A Happy Mess

Well, I thought I would try this photo for Patti's Visible Monday on her blog: Not Dead Yet Style but it appears I have missed the boat.  Oh well..... 



I titled this post, and its caption, A Happy Mess, because basically, that's what I look like (in my own eyes).  I can see that my fringe (bangs in North America) need a trim, and my belt is a bit askew, and I'm urging Gorgeous Husband to hurry up and take the photo, as he's dashing off to be somewhere else.  All in all, not really "polished".  And you know what, that's just fine with me.  Perfection can wait until tomorrow.

Jacket, shirt:  charity shop

Brown belt:  gift

Black skirt:  so old it can vote

Also a lovely striped T shirt cuffs showing, but not on this photo (drat!)

A big thanks to Style Crone!

Well, what a wonderful birthday, culminating in the fanastic post by Judith of  stylecrone.com  With the time difference between England and the USA, it was the last thing I saw in what had to be a red banner birthday.  Honestly, I was in a blizzard of good wishes all day, cards, presents and being with fabulous people.  It did remind me of a photo I have of one of my birthdays as a child, where I was standing outside our front door (in the freezing cold) with a gathering of my little chums.  Isn't it great that as you age, you can still go back in time in your mind, and feel the same way?  Marvellous!

Seeing as Judith was kind enough to mention I'd been to the film location of Downton Abbey, I thought I would squeeze another minute of fame out of that marvellous day.  This is to show people who were not following my blog way back in November last year.

Gorgeous Husband and I were lucky enough to get our mugs on the screen quite a lot during the documentary that the Australian crew were filming.  I would feel guilty about hogging the limelight, except I wasn't doing the editing, so we had no idea until we saw the video clip how much we featured.

We travelled to Highclere Castle from Shrewsbury with pandptours who specialize in tours of film locations.  Especially lovely country houses where Jane Austin films were filmed. 

We went in a white van, and stopping along the way at the roadside services, we did create a bit of a stir wearing these outfits.  I guess not everyone gets their petrol expecting to see someone who is in a period drama.  (Well, in my own mind anyway!)  It just added to the fun.

Again, many thanks to Judith, who has been a blogger extraordinaire.  She has inspired so many of us, like myself and Jean of drossintogold.com.  A wonderful happy birthday to the three of us.

The turquoise gloves get to go out

Sorry this photo is a bit overexposed, but hopefully it's not too bad.  I meant to show off the turquoise felt flower pin on my label along with the turquoise gloves and scarf, but it looks like you will have to take my word for it, as it is on the other shoulder.  They don't exactly match, but they all play in the same orchestra, so to speak.

This is me not far from our house, on the way to church yesterday.  I thought I might have a go at posting it on Patti's Visible Monday on the blog: Not Dead Yet

A positively lovely pinkish coat grabbed me today, but I think I have to change its sleeves, so watch this space for a coming attraction!

Has Someone scattered Ugly Dust on my Wardrobe?

Has anyone had a day like this?  Overslept by an hour, couldn't find the dress I had planned to wear, misjudged the amount of time it would take to get to the early networking meeting, so I arrived breathless and panting.  Of course, it started to spit rain as I rushed to arrive on time, but not really enough to put up an umbrella.  Just enough to make my hair look like it had been in the spin dryer. Great first impression!

For some reason, all my wardrobe lately seems to have been sprinkled with Ugly Dust.  I used to like all my clothes, and put together outfits that I really felt great in, and then, ka-pow, suddenly it's all "not right".  Take this morning's fiasco, when coat, dress, boots, handbag and carrier bag of stuff I needed for the day's meetings all looked they had been in a fight. 

Anyway, I did manage to pull this look off a little later in the day.  The reason that it's a close up is because those are the bits that worked.   I do like the scarf though.  I knitted that, and I'm really pleased that it isn't an unfinished project.  Well, tomorrow's another day, right?

The Red Hatters meet

This is a meeting of the Red Hat Society ladies some time ago.  For those not familiar with the Red Hat concept, it comes from a poem by Jenny Joseph that begins, "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple

with a red hat that doesn't go and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension money on brandy and summer gloves

and satin candles and say we've no money for butter......"

The whole premise is that she has been too frugal, too conscienscous, too careful, too mild-mannered all her life, and in her old age is going to behave outrageously, and if folks, don't like it, tough!!

So, here I am at the Red Hatters (I'm the one in gray... in keeping with the rebellious note of the poem, I'm not wearing purple!)  All we seem to do is drink coffee and gossip and giggle, but that seems to be enough.  Occasionally, they go bowling, although I'm not up for that.

Interestingly, even though the whole ethos of the poem is "rebelliousness in old age" I find it amusing that as soon as the meeting is over, most of the ladies take off their red hats and put them in a bag to carry home.  They are rebellious, but only in the safety of a group.  Other than that, they want to look like everyone else!

These boots are made for walking, Nancy Sinatra said.

Well, we had a day that resembled spring the other day, so I took my new cowboy boots out walking.  They are surprisingly comfortable, considering they have needle sharp toes.  Probably because my toes aren't anywhere near the end of the boot!  They do have lovely cream stitching on the carmel brown leather, so I'm quite pleased with them.  Only £9 at a stall in our local antique market.  I don't in a million years think they are antique, but they fit, and I'm a sucker for boots.  What can I say?  They followed me home.

This is my new red hair, which I'm still not sure is the real me.  I'm getting used to it.  No one has fainted yet, and Gorgeous Husband didn't even notice.  However, to be fair, he is colour blind, so it's not all his fault.

I do like my H &M blazer as well, because it is almost impossible to look bad wearing it.