How Quickly Black Came Back!

OK, my Super Fashionable Friends - the question on everyone's lips at the moment is...

<FANFARE>  (I can hear the trumpets...)

To Culotte or not? How Fashion are you? I think I'm going to sit this one out. I'd rather go for knee-length shorts (which I've been wearing for years actually). Anyhow, back to Culottes. Now, I have nothing against Man Repeller fashion - quite the contrary - but I'd rather have a mid-length, A-Line skirt. You decide.

What happens when I'm quoted back to myself? As I'm still looking for this "Dress for a black tie event" (the black, backless one still on my mind - was thinking of trying it on with a different strapless bra...) So I went shopping and I mentioned the long-sleeved backless dress to Remy, the Manager Supremo of Dior in Sloane Street and what do you think happened next? Actually, I've already told you - he turned to me and said, "But Mrs Peters, what about Back Crepe?" I looked at him in astonishment. He read my blog! Actually, he could quote me on other blog topics as well! I was so flattered and, quite frankly, amazed (how did he get to hear about it?) You could have knocked me down with the feathered hem of a cocktail dress! As luck would have it I was already sitting down drinking a glass of lovely chilled champagne (the only way to shop - wait until my next M&S fashion spree with my Mother in Pudsey. I shall insist on a cold glass. Always helps with the trolley dash). What a surprise it was! And, you know, I hate to admit it, but he was right. It's just that I have big problem letting go. My problem may be solved though. I tried on a dress that could be perfect and has an age-appropriate low back. The only trouble being it's too big. So, I'll have to see what happens in the smaller size. Please don't ask what colour it is... Look, I've been trying but... OK, OK it's black. Yes, that's right - it's Black! Doesn't come in another colour - I asked. Will report later...

Hot News!! A very artistic, visually-minded friend of mine has changed my sitting room/dining room around. Sort of Feng Shui only not. And I'd have never believed it, but I'm so much happier with the seating arrangement and everybody who sees it agrees it's a much better use of space. I would never have thought that moving chairs around would make such a difference to me. Note to Self: Must stop being so cynical.

Never, ever throw anything out! Last week when the reviews of American Fashion Week (what's wrong with that statement???) Anyhow, I digress. Big Fur Collars are all around for next winter, and this winter as well as it's absolutely freezing. So I went to my Fur Fridge (who am I kidding - add to wishlist). I like a bit of fur, as those that know me can testify. I have also always kept collars from coats past and, lo and behold, in my collar section I found a giant fox collar that I (wait for this...) had no time to sew on, so I safety pinned it to an even older brown Duster coat. Remember I've told you about brown? I put a belt around my waist and off I went (Hey Presto! New Look...). And it cost me absolutely nothing - brilliant! If only the rain would stop. Rain and I are not good friends. My hair loses it's curl, my shoes get ruined and my long trousers - I don't need to paint a picture do I?

My last thought for this letter concerns the repugnant Chelsea fans on the Paris Metro. It's an absolute disgrace! As they've been identified I hope that our justice system takes a leaf out of the French book where they have a minimum three-year custodial sentence for this type of verbal assault. What has happened to Tolerance, Common Decency and Equality?

Keep warm, keep dry and above all - always be friendly (it costs nothing).

Happy Shopping

F   XX

How to Oscar

Shopping 0 - Social Events 7

The only shops I've been anywhere near last week are Waitrose, Panzers delicatessen, and Menachem's the Butchers.

I gave a drinks party at my home - more entertaining! So let's gets this right. Seven social events in one week and I made a drinks party. Plus, my ordinary life as well. I should point out that when I say I made it, I made it! No caterers - just myself and Pepi my genius waitress (trained at Tony Page). So totally cool in a crisis (unlike Moi!)

Unaccustomed as I am to this much social activity, I made it through with only the faintest signs of wear-and-tear. I'm suffering from one swollen eyelid (too much RapidLash I think). But it's the most brilliant product for those of us not blessed with long eyelashes. A rest, I feel, is needed from this product (does that mean my long lashes will shrivel up? Will report later...)

So how did I do, I hear you ask. Not bad - not bad at all. With a variety of lunches and dinners and only one friend present at all functions, dressing was remarkably easy. Everything was back from alterations or dry cleaners and with lots of gym work, everything fitted and lots to choose from. Only one drawback - my beloved hairdresser Michele decided to go to Italy for the week. So, not a full week of curls. Well not really a drama, but I can tell you that at one point in my life this would have been a Disaster. It's surprising how things change as you get older (don't sweat the small stuff anymore!)

Which brings me to poor, beautiful Uma Thurman. So much has been said and so many column inches devoted to her look on the red carpet in New York last week. I said right from the off that all she'd done was alter her makeup and hair. This is the new look for red lips and I applaud her fashion style. "But No, she must have had surgery, a la Ms Zellweger." Uma had to give an interview to defend herself. As if! I wonder, has anyone one looked at pictures of a young George Clooney and looked at him now? (especially in Speedos) ... No, I bet they haven't. It seems we women are such easy targets these days. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Which brings me to the wife of actor Eddie Redmayne. Hannah Redmayne is on every red carpet with her husband and although not famous, is it necessary to critique her as if she were? When I've seen her she's looked pretty and very put together. Stop having a go! Critique Madge etc. but not someone who's only on camera by default.

Maybe when my eyes are not so swollen I'll try the Red Lip-No Mascara Look. I think I'm a tad old for this, although in my defence this is even before I've done it. Only the young and very fresh-faced need apply...

Did I see any fashion at all these events? Ummmm... I'm thinking... Nothing really stuck out. Still lots of black dressing. Did I add to the black tally? One black, sleeveless cashmere tank and one pair of black cigarette trousers. Not, I hasten to add, worn together. So not bad out of all those events. As I was parking my car in my neighbourhood High Street, a group of four women passed in identical outfits. Black padded jackets, black jeans, black boots. Are they all having identical identity crises? I went to an all-star sale at Sotheby's and on viewing what we were wearing, black was the colour of choice (I should mention that I wore pale grey and winter white). So my question is, have we lost all desire to be individual?

Which brings me neatly to my last note this week. I heard some gossip! About me! One overriding fact that has aways been with me is my loyalty, be it fashion brands, husbands, friends, hairdressers, beauticians - the last being the gossip. I heard recently that I left my last manicurist (we were together at least 20 years) because of the rising cost! I left because I wouldn't stand for her business partners' rudeness and didn't like the other women who frequented the salon at surrounding times to me. So I went somewhere else. But to hear that I left for another reason makes me laugh. And I'm not famous! Can you imagine how horrid it must be to open a paper or magazine and read lies about yourself that the entire population has access to.

Just remember to be careful out there! We all have ears, it's just that some of us are deaf with no memory of what we heard. Which is how fragments turn into truths, turn into gossip.

Lies, lies and damn lies!

Happy Shopping!

F   XX

How to Black Dress

Shape-Shifting

What is happening out there?! On Monday, I was all about making this letter about the search for being the slimmest shape (without being skin and bone), oh-so-fashionable for us women at present. Then, I read in The Times, about Professor David Bainbridge who has written a book called Curveology. He has discovered (not news to us) that full-hipped women are what has kept society going and can produce the brightest offspring... (Beyonce and KKW for shape's best examples). Anyone with a beautiful, generous bottom will of course agree. That evening I went to the Dior show for the new summer season. Full-bustled skirts, but with huge exaggerated backsides - see KKW selfies of her backside and you'll understand the shape, only magnified 100%.

So what's the story, morning glory? What's the word, Hummingbird? I don't know. The Louis Vuitton Show last night did not exaggerate anything, except the need to be sooooo slim and very young. Well, I'll never be young again and although I have been very very slim in my life, it's not I think going to happen again. And at my age, that slim can really have very adverse effects on one's face. In fact, make the bearer look much, much older despite all the botox, fillers, neck lifts etc. I don't want my body to resemble that of a young boy, with the face of (... I'll let you fill that in.).

So the answer is - slim, with a huge bottom. And the old fear of "Does my bum look big in this?" has turned 360 degrees. It is now something to be flattered by instead of feared. You do know that instead of having our busts made bigger, now it's a bottom-enhancement that is the most desired. Which still leads me the dilemma - what body-shape? Well, you'll be thrilled to hear I've thought about this dilemma for... all of 25 seconds! Surely that's enough time? And I've decided that I'm perfect for me. OK, a few pounds lighter is always a wish and some days it happens. And then I go out and I'm back where I started. But the thing I stopped doing years ago was getting weighed. I could let the numbers at my feet, really control my mood, my day, my life - no more! Now I have my small trousers and skirt. That's all I need. I just try them on and see how they fit and go from there.

In a not all together unrelated topic (shape-shifting of sorts) my sequinned sleeves came back mid-week, turning a skirt into a short polo top, yoke and sleeves (sequinned). See what I mean? I wore it to the aforementioned LV trunk show and a woman came up to me and said, "I must tell you, I just love your top! Where's it from?" To which a friend of mine said, "It's Dior couture!" (I did not say that). "Well," said the woman, "I could tell - it's so beautiful." My friend knew it was my tribute to the Esprit Dior show and we both enjoyed the complement. Alina is the one to thank and I'm thankful every day that I have a talent like her in my iPhone contacts.

So remember, one's shape can always change but a Couture Alterationist is for life!

Happy Shopping!

F  XX

The beauty of a sequinned sleeve.

Back Crepe!

No, all you Fashionistas - not Black Crepe, but most definitely Back Crepe. What is it, I hear you under-40s ask? When you get older, the skin on our bodies becomes... let's just say, less appealing - less firm. Just older. As the back is not often seen, when it is, one should be very careful. On asking a friend of mine about a big party last week and what they were all wearing, she said "They all had long blonde hair and back crepe", which meant they all had on backless dresses exposing copious amounts of older flesh. Nothing wrong with older flesh - we will all one day have it. But it's what you do with it that I'm talking about.

On the weekend, I threw a surprise birthday party for a cousin who just turned 50. Lots of family from "oop North" and for this I donned my winter white. The new top is a cashmere cable jumper with a very low front that you wear with a cami or a bustier or a blouse under. I chose a very pretty, pale pink and nude lace cami which looked very good (juxtaposing the lace with the cable). But as it was a cami, the choice of bra was important and which bra was my next dilemma. As with surprise birthdays, timing is everything and of course I hadn't given any thought to bras. So after I'd tried two on (with guests arriving) I went with the second. It's fine - it's family. The problem being that as with my friend's comment about back crepe, it happens on your décolleté as well. And as I'm approaching An Age... well, all I can say is next time I wear that outfit more time will definitely be taken over my choice of bra.

So there you have it. A very sad, but funny statement of fact. Why am I telling you this? For the past five weeks I've been thinking about a backless, long-sleeved, full-length evening dress. I tried it on today with back crepe in mind and I was confronted with the very sad truth that unfortunately, for me, this dress was no good. All those hours planning and preparing to wear it, only to have to walk away from the dress. But don't worry - I found a better dress! Also with a low back, but a better shaped back for me. So that's lucky!

Other ageing body parts - arms. I'm doing lots of Body P
ump at the moment to prevent what they (very unkindly) call Bingo Wings. Such a class statement, and I've never played Bingo, but you know what I mean...

The one thing I will say is that I'm glad I didn't spend years drying out my skin in the sun. Fake tans may be fake, but if they allow me to possess skin as good as my Mother's at her age - I'm happy to fake a pale tan.

Happy Shopping!

F  XX

How beautiful a back can look!