Fashion Faux Pas?

I wore my latest eBay purchase to work today, unironed and in sheer desperation. When I put it on this morning there was a part of me that felt like I was wearing a party dress to work, but I decided that I could live with that so long as I had something to wear that I hadn't already worn this week.

I love the colour, I love the style, I am however a little annoyed at the sizing and it highlights my point regarding RTW clothing exactly. I took a risk on this eBay purchase as it was listed as a size 10 and I wasn't entirely confident my rib cage hadn't gotten bigger along with my waistline. This fits more like a size 12 on me and goes to show that Next just isn't playing fairly.

I know it's too big for me because Julie, one of the other women in the office, came in to work this morning in the exact same dress. Hers fits her perfectly and looks much nicer. We'd both paired it with black Mary Jane shoes (of differing styles thank goodness!) and a black top layer (Julie had a cardigan and I had a jacket). Julie had black tights and I was wearing my Nora Batty's but we still had to run around and hide from each other throughout the day (a little difficult when at a buffet lunch with 20 other people in a narrow corridor, particularly after Julie came and sat next to me!).

This isn't even a dress I can bbzzzzzz up the sides to make it a little smaller, it has a side closure using buttons ... which go all the way up to the armpit, making it a little difficult to close and open by yourself. I'm considering just refashioning it into a shirt or something as I love the colour so much but am a little afraid of ending up with nothing, or (as per usual) something 6 inches too big. At least as it stands now the dress is only about an inch or so too big!

Dress: Next via eBay
Shoes: I Heart Shoes 

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Guest Giveaway: My Happy Sewing Place { Again! }

Debi, of My Happy Sewing Place, is currently running a giveaway to celebrate her 200th follower. If you haven't already checked out her blog I highly recommend it, she's sewn some fabulous clothes from vintage patterns and every single one of them looks amazing.

She's currently giving away several patterns from across the decades and all you need to do to win is follow her blog and post a comment. So get thee over there quick smart, the giveaway closes on Wednesday 13th and the winners will be drawn on the 15th. Oh, and it gets better, she'll ship internationally!

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Llundain Town

Ridiculous time to have to leave

Just time for a quick outfit shot

Local train station - heading to Cardiff

Welcome to the Heart and Soul of Wales

Mmmm, Starbucks - something to perk up the 3 hour bus journey to London

Sarah and I

Rather speaks for itself?

L-R: Me, Liam, Amita and Sarah

L-R: Sheena, Amy (all the way from Canada!) and I

Me and Liam

L-R: Sheena, Amita, Amy, Sarah and I

L-R: Sheena, Me, Sarah and Amita

Amita's silliness is legendary ...

... as is everyone elses I know

I think it safe to say a good time was had by all.

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Road Trip ... Erm ... Bus/ Train Trip!

I've got the soundtrack to Glee all ready to go. I've booked my bus ticket to and my train ticket from London. I've picked out the book I'm taking with me ... sort of, because there's also this and I haven't even read this yet.

But I haven't a clue what to wear. Help!

This is the first time I've been back to London since my move to Wales in 2006. Well, I've been back a couple of times for meetings at the BBC that went more like, train, tube, meeting, tube, train. But I've not been back for pleasure for damn near 4 years.

The last time I was in London I had bad hair (believe it or not but it's actually better now), I wore baggy clothes (mostly from the menswear department) and no make-up. The people I'm going to see have seen me drunk, asleep, half naked*, wearing Liam's clothes, on the dance floor and in minus degree weather. Erm, not all at the same time.

So of course the order of the day is to look as svelte as possible when one has no waist, beautiful (obviously and nothing to do with the fact that one of the guys I'm having lunch with was a not so secret crush whilst at college), stylish and comfortable. If I'm going to be spending roughly six hours on public transport I want to do so comfortably.

I've narrowed it down to three outfits and this is where you come in. It's almost like one of those choose your own adventure books, except you don't get anything further out of it so maybe it's not at all. But I'd like your opinions on all three to help narrow down which one would be best suited for a day trip to London, lunch, drinks and a bit of shopping (and let's not forget public transport, it's going to be painful enough to warrant several mentions I think!).

Comfy flat boots (that still squeak a little, must dig out more hair conditioner to sort that!). Nora Batty socks, 3/4 jeans, white shirt and peacock blue cardi with brown belt. Comfy is the word. This is an outfit that wouldn't be out of place on me in the company I'm going to be hanging with, it's similar to what they're used to seeing on me just a little more my size.

Outfit Number Two! Latest eBay acquisition in a bluey-purple. I wasn't sure what shoes so I just randomly picked two. The reds are another latest eBay acquisition that arrived this morning (yay!).

Comfy dress and granddad top, Nora Batty socks and fave T-Bar shoes evah.

A note on the pose: this is my 'oh my god, what are you eating ... no, no, nono, not on the bed!
... damnit' look

Bonus Outfit! I threw this together as an after thought. Fave new jeans (yes, I slipped, I bought ready to wear) and an old shirt that's oh so comfy (but a little tight when sitting).

Oh, and hey! Look what I found!

Some shape to my body, who knew?! ;)

* I want to stress that this is not because I prance around half naked at any given opportunity despite what some people might recollect from a night at college involving cookies and a strange green plant. This was in fact down to a theme night and a bedroom filled with boys putting on my make-up far better than I ever could when I stumbled out of the shower in only a towel (as you do when you think your room is empty) and to be completely and utterly honest I don't think a single one of them noticed. Not sure what's more depressing ;)

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Outfit Round-Up { Tuesday }

I was feeling the French vibe so I bust out my La Redoute Shirt Dress. I'm not particularly comfortable wearing things this short (or this short and baggy) and I get the sense looking at these photos that I maybe look a little like a blur of fabric on sticks but hey ho! I was running out of ideas.

Dress: La Redoute
Socks: eBay
Shoes: Hush Puppy via Amazon

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