Things I am not going to buy - Day 5: Tights

For an explanation of the 31 day blog, see Things I am not going to buy: Introduction post

Following on from yesterday's post about skirts and dresses, is the question of tights.  Not usually too expensive to buy (unless you are a fan of Wolford, or similar luxury brands), they are easy to stick in your shopping bag at every available opportunity.  They come in many colours and levels of transparency, and some of them have lovely patterns, which look lovely worn under a skirt or dress. 

The question I have to ask myself is why do I buy three pairs of tights every time I buy a skirt or dress?  I am caught up in the same fantasy of looking stylish and ladylike as when I purchased the skirt or dress.  I have a drawer full to the brim with tights that I don't wear - most still in un-opened packets! 

Things I am not going to buy - Day 4: Skirts / Dresses

For an explanation of the 31 day blog, see Things I am not going to buy: Introduction post

Unlike handbags, skirts and dresses are not things that I am tempted to buy very often, nor is my wardrobe full of these feminine articles. So far, so good. HOWEVER, every now and then, I see someone (usually a young female) wearing a fab dress, or a nice skirt with high boots, looking very stylish, and I think “I could look like that if I wore that dress/skirt/boots”. Sometimes I forget about it, but sometimes a little dress or skirt catches my eye in the shops, and I buy it and take it home. I put it in my wardrobe, in the very small section allocated to such garments, and there it stays until the one day a year (well maybe two – one in the summer and one in the winter!) when I decide it’s time I made a bit of an effort, rather than shoving on a pair of black trousers and a top of some sort. What I always forget to remember is that whilst a snazzy little outfit can look super-stylish on a slim, confident twenty-something with swishy hair and proper make-up, it doesn’t quite look the same on a lady of a certain age who has forgotten how to walk in footwear with more than an inch of heel, and whose make-up routine consists of a couple of quick blobs of blusher and mascara and hair that looks like it has survived a hurricane because I couldn’t be bothered to properly blow-dry and straighten it! For those who remember “Last of the Summer Wine”, the image is more “Norah Batty” than Victoria Beckham.

I don’t even wear a “frock” (the word makes me chuckle, for some reason…) when I’m going out. Years ago, when I worked for a Consultancy firm that had lots of money, and had big posh do’s at the Dorchester in London, I used to go to town hiring an evening dress, and having my hair done, and generally scrubbing up pretty well, but I don’t go to events like that any more (can’t say I really miss them). If I can actually be bothered to go to a work’s bash, I usually wear black trousers and a shinier/sparkly top than I would wear to work. I will probably blow-dry my hair and slap a bit more make-up on than usual, but that’s about it.

There’s no reason for me to get rid of the small selection of dresses and skirts that lurk in the corner of the wardrobe, however there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for at least another 5 years, to buy another dress, skirt, pair of knee-high boots or high heel shoes! 

How I wish to look:

How I actually look:

Things I am not going to buy - Day 3: Storage containers

For an explanation of the 31 day blog, see Things I am not going to buy: Introduction post


Following on from the bag addiction (see handbags and travel bags), is a need to collect containers of every possible size and shape in which to store “things”.  On the theme of everything in its place and well organised, I start to have palpitations if I open a cupboard or a drawer and everything is…….well, LOOSE!!!!  Aaaaaaaaaagh!  Loose stuff, all mixed up!  Noooooooo!!!  Stuff just needs to be CONTAINED!  In a container.  Of the right size and shape.  

This need to organise everything into a container pervades every cupboard, drawer, nook and cranny in the house.  Drawers absolutely MUST contain boxes, trays or dividers that are neatly filled with appropriately fitting items, whether it is in the kitchen - cutlery, implements, cling film, bags, labels, etc, - the bedroom - pants, socks, bras, tights, make-up, hair brushes and accessories, earrings, nail polish, other nail bits, and anything else. Any other small/medium-size articles that lurk in drawers and cupboards throughout the house must all be suitably housed in a container of the right size and shape.  

I am forever searching websites that sell storage solutions such as Amazon and http://www.aplaceforeverything.co.uk.  I am forever buying boxes, baskets and containers, and have many unfilled containers lurking in cupboards (which isn't as upsetting for me as having stuff that doesn't have a container to house it).  

 

As well as containers for all the bits, bobs, knicks and knacks that are around the house, I have a habit of buying plastic food storage containers.  I have a dream that my kitchen cupboards and fridge will all be beautifully organised:

 

My DREAM:

However, in reality, I hardly ever bother to put food into a separate container - it normally sits in its packaging (maybe with the top folded down if it's a box), whilst all the lovely plastic containers of every size, shape and colour, sit empty filling up a large number of shelves in the kitchen cupboards!

One day I really WILL be organised and empty all my open tins, packets and loose produce into nice, clean containers (on a REGULAR basis).  Until that day comes (and even when it has come and gone), I must not by any more food storage containers...not ever... and not just food storage - this applies to ALL storage containers that do not have a very specifically identified need!

 

Things I am not going to buy - Day 2: Travel bags

For an explanation of the 31 day blog, see Things I am not going to buy: Introduction post

The quest for the perfect bag (see yesterday's post on handbags) reaches a new level when it comes to travelling!  In a bid to outwit the airlines baggage charges, most, if not all, luggage comes as hand baggage, which means I have to have the bags perfectly organised for the plane.  Not just the plane, of course, but being able to go through security with ease (rapid unpacking/re-packing of toiletries, phones and computers/tablets are a must).  I have so many “travel” bags in the loft that if I took them all with me, I would have to book every seat on the plane!  

About a year ago, I purchased, at quite a lot of expense, a Scottevest .  This is a sort of gilet/waistcoat item of clothing that contains numerous concealed pockets of varying sizes, designed to outsmart the airlines who charge for every ounce of luggage, and allow to carry lots of items concealed about your person.  

The website pictures and videos look fantastic, with travellers seemingly packing away enough items of luggage for a round the world camping trick in the pockets of the Scottevest, yet still managing to walk along looking as though they had stepped off the catwalk (see pics below!)  Huh!  In reality, I tried loading up a couple of small items such as purse and glasses, then put my iPad in the large back pocket (that's supposed to be able to take a tablet or netbook!), but I looked (and felt) like I was carrying some sacks of potatoes stuffed in my underwear.  I haven't tried again since, so that's another waste of money!

                      

Scottevest

It's not as though it's stylish enough to wear as an every day fashion item.  Still, it beats some of the cheaper variations, which look as though you are walking around in a sleeping bag with holes cut out!

Cheaper version - Rufus Roo

In years gone by (more than 10 years ago), I had a job that required me to hop on a plane a couple of times a month, sometimes more.  I was always seeking the ultimate bag in which to pack everything I needed for my 2/3/4 days away in some grotty business park, miles from civilisation in the depths of Germany or Belgium or wherever.  Not very glam!  I needed to have enough smart business clothes, plus a few evening relaxing items, plus my laptop and documents, whilst avoiding the need, where possible, to check luggage into the hold, and also avoiding crippling myself by trying to hoik a heavy hand bag into the overhead locker.  I never DID find the right bag, but the loft is filled with all my attempts!   It looks very similar to this:

No more suitcases, wheelies, travel bags, hold-alls, large rucksacks, special flight bags, special items of travel clothing...!!!

Things I am not going to buy - Day 1: Handbags

For an explanation of the 31 day blog, see Things I am not going to buy: Introduction post


 I'm going to start my month of confession with the thing that I find hardest to stop buying.  I daren't go shopping with my son because should I go anywhere near a bag shop or display, a loud voice from behind says "Walk away from the bags, mother, you do NOT need any more!"

Bags – of any size, shape, colour – small, medium, large, shoppers, travel bags, rucksacks, purses…  I have them all!  Bags are an obsession with me!  It isn’t that I love to look stylish with the latest “must-have” designer handbag (it would take a lot more than a handbag to achieve that!), and whilst I love to look at beautifully designed and crafted leather bags, it is rarely the looks that will tempt me to buy (especially if the price tag is equal to that of a small car).  The underlying motive is more psychological!  I like everything to be nicely organised and in its place, and know that I always have what I need with me, so I must have a bag that suits the occasion in terms of stuff that I have to take with me rather than to match whatever I am wearing.  There is the general stuff that is normally required to follow me around – purse with cash and cards, iPhone, keys, tissues, reading glasses, distance glasses, lip salve.  Then there are a huge number of items that may or may not be required, and which usually ends up coming with me – iPad, lipstick, perfume, mirror, pen, hand cream, note book, toothbrush/paste, spare carrier bag, tape measure, loyalty cards and bits of papers with “offers”,  memory stick, fold-up umbrella, and, depending on the weather, fold-up mac, hat, gloves… There are also the other pointless articles which seem to sit lurking in the bottom of the main bag that I am using at the time, and only come out when the whole thing is emptied into a new bag.  It wouldn’t be so bad if there was only one of each item, but somehow the articles seem to re-produce– my current work bag (large, black, Radley briefcase style), has no fewer than 4 lipsalves, 4 lipsticks (of various colours – I wouldn’t mind, but I hardly ever wear it!), 2 pens, 3 sets of ear phones, 2 half-eaten packs of mints, some throat sweets (loosely scattered…)various feminine hygiene objects.  I could go on, but I don’t have the will to dig any further into the murky depths of my bag. 

Things I am NOT going to buy! - Inroduction

As I have waffled on for long enough about fasting, fitness and lack of followers, I thought I would try a new theme on the run up to Christmas - saving money!  This is a personal thing rather than more general advice, as there are certain things which I have a tendency to buy and which I really don't need!  It was just going to be a blog with the a list of 10 things that I shouldn't buy.  Then, as I started, I thought I might write a little about the reason for each of the items.  As my tendency to waffle on took over, I decided that I could cover a blog for each of the items.  The more I thought about the things that I waste money on, the more items I added to my list, so here, for the next month, is my list of 31 things I must not buy!  If I manage to go for the whole of next year without buying anything on my list, I could probably afford to retire by the end of the year (assuming I put the money into a piggy bank rather than spending it on other stuff!!!)

 

Whizz!

As with the previous post, this one comes with a warning for those of a delicate nature to stop reading right now and find another more suitable blog (you might like to try a knitting blog, for example...).

Still here?  OK, don't say you weren't warned!

I am, as I may have mentioned, a bit of a gadget geek.  I browse shops and websites for little devices (or large) that come with a promise to enhance my life by making it easier, faster, more reliable and more exciting.  Gadgets come in many forms and price ranges, and, of course, their genuine usefulness.  I am very happy to report that I am still using my Fitbit after a year (although I am perhaps not quite as motivated to try and reach 10k steps every day as I was) whereas there are a number of articles that are either currently gathering dust because “I will use them one day – honest!” (the treadmill, the re-bounder, the George Forman grill, the breadmaker… I could go on…), or I have given up on them but can’t find anyone who wants them (the iJoy rider – don’t ask! – and the iSurf – clue’s in the name…).  Every now and again, something REALLY useful is invented that really does make life a bit easier, and, dear reader, I am here to tell you about my latest find.  

In my previous post, I covered the issues facing us ladies when we are out and about, far away from a comfortable and CLEAN place to, erm, go about our business.  Horror of horrors, you are going to have to use a COMMUNAL toilet - Aaaaaaaagggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Well, fear no more!  You can now purchase a little gadget that will put an end to your timid tinkling.  Made of rubber, it looks like a small funnel that you might use to decant liquids, or small granules, into bottles, although it is slightly more flexible. Placed in the correct position, we girlies can pee just like men!  Yes!  For many years, we women have been held back purely because we just don’t have what the boys have, but no more will this absent appendage cause us to feel inferior to men.  We can finally put an end to the indignities of having to squat inelegantly behind a bush, crossing our fingers that no-one spots us before we have done what we have to do and re-arranged our clothing to cover our dignity. 

So on to the test drive, which took place in Spain on our recent holiday.  One of the things we like to do when we go to Spain for our holidays, is go for a long walk down the beach to the village, have some lunch (and a few cervezas) then walk back to our apartment.  It is on the walk back that we all realise that we aren’t going to be able to make it back to the apartment without relieving ourselves of some of the cerveza (in our case) or lemonade (in DS's case).  Hubby and DS just stop where they are (out of season, they usually just do a joint performance into the sea!), and do what they have to do. At this time of year, we just walk along behind the sand dunes where it is pretty quiet.  Anyway, much to their amusement, I got out my new device and gave it a test run.  I was wearing shorts with a zip fly, and although I managed just about to move it into position, it didn’t feel quite stable enough for me to let it run, so to speak.  I tried putting it up the leg of the shorts and this gave me a little more confidence, so off I went!  I was delighted to see that it came out in an arc, the same as when my hubby and son do it, and it all went in the right direction!  Result! At this stage I should probably mention that I did actually try it out in the privacy of my bathroom before using it whilst out and about, running the risk of further discomfort and/or embarrassment caused by lack of control over the speed and direction of output.  A quick shake afterwards and I was done.  It dried immediately and is, apparently, quite hygienic (although I didn't fancy putting it back in my handbag until I'd given it a rinse in the sea).  

Well, I'm not sure it's going to totally change my life, but it might just occasionally make it a little less unpleasant.  Of course, I need to remember to have it with me when I am likely to be in a situation where I can use it, and if I am wearing long trousers (which I am 99% of the time), I will still need to take them down, which doesn't make it quite as easy to nip behind a tree.  I did actually buy the optional collecting bag, which you can use if there is no-where appropriate to go.  They give the example of being stuck in a traffic jam, but I am trying to picture the scene of using the device surreptitiously when you are stuck on the motorway.  That should give all the truck drivers a jolly good laugh!  There are probably some videos on YouTube already (not of me, I hasten to add!).
 

 Whizz website