When AI and AC Meet

Hi my lovely ladies!

Something a little different today.

You may call me weird, but I have recently developed a strange obsession. 

I have found myself drawn to AI generated Pinterest pics of mature ladies.  There, I’ve said it, I’ve come out of the closet!

Weird, yes, but I’ve finally worked out why. 

Amazingly these clever AI bods must have researched what regular mature ladies wear on a day-to-day basis, not the stuff you see on Instagram or in YouTube videos but plain simple day-to-day wear.  

#atrendfreezone

And you know me, I love a style steal, so that’s what I’ve been doing.  Stealing.  Putting together outfits prescribed by AI with stuff already either in my current accidental capsule or grabbing items taking a rest in my upstairs wardrobe.  

So today I’m re-creating for you a few of my favourite drawn-to outfits.  Using blogger’s license, of course, as the body face and hair the clothes are draped around them aren’t a perfect match to the pics, for AI is a perfect world.   But you get my drift, this is an easy way to put an outfit together and one that we can wear in the lives that we now lead. Because sometimes I do get a little brain fog when thinking of what to take from the capsule each day, so this gives me the jolt I need.  Painting by numbers I always liken it to when doing a style steal, no need for thought or any particular skill.

Let’s get cracking with some AI steals!

AI Assumptions

Our base is turned up jeans and a white cami. 

Barefooting is commonplace.  

We mostly sport a scruffy updo.   

Our accessories are a glass of wine or a coffee mug, cute dogs and even cuter children. 

  Looks like that is our stereotype. 

Look #1

A print blouse in red hues

Seems we spend our days sipping something. 

The first try on was not a win. The white cami showed through the very fine silk chiffon. So this one won’t be happening again sadly.

But I’ve previously worn this diaphanous blouse with a pale blue cami and jeans, so maybe I won’t abandon this look quite yet.

Look #2

Double denim and lace 

This one was an exception to the prescribed “uniform”, switching the simple cami for a fancier lacy top. 

Now TP liked this look, so this will be a repeat. 

I added some dangly earrings as my hair was up. 

I then switched back to the cami for,

Look #3

Beige linen baggy shirt. 

This look requires drinking yet more wine.  And a dog.

I had the wine. 

Though these days it’s usually alcohol free.

(Yet another casualty of the aging process)

This is definitely something I wear through the summer, and you too probably?

Look #4

Baggy khaki linen shirt

(Seems we like linen and we need baggy!)

I had no small children to use as props for this outfit. 

So I used a coffee cup. 

Again, this is something I do wear throughout most of the year, though possibly in a little more of an ironed state!

You won’t be able to see this but I switched to green earrings. 

The style skims over the lumps and bumps and hides things when they need to be hidden so I can see how AI would’ve chosen this as it’s something we ladies wear a lot, n’est pas?

Look #4

A taupe cardi. 

I did think to grab next door’s dog for the shot, but TP persuaded me to just stick with the coffee cup.

An empty coffee mug is essential posing kit. 

And how many times do we mature ladies sling on this retirement uniform eh?

Look #6

Ivory v neck jumper

Well, still no dog prop on the scene, and crossed legged was a step (or an injury!) too far. 

So I stood.  I added chunky pearl earrings as I thought the look was a little posher than the others and needed some form of pearlage. 

Conclusion

A1 certainly gets us mature ladies.  These are all things I wear on the daily and feel comfortable in. Though not all of us have the cute dogs and small children accessories. 

There are still many other combos I want to try out and I certainly will do as we go through this sometimes challenging transition into summer.  Dressing this retired lady just got a whole lot easier!

Is copying A1 outfits something you’ve done or something that you quite like the idea of doing?

 Please don’t forget to leave a comment, and if you haven’t already subscribed then please please please do!

 

A la perchoine,

Mary x

Summerhouse Stalling

Hello, my lovies !

It’s Easter Monday as I write this, it’s sunny and warm, and this would be an ideal time to be hanging out around the summer house. Unfortunately that’s not going to happen, we’re a little behind with the programme this year.

Let’s see why. 

 The Summerhouse

This is how it started out in 2019.

I obviously used it a lot as I was forever posing for Instagram photographs here. 

But time moves on.

This wooden garden furniture is no longer around.  Well, I say no longer, it’s piled up in the wood pile currently so it is still around!  However, it lasted just under 20 years so I mustn’t complain.

This garden furniture, however, is holding up well, no doubt because I store it in the summer house every winter.

And there lies the problem. 

We’re waiting for the deck to be repainted so currently the garden furniture is still stored in that summer house.  Piled up to the gunnels.   And so we can’t use it. 

As I’m in a state of summerhouse stall, I had to remind myself of how in looks inside when not cluttered, so I read this post HERE.

Very inviting.  I want to be in there, sipping a G&T, or writing my best selling novel!

But on a positive note, the stall does give me thinking time, so I’ve been thinking about how to repaint the summer house which after six years of weather sorely needs it. I’ve come up with a few ideas on my Pinterest mood board.

I need to go from this mess. 

To maybe this, a putty colour. 

With an interior I can use. 

Greens are calling me. 

Maybe a pale grey. 

Decisions, decisions.

All I am sure about is this is where I am want to be very soon!

So I’m going to need to make a decision soon before the gardeners turn up at 7.30am with their eager beaver attitudes, armed with paint brushes and no paint to dip them in!  And believe me I am panicking with decision paralysis.  

The easy option is to just repaint it black.  What do you think?  Is that a cop out?

Take the easy road with just a spruce up in black?  Or should I go for something cutesy and pretty?

I’d love to hear which direction you think this summerhouse should go.

Maybe you have a summerhouse.   If you do, I’d love to know what you’ve done with yours. 

 Please don’t forget to leave a comment, and if you haven’t already subscribed then please please please do! 

A la perchoine,

Mary x

My Accidental Capsule - Spring Update

Hello my lovelies!

Yes, from the title of this post you will see that I’m a little late in posting a spring capsule.  But as I’m somewhat limited for hanging space (See how this came about in this post HERE), the capsule has been happily evolving behind the scenes; it has to keep with the spring programne as the days change from sunny and warm to constant rain as it is today. 

So what better time than a rainy day to see what I have in my mini wardrobe right now. 

A word  of warning. This ensemble is suited to a retired lady in her mid-70s, i.e. me, so don’t expect trendy new pieces!  But perhaps this is the range of clothes you have in your wardrobe too, so you can relate. 

Let’s start with bottoms, a good place to start when building up a capsule.

Bottoms - 4

Khaki jeans. 

Some form of beige trousers or chinos, I have 3 on the short list. 

Light wash jeans.

White jeans. 

Don’t think it’s warm enough for lightweight whites yet, though these may be an option 🤞☀️. 

Next step is tops.  I’m finding that long sleeve tees seem to be my go-to currently.

Long sleeve tops - 4

Plain navy

Sage/white, good for khaki and white jeans, beige too as I’ve recently worn that combo. 

Navy/camel.  Good with camel chinos, blue and white jeans.

Navy and white, works with everything.

Though am debating whether to use this finer stripe for spring.

Shirts - 2?

Stripes with a fluttering of embroidered sea birds.  

It looks best loose. 

2020

Fortunately there’s no pressure now to tummy tuck - the only way I could do a tummy tuck in 2025 is to have a tummy tuck first!

Stone coloured linen.  I’m debating this one and if I find myself not wearing it then it’ll go back in the archive wardrobe till summer. 

Cardis - 3

I’ve gone quite heavy on cardis as a cardigan is an absolute must at this time of year, both outdoors and in!

A long warmish layer is an essential . 

I’ve also added this shorter cream one to play around with in various outfits. 

And this lightweight navy cardi comes out every summer, it’s just the right length and sooo versatile. 

Total - 12/13

Just in Case Extras hanging in the Archive

I’ve put together a reserve of spring pieces, just in case we get lucky with some warmer weather.  In my dreams!

 

Any of these lighter weight navys and greys will slot in easily. 

The idea is that I can quickly do a switch/archive, making this a reactive and dynamic capsule.  

I’m rather keen to switch in some pretty duck egg blue, aqua and greens. 

Using neutral colours in my core capsule means that these pieces are pretty much interchangeable.

So that’s me done, finally!

How are you doing with your spring choices?

 Please don’t forget to leave a comment, and if you haven’t already subscribed then please please please do! 

A la perchoine,

Mary x