My Staycation Postcard

I'm kicking off this post with my homage to Bridget Jones and her exceptional diary, for that is what it is - quite possibly The Greatest Book of Our Time.

Meals out 3, though weight has remained surprisingly stable

(note to self: cal. expenditure when stressing over dressing dressing for meal out evidently negates cals consumed; can incr. to 4 p.w.)

Days spent with grandchildren, 1.  Most enjoyable. (OK, that's not really where Bridget was in life!)

Quizzes in which sister and I have beaten brother, 1, v. Good. (note to self: be kinder to younger male sibling).

Fires lit - 1. (Guess Bridget didn't do cosy fires either due to constraints of tiny attic flat).

Alcohol - well, errrhhmm, some.  Could have done this one better.

Fags - 0.  OK, I'm not a smoker, can I count that?

Outfits made from core items, at least 7.

My Bridget Jones summary above is clearly in the "spirit-of" as some of it is definitely not Young Singleton, but it actually makes sense to have started in that way as I can see that it was, in fact,

 a pretty good week, all round. 

The Outfits

Clothes-wise it was v. good. 

One of the things I enjoy about being away from home is working with what clothes I have in the suitcase.  An enforced Capsule Wardrobe.  OK, finalising that holiday suitcase can get a bit messy (read frustrating and running over MANY days) but the end result is usually good.

So I decided to try dressing for a week here at home with a selected capsule wardrobe. 

Rather like a staycation.   

With pre-holiday excitement I selected my items last weekend and hung them on display on pegs in the bedroom, creating a budget hotel mood for my week's staycation!

Result:

1. Dressing each day was a doddle as no desperate rooting round in wardrobe was required. 

2. Displaying in that way meant I could see at a glance the mix n match potential. 

3. I enjoyed at least one different outfit each day, depending on what I was up to. 

4.  And this is the big one - hubs didn't endure any of my Dressing Dilemmas, for a week at least!

Did I feel limited on choice?  Definitely not and I could have worked happily with far less. 

Will I do this again?  Most definitely.  It made for such an easy week as I pitched the choice just right with my week's plans and as you can see from the few outfit samples below, I would have been able to work quite a few more variations with the core items selected. 

They weren't uber-stylish outfits but they worked for my lifestyle (and my age!)

Should I have thought to do this before now? Duh, yuh!

The smallprint. 

My 10 basic items were 2 jeans, 2 cardis, 1 jumper, 2 tops, 2 vest tops, 1 jacket; accessories were 2 prs boots, 3 scarves.  That little lot would easily fit in a carry-on.

Cardi similar here, black/white jersey print top SS15, black Per Una Roma jeggings, all M&S; black Gabor boots. 

It was chilly but that was good as we lit a fire!

 

Same cardi, jeans and boots worn with a black version  of M&S Limited Collection Modal vest; print scarf







Wearing charcoal long-line cardi (now on sale) with vest top, both Woolovers cashmere/merino. jeggings and boots as before, "hairy" print scarf.

Ready for Quiz Action.
Woolovers black cashmere/merino V-neck here, with same boots and  Next sculpt jeans, old but they're still doing them here; the East embellished wool scarf (so versatile, so warm) was a birthday pressi 18months ago but similar here

Forgive the windswept look - just returned from windy walk!

Next black safari-style jacket, years old, ivory Artigiano long sleeve modal top, about 10 years old but similar on sale at rock-bottom price!! Goodness Me! Same jeans and scarf as before, Clarks heeled booties, old.

The Meals

 Lunch with Son at Red Grill Bar

I'm not a big steak person but I shared a Chateaubriand with Son and Red's top quality meat selected made it a super meal.

The other meals were a Quiz supper at The Vault (result as above :-)) and La Perla; I've been going there since it opened and Tony pitches it consistently right on food quality, menu choice, price, ambiance and friendly staff.  Well done, Tony, keep doing what you do so well!!

The Aftermath Guilt-Trip

It's back to the salads for me!  Prawns in a tangy homemade Marie Rose dressing today.

Must dash now.  I'm off to pack for next week's Staycation!

A la perchoine.