Dress Of The Day with Angela

  The size is astronomiical, too big to wear. Opened up, it is a talking point. One comment on the website from a buyer said she was happy to use it as a pendant on a neckchain. The third central ring has a line indented but doesn't open up to a fourth. The picture on Amazon of a slightly more expensive ring, plus postage - unless you are in Amazon Prime or sender's delivery area) it seems to show a fourth ring. Maybe this accounts for the price difference. They can be made with from two to eight rings, but the more rings the bulkier. You can buy them in stainless steel, zinc alloy, silver tone or gold tone.  Useful Websites https://www.ebay.com/itm/401786947749? https://www.amazon.com/Astronomical-Finger-Foldable-Sphere-Cosmic/dp/B07V3D7YH1/ This one seems to come with a chain, and a flannelette envelope. On Amazon you can read all the reviews. Update, Aug 19 2021. I found that if you press your fingers together the ring moves lopsided so it sits diagonally on the finger (whe...

Recycling Small Clothes Into Collars and Dickeys Many months ago I rescued a small size black garment from the tip. I washed the little dress in the washing machine. I risked damaging it, but nothing to lose. As my mother used to say, it doesn't owe you anything.  The item was clearly mush too small for me. So I cut off the top. The top had a zip at the back, but was still too small. So I a slit the sides. Vertically.  What I was left with was a dickey, or false front. In black. I realised this when I looked at a dickey I had just bought. In white. You can vary your outfits if you buy a handy false collar, just the circular collar. That occasionally leaves a gap with skin showing if you wear it over a v-neck. It costs about 5 to 7 dollars.   Buying a Dickey If you spend several dollars more, usually six to eight or eleven, dollars, you can buy a dickey, which has an oblong hanging down. But if you want to create one cheaply, or recycle old clothes, make your own. So,...

   Lime, olive and turquoise espadrilles. Photo by Angela Lansbury. At first I was delighted to find these forgotten shoes hidden in a shoe box at the back of the bedroom\s built-in wardrobe. (Americans say closet.) Green Colours We disagreed about the correct way to describe the colour. I called the velvet feel, suede effect uppers of the shoes - 'lime'. My husband said they were pistachio. He said a lime on a tree is a dark green.  These shoes heel covering at the side don't have the rope effect which creates a beach and holiday feel. On the other hand the shiny synthetic look goes well with after dinner and evening wear. So far, so good. However, my joy did not last long. Gorgeous shoes. I wouldn't mind another pair in another colour. But what brand? JW? I managed to find the shoe box with a label.  The distributor. If I manage to find them, they will ask when I bought the shoes. I wish I had pinned or stuck my receipt to the shoe box. Unfortunately, as soon as I ...

A Singapore Airlines bride to be with her beau. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.  In Asia in countries such as Vietnam and Singapore it is the fashion to do a pre-wedding photo shoot the day or week in advance. If you see a wedding couple in a venue, that's probably a good place to show off your beau and your beautiful holiday clothes. For example, the entrance to a scenic point with the signpost. Waterfalls, walkways, bridges, fountains, outside and inside stations, beside artworks and statues.   For example, the USA: Especially if you are wearing a period costume. Los Angeles' Union station is the setting for the Oscars, extending the space needed for social distancing. The station is open as usual for trains, during the ceremony, as well as before and after. You may have seen the station already as it has appeared in numerous films. One more place to put on your visit list next time you are in Los Angeles, as well as the stars in the pavement. (NB what the British ca...

  Gorgeous Green Sandals, with peep toes, blue inner soles, green ribbon ties, espadrilles, worn by Angela. Photo by Trevor Sharot. I went shopping in my own wardrobe. At the back I found the forgotten green sandals. I loved the green ribbon tries. I loved the mixture of green and blue. The shoes are espadrilles, which means they have rope sides.  When I look closely they seem to be a synthetic but you really don't notice the sides. The exciting thing is the velvety soft blue underfoot. I had the box which shows that I bought them in Takashima department store in Ngee Ann City, next to Somerset MRT station which is one stop from Orchard MRT. Or a short walk along Orchard Road. If it is raining you can walk along underground at two levels, basement 1 or two from Orchard MRT. Shoe Box Storage & Labelling Saving the box is really handy. I wish I had written the date, or taped the bill to the box. If I want to store the shoes in the box, I can still photograph the shoes and pr...

  Angela wearing a red and royal blue dickey, converted from a child's dress. Selfie.  Worn over a red caftan. The colours are red, blue and gold. I considered removing the gold which is rather scratchy. But it adds to the festive feel. Useful Websites Several websites for dickeys are in other posts in this blog. You will find lots of dickeys on Ebay. About Angela The Author The Author - Quick Quotations Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers plus another ten self-published books.  About Angela The Speaker & Trainer Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses. Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President  Public Rrelations, Immediate Past President. Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club. Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK Garen Tee on using story telling in business, on bha.l...

  Angela with orange parasol, orange caftan, orange flip-flops and orange bag. Photo by Trevor Sharot The Orange Parasol I ordered the orange parasol online because I had had such a success with a pink paper parasol. This item was at first sight fabric, but later I took another look and decided it was synthetic. The 'fabric close-up looks like plastic, possibly waterproof. But I don't know whether water (rain) would wash off the paint.  However, close-up, inspecting the edge of the fabric for signs of glue or stitching, I found some fraying threads. No refinements. No handstrap.  What You Could Add You could add your own ribbon as a handstrap. I bought reels of red ribbon, and green ribbon, from Daiso in Singapore. The ribbon reels were in the stationery area. The Diaso branch was in the mall adjoining the MRT railway station, one stop from Changi airport.  I added a recycled green ribbon with shoelace ends which I had saved from a brown paper tote bag. The parasol h...

Belt holes. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.   I had a black belt which was too large. I had gone on a diet. The belt slipped sideways. I looked lopsided.  Holes Needed A fabric belt, which has no reinforcing, can be tied. But a stiff belt needs holes. Especially if you have a pretty buckle to show off. I remembered from long ago that I had made holes in belt when I was alone. I had used small scissors. Awls. Anything to hand. This time I had family to help, my practical husband. MARKING THE HOLE DISTANCE The solution was simple. My husband made two holes. The same distance apart as the original ones. You could use a ruler to measure the distance, or even a piece of string marked with biro or tailors' chalk.  Chalk Marks Then mark the belt with the tailors' chalk. Why tailors' chalk? Because it rubs off easily without staining. Without lots of chalk dust.  Ties To Tighten However, I intended to turn the belt buckle to the back because I had lost the tab which hol...

  Angela Lansbury in lime green tp with black belt to match the black skirt. The purpose of this photo was to show off my new white collar, a detachable collar or dickey. I had a lime green t-shirt. I wore the green-t-shirt over the black underskirt (a long Marks and Spencer slip with lace godet or triangular inset at hem level). The lime green and black were not a real match. I decided to add a black belt.  That was perfect. Next I looked for black shoes, and black bows, slip-ons, for my hair. Lime green top with white dickey, black belt and black skirt and black shoes and black hair bows. Selfie by Angela Lansbury to show the collar close-up. Black shoes by Bally. Photo by Angela Lansbury. The black shoes are by Bally. Pointed toes. The base says Made in Italy and the symbol for leather with the words vero cuoio. These must be vintage shoes because at first most shoes were all leather. Then all plastic came in. Then half and half and the sellers put leather on the sole when ...