MDS goes shopping and cleans up her act

I know shopping! It was quite shocking, I'd forgotten what it was like. Normally I'm with a client or getting items for a rail or compiling a list for someone. Not only have I been good but I've had no time either. However the petit garcon was in need of shorts and he made pleasant company while I took items from my rail back.

I've taken inspiration from That's Not My Age and embraced granny chic in the form of wedge sandals from M&S. Having recently product tested nearly every single shoe in their new range I realised that stomping around London in a 'comfy' pair of wedges that give height but cushion your feet seem like a good idea.

The M&S Footglove range (serious granny credentials) and Autograph have some very Chloe-esque wedges. At £45 it makes economic sense to grab some granny action and not blow the budget. In addition I discovered M&S's own range coconut body butter that is cheaper than the Bodyshop and also there was a 3 for 2 offer on. Then ....finally I broke the knicker drought.

I've made no effort in respect of time or parting with folding to get some much needed new knickers. I cannot begin to admit the disgrace that has been my knicker drawer for the last few years. Once again good old M&S (it feels nice to have the love back for M&S) have lovely well priced cotton pants galore to choose from and so I did. Proper grown up now. Don't read on if you have no patience for someone who shares too much information...

The M&S booty, l to right granny wedges, coconut body butter and new packs of pants.

Close up of the soon to be street pounding wedges. I will wear with my flared jeans or khaki rolled up skinny chinos.

Okay, don't panic they are clean but are evidence of how falling apart I was in the knicker department. I feel like a new women now I've admitted to my underwear failing. I did actually lecturer a lovely model on Saturday on the need of having a flesh thong, brief and boyfit short with her for shoots; while crossing my fingers behind my back in the knowledge that knickers really weren't my forte.

Out! Worn out and being dumped. I will use them as dusters first before I bin them. Thrift before wastage.

Paper pants begone!

It's not everyday a stranger offers to send you silk knickers and certainly not ones enriched with shea butter! But who am I to say no...

The silk pants in question are a special edition designed by Ayten Gasson for Andrex and what a collaboration. It is in conjunction with the launch of Andrex's new luxury toilet tissue made with shea butter - incredible! I'm amazed at how a bog standard product can be diversified into a luxury moment with ones intimate absolution's. Hey ho!

However, the Andrex/Ayten collaboration is also in aid of raising money for the charity Look Good Feel Better, a workshop programme taking place in hospitals with cancer treatment patients.

Now did anyone elses mother make you wear paper pants on overseas journeys as a child, or am I the only adult with such a memory of being made to wear them!

Special edition £10 silk knickers on sale from Andrex or Bordello

Kitchen pickers...

...wear big knickers! I had a boyfriend who said this to me once, so I chucked him. One boyfriend surprised me with a tickets to an Elton John concert. I had no choice but to join in - I only found out when we were at Wembley. I chucked him too; geez sorry if anyone is an Elton John fan but when I found myself waving arms in lieu of a lighter at Daniel I knew I needed drugs and not the man next to me!

However, clothes have always been my drug of choice and so far my resolution to not buy clothes for a year is working. Now, lets face facts here! My resolution is due to many an overspend over many a year on little bags of joy and treats of the retail variety. I would like to pretend it was a holier than thou ban, in search of inner redemption or learning but truth be told I can't afford to buy anything other than my college books, travel fares and pay for petit garcon's nursery fees. Had I been a better saver well...

But I am nothing less than resourceful. When Mr MDS came home and mentioned that someone at his work had been praising my rocky road crunch bars to someone in HR who requested a taster I sprang into action - look either I'll get a nice pressie from the said work place for supplying them in goodies or hubbie will get a gold star and potentially a reward. My reward will be an item from Cos and I won't have broken in to my account. Now who's wearing the knickers hey!

PS it also allows for me to add a picture of Nigella - the rocky road recipe creator. When I met her in real life I could not get over her beauty, seriously I was smitten.

PPS. Mind you is it just me or do you think Sally Hawkins of the Golden Globes Best Actress in Musical/Comedy could do with eating a few of Nigella's meals? How scrawny is she?

Lost magic knickers part deux

I remind you of my recent post concerning the misfortunate loss of a pair of magic knickers. Well, they've been found!

After a hard day's personal shopping for a client I picked my dear little boy up from nursery and underneath his hoodie jacket on his peg was my knickers!

It had taken nursery quite a few days to pluck up courage to ask were they mine, given the largeness of the said waist and tummy clincher number. I fessed up they were mine and past them off as exhibit numbers only - no need to go into detail on the need!

M&S ups and downs

Don't laugh but somehow today, I manage to lose some beige tummy and waist clincher magic knickers which I so need to wear under my Max Mara dress for my style talk on Saturday. The reason I've miss place them, is the lovely lady who served me in M&S informed me that people are allowed to return knickers! This conversation stunner cropped up because I remarked on the fact there was no hygiene sticker on said (now lost) £28 worth of knicker upholstery.

I'm horrified that M&S do accept returned underwear and think this should stop immediately. Equally, I'm quite upset about my loss due to the cost. I'm hoping they find them in the store ......rather than they've dropped out of my bag somewhere!

On the up side I found a gem of a dress in there today. A gorgeous little black capped sleeve shift number for a mere £35.00