The Rest: Black jumper - Sussan. Black Long Cardi - Harrods. Big wool, silk pashmina - brown - from the mummyone. Jarma Bottoms - Gap? . Betty's ring. Large Cuddle Blankie - worn as a wrap/skirt for warmth. Sort of no colour in particular. TK Maxx.

The Shoes: Doovette Booties - Ikea

The 'Juice': 1 large narna, two handfuls of frozen mixed berries. 2x apples juiced. 2 cups of soy milk. 2 tablespoons of mix ground seeds. (hemp, pumpkin, flax & sunflower). Whizz in the blender.

Tommorrow I will have to get dressed because I need more supplies and I'm going to see 20 Feet From Fame with Bristol Bestie.

Day 28 | Jammies Day

I've been a bit poorly today. So I've stayed in my jammies. Which means no LBD. I could wrap a hot water bottle in it! But tbh I've done 20 min stints & then rest. 

#fail 

Day 27 | Purple Poesy

Oooh Dear! I know a few pals who will be wincing with the wrinklage. I care not a jot for your irons and your judgement. I've been home alone all day - and the sun went back in AGAIN! So It's jumpers ahoy and pin the rose on the donkey for fun.

Yes that is a loo roll you can see in the bevel of the mirror - the door is a little bing-bangy so we jam it shut with an empty bog roll... What?

Today I began The Big Juice Spring Clean - 5 days of juice only. I follow Jason Vale's plan. I've got the app and a map but I don't tune into all the coaching videos these days. It's all the same and he does them every season. I'll be doing mine for 7 days - and I'm expecting a bit of a caffeine withdrawal 'heed' in the next day or two.

Time to just tough it out. Although I confess I've had a fairly illegal (in juice terms) cup of soy milk & water with hemp oil. It's miserable and I was cold. Plus - rules schmules. My juice feast - my way.

In my defence your honour I didn't have juice number 3 at 4pm. Heading for final supper juice @ 7pm - and I'll be cooking iPodge lamb burgers, new potatoes and greens. I am officially a SAINT!

The Dress: Worn inside out - which is why you can see all the creases. Hey hO!

The Rest: Dark purple cardigan with little buttons on the sleeves - M&S? Lovely mauvey grey corsarge. Dunno but I'm guessing either Debnems or Accessorize. Black jumper worn underneath as a vest. Sussan. (N.Z./Australiarrr). Black tights. Acid green knuckle duster. Betty's Ring.

The Shoes: Red or Dead Booties - Green Suede and thick rubber soles. I very heart these.

The Eyewear: Prada, purple.

The Doo: Washed and loose for once.

Day 26 | Biker Boots and Posh Bag

Hello and Happy Mammie's Day to my beautiful mamma. She She. We had skypey doo dah chat this morning and talked about the usual mix of nothing and everything the way you do - when it's your mamma and you are still in your jammies!

So we toddled off to the Mall for a Full English and then bought up the veggie aisles of Diddle Dee Dee. I am all set for a week of juicing and double duty exercise. It's time to shake off the blues of last week and step into Spring.  Hooray for Day Light Savings and lighter evenings.  Hooray for a sunnier day. We had coffee outside one of our local caffs this afternoon.

The Dress: Worn conventionally - it wasn't quite warm enough to go without a jumper!

The Rest: Simple approach today - I wanted to wear orange felted scarf and orange sandals but it wasn't quite sunny enough. So worn with wonderful silk, wool - fine knit from FWM. Betty's ring and M&S tights. The main colour today came with my gorgeous red, tan, orange and beige concertina bag - from Venice! It has a big toggle and metal beads which bang and clack like one of those clacker toys we had in the 70s that were banned in the playground. I did have my red mac, orange fingerless mittens and a multicoloured scarf with orange in it - but by the time we got to the Mall - I'd discarded all of them - it was just too warm.

The Shoes: Ancient pretendy biker boots, bought in a shop on Park Street with the first pay check I received in Bristol. Which makes them sound exxy - they weren't - £10.00 in the sale. They don't owe me nuttin' by now.

The Doo: Scraped back - I tried a couple of different ways - but it just wasn't working for me today.

The Score: I bought some new mascara and a fancy new eyeshadow pencil in Boots and scored a cute box with lots of goodies in. To be honest I'm happiest about the box. I'd take a pic - but supper is almost ready. Maybe later...

Day 25 | Jeans Day!

Flagging a little today - so I decided to wear my dress as a scarf and wear jeans. Works a treat and no-one would know! The thing I like about this little challenge is that it really does give me permission to muck about and try things out.

So I am much pleased with the scarf idea - and it proves how versatile this little charity shop - Gap dress really is. The cotton is so fine that it works as a scarf without being bulky.

The sun has been out all day here in the S.W. and the doors in the house are open wide. The bulbs that were salvaged from the shed have taken and things are growing in pots. Real plants - and EVERYTHING.

The Dress: Worn as a very chic scarf.


The Rest: V neck tee, Warehouse. Odd rock and roll twisted, grey marl top - I think it's All Saints. Trusty heavily elastene jeans. Acid green knuckle duster. Red mac - Next (ebay - bargain), Grey wool beret. M&S.

Shoes: Dr Marten Navy Blue boots.

Eyewear: Green Sunglasses Gianfranco Ferre as before.

Unidentified Glorious Things at the entrance to the Ardargh Centre.

Day 24 | Back to Black

Still freezing in the S.W. - so I'm back in practical black - this time my trusty full length, ancient but wonderful 'is it a dress or is it a cardi'? It's well fancy too - from Harrods - Way In. I really have had this for ever. I remember at the time it was the most expensive item of clothing I had ever bought. Quality... turns out it really does pay to invest.

The Dress: Worn conventionally over yet more thermal vestage: I have a whole wardrobe of long sleeved vests! Layers are the key.

The Rest: Beautiful full length knitted cardigan. Harrods. Black thermal tights - M&S natch. Yellow and black silk scarf.

The Shoes: Screamingly high heeled black boots leather and elastic. They're way cooler than you can
see in the pic.

The Eyewear: Black and White Boots - as before.

The Doo: Bouffy. The purple has completely gone.

Day 23 | Pretty in Pink

The Dress | Worn conventionally over a thermal vest! Noice...

The Rest | Pink Cardy - Primarni, pink silly scarf - chariddy shop. Plastic Fantastic rose bracelet, pink knuckle dusters. Pink Socks. 

The Shoes | I'm indoors so I'm wearing a pair of gingham duvet booties

- Ikea. Absolutely THE BEST things ever! Toasty warm and stylish no? 

I've included a selection of optional footwear which would look darling with my pink sockies. So there Mean Girl. 

In fact I'm just off out to buy bakery Thursday for the chaps. It's a bit cold so this lot will be topped off with a big coat and stompy boots.

The Doo | Pobbles Bobbles - hastily wound so I'm afeared for 'em. Adorned with a cocktail umbrella. 

The Eyewear | Purple Prada 

Day 22 | Purple Kniption

laptop Larry is indisposed - so here is a super quick, super late entry. I'm barely avoiding a brace of Rock Cakes - but I can hear their siren call.

Eat us. Luli. We'll go hard & stale if you don't...

The pics are impressions of today's ensemble. I left it too late to take snaps in daylight so you can't see the waterfall, jersey cardy. I stomped around in big black  pots today - to match my big black mood. Grumpy Old Haridan covers it. ' Nuff said.

The Dress: miraculously still fits despite weeks of scoffing.

The  Rest: purple waterfall cardy - M&S, maroon tights, maroon, silk scarf.

The Shoes: Gerry Weber boots

The Doo: Severe, scraped back ponytail. Horrid.

Day 21 | Parrot Day

After yesterday's 'brownies fail' day. I thought I'd go for a more jolly combo today. So I've dug out my parrot tee and accessorised by picking out every colour in the bird! I only wish I had teal shoes to finish this whole thing off in style.

That's a point - WHY haven't I got a pair of teal shoes? 

The bobbles are on the wonk - and really they should be rewound - but I was up late this morning and I've got a couple of reports to get done so while I'm home alone behind my desk - I'll struggle on with my droopy doo. I will have to rethink before I pop out to the shops later.

In the meantime - I give you Crazy Colour Lady!

Today I am mostly concerned with Anastasia's awful new single from her upcoming Album - the first in five years. I'm not happy Jan. I've always wanted to look like Anastasia - mainly her abs and major leather fetish if I'm honest. Girl has a good set of pipes too - and I won't have a thing said against 'Left Outside Alone' but despite wanting to like her latest offering after her battles with illness and brave double masectomy - I just don't - it's awful -there. Bite me!

The Dress: Inside out - so sorry for the ironing ones - it really is quite crumpled and could do with a few
minutes with the pressing machine. Not gonna happen! Bazinga...

The Rest: Brightly coloured parrot tee - chariddy shop, yellow 3/4 sleeve cardigan - oasis, purple tights, M&S, acid green knuckle duster, purple silk scarf with yellow tag.

The Shoes: Multi stripe, United Nude.

The Doo: Wonky Bobbles with hair flowers orange and purple and some clips. To be re:done.

Eyewear: Blue Sunnies - Ted Baker (although these are a total affectation today - it's dull and cold)