Hi everyone
First of all, apologies for the absence of a blog last week. First of all, my summer cold lingered, it’s over now and thank goodness for that. But I wasn’t idle, because what a week we’ve had, oh wow! Talking politics here, and funnily enough I’d written 90% of a piece for My Other Blog, which I was able to tweak, and which I posted on 6th July. Do hop over for a read if you’re that way inclined and like a good look at British politics! It’s a tad out of date now as the person in question has resigned, or has he? Watch this space (My Other Blog) for further updates on the rather messy political state we find ourselves in at the moment.
Anyway, hey, here’s some good news, it’s warming up in the UK with temperatures due to rise to over 30C (86F) for several days. I will absolutely do my best not to complain and probably won’t as our new abode is delightfully cool with the back part of it facing north, plus having greenery and trees just feet away from our windows. With the sun not reaching these rooms at all, I am a happy bunny. This is where our bedrooms are (and my workspace) and so far with the increasing temperatures the rooms remains cool throughout the day and night, which is great as not many of us in the UK have air con, me included, instead we rely on keeping the sun out of our rooms and opening the window!
And I shall be wearing some of my dresses! I aim to show you at least three of them in succession and here is the first one. It’s the third dress I bought way back in March when we had an unseasonal three days of warm weather. Cost was all of £6.50.
It’s a sundress, which as far as I’m concerned will always be worn with a t-shirt as I don’t do much bare flesh these days. It’s so comfortable to wear.
And here I am out and about. I am not doing enough of those pix so will aim to give you some more of those in future.
I’m outside the Depot, which is our wonderful local independent cinema that shows both mainstream and indie films. After watching that dinosaur film (which was dire really) I want to see some better quality foreign films. That’s my aim, anyway!
And you know what, we learn so much from each other. Having seen this pic I now realised that the pop of pink is not quite right, I think a black straw bag would have been a better match with this outfit. There you go, I’m always willing to listen and learn from you all. 😊
With the dress I’m also wearing a white cotton charity shop jacket bought several years ago, chunky white trainers (look, they’re comfortable) and a simply darling black straw hat bought from a charity shop years ago and never worn. This was it’s first outing as I think it’s very much a hat for Lewes. Here are the accessories.
There’s the hat and I can see from the pix that in one photo I’m wearing my new black necklace bought from the V&A shop for next to nothing (think it was under £10) and in the other I am wearing button necklaces made by Joy Fox who sells through the Open Houses around East Sussex. I am so pleased that at last I wore that lovely little hat here’s another view of it.
And another!
The bracelet also made by Joy Fox was bought for me by Mr F for our pearl Wedding Anniversary – that’s the 30-year mark. Next year we celebrate the fact that met 50 years ago!
That’s all for now, I hope you and yours are well and OK.
With love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
Morning Penny
Good to read your blog – thank you and I’m pleased to hear you’re over the cold and able to get out and about. I love your hat and bracelet.
Great to hear that you are so happy in your new abode – and yes, great that you’ve somewhere cool inside. I find this weather intolerable. I can’t imagine how I managed to sunbathe 6-7 hours a day for that all-important tan.
We haven’t been to the cinema for two years and have really missed it, but we’re packing it in now: ‘Elvis’ (had to be done; been a fan since school days) and Good Luck to you, Leo Grande and – exciting – we’ve booked for Wim Wenders’ Wings of Desire (German with subtitles). I envy you have a good local independent cinema. We have to go to Oxford.
I haven’t read your Other Blog (yet) so will contain myself on the current political scene other than to say I’ve just read a book titled Chums by Simon Kuper and highly recommend it. It’s fast reading and very timely – about how a tiny clan of Oxford Tories took over the UK.
Btw, sickeningly, almost all the leadership candidates proudly declare themselves ‘low tax’ – for ‘low tax’ read no £££ for the NHS – and all but two of them are members of the ERG.
Gotta go and lie down somewhere quiet, or put my head in a bucket Wink
All the very best, Penny. Mary x
Hi Mary and yes, how nice it was to wear that hat for the first time – Lewes is definitely the place to wear it! Funnily enough we’ve decided not to go to the cinema for a bit what with this rise in Covid cases. So many people are getting it and I’d still rather avoid it, so we’re not going for the time being. I’d love to see Elvis and also that lovely quirky indie Brian and Charles, the one where a lonely man makes a companion robot out of a washing machine. Sounds so sweet! But no, will wait to see these on the tv.
The thing about Boris leaving is we might actually get someone worse! And I’ve read something similar to the book. Those public schools are so very damaging to the human spirit. Also caught something on Radio4 about sexual abuse in those schools – ghastly.
Like you I also feel as though I could put my head in bucket!
Going bonkers – tried to post my reply twice. Apols.
Not at all! Btw, in MOB I note the 5 Acts passed in March and April. The new PM will not get rid of these – we are still in a dire situation.
I’m curious, is there another person that will replace BJ brought forward yet?
Love your outfit. I like the pink bag with it actually.
There are 10 or is it 12 contenders who have come forward, most of them ghastly and of low calibre or down right nasty like Priti Patel our horrible Home Secretary who despite her parents being immigrants is excessively hardline towards refugees. From a Labour point of view, the worst case scenario is that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak might get the job as he’s possibly the most competent, albeit tainted because of his wealth, and, would you believe it, holding a Green Card! He’s given that up, I believe.
Thanks re: the dress, it’s so comfortable and cool.
Penny…I simply thought you were glued to the political news and were enthralled with the progression of events that led to the resignation!! Hope you felt the vibes from Southern California for goodwill to the UK! I will be watching for a post on The Other Blog.
Things here have been fast paced with family visitors and vacations combined in a matter of weeks. Things turned topsy turvy when my husband’s health declined and he needed to be hospitalized. This led to a cancellation of travel plans. We were to take our two sons and their families to the Sierras for some glorious outdoor recreation. Our two sons have taken the cancellation and turned it into a fabulous series of local explorations along our coastline for their families while staying in touch with their Dad and his doctors. My husband and I are surrounded by their love and support!!! And…the owner of the mountain home we rented turns out to be a medical doctor who understands our situation. By contract, the owner could have pocketed the $$$ for this last minute cancellation. Instead the owner is allowing it to be used at a future date. So…blessings abound all around as my husband’s health is improving and we move our family getaway to a future date.
May the UK political changes bring a great refreshing for your country, Penny! I don’t understand all the details but totally understand the removal of poor leadership. The U.S. problem is our despicable former leader thinks he can return with his lies and undermine our democracy with his blinded followers. Will common sense and decency ever return!?!
Alas…I need to stay on a positive trajectory and count the blessings for my husband and my sons and their families. It’s the wee hours of the morning here…sending goodwill and appreciation for the healing of your cold, your new abode, your darling summer frock, and a refreshed political leadership! Charlene
I’m so sorry your husband’s ill health deteriorated. And yet there are blessings what with the rental owner being a doctor and understanding the situation – good for him. So I do hope you get there, as both of you need that vacation. And how lovely to hear of your sons and their families enjoying the local area.
Oh my word, Charlene, while Johnson is unique in a very Boris way (power hungry, rumpled look, that hair, scatty demeanour hiding that sociopathic belief in himself) we may still get someone of equal horror! They’ve all got that same outlook and belief in Tory policies. Like the Republicans the Conservative party has taken a rightward turn and it ain’t nice. We need a General Election which Labour might just win, but I say just as it could be very very close – there are many ‘what-ifs’ and ‘if-onlys’ here. But the path to common sense and decency is nowhere near for us.
And yet family and friendship and a love of life does compensate. thanks Charlene 😊
Such an adorable outfit, Penny! Including the pop of pink. It gives a bit of whimsy to the outfit. But if you are going for a more…, traditional look than the black straw would be lovely. Glad you are staying cool in spite of the warmer temps.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Thanks Michelle, yes I love that pink bag but do want to try that outfit with a blacks straw tote so will look out for one.
The warmer temperatures are lovely, but we’re not very good with extremes here. We’re so used to cool wet weather it comes as a shock when it’s not like that!
Oh, Penny. But I LOVE the pop of pink and especially that it pulls in a totally different print. That’s so fun and modern.
The dress itself is spectacular too and I think it’s fabulous you enjoy thrifting as much as we do.
Happy warmer weather,
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
The hot temperatures are humid though and we don’t do extremes of weather here. But it is nice to wear the dresses – more to come!
Thanks Jodie xxx
Love the black and white Penny. Nice idea to wear a t shirt underneath xx
Thanks Vivien and I sometimes put a t-shirt over a dress – will show this another time xx
What a fab dress! I do love a bold check pattern. I am also in envy of your white denim jacket; I’ve been searching for one for ages. I also loved your hat and the fab V&A necklace – what a bargain. I think the pop of pink was spot on; it’s good to mix up the colour palette.
Glad you’ve got some cool rooms to escape to; my living room is the coolest room in the house so it’s cool in summer and freezing in winter…
Today I would have welcomed a dip in the sea!
PS. Such brilliant news that the amoral, lying toad has gone…
xxx
Hi and thank you re: the dress, hat and necklace! I do love the fact that I wore the hat for the first time!
Yes, the back bedrooms were very, very cool in April when we moved in so I expect they will be cold in the winter but I don’t mind as it’s such a blessing to have this cool area.
But will we get someone who believes in the same old Tory lies, supports those Acts that I write about in MOB and even worse, be more efficient than Johnson 😮
Eek – which is why we have to surround ourselves with good things like family, friends and blogging!
xxx
Such a charming outfit Penny. I keep seeing these tiered dresses and they do look so Summery and flowy, just the thing for a hot day. I am tempted but I wonder if they will look silly on a short person and also I need to wear the dresses I already have. To wear something once or twice a season hardly seems justified. So I am making an effort, and I did get a complement on the dress I wore to the recent musical outing. I think the pink bag is cute but I had a similar reaction to you about it. I am not really a purse connoisseur though. I tend to have one bag I use all the time, not one to change out to fit the outfit. And my recent attempt to change was a disaster. I saw a really cute crossbody on line, a muted dusty pink, perfect for Spring and Summer. It was not too expensive, so I treated myself. I got complements. but I did not like the closure. Probably because I but too many items in it . It kept opening up if I was not careful. One evening after dinner with my friends I paid my bill, put back my wallet and reading glasses carefully closed and fastened my bag. I walked out to my car, steps from the restaurant. when I got home wallet, phone and glasses were gone. Hoping some nice person had found it I went back to the restaurant. I was closed but I managed to get them to open the door. No one had found it. no other customer had turned it in. I was out about 200 cash, wallet, credit cards, drivers license, library card, medical card etc. All had to be replaced. So I am back to my old roomy standby. actually a nice bag but starting to show some wear. but everything fits, so I will stick with it.
It has been quite Summery here in New York, in fact we need rain after having had a very rainy spring. In two weeks I will be going to Chincoteague island for our annual visit, along with Daughter Rachel and son in law Kevin. planning the wardrobe, perhaps leaving room for a piece or two from the local shops. That’s it for now.
Love, Darby
Oh I do agree about sustainability and using garments many times. In fact they say you shouldn’t buy an article unless you think you will wear it 100 times. My dresses are sadly so under that figure but that’s mainly due to the weather but it’s also why I have so few of them.
And oh no re: the loss of the contents of your bag, it’s such an awful feeling when that happens. I also have to factor in a spectacles case, so like you I can’t do small bags. Also I do think carrying a bag on ones back is the way to go although I do have a couple of crossbody bags for London.
It’s very dry here too and my water butt that I use for watering my small garden patch will soon have no water in it. Our water use is on meter which I think is a good indication of use and should be the norm in this climate change situation we are in. But watering the garden will become quite difficult.
So glad you are going to your favourite place for vacation 😊
Oh, I do love your black and white checked dress, Penny! You have such joie de vivre whilst wearing it! And, your hat is fabulous! I think this dress is such that you can wear any color bag with it you choose! Just pick one and pick an attitude and out the door you go! I do need to pop over to your other blog, but gosh, I’m never quite sure where all of the time goes! I will go over there, I promise!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thank you so much for the compliment on my dress as actually I was a little worried about the lace at the bottom frill – was it too fussy? It’s good to get that feedback. I am s o pleased to have finally worn that hat. I got it years ago and knew I had to keep it, but where to wear it? The town I’ve moved to is just the place!
Thanks again Marsha
Hello Penny, your black and white gingham is so good for a spot finally of Summer weather. The little black hat is adorable and looks so cool to wear.
I did think of you when I heard the announcement that Boris has resigned. I will admit to not knowing much about the candidates to take his place, hopefully there is a good one amongst them.
Glad to hear your cold is better. xx
Yes, finally we can wear, (or correction, as I do feel the cold easily) I can wear my dresses! It’s very hot and humid here at the moment with a little bit of a cloudy haze. First we are getting heat from Spain, and later at the weekend it’s coming straight from Africa.
All the candidates are Boris acolytes (12 of them) as he got rid of all the dissent in the party. People who were true blue middle-of-the-road Conservatives but didn’t like Brexit lost the Whip, which meant they could no longer vote in Parliament – most resigned. So we will get much of the same but not dressed up in Johnson’s quirky sociopathic behaviour. So I’m not particularly pleased about the situation. Ah well, instead of going off into a rant, I shall now do some Pilates!
Thanks Jill
I am glad your weather finally warmed up! You look so summery in your dress and comfortable. I had forgotten you had moved so I am glad the house is nice and cool.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com