Fashion

[MacDuFF]

Hello fashion friends.

I resigned my "helper" gig. Wrote a very long (y'all can imagine!🤣), detailed assessment for the family. One of them called and thanked me, which was very nice considering that I called them on the carpet over a few issues😲. They pretty much don't know what else to do...she summarized the whole thing with this: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.

I visited my friend, C, once and called her on the snow day to make sure her power hadn't gone out. We're good...what a relief. 

Here's a picture (sorry about the quality) of C's walk-in pantry...which you can't actually walk into😮. There is at least one more shelf. I think I mentioned last time that the cleaning lady had no where else to put stuff, so she had to put them on the pantry floor, which you can see in this pic. Right outside the door is a large deep freezer packed with food. The last time I opened it, I had to juggle things around to put a box of ice cream bars in it and close the lid.

C has two other pantries...not walk-in, but wider and more shelves...packed like this (not to mention the kitchen refrigerator and freezer). Five boxes of Ziplock bags...in this pantry alone.   How many boxes of Ziplock bags do you have?  There are five jugs of laundry detergent on the floor in this pantry, three more jugs on top of the washing machine, and four more lined up along the wall in another room.  You see what I mean?




Thus far, we've had about 4 or 5 days of "winter." Daytime temps hovering around 35. We let our faucets drip three nights in a row last week, and the week prior we had about an inch or so of snow. I was happy to see snow...had been several years since our last dusting.

This week, temps will be in the upper 50's, with mid 60's predicted on and off thru the fourth. If we have another bout of "winter," it will fall into what I think is normal around here (central Piedmont, NC)...meaning, maybe two weeks of "winter." Can't complain!

Plus, I was able to get some use out of my red duck down puffer coat. 

Brag: I e-thrifted one wool sweater...my only winter clothing purchase this season. The few other recent e-thrift purchases were transitional pieces, which can be worn in "winter" with base layers (a January day when the temps are upper 50's). More bragging: I managed to not buy one single thing in black or grey!   I've already moved on to spring.


I love my beach-thrifted icy blue Frank & Eileen Effie casual shirt so much, that I e-thrifted a white one and a burgundy one (on it's way to me). Perfect casual top for transition around town and at the beach and can be worn with base layers in "winter."

#1 With R&B Miramar joggers and cabin socks...




This one satisfied my penchant for something different!!  It's a thrifted Shein chunky pink and black mock neck. Weight is perfect for transition, and works very well with base layers for winter, too. It went thru the washer and dryer with no issues, but I have to wonder how long this will last (unfamiliar with Shein quality). I get a big kick out of this sweater!


#2 Winter: With Levi's straight cords, UGG suede knee highs, and Roberta Pieri handbag (still on their website for $245, I paid $65)...entire outfit was thrifted.




#3  Winter: Tucked under and pinned the ribbed band to shorten it and can wear it with one of the oldest pieces in my closet (guestimating about 30 years)...a Limited skirt, which used to be a-line, but it's been taken in and shortened twice, so, at some point, it was easier to make it a pencil.




#4 Transition: Naturally, I'll wear it with jeans more often than not (and, here, Aquatalia suede loafers and e-thrifted Rebecca Minkoff leather crossbody).



Color is more accurate in pics above


I'm looking forward to the end of January, my least favorite month (August a close second)...hope you are all doing well.  Have a great week!

[Lisa Y]

Hi.  @MacDuFF   Glad your friend is okay after the snow. Does she actually eat anything from her pantry or freezer? Some the food may have expired so I am hoping it's okay for her to consume.

My favorite item is your pink and black sweater. It jumped out at me as something I would wear. It's fun, says that you are ready for a party, and it looks great paired with the Roberta Piero bag (another item I covet 🙂).
Have a great week, and spring will be here before you know it. 
🪻🌸😄

[kze]

Absolutely love that Shein sweater.  Always wondered what their clothing looked like in real life.

My least favorite month is June, July, August, September.   September in San Antonio is just August with a different name!

[shoptilyadropagain]

I loved your Shein Pink & Black sweater and I'm not even fond of pink.  This style  is exactly the type of sweater I gravitate towards but rarely find.  I've never ordered from Shein but have ordered from TEMU once and probably won't ever again.

I really like your Rebecca Minkhoff handbag.  I wasn't real familiar with RM bags but I went to a Von Maur store a couple of months ago and absolutely fell in love with one of her handbags.  I had to leave before I talked myself into buying it.  

Bless you for trying to help your friend.  I'm sure her family really appreciated it.

[Q-Checker]

@MacDuFF Thanks for the great fashion pic's!
I am so glad that you are keeping in touch with your friend and that at least one family member responded to you. I hope that somehow this friend wil be connected to professional  care to help her deal with her "overstocking" issues. I also hope that the family comes  to accept  that it is way more than "leading a horse to water" if they are caring enough to seek resolution -- that being a safe environment for their relative and, possibly, also preservation of needed financial resources. It seems that she didn't drink the water, so serious professional help is the next step..

[ROMARY]

I'm the one who has always loved, loved, loves pink with black!

Any color/tint of pink with black!

Makes me happy!

Everyone here enjoy this week (and every week) in comfort and safety.  

[MacDuFF]

@Lisa Y  Yes, that's the $64,000 question...she's one tiny little old lady who doesn't eat much. Chances are most of the food is way beyond the expiration date. I don't understand! (Agree, the pink and black sweater is fun...it's party time Cuz!)

Thanks @kze . I hear ya about the oppressive heat in TX...been there, done that.

Hi @shoptilyadropagain  I'm impressed and somewhat surprised with the quality of the Shein sweater. Our grand daughter has a few Shein items...one is a cute sweater and the other a very nice trouser. I doubt I'd ever order directly from Shein or Temu, but I'll be more likely to give those brands a try again from the secondary market. I looove that RM bag...very good quality...eBay purchase. You have more restraint than I😁!

Hi @Q-Checker   I suggested to the family as nicely as I could that they might need to do some sort of intervention. The whole thing is frustrating and sad😢.

Hi @ROMARY   Pink and black makes me happy, too! I'm a pink girl from way back. 

Enjoy the rest of the week, ladies.

[Q-Checker]

1. @MacDUFF -  The success rate with helping hoarders and what I call "overstockers" to downsize  isn't as high as we would hope,  but I am sure that your friendship is helping your friend to feel better about herself. I applaud you for reaching out (strongly) to the family who might be part of "the problem."  I hope for even incremental changes and that you will keep us posted.

[MacDuFF]

Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement @Q-Checker ...much appreciated!

[Group 5 minus 1]

@ROMARY I thnk pink and black were Elvis' fav colors.