h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tuesday 19 November

Lots on today, so I need a hard-working multi-functioning outfit.

In the office, then drinks and canapes at a friends housewarming, and then I have to get to at least SOME of the Lisburn class, as we're going through dances for a dem tomorrow.

I've opted for one of my favorite stalwarts, a dress that is easy to wear, but always attracts compliments. It's in a soft jersey material, with an abstract pattern in lizard grey, dove grey, and a sandy olive (Icy, this most assuredly is NOT my breakfast!) with mesh sleeves and polo style neck, covered in a sort of distressed/ ripped overlay. I bought it for a fiver in a sale at Moores of Coleraine, one of the few remaining independent department stores, and it was so cheap because there was a rip at the waistband, which my mother took great joy in repairing for me.

As an added layer agaisnt the freezing temperatures, I have a single button casual cotton jacket in the sand colour, and thick grey tights in flat black suede knee boots.

[Amy P]

pebbledrook, you are so funny! And KB and Bea too

Bea, I must be being influenced by you, because today I determined to look a little lest 'rustic', as well as being warm. So I hoiked out my skinny, distressed jeans, squeezed into them, (it's been a year) and teamed them with a long sleeved white t-shirt over which I put my faux ballerina-fastened pink cashmere cardigan. White trainers.

It's been snowing here today, so I wore my cream down-padded winter coat from M&S with a fake fur trim round the hood and a huge scarf in peacock blue. I'd have worn boots but I needed to wear thermal socks, and I was glad I had because my feet stayed warm.

nobody laughed!

Wednesday 20 November

Day off.

Jeans - a "barometer" pair, an American brand called "Not Your Daughter's Jeans". They've got extra stretchy stuff in them - I suspect they predate jeggings, but aren't quite as tight as the latter. These were bought from a pop-up second hand shop last year - it was only there for a week - and, label whore that I am, they were my first item of clothing with a size 4 on it. I know when they feel tight do Do Something.

I'm wearing them with a graphite 3/4 sleeve Tshirt, a short sleeved long-line pointelle cardi in ecru, which has great pockets on the front. I love pockets. What has it got in its pocketseses? Mostly its handses.

And a cream fine scarf (a foulard, I think they're called) with brown and green floral design.

Tonight is a Scottish dem, but not with my usual crew, so I need a different outfit. White top (Jaegar short sleeve blouse, outlet mall) black skirt (Monsoon, charity shop, and it took me AGES to hunt down the right type of skirt) anda tartan sash. My Titanic one is pinned to my white dress, so I dont want to remove it, so I'll wear my other sash, which is in Weathered Ulster tartan. This is based on a kilt that was discovered in an Irish bog, so the colours are peaty brown and dirt grey.

http://www.heritageofscotland.com/tartan/Ulster-District-Weathered/id,5575,tartan.php

[Amy P]

Thursday 21 November

Dentist, office with an important meeting, Scottish dance class.

Gok Wan is best known for presenting "How to Look Good Naked", though he's just released a cook book, Gok's Wok, and I met him at the signing of this in Belfast (see Journals passim)

He also designs a range of clothes for Tu at Sainsburys. This range is a bit hit and miss - some items are fabulous; others, particularly those with built in "shapewear", can require a sequence of contortions to put them on.

Today I'm wearing one of my favourite pieces from the collection, a round necked sleeveless dress in a sort of jungly green pattern. Underneath I have Mary Portas' Armoury, best described as "tights for arms", in a deep purple shade, opaque tights in a similar hue, and the green Ted Baker heels, cos I didnt get to wear them last week.

There are 2 things in particular I love about this frock. Firstly, it has a full circle skirt, and I enjoy giving the odd pirhouette to show it off. Secondly, it has pockets hidden into the side seams. More dresses should have pockets, say I.

[Amy P]

Friday 22 November

Full-on day today - conference in a naice Belfast hotel, then meeting my parents for dinner before we go to the opening night of my sister's play.

I'm wearing my new go-to fab frock. LK Bennet, plain dusky aubergine drapey material, long sleeves, cross-over bodice, and a swirly shirt with an unusual dippy shaped hemline. As its a bit low cut I've got a watermelon cami underneath, and a big statement coral necklace. Brown tights and boots, my deep purple tapestry coat (Per Una, from years ago, it's a bit baggy, but still works) and my re-found coral pashmina!

[Amy P]

Saturday 23 November.

The most important thing I wore today was the ParkRun High-fizzy vest! ParkRuns are part of my Saturday morning routine now - my personal best time (PB) over the 5km course is 27:25, and I'm hoping to earn my "50 runs" T shirt during 2014. But it relies on volunteers to do the marshalling, scanning, timekeepering etc, and everyone is asked to do this 2-3 times a year. As an incentive, you get 100 points for volunteering, up to a maximum of 300 points. I'm currently second in the female table so I need all the points I can get my very cold little hands on!

Today I was back-up timekeeper, though after the main timekeeper hit the wrong button it was my times that became the official ones - so no pressure then! All those earnest runners, eager to record a new PB, relying on my shivering thumb to press button B at the exact moment they crossed the line.....it reminded me that the first question you should always ask is "How reliable is my measuring device?".

Wasn't it a brilliant day for it? Beautiful weather. Just frosty enough to be invigorating!

I was jealous of the 100 or so runners - they were certainly warmer than I was! Bit tricky to run with a lot of fallen soggy leaves, but the rain stayed off, which is always a bonus

It is getting very cold - cold enough to make the ears ache. Any chance of some fashion tips about scarfs (or is it scarves?) and gloves?

And boots.... boots for the winter.. but highly fashionable leather ones... Having just read through the backlog here, accululated whilst I was away... yet again, as soon as I read the thread, I want to go online and buy a pair of new boots!

I love my dubarrys- wore them today with their removable furry tops. My husband was well-jel of them but researched alternatives, and as of last week is proudly wearing his Toggi knee high leather boots.

Don't suppose you'd consider a fleece headband? Noo Yoik rappers wear them, honest!

Toggi? Not sure I'v even heard of them before... would they suit me?

I can deffo see the practicalities of a fleece headband. But I fell for that "noo yoik rappers wear them, honest" line when I was young and impressionable, and it's not an experience I would want to repeat.

I must get some fluffy bunny/rabbit ears, to affix to my black leather trilby, to keep my ears warm this winter... ey'll go fabulusly well with any one of my so-called 'unixsex'scarfs I keep failing not* to purchase from the stalls on the market... I think my current one is some kind of Afganastan scarf thing... Proabbly is* entirely unisex.... were it not in pink and upurplesnork> mind... its that or the pink 'stadnard' scarf, I 'inherated', or the strange black frilly scarf which is... well like a feahter boa in scarf form that a pub gavemto me

You can't half tell when 2legs is back. Beatrice's journal goes into meltdown.

I deny.... damnit... what's the point... I deny nothing! I'm still not convinced by the idea of my buying 'long' boots online; knee height, or more... Whenever I've tried such things on, in actual* physical shops, they never seem to fit right... too big over the ankle/lower leg, not enough 'turn' to get my foot in... I'm ot surehow practicle they are anyhow... I do* need to be able to walk in them without falling over.... too much I'll proabbly just end up with another pair of Chelsey zip up ankle boots, or yet antoehr pair of leather army/military boots hough... the Equestian boots I just saw, looked very interesting