Cuff sandals...

I saw this outfit last year and really loved everything about it; comfortable and laid back, not too try hard, but chic and beautiful. I bought all the component parts on Ebay (except baby, still not yet available on the world's biggest shop front, but probably won't be long).

Cuff sandals...

Linen shirt and cut off jeans...

And succeeded in making my bunion  look fabulous and am dressed as if I am about to start gardening, not quite what I had in mind for the 1000 watt glamour of South of France. It is a look that is marvellous on the world's highest paid model, but perhaps not for mortals (over the age of 17).

ball gowns on the beach

I've always struggled with basics as I find shopping for them so dull. On the other hand, I have a huge oversupply of ball dresses as the possibilities are so much more interesting when buying them, and somehow they always seem better value for money, although on a cost per wear basis that is nuts (just call me Emma Bovary). The maxi dress is very much 'in ' this year and I wondered if any of these could be passed off as beach wear.

Matthew Williamson top for Nikki Beach not so much maxi, but anything else would be like wearing a Burka.

Versace inspired dress, I think not, this is a little over the top for day wear even in St tropez.

This is actually a wedding dress from Monsoon, but I think with the basket bag is OK for lunch at 55.

I bought this Temperley one with the bag at Bicester last week.

A date at Wimbledon (kind of)

I went shopping with a very special young man on the King's Road, we ate ice cream and watched Wimbledon at the Blue Bird and shopped in Ad Hoc, it was like being 15 again...

I wore my lovely linen Vanita Rosa top and Manolo Blahnik's that I could well  have had since I was 15.

Ice cream and babychino it's the only way to go...

There are lots of pop up shops appearing, the KR was getting a little homogenised, the good thing about the recession is the chains aren't opening up and these little designer second hand shops are everywhere, their stock is better than most of the boutiques and half the price! 

Lots of different tribes to be seen, here are two of them, the brightly coloured jeans and ballet pumps exhibit A...

Exhibit B the designer label lovers and serious heels...

Where do you go when you want some time away from home, but don't want to spend a fortune on lunch or dinners in restaurants?

RIP Geriatric Rapunzel thanks to Real Housewives

If someone is considering a radical change to their hair style would they normally think long and hard and consult magazines etc?

For the first time I watched a TV show about Housewives (I'm not a daytime tv person but had been trying to find updates about the flooding)Honestly!

The show came on and I was hooked with both horror and fascination, and then a sneaking suspicion that I may not be a million miles from the specimens that I was observing with such morbid curiosity.

First I watched all the blonde ladies from the OC with and their hideous pursuit of youth. And the Housewives of New York and their hideous pursuit of material possessions.

The universal factor that united the two shows was women of a certain age with locks in terrible condition trying to look young with long hair. I don't think that the rule about women over 40 and hair length should be rigidly adhered to, after all great hair is great hair at any age, if it is really lustrous and thick, but if ever there was evidence that aging hair on an aging woman is well...aging, it is in these shows.

In the advertisement break, I reached for the scissors and cut 5 inches off my own stringy rat's tails

Have you ever done any thing radical with your hair on a whim?

Lunch at Coworth Park

I couldn't wait to return to Coworth park after the dinner and and spa day.

It is dog friendly and with 100s of acres of polo fields the perfect place to while away the hours.

We met for coffee on the terrace overlooking the grounds, walked the dog for a couple of hours and then visited the Barnyard, the more rustic of the restaurants for lunch, after a bit more dog walking and a look around the spa which my companion had not seen, we returned to the main house for a post lunch coffee in the conservatory.  It was a perfect day and great way to catch properly on all the news that we had not shared over the last few months.  Coworth is definitely an occasion and demands a suitable outfit.

I have been unearthing some long forgotten treasures from my wardrobe and selected this Blumarine coral embellished silk and cashmere top (that I bought but could never fit into), very old Zara silk trousers, Versace shoes from Bicester from about 10 years ago, a (new!) Temperley bag, bought during last week's trip to Bicester and a new purse picked up from Wilbur and Gussie on Ebay.

The view from the terrace...

Gorgeous interiors in the loos...

Covetable interiors in the drawing room, I just want to move in...

The swan table should be the height of bad taste, but even this works brilliantly in the scheme....

The mini country village that houses 'The Barnyard' restaurant, all very Marie Antoinette...

We had potted trout to share to start and then I had goat's cheese brioche with mushrooms and mixed leaves and my companion had beetroot, walnut and mixed leaves plus a large sparkling water and it cost £29, which is not bad for a full day's entertainment! 

Perfect day, looking forward to another excuse to visit.

Bicester Village

Bicester was celebrating the jubilee in a suitably stylish way....

I loved this Cavalli collection when it was first in the shops, but I am not sure about luxe hippie any more, it seems really dated.

Anya hindmarch was had some better bargains than there have been for a while, some of the bags now starting with a £2, where it has been a £3 for the last year.

I liked all the color at Ted Baker, I am not sure what has come over me I am suddenly craving colour, I think it is the bad weather.

Pop up for London fashion designers, it was women's wear, now it is men's wear.

I think it was Missoni that got me into the colour mood, they seem to do it in a subtle way..

Tory Burch, the perfect antedote to grey British summer...

Mulberry, not much going on and still only 50% off, so could have bought for that price last year..

Marni, it just looks like H & M collection to me...

Jack Wills, actually more expensive than the sales in the shops, how does that work?

Valentino up to 90% off, they know how to do a good sale...

Matthew Williamson, really beautiful clothes that would last for ever at 75% off...

Temperley suitably patriotic, I did splash out  here...

Bought the orange dress below and matching bag.

Jimmy Choo, I just think Chinese copy...

Amanda Wakely still the best value, the most amazing silks and silk jerseys for less money than buying the fabrics and making the dress...

Where do you go for good sales shopping? Or do you prefer the ease and anonymity of online shopping?