Dress Of The Day with Angela

 I broke my clavicle in a car accident. The hospital gave me a large triangle of cream colour cloth to tie around my neck as a sling. One evening I want out with a scarf and wanted to wear it draped over the sling to hide it. Then I thought I could use it as a decorative outer piece, with the hospital;s scarf underneath like a lining. Then I realised the scarf was strong enough to bear the weight of my arm without the hospital's cloth. In an emergency, to protect your arm, or somebody else's, you might need to create a sling, or some kind of bandage.  A large scarf or sarong would be very handy. Using a pair of scissors, and a needle and thread, (both in some small sewing kits) you could create a sling, a headscarf, a head bandage, a headband, a swimming cap, a mask, even a bandeau top and a pairt of shorts or swimming trunks. A poncho, with a t shape cut in the middle, is easy and quick to make. Several videos on YouTube show you what to do. I have saved some of my favourite ...

I bought a tarten pair of pyjamas in a red and black and white pattern. Label Senza Sleepwear. Angela Lansbury wearing a red, white and black pyjama set by label Senza. Then I bought a similar patterned shirt by label Shein.  Angela Lansbury wearing the Shein shirt. Why buy another garment so similar? Well, one was pyjamas, the other a shirt, or blouse. One day I was rushing to an appointment when I accidentally put on the pyjama top instead of the blouse!  They looked so similar, I don't suppose anybody noticed. I had a jacket on top most of the day. I felt happy.  The only difference was that the pyjama top had an open neck.  It looked so similar that I don't think anybody except me would have known the difference. The pyjama top felt and looked better. It is in a soft fabric, loose and comfortable.  It goes with a black skirt, a perfect match. It is an alternative to wear if I am washing the shirt by hand overnight and it is not yet dry next morning.. In fact...

 "What do you want for your birthday?" my family asked me.  I wanted more clothes. But my family members already think I have too many.  So, I asked for silk pillowcases. When I searched online, I tried to find silk, from silkworms. I did not want satin, which is a type of weave. Satin can be made from any one of several kinds of fabric, including polyester. The visible difference is that satin, although thin, and soft and shiny on one side, is matt on the underside. I looked for the word silk. But also the word mulberry, which is the plant which silkworms feed on. Polyester is something different. Sets Of Two Some of the manufacturers offered sets of two pillowcases. Why would I settle for one when I can gettwo. I would rather have two cheaper ones than one more expensive one. Why? Because I need two when one has been hand-washed and is drying. Zip Closure Versus Envelope At first, I wanted a zipped one rather than the envelope style. The dearest ones are the ones with a...

 Tartans, plaids, Burberry. Black Watch. Angela Lansbury wearing red, white and black Shein blouse at a Toastmasters International speakers' club. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. This blouse label is Shein. I thought the red colour was jolly, black co-ordinates with black skirts and accessories practical. White adds freshness, cleanliness. Only when I looked at the photo did I realise what was wrong with the pattern. The horizontal lines on the left and right don't match up. The two sides have been cut separately. They should have been either from one piece, cut vertically down the middle, or not economised on fabric but lined it up.  Why was it made like this? How did it get past the supervisor, past quality control? Maybe it is 'seconds', a sale item.  Maybe an amateur. Maybe cost-cuttiing. Somewhere I read an article investigating how clothes are made so cheaply. The manufacturer in a village or city where lots of people are seeking work offers work where each p...

Dressed For Dinner  A friend's daughter was self - harming. I found this very scary. Sad for her parents. Worrying. The mother assured me that self-harming, at least in this case, was not a full-blown suicide attempt, but a sign of desperation, to get out of a situation, in the person's mind, to right the balance after an argument or a jealousy expressed by somebody else. A bit like sacrificing a child in primitive people, in this case, sacrificing a bit of oneself.  She went to hospital and had apparently recovered and came to dinner with us. I noticed she had a pretty lace covering over her forearm.  Fingerless Long Lace Gloves It wasn't until I looked at it a second time, and was about to ask her where she bought it, that I realised it was on one arm only. It has looked like a fashionable, attention-getter, like a one-shoulder dress. But it was just to cover the bandage on her wrist. Better than a bare bandage. Less inviting comment. Less of a reminder to her. Totally ...

I read in the news today that the French have issued instructions on preparing a survival kit for householders.  Convenient Carry Bag Your house should have a bag you can carry, or sling in a car. Your handbag or tote bag or holdall should have a few essentials. When hiking I wear clothes with pockets and have a rucksack with have pockets water, food and sting relief, and insect repallent, and maps and phone numbers. I also put the hospital nubers in my phone. Survival Kit Everybody should have a survival kit by their door, as well as a first aid box in the bathroom and a burns kit in the kitchen. Also clothes! Japanese The Japanese are reputed to keep survival kit by the door. Why? In case of earthquakes. Travellers should have a first aid kit. In their suitcase or bag. And in cars. Plus spare clothes. For sitting on wet or dirty ground. Medical Help Many buildings have a defibrilator. Do you have a scarf which would act as an emergency sling? After a car accident, I had broken m...

 In the Wetherspoons pub in Hatch End. Head dress. I am happy in the head-dress. You could borrow one for a photo.  Kevin displaying his tee 👕  Angela Lansbury wearing a Guinness hat. Guinness hat - free when you buy Guinness. The decor was delightful. Shamrocks outside Wetherspoons in Hatch End, London, attracted me inside. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright..

Go into a pub with signs over the doorway to enjoy green drinks, green posters and to be surrounded by staff and customers wearing gree.  Some pubs sell green hats. Others give Guinness hats for free to all buyers of Guinness or all paying customers. Others have quizzes and give hats as prizes.  Online you can buy tee shirts and whole outfits in green with mottoes. Also spectacles and masks with shamrocks (three leaf clovers, or lucky four leaf clovers.  The word shamrock is Irish for little clover. Where can you wear and share? Hyde Park Corner On Sunday 16th March 2025 in London a parade starts at Hyde Park Corner. Expect to see floats with music and dancing. A time to see what others are wearing and to show off your green clothes. Trafalgar Square Expect free shows of music and dancing on a stage. You can buy Irish food. Take photos of costumes and be photographed in yours. Useful Websites Amazon Leprechaunsluck Shop https://leprechaunsluck.com/shop.html Spotlight Spot...

 I went on Facebook to ask my friends and acquaintances about silk, different types of silk. Raw Silk One person reminded me that raw silk is thick and uneven. She said it feels soft. The first time I bought a raw silk garment not realising the type of fabric. I was disappointed. It was not soft and smooth like sand-washed silk. Thick and lumpy. not so elegant. Its appearance appeals to those who like natural, earthy colours and fabrics. I prefer shiny, luxurious looking. It doesn't have that soothing effect of soft, smooth silk. However, raw silk has some advantages. It is warm. Good as an undergarment in winter. I found I was wearing my raw silk short sleeved vest by Patra a lot.  I kept my smoothe silk for best, for evenings, for special occasions. Not to wear it out, snag it.  The nasty cheaper looking silk was for everyday wear. I wore it constrantly. I got good value from it. Useful Websites https://www.hiendaccents.com/blogs/pillow-talk/natural-silk-vs-artificial-s...

 I am looking at asking for silk pillowcases, a set of two, for my birthday. They are supposed to make your skin look soft and unwrinkled. More to the point, they feel soft and relaxing,make you want to sleep. When looking at them on ebay and Amazon, at first I was confused. I was suspicious of silky feel. Silk and Satin - what's the difference? When I googled, what is the difference between sil and satin, I received the answer - Silk is from silkworms. Satin is a type of weave which can be from several type of thread, and fabric, including polyester.  Price might be your guide. Now let's look at two more significan words. Both Sides Real silk feels the same both sides. Satin fabric is soft on one side, the front, and rough on the reverse. (I orginally mistook silk on both sides to mean that you were not getting a pillowcase with silk on the top and another fabric to go at the back of the pillow.  Now I understand that silk on both sides means both sides of the fabric, (a...

  Grey belt made from an inner suitcase strap. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.  On our long holiday to New Zealand inovlving two long flights two suitcases had finally outlived their working days. The handles would not go up and down. the zip pulls had come off. We tried watching videos on how to repair the handles. We attached twist ties temporarily, and bought zip pulls. Then my husband bought two 'new' to us, second hand suitcases in New Zealand op shops (charity shops), and declared his determination to dump the old suitcases. However, I wanted to see what I could save. Previously I have saved fabric lining, a soft handle to add to the broken handle of a ool box to make it easier to carry. This time I cut off the eleastic strap which  fastens over clothes inside a suitcase. My original idea was simply to use the wide elastic for the waists or skirts or even pyjama bottoms or outsize shorts. However, the clasp of the two pieces of elastic looked like a belt. Hey -...

  Angela Lansbury wearing caftan at speech contest. Colourful Caftan The colours of this caftan are a white background with pale pink vertical edging, and curved darker pink, and touches of black and grey. Summery sunny white and warm pink. The black leaves suggest flowers.  For a speech contest I wore a colourful caftan over my warmer, winter clothes. My idea was to create a suitable costume to fit my subject which was my honeymoon in Morocco. Therefore, something summery. The White Blouse I actually started with a white blouse, thinking of weddings requiring all white, because my opening anecdote was about my honeymoon.  The white blouse covers my neck and forearms. It fills in the V-neck elegantly. No gaps, bra straps, lopt-sided views of a vest. It adds elegance to the simple caftan with more shiny silky look, and the added intricacy of the pleating. The longer arm sleeves kept me warm. The cuffs covered my distracting watch strap. The label is Alternatives. Size UK 1...

  I was very happy wearing my warm white jumper all day. However, in the evening I stood up and took a photo. What did I find 1 Take photos of yourself. I often hear people protest, I don't like myself in photos. I don't look good in photos. Full length photos reveal the truth, what you look like to other people. Warts and all, as the popular saying goes. I see from this photo 1 I have put on weight on holiday and need to lose weight. 2 White is revealing. Black is more flattering to fuller figures. 3 Try camouflage. Try wearing a dark skirt pulled up over the tummy area. I wore about this top before in post 438. This is what I said. The Jumper - Cinzano The label says Cinzano Designer Collection. It has a style number DK143. Yes, it is the same brand as the drink, not a fake or copy, but from the 1980s. A web search produces Cinzano objects related to the drink, such as ash trays or angular bowls, and tee-shirt featuring the Cinzano drinks brand pop up on Redbubble.  White St...

Sher in sheer delight white outfit, with boyfriend Kit. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.  New Zealand Dress Code New Zealanders wear shorts and short sleeved-shirts in their summer, the last of which is February when the schools resume. New Zealanders don't wear short sleeves and shorts only at lunch time. They go out to to utdoor restaurants dressed like that, too. Jandals and Flip-Flops - The Advantages Kit is wearing what the British call flip-flops. The New Zealanders call them jandals, short for Japnese sandals.  We think of flip-flops as footwear suitable for being almost barefoot on the beach. Shake out sand. Wash them off. When walking along the shore you can take them off in a hurry to paddle - and they are light to carry. They protect your soles from sharp rocks and stings. But leave you free to enjoy the sunshine and freedom from enclosure or rubbing. You can wiggle your toes.  Put them on quickly for scorching hot sand, or rough paths. Or bars and restaura...