Phase Eight Dress and Jacket - Delivered by Evri Driver Who Buys Bargain Clothes. Dress of the day 814 chosen by Angela Lansbury.

Phase Eight

Today I received my dress and matching jacket from an Evri delivery driver. I took it out to show it to her. She immediately recognized the label. Phase Eight. She said, 'They used to be from Debenhams'. 

The Pink Dress

Made in China. Feels very soft. Size 14. 

The lining is acetate.

The colour is deep pink. 

It has a side zip. The zip is longer than the part which the manufacturer has allowed to open.

The pattern is black and red flowers and leaves. Two shades of red, darker matt and lighter shiny.

The skirt part is fold over like the top. 

Unnervingly, the shoulders are just the very thin, delicate top layer without any lining. Will they eventually tear through?

The more I look at it, the more I like it. What a pity I don't have the slim figure to do justice to it. Neve mind, it makes me feel happy.

The Black Jacket With Pink Petal Edging

The jacket has a hook and eye which holds it in place. So it covers the cleavage. 

The main part is plain black. A little dark for summer. But it co-ordinates with the bright pink of the skirt. The pink petal edging is around the collar, and also the cuffs of the short sleeves.

The necklace 

I spent a long time trying to find the right necklace. Big pendants looked clumsy. Hearts and ovals created an overall too busy effect. 

The necklace fills in the V shaped gap. The choker effect draws the eye away from my bust and towards my face. 

The hanging part fills in the V neatly. The pendant part hangs a long way downward, drawing a line from the bust to my face.

The Missing Headband, Hair Decoration And Hat

I tried on clip-on fabric roses in my hair. I tried on a fancy hat. Nothing looked right. They just distracted from the dress. 

I concluded: A plain dress needs a fancy hat. A fancy, patterned dress needs a plain hat or no hat.

Delivery Costs

My Evri driver, I'll call her 'L' because I didn't ask her if I could quote her, told me she earns only about 52 pence per delivery, out of which she finds the petrol. She earns about twenty pounds a day for about 60 deliveries and has to collect from Park Royal. She used to earn more, and have items delivered in bulk. She still works for them because the hours are flexible, which is handy if you have children or parents to look after.

Another of my Evri drivers works for one delivery company on Sunday, the other company other days a week. That is why I see him so often. Their collection point is over in the opposite side of London. Boreham Wood?

Would I be more profitable for them to work as a taxi driver, or for a company such as Uber. She says even for Uber you have to have 'the knowledge' of major roads, not as detailed as for a London taxi, but enough to get around. Although they use Satnav or similar most of the time, they have to be able to reach their destination and deal with diversions if the internet is down.

Delivery for Evri must be safer than being a taxi driver. You have the address and name of each customer. Mostly short local deliveries. Paid by the company and not directly by the customer. Unless it is cash on delivery.

How To Lose Weight

L also buys a lot from charity shops because she lost weight for a family event, such as a wedding. Over 6 months. She cut out carbs, potato, pasta, rice, bread, but kept up protein for muscles and hair. She says, you do end up with sagging arms and thighs if you allow yourself to get large and then slim down later. 

She has to renew her entire wardrobe, in steps from size 16, then first to 14, then down to 12, then  more shopping down to 10.

Vinted Online Clothes

Online she says Vinted has clothes under five pounds.

Around London she suggested a couple of shops which were new to me.

Found Charity Shop For Buying Clothes

Found, in Shaftesbury Avenue, has cheap clothes and a bookshop and cafe at the back. It is a Christian organization, and does training and advice for people who are poor or unemployed or disadvantaged.

You can usually park outside. If not, MacDonalds has a car park. Sometimes I use a fast food place and buy something, before or after using a nearby shop. The same goes for a supermarket car park and buy something from them, which I don't need immediately, as a thank you, and to have a receipt to show I've shopped there.

Living and Giving

In Pinner, Middlesex for about £25, you can buy designer clothes at a shop called Living and Giving. L said, 'It's run by a lady, who is into designer clothes. You'll recognize her if you see her. She has short red hair, cut above her ears.' 

The shop is good if you always or occasionally have a larger budget. Or want to splash out something for a special occasion.

So there you have it. Online bargains. In shop bargains. And reduced price special clothes.

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