Friday, November 1, 2019

London coat tales ---------- and a birthday!


I had another birthday last weekend!  
The numbers are getting high now and one often wonders at this stage of life just
how many more there will be!
More cards, phone calls, greetings, perhaps a gift or two, a lunch out, a cake with no
 candles (who wants to buy that many boxes) and. . . . . . . . well you know, so I won't
 go into negative details. To many in our family, adult birthdays just don't seem to be
that important any longer. I try to remember everyone with at least a card on a 
birthday - no matter how old one is, there's just something special about watching
 for the mail carrier and hoping for some pretty cards with birthday greetings and
 kind words on that special day.

Anyway, life does go on and mine has been really busy since getting back from
the recent trip - more posts coming on that. Just need more hours in my day and
 fewer medical appointments and such which seem to overwhelm at this time of year.


I'm really ready for them!  
COATS. . . . . . .also jackets, scarves, along with boots and enclosed shoes. 
Toss out those flip flops, pack away the linens, store the warm weather
 clothes and footwear.  
I love dressing for winter. Proper coats are my favorite item, despite living in the
 southeast where really chilly weather is scarce during a normal winter season.
I love to throw a light coat over a sweater, a knit dress, sometimes a silky
 blouse, with a trouser, jogging pant, or a calf-length casual skirt.  
Snuggle my toes into loafers, wingtip oxfords, suede sneakers or my tall boots
 and ankle booties and I'm ready to go.


A quick visit into London's Oxford Street on our return to the UK
before coming home, included a little shopping for some 
Marks & Spencer items, plus a quick look around ZARA of course!
I love their coats and ended up buying this cozy wrap coat. . . . . feels
incredibly comfy and is as lightweight as a bathrobe. I'm going to 
enjoy this one as soon as the weather cools.

 Bespoke Ballgown by Christian Siriano

Selfridge's display windows were certainly eye-catching, as they usually are. 
 I didn't have time to take a lot of photos that day, and the crowds were
 unbelievably huge (there was a Brexit march nearby!). Then unexpected
 rain arrived meaning thousands of umbrellas suddenly appeared. . . . . . the
 sidewalks became impassable for a while!




Note, even the ballgown is shown with casual silver sneakers!  
Sneakers, especially black or white, and very clunky designs, were being worn with everything.


Oh London - such an awesome city and, thankfully, still some beautiful
old shops with history and elegance within their walls.


11 comments:

  1. Love your coat, Mary, so chic. And of course, you bought the ballgown?

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  2. Haha! Love that Barbara! No, decided not easy to pack into a suitcase - but will be lovely on some brave, young, curvaceous woman! One with plenty of money of course.
    Hugs - Mary

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  3. Love the coat, but I don't think it will fit over the ballgown! Haha. Beautiful window views!

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  4. You will be so chic in that coat! Hope that we get a glimpse of the look. I bought a new winter coat this year after just having bought a new winter coat last...fleece...boxy...warm...good enough! 😁

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  5. Love the coat! Love "licking" the windows here and wishing I was standing on that sidewalk nearby. Beautiful!

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  6. Belated Happy Birthday to you, dear Mary! Sorry to hear there are so many medical appointments for you these days, I hope there won't be any need for them soon again.
    I like coats, too. It has been cold enough in the mornings this week for me to wear my padded coat for going to work, the first time this season, and even gloves.
    The ball gown looks like something out of Barbie's wardrobe - lovely but not realistic for most of us :-)

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  7. Happy belated birthday to you! And welcome home. I could not agree with your more, everyone should be recognized on their birthday with a card, no matter their age. I love to get cards any time of the year and it is a lot art, or at least it feels like it.

    I too love winter coats, and have too, too many. But I don't care because I call them the jewels of winter, afterall if it is cold out it really is the only part of the outfit people get to see. Your new brown coat ins gorgeous, Zara always has great things.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

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  8. Happy belated birthday, Mary! I can hear the disappointment in your writing voice over not receiving cards in the mail. I felt much the same on my birthday this year. I didn't even receive a card in the mail from my mother nor one of my best friends - both of whom have always sent me cards in the past. Like you, I usually remember loved ones' birthdays with a snail mail card. I think our culture is becoming less snail mail oriented, which makes me sad.

    I hope you enjoy wearing your lovely coat. I'm the total opposite - I hate bundling up for winter. Of course, it's also much colder here. Yesterday afternoon, I went out with a friend and I had to wear my winter coat, a scarf, gloves and boots. It took too long to get bundled up and was mainly a pain in the tush. And then we were sweating in the store we went into. I'd much rather slip into a pair of sandals and just be able to run out the door.

    Have a good weekend!

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  9. Happy Birthday Mary, I hope you have a wonderful year. London is one of my favourite places, always something to see and do. The Zara coat is lovely, very elegant and looks cosy and warm as well. What a great souvenir. Imagine wearing silver sneakers to the ball! What fun, at least no sore feet. It is a gorgeous blue dress, isn't it. We also had a recent quick visit to London, but did not get to Selfridges - which is a pity, a wonderful store.

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  10. how can one not love London? Still, even with it's cash infusion since the turn of the millennium, I can't say it's as lovely or English feeling as it was when growing up. I loved being able to walk quiet evening strolls and Sunday morning walks but now it's pretty much a bustle all the time. Still, one can't beat the history and architecture. I was also impressed and so thankful that even around Knightsbridge and other touristy shopping locales, smoking has distinctly declined, thankfully.

    I was so glad to actually send xmas cards this year but lament that there are so few people to write to who care to get a note or would ever return one. I feel like that art of letter writing and then waiting expectantly for the mail is a dying treasure. After your generation, I suspect it will totally dry up. I love that you still write cards and letters though! I used to write to a dear Chinese woman from old Guiana who lives in London as was a good friend of my mother's. However, she is practically bling now so no point there any more. Maybe I should write to you and Bob instead?!

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