Shaping up nicely

We were both facing a situation where we had undergrown our more respectable clothes. Very shortly we are to be eating at a rather upmarket restaurant. By “upmarket” I mean: “Was listed as the World’s Best Restaurant***

We just can’t turn up in the shorts and tee-shirts that are our habitual garb these days. *****

Something Had To Be Done.

Before we went away this week we placed orders with M&S and Next (OMG, are we turning into those Brits?!) and today after we came home, Mr L went to collect the packages that had been delivered in our absence (excellent service from both companies!)

Prepared to send some, if not all items back to base, I was delighted to find that we can keep them all. Mr L has a very nice new blue linen blazer (gorgeous floral lining!) that does not make him look like a stray from the workhouse. It is in fact still a little over-sized but not so much that it swamps him and he needs to return it (and possibly receive one too small in return). Now I need to persuade him to invest in some label jeans or Chinos instead of cheap supermarket ones, and he’ll be able to go anywhere with confidence.

As for me, well I went to town. I have two pairs of corduroy leggings (couldn’t choose between all the gorgeous colours so plumped for two of them and now want more), a fabulous silk shirt to top the leggings with, a pair of sparkly shoes and a couple of bras that actually fit.

After so many years of thrift – making do, wearing out, mending and cheap purchases, I feel positively spendthrift but I cannot say just how pleasurable it is to order up stock sizes online and find that they fit! I am down perhaps four dress sizes now. Feeling proper pleased with myself and, with the aid of some M&S foundations (aka scaffolding) feel that I am now shaping up quite nicely. I deserved the treat/reward, I reckon.

Conspicuous Excess?

Okay. I admit it. We are being a little OTT. Why?

Well, why not, if we can.

No defence required and others may think what they wish. This is just our way of experiencing an adventure, doing something that we both enjoy and can share together. However, we are calling this a very special occasion and pushing the boat out seems an appropriate way to celebrate our twenty years together (more of this in another post, soon.)

As for the clothes extravagance, I really enjoyed seeing the gleam in Mr ‘s eye when I tried them on. That’s got to be worth the investment.

As preparation for our Trip to Italy we have bought a DVD of the BBC series “The Trip to Italy” with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, to refresh our memories on their particular take on Italian Cuisine. Should be fun.

Yes, there will be other restaurants in Italy. We plan to make a proper trip of it. Might as well be informed.

We also bought the Spanish “trip” DVD, which we have not seen before but it could make useful preparation for our winter jaunt this year,

Footnotes:

*** The top restaurant list referred to is subject to controversy. Even more so since this year it announced that previous list toppers are no longer eligible. So, if a restaurant was top of their list in a previous year and remains every bit as good as it was, whether one agrees with its previous rating or not, it now disappears from the list. Osteria Francescana was top in 2016 and 2018 but no longer rates. Not that it means anything at all, it is entirely subjective and spurious – but we will report back on our own estimation once we have been,

***** Actually, Osteria Francescana is known for its relaxed and unstuffy approach and they most likely would not turn a hair if we turned up so clad. I, on the other hand, would feel all wrong if I had made not a little effort. Okay, it was just a good excuse to get my grubby little hands on those cord leggings in stunning autumnal colours,

No, not at all suitable wear for a podgy 66 year old but really, who gives a stuff about that when the leggings are both comfortable and beautiful! Probably the metallic shoes are unsuitable too but they are most certainly fun. Can’t wait to go out and shock those French ladies of a “certain age” who adhere to an unspoken dress code that rules what a mature woman should and should not be wearing. For now I just plan to glory on being a stock size again. 🙂

I may even invest in a haircut.

2 Comments

  1. August 22, 2019
    Reply

    Totally with you on enjoying a bit of luxury now and again. You did not sign up to be monks. The pleasure with not HAVING to have labels, of not NEEDING to be conspicuous consumers, of actually enjoying being day-to-day thrifty is – when you feel like it, you a) have the funds for said blow out, and the appreciation, though comparison, of something out of the ordinary, unusual and delightful.
    You go, girl! (and guy 🙂 )

    • August 23, 2019
      Reply

      🙂 We shall report back on the ups and downs of such alarmingly conspicuous consumerism, Roz. (and see following post that I am about to write)

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