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 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 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 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 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 16 | Because I'm Happeeee!

Happy International Happiness Day! Last year March 20th United Nations declared International Happiness Day - and this is the 2nd. Bhutan has the goal of gross national happiness over Gross National Product. The idea that happiness is measured as much, if not more - by our connection with each other, time to play, meditate and contemplate and our opportunities to make a difference,  as it is by the amount of cash we have in our pockets isn't new. But it's definitely having 'a moment'.

Here is The Secretary General - Ban Ki Moon's message on IHD.

For me happiness is simple to articulate but damned hard to practice without mindfulness. I try to bring my authentic self into every encounter I have. I also try to meet every challenge I face with the best I've got at the time. If I had a mantra it would be -  'Be kind, be generous and be grateful and loving.'

So today I dressed, wholly for my own happy amusement. There's pink AND red AND purple. There's a shit tonne of plastic fantastic and a huge silk flower. There are sitting down shoes, and Poble's Bobbles! My absolute fave hair style. Which iPodge isn't particularly fond of but for my money SCREAMS Luli!

And after all that's who I is...

I shall be donating in support of the bonkers Jo Whiley - I am in awe of her achievement and I'll be watching Davina too. I shan't be posting a 'no make-up' selfie. In fact I spend my life without makeup - and I rarely drag a comb through my hair either - most of these pics of me are sans-slap! So there'd be little point and zero trepidation...

If you are joining in the spontaneous Slap-off- Selfie initiative - then please remember to include information about how to donate and details of how your pals can take part too
. I think it's a cool tool to raise funds - but ya gots to ask!

It's also the Spring Vernal Equinox today - So Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The Dress: Washed and worn conventionally

The Rest: Lace thermal vest with lace peeping. Red cardigan, with puffy sleeves. Plastic pink and purple knuckle dusters. Mad pink plastic, rose bracelet. Vintage pink beads. Huge pink corsarge pinned to beads. Purple, thermal tights. (toasty). Orla Kiely Black Flower Bag with red handles. Tescos!

The Shoes: Office - red suede, peep-toe. I wrote a story inspired by these but it's too smutty to publish here! They are proper sitting down shoes.

The Eyewear: Purple plastic - lord knows if they have the right level of UV protection but as they're a complete affectation today - lets not worry too much huh?

The Do: Poble's Bobbles - with extra purple pizzaz!

Be happy.

Day 15 | Caped Crusader

Hello!

I've had to accept that the weatherperson  iPodge read or heard was fibbing when he/she promised 10 days of sunshine - or it was in fact a voice in his head. There have been a few late night programming - you can't always rely on him to stay sane when he's lost in code.

It's flipping flippety leave your flip-flops in the cupboard cold today. So I thought I might have a go at styling a cape. I can't say it was 100% successful. I wanted to create some structure using the bodice. there is a tiny little frill around the empire line - that I figured might stand up if I folded the bodice in on itself and popped the whole thing over my head.

We- ell... what do you think? I like the overal 'feel' of the outfit - I was hoping for a chic 60s - frenchy look - then I remembered my very, very old - and much loved RED or Dead shoes. So the whole thing took a turn for the silly. Frankly there's no getting away from the fact that I'm wearing my dress around my neck!



Still red lippy is always a joy and my hair is in a lazy chignon - after watching Hair last night on TV - I gave it a red hot go. I'm not convinced by Hair as a program, but I was a bit brain-dead last night so I slid into it after the marvelous Great British Sewing Bee. Which I totally heart.

I'd be fibbing if I told you I'll be wearing this all day - but while I'm indoors it works perfectly well - and it's toasty too! I will pop the dress on properly when I go shopping after lunch.



The Dress | Worn as a cape - or more accurately a weird poncho!

The Rest | Gap 3/4 cream trews. Charridy Shop buy. M&S thermal vest with lace under a brilliant black jumper bought years ago in Sussan - which is an Antipodean brand. Betty's ring.

The Shoes | Red or Dead Vintage

The Eyewear | Boots own - black and white.

The Do | Backcombed the crown (badly) and smoothed the lot into a twist, secured it with a massive black plastic claw. So it looks great from one side and a smidge chavvy from the other!

Overall Mark | I'm going for a cheerful 5/10 - If I do this when I'm 70 - I think my friends and family might think I have Alzheimers.

Day 14 | Librarian Chic

Good Morning All,

I've got a skypey doo-dah booked with Orrstraliar this morning  - so this will be a blogentry of two parts.

Part the First:

Here's me rocking the librarian cardie look. It's a delicious, soft, heather colour and there's pockets! I love a pocket.

I convinced iPodge that we could turn off the heating - in anticipation of a full on Sproinging of Spring. It has not happened and this morning I'm feeling a bit chilly - but I daren't admit this. So I have cunningly popped a vest on under my dress and layered it over my trusty 3/4 trews and two scarves. He'll never know! If you don't tell...

I've included a snap of Betty's ring - for the glorious Peta - who is the callee - I'm making that a word... of today's Skype. Amazing to be able to speak with my friends and family all around the globe. Skype is perhaps one of my favourite innovations of the last decade (or has it been longer?).

Betty gave me this ring for one of my big Birthdays - I can't remember if it was 30th or 40th - surely I've had it for a very long, long time! The stone is a Cairngorm - found near her Scottish home in the Highlands. Her unbelievably talented husband designed the setting and had it made for her - and although I never met him - I am sure I would've loved him just as much as I adore her.

Peta with clog and poncho!

Peta is still offline - so we might squeeze this in before we settle in for a cuppah and a yarn. It's been a while. There'll be much to share of kids and life and plans and art and makey doings. She is one of my heroines this girl. A fine beauty, a talented artist and a Ranger! How cool is that...?

Not any old Ranger - an Australian Bush Ranger - this girl is one of the few women in Aus who are trained and fearless enough to hang under the recon-copter - flying over bush fires. Directing ops on the ground. Making sure the firefighters stay safe & don't get hemmed in.

She's the toughest, cutest, sanest chick I know - and and and - she's bloody gorgeous too!

Here's to Peta and Rangers and Firefighters everywhere - we Librarians salute you x

The Dress: Worn over a vest - nanna style!

The Rest: Heather cardi with pockets. Cream, 3/4 trews - Gap. Purple Silk scarf - as before, multi coloured Ikat style scarf - picked up on travels. Betty's ring, purple knuckle duster.

The Shoes: Bruno Magli, purple flats. Scored for a song in TKMAXX

The Eyewear: purple, Prada.

The Doo: soft waves. courtesy of Poble's Bobbles, Percy & Reed - Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm and plaits overnight. Most of the hair chalk has now washed out. I think the rest will fade more gently.

Day 13 | Ungovernable!

Hello!

We are battling to stay focused while our sparks drills seven bits out of the kitchen walls. After over a year of living with just 3 operational sockets - I finally got around to finding a new electrician to sort out the half done job of our previous guy.

He did a perfectly adequate job - but he left a lot of things un-done, with no real explanation. Frazzled and a bit intimidated by the whole magical-electrical thingumy - I paid up and sent him off to his ski-ing holiday! So today is the day it all gets sorted. Fully chased in wiring, conveniently placed, working sockets and a light over the dining room table! Hooray...

Our new electrician is a lovely, gentle, herbal tea drinking soul - who has listened. We are here all day so we can keep an eye on the progress and make decisions as we go along. Which means the job will be done properly this time - but it does make for a noisy working environment and yet another impromptu lunch in a cafe! I KNOW - I lead the life of Riley's luckier sister!

It's chillier today - so I've popped my little black wonder dress on inside out and layered it up with a tshirt half nicked/half gifted to me by an Aussie Pal. If I remember correctly it was part of an Arts project done by the uncompromising and fierce Anj - who gave it to the awesome and truly ungovernable Megan - who gave it to me... It remains one of my faves - the lettering is crazed and the colour is a bled out black - but we all need a bit of lovin' when we're old and tatty ay?

To dial up the ante on the whole ungovernable thing - I've added high fashion tights and a pair of engineered shoe/boots from United Nude. These babies were designed by an architect and they are the most comfortable cuties in my shoedrobe. It's a word! You can't say it's not...

The Dress | Worn inside out with an unzipped gap at the top. Without iPodge to help dress me I am flumoxed with this sticky zip.


The Rest | Ungovernable Slogan Tshirt - gift. Tights I think these are Alexander McQueen - bought in a Harvey Nicks sale a few years ago, eyewateringly exxy even with 70% off! Still cool as icecubes huh? Pink plastic rings, Tiffany bracelet, grey school cardigan - Gap (charity shop buy years ago).


The Shoes | United Nude Fold Mid - Bright Mix (bought in New York - present from iPodge - he's a keeper!)


The Eyewear | Charity shop £3.00! Pilgrim - Danish Design @£45 - £90 new. Hello Bargain Cuties!

The Do | Poble's Bobbles - most of the hair chalk has already washed away. So the two weeks advertised is pushing it! I'd say I've got two more washes before all trace has gone. Which means you either do it yourself or have it done at the hairdressers when you've got something fancy on. Or you can use ordinary chalk to colour it for one wash - or if you really like the effect - use a semi permanent dye.

It was a lovely experiment. I like it a lot - so I'm contemplating getting a semi-on... Oh no I di'nt!

Oh yes I blinking did!

Day 11 | C'est Violette!

Hello!

Late entry for today's little ensemble. It's changed a couple of times today. For brunch I headed out with the dark green, suede, Red or Dead booties, purple silk scarf and a beautiful Missoni cardigan which will feature again soon.

One delicious Bubble and Squeak with smoked bacon and a perfectly poached egg later - and an hour or so in the sunny window - and I was panting on the way home! So a quick chimmy changeo was called for and I headed out to my hair appt minus cardi, and plus my trusty flats. There was some yomping to be done to get there on time!

So here we are then - back home after a 3 hour trip to the wonderful Charlie. I arrived feeling a bit frumpy and forlorn and we discussed tactics. I am growing out the blonde - which is a bit operation and in the meantime I'm blending in the grey - going for a greige vibe with the end game of a chic, grey fox do. Embracing my grey and rocking it into my mid 50s.

Well that's the plan - the reality has been a little less exciting. My hair hasn't gone a wonderful steely grey all over - far from it - and the amount of colour still in it - means that it looks like the pelt of an ageing rat! Not the look I was aiming for.

Help is most definitely at hand - Miss Charlie is one of the best colourists I've ever come across and let me tell you - I've been to many, many in my years as a signed up member of Hair Whores Anon. She's dumped a tint on my hair that is used on brassy blondes to tone down the yellow and give it an ashy look. I don't have this issue - so what it has done is allowed the grey to shine and added a sort of purple haze!

While we were chatting I mentioned the hair chalks in the window and how much I love one of the hairdressers' faded out purple/blueypurple hair and before we could yell 'Squeeee'... we decided to have a blinking go! Result... In fact a very chic grey/purple tint - bumped up with some serious purple cred through the front and there's loads in the back underneath - so when Poble's Bobbles are in place - you'll see purple through the back!

I'm really happy - and I feel transformed from middle aged frump-o-rama into a cool - chic older woman with a bit of edge a bit of Grrrrrrr!

So here are the details:

The Dress: Worn as it was designed to be worn.

The Rest: Super soft, slate grey tee shirt - Whistles. Brown starburst tights - no idea, had 'em years. Wonderful dark, sagey green leather and fabric bomber jacket. Charity Shop find! (I KNOW - right?!)

The Shoes: Clarks, punched brogues - I want these in every colour before the trend dies and I can't get the so easily. I think punched brogues may be my 'shoe-thing'. I just can't do stab heels for more than a couple of hours these days... Sigh!

The Eyewear: Charity Shop - emergency buy. £2.00.

The Do: Charlie at AKA Bristol - L'Oreal deep conditioning treatment, purple hair chalk. We're talking blow-dry, hot irons, and PRODUCT! Every 4 - 6 weeks without fail. I wear my hair every day - and if it looks good - I feel good! So there...

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!