To Gok or Not to Gok???

As you probably know, I'm a big Gok Wan fan.  I follow him on Twitter.  I watch all his TV programmes.  I buy his books.  I buy his clothes collection from Sainsbury's.  So, as you can imagine I was excited to hear that his new collection was launching at the end of last week.

I saw a link online to a video clip of an interview he had done about the new collection.  I think he said it's his 7th collection.  He said this was quite a departure from what he'd done before.  This is what he'd always wanted to do but he had to win the public's confidence first.  You can find the clip by clicking the link below:

http://www.gokwan.com

On Saturday I set off to do my Sainsbury's shop knowing that I would be able to browse Gok's collection and perhaps even buy a few pieces.  And there it was - prominently displayed right at the front of the clothing section!!!

. . . But . . . huge disappointment!!!!  I didn't like it!!!!!  There is nothing about it I liked!  Check it out for yourself by clicking the link below:

http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/blog/2013/01/sneak-peek-gok-for-tu-spring-collection/

Actually I am exaggerating!  I did like one thing.  I bought a pair of black perfect fit trousers.  They do fit really well and are comfy too.

I don't know about you but I have been a big fan of Gok's latest series Style Secrets.  Gok has been helping single women who haven't dated for years to get back out there.  Whoever says that clothes aren't important is crazy!  These women transform when Gok shows them how to dress.  Of course he's also brilliant at boosting their confidence too but the clothes make a massive difference.

I think when people feel low they tend to wear the same old clothes over and over again.  They want to disappear into the background.  They don't want to be noticed.  They feel ugly.  They look in the mirror and the clothes they are wearing don't do them justice so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.  Once someone (Gok in this case) shakes them out of that downward spiral and shows them how to dress suddenly they believe they look good.  Confidence emerges and they start to care about themselves and how they look.  People start to notice and tell them how good they look and hey presto! - A transformation takes place!!!

So if anyone tells you that you buy too many clothes - so long as you feel good in them - ignore them!!!

Take a look at Gok's scrapbook from the series:

http://scrapbook.channel4.com/experts/gokwan

Which trousers???

I love trousers!  You probably already know that if you are a regular reader of my blog  Dresses and skirts are not my thing.  I don't feel right in them.  I feel comfy in trousers.  You don't have to be careful getting out of the car or bending down.  You can just sit down without having to smooth down your skirt/dress in case you are showing too much flesh and you don't have to worry about your dress/skirt being tucked in your knickers when you've been to the loo.  Trousers are definitely the way forward!

It's not that simple any more though.  There are so many different types of trousers.  There's skinnies, straight, boyfriend, bootcut, flare, leggings, jeggings, harem pants, ankle grazers, cigarette pants, cargo pants, chinos . . .  to name but a few!  Which style do you choose???

I tend to wear a lot of skinnies.  I used to think I was too fat to wear skinnies but now I love them.  I used to wear bootcut but now I hate them.  So with that in mind I decided to try on a few pairs of my trousers with a basic white T-shirt and a pair of nude heels to see if the style of trousers makes a difference to how fat I look!  Brave I know!!!!

So what have I deduced?   That I look fat in all of them!!!  However if I stand sideways I look thinner.  So if you see me out and about don't be surprised if I'm walking sideways!  I wish I'd worn a black T-shirt I might have looked a bit thinner!  Because it's not just style of course, it's colour too that can influence how fat or thin you look!  God, why is it so complicated???!!!

 These are my Gok at Sainsbury's skinny jeans.  I love these jeans but are they flattering?  Not with this top!

 These are my burgundy flares from Primark.  I love these because they are comfortable and swishy.  Quite flattering from the side!

 These are my M&S harem style pants.  I actually love these.

 These are my burgundy leggings from Primark.  Would be fine with boots.  I would never wear them out like this.  They are comfy and feel much better quality than Primark!

So what do you think?  Which style of trousers do you like to wear?  What style would you never wear?  Come on share your style secrets.

I saw these two adverts in a magazine the other day.  I love them both but I don't think I could wear either.  Mutton dressed as lamb comes to mind.  But still, I do love them!  Would you wear them???

Another Girlie Supper!

Ready for Girlie Supper - blouse from Next, leggings from Gok at Sainsbury's and boots from Stylist Picks

On Friday night I went to a Girlie Supper at my friend Paola's house.  It was a supper with a difference for us.  Whoever hosts a Girlie Supper normally does all the cooking but at this supper we shared out the courses.  Sarah brought nibbles, Annita and I provided the starter, Paola did the main course, Jane and Heather each did a dessert and Claire did the cheese board.  It worked really well.  We had an amazing meal and drank loads of champagne.

Hopefully Paola didn't feel too stressed as she only had to do one course.  It can be quite stressful cooking all three courses.  We always say at our Girlie Suppers that no one should feel under pressure.  We would be quite happy with beans on toast because it's all about spending time with our friends rather than having a sophisticated menu.  In saying that though I don't think we have had a bad meal.  In fact quite the reverse.  Whoever hosts always makes a real effort and we are thoroughly spoilt with delicious food and lots of wine.

We are trying something new on Wednesday.  I'm hosting a Wine Tasting and Pizza evening.  Hopefully it will be fun.  I will update you on how it goes!

I'm back on my diet today.  I had a bad week last week with lots going on and I've strangely decided to become a Domestic Goddess recently - which is so not me! - and I've been trying out lots of new recipes.  We have been eating far too well.  Rich and my son seem to like it but it's not so good for the diet!

My friend, Jane, has persuaded me to join her in giving up chocolate for the month of February!  We are both chocoholics so it's not going to be easy!!!  We can't have chocolate in any form - no chocolate biscuits or cakes or anything at all with chocolate in it or on it!!!!  Arrrggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

This is us at Paola's with her gorgeous Dalmatian - Crash

Living the High Life!!!!

Despite the snow I have had a very decadent few days!!!  On Thursday Rich and I had a Spa Day booked.  I'd bought the voucher from Living Social back in November.  I wasn't expecting much to be fair.  The voucher cost £35 for the two of us.  It was at the Greenway Hotel which I'd never actually heard of so expectations were quite low.

So when we walked in I was pleasantly surprised!  It's beautiful!!!  The staff in both the Spa and the restaurant were absolutely lovely.  The decor is gorgeous.  The pool area is so nice.  Low lighting makes it feel really intimate.  Lovely comfy loungers and even a sofa where you can relax.  The pool is great and it has two spa beds in it which have jets in them so you can lie back and be massaged.  There's two saunas - a hot one and a not so hot one and a steam room.  Outside in the courtyard there's a lovely wooden, rustic hot tub.  It was so fabulous sitting in it whilst the snow was falling.

Our deal entitled us to use of all the spa facilities from 10 til 6, a two course lunch each with a glass of champagne and 20% off all spa treatments.  The lunch was superb. Rich had starter and main but obviously I had main and dessert.   The Chicken Caesar salad was gorgeous and the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream was divine.  The decor and ambiance is so chic it made the whole experience feel really special.

We chose to use our 20% discount off treatments and both had a 40 minute Tranquillity Divine Soul Anti-stress Ritual.  It was gorgeous!  So a massive success.  I will be looking out for future offers at the Greenway!  Definitely want to go back!!!

On Saturday evening we had girlie supper at our friend Cath's house.  It was exciting because Cath has recently had an extension and it was the first time I'd seen her new kitchen.  It's fabulous and looks so big.  We had a lovely supper, delicious food and lots of banter as the girls were looking on a dating website that Sarah had seen advertised.  We had to ask why men put such unflattering pictures on when they are trying to attract a partner.  I think that could be our new business - styling men and photographing them for dating websites.  We could "Gok" them!

I wore black Gok skinny jeans, dark grey Next top with floral print back, M&S boots and my horsey snood.

Yesterday - Sunday - I went on another Spa Day!!! Yes I know that is crazy.  Two Spa Days in one week.  It's a bit like buses - you wait for ages then two come along together.  When I'd booked the Greenway I hadn't realised that this one was going to come along.

So Cath, Jane, Paola and I went to Cowley Manor!!!  It's got a fabulous reputation and I've wanted to go for years.  It cost £75!!!  It's a January special offer.  It's usually much more expensive.  For that we got use of the Spa facilities, a two course lunch and a 60 minute treatment.

Our approach to Cowley Manor was so beautiful - down a snow covered lane, into the drive with Cotswold stone pillars up to the beautiful and very grand Cotswold Manor House.  In contrast the Spa is very modern but they have used Cotswold stone alongside glass and slate so it still feels in keeping with the surroundings.

We were given our robes and shown to the changing room.  Then we took up our places on loungers by the indoor pool.  We were the only people there for most of the morning although it did get busier after lunch.  We all thought it lacked something.  Namely a jacuzzi.  The indoor pool wasn't that warm and the sauna and steam room were hot so you can't exactly sit in there for too long.  A jacuzzi/hot tub is such a social place and if it was located outside it would have been amazing to be in the hot tub in the snow.

As the day wore on we warmed to the place more.  I guess as we started to relax.  There were nice magazines and newspapers to read, water jugs and glasses provided and a bowl of tangerines which we happily munched on.  We had out treatments - all four of us at the same time which meant no one was left at the pool with no one else to chat to.

Three of us had facials and one massage.  The facial was so good.  The beds had heated blankets on them so you were so warm and cosy and they were adjustable so you didn't have to lie flat on your back, you could have your head up, feet down, etc.

After our treatment we had lunch.  I'd say it was nice but not amazing.  Then feeling totally chilled out and full we went back to our loungers to relax.

After a little while they started to remove the cover from the outdoor pool and steam began to rise.  We decided to go out and dip a toe in to see how cold it was.  Quite cold!  But we couldn't rest.  There was something so enticing about swimming outside in the snow.  We adopted a strategy of going outside in just our swimming costume, walking in the snow and getting really cold, then jumping into the pool which in contrast felt warm.  It was brilliant.  We went in twice and had a good swim around, tried our hand at synchronised swimming and then got out, ran back inside and straight into the indoor pool - which in comparison felt like getting into a hot bath!

So we had a lovely day.  Will we go back?  I'm not sure that we will.  They do have lovely products in the changing rooms but I think may be we can get better value else where.  We did, however, decide that well being is important and we should try to do more of this sort of thing.  It's now our quest to sample as many spas as we can this year.  So, if anyone has any recommendations or knows of any
good offers please let me know!!!

Finally I'm sharing a few photos of Cowley Manor and our day - excuse the quality!

Officially OLD today!!!

Today - 7th January 2013 - my youngest child turned 18!!!  All of my offspring are now adults.  I must be very OLD!!!  I've tried to convince Rich that in order to deal with the trauma of being so old and childless I should be allowed another dog, but he's having none of it!!!!  

His presents all ready for him!

Me ready to go out to lunch with Rich, my son and his two best mates.

We had a lovely - if not enormous! - lunch out at The Plough at Ford.  I wore my Forever 21 blouse and my Gok skinny jeans and M&S boots.  

Today was also weigh-in day.  I was really pleased as my diet only started last Wednesday so I've only had 5 days of dieting and I've lost 4 and three quarter pounds!  Yayyyyy!!!!  Rich has lost 8 pounds in the same time period!!!  Whoop whoop!!!

Tomorrow is day one of Dr Gundry's diet for me!  I think I'm going to struggle.  It's also our gym induction so it's all systems go.  I will keep you posted!

Almost Christmas

Last night we had a Pre Christmas Get Together at our house with some of our best friends.  I lit all the candles and dimmed the lights (mainly to hide the fact that the Christmas tree is all but dead!) and put on the cheesy Christmas CD.  The champagne and Sauvignon Blanc was chilling in the fridge and the food warming in the oven.

It was lovely to spend the evening with such special people but time always seems to fly by.  One of our friends has lost three stone this year, she says without trying.  She's more than ten years older than me and is looking really skinny and obviously feeling good.  She's changed the way she dresses and was in skinny jeans last night.  It just shows it doesn't matter how old you are you can reinvent yourself.

I wore my new black top which I bought from Forever 21 on Oxford Street and my black skinny jeans from Gok at Sainsburys, my favourite nude heels and my new necklace.  I thought all of my friends looked really good last night but all in totally different ways.  Jane tends to be a skinny jeans and pretty tops kind of person.  Sarah is good at dresses or tunics with leggings and boots.  Heather can wear almost anything because she has a lovely figure but she seems happiest in skinny jeans.  She can wear them with flats and still look fab.  I need to wear heels.

Anyway when I put the bottles into the recycling I worked out that the wine drinkers had each drunk at least one and a half bottles each of wine or champagne!  No one reported a hangover this morning though!!!

Today I had to go to pick up my Dad who has come to stay for Christmas.  My daughter and her friend came with me.  My Dad and most of my family live an hours drive away.  We took the opportunity to go and visit my cousin who had all her family there including her 12 week old baby grandson who I hadn't met before!

Rich is now so used to taking photos of me that as soon as I came downstairs dressed and ready to go he was ready to take a photo.

I've obviously worn these clothes before since blogging, but they are so comfy and easy to wear.  Blouse from Next, straight jeans from Tu at Sainsburys, boots from M&S, bag from New Look.

And here I am with my cousin's husband who made the whole trip for us by making us laugh so much!!!