That Glow of Achievement

Those quiet moments before your guests arrive.

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Sipping on a well-earned glass of fizz.

Smiling smugly. 

And with time to reflect.

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For the food has been prepped and I’ve been scrubbed up - I love that glow of satisfaction and anticipation that is those few moments between hard graft and party. 

I hosted my family Christmas party yesterday.  I love the opportunities we have to get together as one big happy family.  Of course, I always make far too much food.  Do you over-cater too?

These photos may display a feeling of calm and serenity.
But my party prepping was not without an eleventh hour panic.

Firstly, let me tell you that my sausage roll making is one of my Christmas family party traditions. I love making them for my guys and gals.

And you can’t beat a homemade sausage roll eh?

So the day before the party found me lovingly creating several different types of rolls using a whole range of flavoured sausages and fresh herbs.  These were possibly going to be my best creations to date.  Yes, I was feeling smug.

My Corny Christmas Playlist belted out as I chopped and rolled, creating a magicly festivite mood.
I was feeling smug and very, very happy.

Towards the end of prepping my sausage rolls, (enough to feed the entire parish!), I discovered one of my nails was without its glittery gel nail covering. Horror!!!

 I had no idea if it had fallen into the sausage mix or had dislodged itself before I started food prep.  And of course I couldn’t take a gamble with my family’s well-being.  And yes, the air was blue with angry expletives.
I stepped away from the sausage rolls.
When the anger finally melted away with a trickle of mothers’ ruin, boy was I disheartened.

 So as soon as M&S opened next morning I was in there clearing their shelves of sausage rolls.  They were Oakham-good of course, but I’m sure mine would have oozed that little more flavor with the extras that come from baking for those you love - thought, variety of flavors ... and maybe a glittery gel nail thrown into the mix!

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Outfit deets:

Sparkly bead trim knitted dress, Monsoon, current - I did warn you you’d be seeing it a lot!

Black wedge heels, Clark’s, old

Do you savour that little window before your guests arrive?  

When you’re more than a little exhausted after dashing crazily around the house as you tick off the zillion To Do items on your party prep list?

Do you celebrate your achievements with a glass of fizz?

What has been your fave or go-to socializing outfit this Christmas?
And have you had a Christmas cooking disaster too?!!!

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

P. s.  I’m case you’re wondering what happened to my abandoned sausage rolls :
TP spooned out the sausage mix and froze it for forensic investigation at a later date; the broken and battered pastry was binned.

Room for Expansion

Off for afternoon tea in off-white and grey.

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There’s something uber-comfy about a capacious sweater dress.  Add flat heeled grey suede knee boots and old lady Nora Batty tights into the equation and you’re on to a outfit winner perfect for stuffing yourself with sandwiches and Champagne afternoon tea at The Penninsula,  

Christmas-perfect.

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It’s good to take yourself away from all the Christmas preps for a short while.  And making that break a festive afternoon tea is gooder!

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Turkey and cranberry wrap with a warm gravy dip - genius. .

Mr and Mrs Snowman cakes - cute.

Double fizz because hubs was driving - perfection!

But TP looked happy enough even without the Prosecco.

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

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Giving Yourself Wriggle Room

A festive Afternoon Tea with Fizz at The Penninsula, Guernsey. 

TP was driving - I got double fizz.  Well, someone’s got to do it eh. 

The tea included a turkey and cranberry wrap with a warm gravy dip - genius!

This kind of afternoon calls for a capacious dress. 

It calls for light-touch festive decor. 

It calls for cheeky repositioning of Mrs Snowman’s head.

And it calls for the pat on the back you deserve for giving yourself a dress with plenty of room for tum-expansions.

Yes, this time of year we have to give ourselves outfits with wriggle room.

And this Monsoon sweater dress is easy wear looseness that’s needed for an afternoon such as this.       

And there will be many more ...

Do you dress with expansion in mind this time of year?

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

Outfit details (all old):

Ecru sweater dress - Monsoon

Grey suede knee boots, Next

Wrinkly knitted tights, knicked off Nora Batty’s washing line!

Monochrome Magic - Black

Hi peeps, I’m back with more monochrome!

Day 3 of the #monochromaticme challenge was my day for all-black as it seemed the perfect choice  for my first Christmas 🎄 dinner.   Can’t go wrong with black for out-out eh!!

A “rule” of monochrome dressing is that a same-colour outfit needs a mix of textures for definition and delineation and I’ve noted that the darker the colour the more texture mix is required.  And an all-black needs the texture piled on, which is what I did!

So my all-black outfit textures are:

Knitted dress with sequined shoulders, Monsoon, current

Velvet jacket, M&S, ca. 2000

Textured suede chunky heels, Clarks, 2015

And diamonds! @martinandmartinjewellers .

A slightly glitzed black knitted dress seemed the perfect choice for a December dinner.  Comfort, warmth, no fear of waist discomfort after a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, you get the picture eh?!  

Yet the touch of shoulder sequin gives a subtle glitzing that says “oh yes, and it’s Christmas, don’t ya know?”!

And a subtle draping of diamonds are a girl’s best friend at any time of the year!

A hint of diamonds was just the finish this simple outfit needed.

Black with a touch of glitz.

A la perchoine,

Mary x.

Me and my Hygienist

I am old, I wear green

Keep my teeth nice and clean

See my friend, see the sights, feel alright.

Oh paraphrase, how I've missed you.

So I tweaked the Supergrass classic because, well, I feel alright.

Friday saw me excitedly dressing for my trip to the hygienist.  Well, perhaps "excitedly" is pushing it a bit.  I dressed sensitively for the occasion.  Dressing is a influencer and it's vital that I pitch this one right, for I want mine to like me.

I usually go for something casual, for I don't want her to think I'm trying too hard but I do want to please her, make the experience good for us both.

Me "Quick photo shoot, please."

TP "But you're going to the hygienist!".

Me "Exactly."

So for this visit I chose green.  Green is calming, opined The Photographer.  To calm us both, I added, for I am not the easiest of patients!

Pretty silk scarf which is of many colours and green is one of them, apple green Monsoon jumper (v. old).   And navy cotton, err, not jeans ... slacks maybe?  Oh goodness, I've taken to wearing slacks, how old-lady is that?!  The, err, slacks are another £8 January sales bargain from M&S.

So there was much deliberation over what to wear for the hygienist, and it was ever thus (SEE HERE).  The important thing here is that she liked the green, she liked the scarf.  I confessed that I dress to please her so she'll like me - and  she says that she does!

 Dressing for the hygienist aside, and it really is an aside,  oral care is so important.  It affects our health in ways that are a mystery to me.  And here's the thing - my hygienist teaches me how to brush my teeth.  Teaches me, her 68 year old pupil. 

 Children these days are taught religiously how to keep their teeth nice and clean and their work is monitored daily.  When I was growing up you were given a toothbrush (if you were lucky!) and left to your own devices.  The result is that my hygienist is having to teach this old dog many new tricks.

Each time I see her she shows me a technique, or points me to an area that needs specific attention. And then I go home and work on it and three months later, it's nicely embedded in my cleaning routine.  She is now complementing me on my work.

So, result! I had a pleasant hygienisting experience and I think it was good for her too.  Seems I am keeping my teeth nice and clean.  

And I feel alright.

But she and I aren't just about the teeth.

Conversation:

She "Have you seen The Film ?"

Me "Yes"

She "Did you spot that red brick farmhouse?'

Me "Yes"  

She "We don't have red brick farmhouses!"

Me "Yes".

She "And what about the accents?  Not one Guernsey accent!"

Me "Oh yes, I've blogged about it".  

(By this time she'd removed water sucker and sonic booming instrument so I was able to respond with more than a "yyuerrzth").

And she's not even a Guern and yet she too was irked by that brick and all the other opportunities the film bods missed (See HERE).  It was a seminal moment, a bond was formed by that red brick faux pas.  She's my friend.

Anyway my new bestie liked my choice of green, she liked my oral hygiene work, and the brick farmhouse just about sealed it.  

Me and my hygienist,

we're alright.

A la perchoine.

How YOU Doin'?

How you doin'?

  I've just typed that in my best Joey voice.  Impressed?  Am I versatile or what?!

It's been a fraught week and one day soon I may man up and tell you about it.  So I haven't been doin' too well.  Nothing serious, but just ueberly serious to me.  However, today I'm keeping it light with an outfit post.  Oh how soothing they are.  I love reading others' outfit posts, especially when the daily grind grinds just that little bit too hard - they are the perfect antidote and bring a soothing glow to all that is dark.  IMHO. 

Recently I mentioned that I actually had some going out dates in my diary (SEE HERE).  Unusual for me.  This week started with a catch up meal with friends at The Imperial. 

When it came to attire, all I needed to do was check my post for outfit ideas.  And this one screamed at me. 

There is something about this simple winter white sweater dress that screams "wear me" for so many occasions and weathers.  I chose a simple strand of beads to accessorise, linking the colour to the boots.

Oh yes, my love affair with these berry knee boots continues!

A pash tied "fashionably scruffy" around the neck to ward off the evening cold air, and I was good to go.

The Photographer has a huge dislike of my badly tied scarfage but sometimes a gal's gotta focus on health and not style, eh?

I'm my most humble of opinions, winter white and simple berry boots and accessories gives me all the cose and style I need, whilst making me feel just right for a February trip to a nice restaurant.

The Imperial Hotel was our destination.  It's situated at the south-western most tip of the island.  The drive along the coast to the restaurant is so uplifting.

The restaurant has uplifting views too.

We dined up here.

The hotel is the larger white house on the left above.  Of course, we could have taken a leisurely stroll along the beach after eating.

We could have watched the sun set over the bay of this pretty little fisherman's harbour.

But we did none of those things.  It was evening.  February. The elements which make up cold and dark winter's night.  So we went straight home after dinner.

Oh how I am looking forward to spring and summer light evenings.  An evening stroll.  You too?  Have you had your fill of winter now?  Are you ready to pack up the winter whites and the berry boots?  Are you ready for white jeans and loafers?

You know, right now I wondering How You Doin'?

A la perchoine.

The Loneliness of The Last Minute Berry Dresser

I've got a fair few dates lined up for the next month or so.  Who would have thought February would be so busy, socially?  But TP and I have suddenly become, err, popular!

Or could it be that people are taking pity on us old fogies ... Pout & TP don't get out much, do they?

Whatever their rationale, I'm thankful to them.  And  when it dawned on me that my diary actually had some entries in it, I decided that I should get myself organised with outfits.  Because unfortunately I'm the sort of person who sits around filling in sudukos or crosswords up until about 10 minutes before out-the-door time.  There's always a mad panic and TP hates it.  He calls me (fondly, I like to think) Last Minute Mary. 

So perhaps getting my outfits organised is my Valentine's gift to him, because heavens knows, he deserves a romantic gesture from me - I've realised from reading other bloggers' posts this morning that I fail abysmally in the romantic stakes and I really should pull my socks up.  Or rather pull my opaques up, because I think this is the direction I'm headed for my dates.

I realised soon after buying my gorgeous butter-soft M&S berry knee highs that I was experiencing last-minute dressing scrambles, trying to find opaques that went with them.  The boots needed a similar coloured opaque for certain outfits to create a solid line.  And bingo! These M&S opaques are spot-on in colour to match the boots.  Well it stands to reason, really -  a brand will come up with a colour like berry and should then use the same elements of colour in it across their range.

 Thus, the combo of boots and opaques now creates a solid backdrop for my grey sweater/dress. 

 So that's my top tip for today, if you're dealing with an esoteric colour and you want a perfect match,  stay faithful to the brand and follow through with other purchases.

Any other coloured opaques would have broken up the line of this, my Monsoon winter white sweater dress.  Now it's a simple foil for the rest of the berriness on display in this outfit.

OK, this was my first outfit of the try on and I really shouldn't be showing you this pic.  But I am. 

I'd come straight from washing out my make up bag and, true to form, most of the water ended up on my clothing.  I'm a water sign, go figure.

I tried to cover my messy work with my hands.  Didn't do a very good job, huh?!

Back in serious mode, I tried on this simple black jersey dress and followed through the berriness of the bottom half with a v. old layered necklace. 

Then I moved on to skirts and here my old H&M flippy paisley skirt got a look in as it has a red/berry element in the print.  I firstly tried it with a metallic longline sweater, for an easy look.

But then it inspired me to go even easier with a black polo neck and some silver layering necklaces.  I really liked this look.  It felt Me.

So then I took this polo neck down the whole Left Bank route.  My old leather skirt creates a simple line yet the shine of the leather breaks up the blackedness of the outfit.

I felt that this combo was so simple that it could easily handle a third pendant.

So let's bring in some more berry now.  A fluted sleeve top hooks in the berried legline and the black chunky necklace links in the skirt's black.  All this outfit needs, really.

And then I just got silly.  I went the "sack tied in the middle" route, just for fun you understand.

I tried a deep belt over a jersey top.  If I did ever dare to actually wear this belted look, it would need something berry and gold around the neckline.  Not sure how I'd put that together, maybe just a berry pash and a gold necklace layering would be the answer here.  IF I dared to go out looking like a sack tied in the middle, that is.

Perhaps hooking the leg colour with a same-coloured belt is the answer?  Well, I think the answer is that by this time I'd taken silly as far as it could go and I don't think TP was sharing the humour in the room.  So I brought the trying on session to an abrupt halt.  Or rather, he did!

But irritating TP aside, I think this was a pretty good exercise. 

 I wanted to create a colour block with the boots and opaques and I think I can definitely tick the box with this M&S colour matching.

And I wanted a few outfits in my arsenal so that I can leave getting ready to go out until the absolute last minute.  So now, all I need do on the night is to pop my head out the door to check the weather, check the diary to see where I'm going and with whom, then go to this post and choose the outfit.

What a lifeline for a suduko addict!

Through this process, I've found myself some fave outfits for the various locations we'll probably be hitting, from the cosy grey sweater dress through to pretty flippy skirt territory.  And I even have my black leather existentialist outfit to call on should I be going through a Jean Paul Satre period.

However, if the weather is going to be as cold (and maybe as snowy) as the weather man is telling me right now, then maybe the option of some jeanage on the legs and more practical footwear might be required on the night.  Hmmmnn, that means a whole alternative suite of outfits to weapon-up with.  Dare I broach this with TP right now?

I like having these seasonal try-on sessions.  I then keep photos as aide-memoires and create hangers with whole outfits and accessories together.  This allows for quick last-minute dressing.  For that is the type of dresser I am.

Are you a last-minute dresser?

Do you create outfits ahead of time?  Or is it a mad scramble at the last minute?

Oh, go on, tell me you start the getting ready process three hours before taxi time and I'm alone on this!  Aahhh, the loneliness of the Last Minute Dresser ...

A la perchoine.

Licensed To Frill

Well, dearies, I went out for my Christmas dinner with my girlie cousins a few days ago and I impressed myself, for I stuck to plan.  During a free-for-all outing trying session recently here I stumbled upon a super combo of silky frilled tunic and coated biker jeans.  Perfect for the night out with the girls I had in my diary.

But I needed another layer for 'tis the season of iffy temperatures, inside and out.

As reward for taking hurried shots of me before I left the house, I let The Photographer choose my 2nd layer.



I thought he might like the neatness of this little round-collared black velvet jacket. 

But no, he doesn't go a bundle on shirts hanging down below top layers, so this jacket was cast aside.

I thought TP might light this long line Monsoon cardi, for I felt it followed the foppish look of the New Romantics style frilled top.  But it was a no to this too, though no explanation was offered and when having photos taking hurriedly I know better than to ask for him to justify his view.

So, with the clock ticking and his patience being stretched to its max, I threw on this oversized tuxedo.  Feminine frilly offset by masculine tailoring.

"Yes, I'm liking that one" said TP. 

"Is it because it is the one I'm wearing and you want me out the house?" I enquired, based on previous similar situations where his choice and a ticking clock abutted.

"No!" was his immediate response.  "It is the best look".

Well, I was not going to argue with The Photographer With Fashion Views.  Tux, it was.

I managed to sneak in a James Bond shot.  The Pout, Licensed To Frill.

And then a Batman shot in my cape coat worn for the journey.

With that, my window of photo snapping opportunity was closed and I was ushered out the door, on my way to an evening of chat and festive cheer.

Keeping to plan makes for stress-free dressing, ladies.  I really do wish I could keep this up.

A la perchoine.