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 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 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 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)

Day 19 | Sunday Brunch

Hello!

We've spent a lovely afternoon at the wonderful Duchess of Totterdown cafe with two Bristol pals - the Glorious Listers. Scoffing Full English breakfasts and talking about nothing very much - we whiled away hours and hours in the most hospitable little eatery I've ever had the pleasure of dining in.

I knew I was going to like it - on spotting a fellow Bobbler - turns out she was the cook! So worried was Cookie that she'd over done our food - that we were treated to a round of her newest invention. Soda bread with apple and coriander - with butter - fresh from the oven.

In fact our food was perfectly cooked - but we scoffed down the delicious soda bread and all agreed that it would be perfect with a chunk of sharp cheddar and a cup of tea. We hung about so long - we scored a huge serving of Duchess Mess with four spoons! All in all a perfect way to spend a sunny/rainy Sunday.

Back home and I had a yen to bake chickpea brownies. I spotted the recipe a while ago - and someone else mentioned them - so I thought I'd give it a bash. Trouble is - my record with brownies is appauling and I don't have exactly the right ingredients. So I went right off plan. And I mean RIGHT OFF plan... Mistakenly added too much salt, then realised I didn't have any chocolate - so added 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder - doubled the coconut oil and the sugar and added another whole egg for good measure.

Then I went mad and added a cup of strong coffee - to make a more battery consistency - oh and some ground flax and pumpkin seed. Well in for a penny...

The raw mixture tasted lovely - but I've just taken it out of the oven to cool and a) It hasn't risen. b) It's stuck firm to the baking parchement. (If I'm honest I don't know which way round your supposed to put it, I may have put it in upside down) and c) The little bit I've just tasted - is - well - ODD...

So I've baked a whole tray of flat, odd tasting brownies made with chickpeas - this will be a bit of a tough sell! I'm thinking of sandwiching two together with jam. I think I may have to call them 'Flatties'...

I had threatened my friend that I was going to turn up with the dress worn on my head - but in fact I felt more like a ladylike outfit today - I even put on some make-up.

The Dress: Worn conventionally.

The Rest: Grey, soft Tee as before, grey marl, thermal tights - with proper bum shaping. Very comfy. Yellow 3/4 sleeve cardigan. Yellow & black silk scarf - present from a friend. Acid green knuckle duster Brilliant short, blue, jacket, Michael Kors, Kath Kidston bag.

The Shoes: Blue Dr Marten Boots

The Eyewear:  Green Sunnies - Gianfranco Ferre (fancy!)

The Doo: Pobble's Bobbles - The purple has pretty much washed out by now. It has made my hair very knotty and dry. So I'm not sure I can have it done every time - shame - I've loved it!

Day 18 | Grandma Smurf

I woke up this morning and wondered who's daft idea it was to spend 40 days in the same blinking dress! No-one is forcing me to do this - I didn't even have the foresight to get people to sponsor me to do it as part of sports relief or Cancer Research.

Nope I am just pleasing my own sweet self - by wearing the same dress for over a month. It's also my decision to wear it differently every day - I could just sling on the same jumper for a couple of days on the trot - but no. Miss Fancy Pants Luli has to swan about in a different motley every day of the 40 days. 

It's day 18 - we're not even half way there - and this morning I felt a bit uninspired. So I decided to move off from purple and go with another of my 'go-to' colours. Turquoise Blue. 

Here I am in the Smurf Tights (as iPodge unimaginatively dubbed them - the first time he saw them). They're not for everyone - but I loves 'em. I figure if you are going to go about looking like Smurfette's granny - then you should commit. So top, necklace and sunnies are Turquoise - undies too. But you'll have to trust me on that score. Podge wouldn't let me take a snap of me in my smalls...

The weather is changeable - but our Saturday rituals are not. We have been out for brunch and a wander around the charity shops. We were momentarily swayed by a very pretty - Art Decoish display cabinet, with a sunburst detail on the front - £45.00. But to be honest - I'm not a display cabinet type of a gal - and it wouldn't quite fit into the kitchen. 

So we contented ourselves with the notion that lovely things do turn up - and one day we'll be in the right place at the right time - for the perfect piece. In the meantime - we left it for someone else to discover. 

The Dress: Worn conventionally and unusually - properly done up. I've developed a knack.

The Rest: Turquoise tights M&S - had them for a few years. Turquoise hoody - Climawear. Thermal vest - one of many from M&S. (I like thin, warm layers). Tiffany bracelet with blue Vivienne Westwood shoe charm. real turquoise necklace - bought on travels. Betty's ring.Kath Kidston London Buses Bag. Charity Shop scoop. 

The Shoes: Navy Blue Dr Marten Boots

The Eyewear: Turquoise sunnies. Ted Baker. TKMaxx remaindered £3.00. (Bought out of season and squirreled away).

The Doo: Scruffy unbrushed and shoved under a trusty grey wool beret (M&S). 

The Breakfast: Two sausages, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and two Dr Karg crackers (sneaked in from home). No toast. Flat white. Water. 3 rounds of 9s (word game) and then a whole lot of Truth Tables and Boolean Logic figuring outs on napkins that frankly went over my head. 

Leave a comment or share the love. Either way I'd love to know what you think. Or leave a picture/description of your outfit today. That'd be really lovely. 

Day 10 | Margo Moments

Good morning... It's still misty and cold here - so my dreams of wafting about in this dress, all done up with bits of jewelry, hair adornments and whisps of silk shirt are dashed again. Day 10 and reality bites. I've swopped jeans and a Tshirt for - dress and a jumper!

The only response to the cold and the sameyness - is to have a Margo Moment!

Now this isn't a full on MM - I'll describe it as Novice Level. Margo wouldn't have worn the dress in the first place - but the matching candy pink jumper and pants with purple stiletto pumps and headscarf - are so Margo. I lack the time and conviction for dark pink talons and my LBD moves this whole outfit next door - to Tom and Barbara's - but it's warm, bright and that's what I need this morning.

I haven't loaded up on accessories - I'd look like I'm playing at dress-up - which isn't entirely the 'look' I'm going for.

This started as a tribute to The Grand Budapest Hotel - gorgeous, sumptuous film with a lot of pink and some of the best 60s wallpaper I've seen pasted up anywhere real or imagined. However it took a turn for the Leadbetter (see what I did there?) in the building and here we are...

The Dress: Worn under a jummie and over trews!

The Rest: Raspberry parade 3/4 trousers - Coast, lambswool polo-neck jumper with side loops - trusty M&S chariddy shop score. Multicoloured plaid shawl - Valerie Watt (Australian). Beautiful silk multi-coloured scarf. Unknown - from Billy Jean's wonderful, vintage shop - now defunct. *sighs again at the march of baby clothes shops across our independent high street.

The public wants what the public gets...

The Shoes: As yesterday

The Do: Still unkempt - there will be lovely new hair tomorrow so I can't wash it now because clean hair isn't the thing for tinting. I've swept it over one side - and shoved it under the scarf. You and I know that scarf will be off in about five minutes. It will annoy me!

*Another less pleasant side effect of not wearing cheapo jeans with lots and LOTS of stretch in them - is I am fully reminded of my increasing waistline. These trousers were loose the last time I had them on - this morning they can only be described as 'barely comfortable' - they may not make it through the whole day...

Needless to say - I'm drinking juice!