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 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 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.