Dress Of The Day with Angela

 I haven't got a thing to wear I've bought two wigs, and dyed my hair The real problem's my summer clothes My winter ones are lost in those I can't shop wearing a swimsuit A swim hat looks wrong buying fruit Stained item? Cut, make patch, or rag Lost button! Throw in the sew bag I see my red Christmas jumper Found my old favourite number Sorting your life's good for the soul I'm pleased and proud I'm in control Instead of wasting all my time Browsing to buy more clothes on line I view my spare room as a treasure A home jumble sale of pleasure Would I wear dull old things in grey? I ought to throw them all away No, sell them. Yes, another day I don't have enough time today Stuff summer clothes in spare suitcase To store them in some other place An attic, basement, spare room drawer? Or boxes in a Shurgard store Make sure each suitcase has a label Photograph them if you're able Match up the colours, fold or roll In a cardboard box, tote bag, bowl Sorti...

  Angela Lansbury wearing a navy blue dress with white polkadots, label Bravissimo. Photo by Trevor Sharot.  Bravissimo is Italian for excellent, well done, the superlative of bravo. I bought this garment because of the polka dots. Later I noticed the label. Bravissimo. They sell online: bras, bikinis and one piece swimsuits. They even do virtual fitting with a lady at the other end checking your size. Bravissimo Photo by Angela Lansbury. Large comfy clothes come from Bravissimo. I associate them with large bras. When I searched for large size bras, up popped links to Bravissimo. Here's a dress, or long top. Metal Zips - For and Against The dress has a metal zip. Vertically down the front. At the front for easy of getting into the dress. Metal might be sturdier. However,  metal is stiff and harder to fold over the front when raising the waist if you are short or want to adjust the neckline or length of the skirt hem.  Style - Lining  The skirt has a thin black l...

Inexpensive swimsuit from charity shop. Photo by Angela Lansbury.  For years I kept unworn swimsuits which were too tight, too small, but too good to waste.  I had discovered when I was a student that a bikini had a secondary use as underwear, when you needed to travel with a bikini ready to swim but did not want to carry it as extra in you handbag.  Recently I bought a swimsuit in a charity shop in London. I thought, 'what do I do with it, if it is too small?' I tried on the swimsuit and it fitted. It acted like a corset, pulling me in. I thought, 'I could wear this as a corset!  Most corset-style underwear has bones or thick pieces and is uncomfortable.  Use as A Two Piece I took off the swimsuit and put it down. I tried on a front-fastening bra, and a pull-on stretch bra. I looked down at the swimsuit and thought, 'I could cut the top off the swimsuit to make a bra, if the bottom part is too small.' I have large hips. I was not keen on the pattern of the swim...

  Photo by Angela Lansbury. Bought Hat My husband bought a warm hat in Galeries Lafayette in Beziers, France. It was more expensive than we wanted to pay, about 25 or 35 Euros but a nice warm hat and the cheapest they had. The colour was Invisible black. Invisable on dark restaurant floors under banquettes. Invisible under the black seat of a hire car.  I had wanted him to buy a cheaper orange hat, but he liked the softer, warmer black. Lost Hat After two days, the new black hat disappeared. I still had my white hat with the scarf attached. Years ago I had sewn in a name label. You need a name and phone number. Now I shall put labels in the inside lid of my travelling suitcase for my next trip, with a sewing kit and reels of black and white cotton. As soon as we buy a hat or gloves or coat I shall add a label. That way, if we leave it behind, somebody might shout after us. Or chase after us. Or phone us using our hotel booking number.  Or reply, 'Yes we have it,' when we ...

Waterproof Bags - Protect Against Rain I had two plastic handbags. Their advantage is that they are waterproof. That is handy in tropical Singapore. In autumn it rains most afternoons. Waterproof bags are also handy in the most visited South East Asian tourist destination, Thailand.  Waterproof  bags - Protect Contents The waterproof bags are helpful if you gave to carry something wet. For example, a wet swimsuit. Or food and drink.  However, they have fabric linings.  The bags feel heavy, even without my adding contents. I have to travel with only my big suitcase, my pull along bag, handbag and heavy laptop. That is without any duty free purchases. The bags look cheaper than my embroidered fabric shoulder bag. The weight is the deciding factor. They have to go. In the bin. Hotels should have a leave and take corner for surplus bags and boxes and suitcases. Scissors Before I reluctantly say goodbye to the bags I fetch a large pair of scissors. I cut out the fabric li...

The overflowing Suitcase I had been packing for weeks The suitcase was full with extra items in piles either side. I kept taking things out, putting new things in, and starting all over again.  The Multiple Lists I kept trying to make a list. The red dress on day one, the green on day two, the red shoes, the yellow shoes. I needed five outfits if I wore the same dress on the journey down and the journey back. I wanted a day outfit and an evening outfit. I could take two reversible dresses. But did I have the right colour bras and slips?  Each time, I started a new list. I ended up with four lists and could not tell which was the latest. Chaos The whole room was a mess. I had so many tops and skirts and could not decide.  Urgent Solution Needed But I needed to tidy the house for family and visitors. I had to get everything into the suitcase and then put the spare clothes back in the wardrobe. (Americans say closet.)  It was a nightmare.  Count The Days I took eve...