My 18-piece Wardrobe #4

"The Party's over, it's time to call it a day ..."


The Dip

Day 10, Tuesday

Yes, the 18-piece Wardrobe Party is over.  I'd set myself 10 days for the discipline. 
Here's what I wore on my last day.

Pink BHS cardi similar here, with M&S black/white  jersey print top and white Peacock crops.  The shoes are from Clarks here, currently a bargain at 50% off.

Clarks shoes, ipso facto - they are so comfy!

Just a heads up on these - the front leather piece cut into my toes in my regular size, so I went up half a size and they are just dandy. Fortunately, Clarks has a extensive range of half sizes and width fittings too.  Good news for us "old" ladies.

At the risk of repeating myself, buying shoes these days is a real Cinderalla affair.

But enough of this old lady stuff, how did this 18-piece drive-through work for me?  Well, I liked having a very neatly arranged selection of clothes to sift through each day.  But I did start to feel a bit samey.  Now that I have test-driven the concept, I will do it again because of that very fact, but with more thought given to my 18 piece selection.  Why not give it a try too?

The Dive

We spent our last evening of the holiday at a traditional inn serving traditional food.

 

Prawn Cocktail to start, it doesn't get more traditional than that!

 Good old British Fish and Chips - I didn't manage to get through even half of this gigantic piece of cod!

 

But I did help my fellow-diner out with his Belgian waffle affair! 

A three course meal with loads of choice was just £10.

It's just a shame there was no pussycat back home that night to surprise with a tasty fish left-over catty-bag!

Day 11, Homeward Bound.

 "I'm sitting at a railway station, got a ticket for my destina-a-tion, oo-oo-oohh ..."

Despite the threat of train disruptions this week, after just a short wait at said railway station, my destination was reached in good time.

In good time, because I allow myself ample time to enjoy this ... 



at The Caviar House and Prunier at London Gatwick, here.

What an elegant way to wait for a plane.  It's become a sort of tradition.

A leisurely seafood dish and a fine Sancerre.  

A departure screen to keep an eye on the flight.  

People to watch, fellow-diners to chat to, crosswords to complete.

So, safely back home. Back to mounds of post to sift through.  Back to grass to mow and hair to cut - both have gone a bit crazy.  And back home to my purring shadow - to say the cat was pleased to see his Mummy would be an understatement, he hasn't left my side for 24 hours!


A la perchoine.

  



My 18-piece Wardrobe #3. With Bonus Feature, The Dive!

I realise I have a tendency to ramble!

You may have the time and the inclination to ramble with me, to dive in with me headlong.  

You may only have time to dip your toe in the water.

I'll make the choice easy for you. 

If things are going to stretch a little, I'm going

to give you the dip or dive option.  Hope that helps. So,

The Dip

Day 8, Saturday

I've cleared up and cleaned up after last night's supper party, now it's time to spend some girlie-time with Cousin Top Cat.

M&S bottom, Primani tops, both in stone; Navy Primani slouch cardi.

Day 9, Sunday

"It's beginning to feel a lot like summer!"

I've been sleeveless today!

Next top, Peacock crops

Ready to walk along the promenade to meet the family for coffee.

Old Per Una cardi as it's a bit breezy along the sea front.

The Dive

The sea front - that's got my mind a-wandering' onto ...

The Shingle Beach.  (a.k.a. "The Bonus Feature" or my new "Dive" approach!)

It does really feel like the first day of summer.  The temperature has been in the mid-20s.  The beach has drawn folk like a magnet today.  They've been up with the lark to set up camp for the day.  With windbreaks and camp chairs, or the more spontaneous beacher just lying on the shingle (seen just behind me) - ouch!

At Birling Gap earlier this week.  It's rife!

To get to this lady's uncomfortable shingle bed is a slow process.  

The sea erodes the chalk cliffs along this coastline.

The sea then washes the chalk off the broken-off pieces, revealing the flint underneath. 

 Over time those jagged pieces of flint are smoothed by the sea's pounding into smoothly-rounded pebbles which are rolled ashore.  Et voila, flint shingle beaches. 

I learned that this week.  I love learning.  Thanks, TC's hubby!

 But let's return to the beach after that little geological detour, and back to The Now, Sunday morning.

The beach huts have suddenly opened up along the prom; a couple sitting in deck chairs reading newspaper and book, another couple giving their hut a fresh lick of white paint after the winner's lashings, a family playing games whilst father BBQ's lunch.  

Little sailing boats bobbing along.  

Summer.  English seaside.  Nice.

I even did some gardening Sunday afternoon!  Cutting back shrubs.  A magnolia, lavender, chives, all nicely planted out.  But, of course, by the time I got to visit Aunty later ... swollen, itchy, runny eyes.  Yup, a hour's gardening and the hay fever's back :-(

Thanks for popping by to dip or dive with me today.

A La perchoine.

My 18-piece Wardrobe #2

Day 3,  Monday, May Day bank holiday

Traditionally, if the whole country's on holiday the weather's bad.  It rained.  Plus ca change.

But it was another day free from itchy-swollen-red-eye hay (tree pollen) fever. Yippee!

Are you suffering from tree pollen this year?

We met up with my "oldest" friend (featured here) and her hubby at The Lamb Inn, Pevensey Marsh.  Our friends are staying nearby for a few weeks.

To keep warm, Per Una top and Next Slim jeans.  Heeled sandals from Debenhams.  I think.

Layered with a navy Primani slouchey cardi for extra warmth!

Day 4, Tuesday

Sunny!  Warmish.  But I wasn't convinced.  So l wore light layers.

Taadaaah, the Per Una shirt I forgot to show previously.

With M&S navy cardi, Next v Slim jeans.

That's all I wore.  All day.  No jacket.  Is this what spring feels like?! 

Day 5,  Wednesday

.

I had a girlie day in Eastbourne with Cousin Top Cat.

Eastbourne Pier

White Peacock jeans and Primani slouchy cotton sweater.

Have I told you about these white jeans?  Ultra comfy, light for the suitcase, they dry in an instant ... and they're cheap as chips!

Day 6, Thursday

A trip to the garden centre for a magnolia to replace the one we killed :-(

We did some sightseeing along the way.

 

Birling Gap.  The sea is gradually eroding the cliffs along this coastline; houses balanced precariously on the cliff's edge.

Stripey Primani top, white jeans.  I get a new cotton scarf, Next!

And new comfy metallic-tipped flatties from the Clarks sale.

Day 7, Friday

A flowery jersey top from Next.  Who would have thought I'd like yellow so much?!  

And newly-pedicured feet!

I'm now a good way into my 18 piece wardrobe discipline.  I chose hastily.  I should have given more thought to my selection.  Being able to switch will help.

 I included dark things in case of colder weather, but that's pretty much all I've worn.  I'm feeling samey.  So my tip would be not to play too safe, mix in a few colours.  Or switch, quick!

However, I have a neat wardrobe, clothes are easy to find, easy to choose from and I rise to the daily challenge!

But I'm itchin' to get switchin'!

Maybe Perfect Spring Jackets could mix things up a bit ...

A La perchoine.

My 18-Piece Wardrobe #1

The lovely Janice of The Vivienne Files recently wrote this piece about an 18 piece mini-capusule wardrobe.  It appealed to me, as I could see how it could reduce early-morning stress and save time.

So, Friday, I selected my pieces for the next 10 days with a little faith that the weather here just has to warm up.

I chose light and some bright colours and some navy and grey for cooler days, just in case. 

As Janice instructed, I allowed these 18 items to hang on their own in the wardrobe.

It all looks so neat and organised in there.  A first!

So I can see benefits straight away.  I'll keep you posted on how I get on, starting with

Day 1, Saturday

  

Sunny and bright but a cool day.  My first day; my contingency plan has already kicked in.

I layered in warmer, darker, colours.   Here's the navy-based scarf from the National Trust Shop.

Peacocks grey jeggings with M&S navy cardi.  Underneath is a voile shirt/tunic thing in a grey/navy and mauve print.  I should have unbuttoned the cardi to show you it.  I'm not very good at this!

And I went here

 

Standen House, East Grinstead.  More on that soon.

Day 2, Sunday

Today feels warmer.  So I've brought out the bright!

Yellow cardi and old 7/8ths chinos, snakeskin flatties, all M&S with yellow vest, Next.

 

I first layered with the H&M denim shirt

but quickly switched to a warmer, thicker M&S sweater as there was a nip in the air ... 

which pleased The Photographer as he loves hanging around for wardrobe changes.  Not.

A close-up of my metal bracelet.  From a charity shop, 75p.  Bargain!

A pretty perfect spring day ... apart from the sea tipping to the right!

 

I strolled along bustling the seaside promenade

then passed by the sailing club

to meet up with the family for morning coffee.

Two days into test-driving Janice's 18 item wardrobe and I'm doing well.

The only fly in the ointment that I see is that after coffee, I picked up the first of the jackets in the beauty parade for The Perfect Spring Jacket.  If it's a keeper then I have to remove one item from the original 18 piece-er.  Thems the rules.  Oh dear.  Which piece do I ditch?  I can see obstacles here.

A la perchoine.