When In doubt, Wear a Cape

This is my new motto, to go along with the one I already have:  When in doubt, wear a hat.

I took my lush, green yaks'-wool shawl (bought a few years ago in the Himalayan market in Byres Road) to Tenerife and wore it almost every night.  It's so cosy and soft and warm, that it was perfect for slinging on over everything. (Except, as I discovered, a mini-skirt.  The furry gillet came into play that night.) 

Wrapped round the shoulders and fastened with a glittery brooch to keep it in place et voila!  No need for any hassle or fuss.  Warm, elegant, stylish and cosy.  Yes, the multi-tasking shawl is everything you need, and want, in a cover-up. 

For Scottish-winter use, I recommend wearing it over a couple of layers: vest top, jumper etc, and you can even stick a wee scarf round your neck if you'll be feeling the chill.  Go for a small, discreet scarf though, because if you wear anything long/woolly/brightly coloured you'll end up being all scarfy-fringey-action and look like you're channelling the Mental Boho Look.  And not in a good way.

If you're lucky enough to have a turban as wonderful as mine, you might as well stick that on with it, too.

The Turban of Joy

I'm wearing it today and it's everything I wanted it to be!  I love it so much I might never take it off.  It's light-weight, a great fit and if I didn't know better I'd almost think it gave me magic powers.  Or was that just the wine I had at lunch?

Anyway, here are a few pics for you all to admire in awe and excitement.  Taken in the bathroom de Smeaton; admittedly not the most glamorous setting but enough for blogging purposes.

 

         

        I am totally loving it. 

So my granny popped in and wanted to go out for lunch, so we went to a place called the Battlefield Rest, round from my house.  I know it sounds like we're always going out for lunch but the thing is that my granny don't really eat when she's in the house on her own, so we either take sandwiches round or she comes round for a cup of tea and then asks if we'll go for something to eat.  So, it's good to know that she eats at least one good meal most days.  I had spaghetti with mussells and it was very tasty.

Last night when I couldn't sleep I made a list of things to take to Tenerife so I think I'll pack tomorrow.  I have orchestra tonight, which, to be honest I can't really be arsed with, but I'll probably go anyway.

Also, had to go to the jobcentre this morning, so I went, I waited, I sat down, signed a piece of paper and literally about 1 minute later I was on my way out.  Oh well.  Everytime I go in I think they're going to give me a hard time, ask why I don't have a job yet or say I can't have been trying hard enough.  In reality, no-one gives a toss, they ask the cursory question about what I've been doing to look for a job, get my signature and send me on my way.  And, if you dare to ask a question, they look a bit put out and reply without really answering and that's that.

I'm sleepy, could do with a wee siesta!  Think I'll leave this now and hop off and read Grazia.  It's good that it's out every Tuesday, cause I buy it on my way home from the jobcentre, to cheer myself up!

Shopping with KM

Ooooft, I'm tired.

Yesterday I spent nigh-on the entire day in my bed, watching make-up clips 'n' tips from Lisa Eldridge.  I discovered some new ones that I hadn't seen before and revisited a few classics.  The reason for this uber laziness was KM and her rockin' party.  My dad very kindly went out to buy me straws (glitter lips had to remain in tact throughout Cava and punch drinking, and thus required straws) and bought me a bottle of the ole Cava to take up with me.  So when we arrived we tanked that and discovered the cheese board, which me & ED quickly scarfed before anyone else could get a look in.  Then we had KM's punch, which really did, er, pack a punch (badoom-TCHSH!) and then ED very kindly shared his posh grapefruit vodka and M&S lemon juice.  Met some lovely peeps, had a good bit of chat and admired in awe, KM's new flat which is really rather lovely.  She does have one of those mad canopy beds though - like a double-sized bunk-bed with no bottom part.  I must admit I slightly worry for her safety and await the day I get a text message from her in A&E with a concussion, having drunkenly missed a step on the ladder on the way for a mid-night pee.  So far, though, she's been OK.

I left my cardi at her flat so we met up today so I could get it back for my hols, and then we had a very nice day.  Went for lunch in a wee coffee shop in the West End where we had lentil soup and shared a plate of basil-tastic bruschetta, and then... what else? We hit the shops.  I got some toiletries from Boots and we went into that houseware/junk shop Townhouse, where we spent a happy hour or so browsing the junk and picking up some gems for KM's pad.  Then we went to that wee Moroccan (I think it's Moroccan) shop on Argyle Street and were having a happy nosy about when - joy of joys! - I saw a black turban hat slung on top of a row of jewellery hooks.  Now, anyone who has ever listened to my fashion-obsessive chatter for long will know that I've been searching for a wee stylish turban for a while, but to no avail.  The problem was that any I found were woolly, winter ones, or just cosy headbands which, for some reason, a lot of shops have taken to describing as turbans.  Things like this:





Nice though this may be, it is not a turban!




Liz T.  Now all I need are the diamonds to match.

 

So, anyway... as soon as I saw this lying there in the shop, I grabbed it and tried it on in joy.  It looks awesome, and it is actually exactly what I've been looking for; a bit Elizabeth Taylor, I like to think.  I decided that if it was under a fiver I would just buy it for myself.  So I skipped up to the desk and asked the price, and the guy told me that it was only 99p!  I flipped him a pound with a Cheshire grin and couldn't believe my luck.

The funny thing is, the way it was just lying there on top of a bunch of necklaces and earrings, and the fact that it was the only one in the shop, made us both think that maybe it wasn't really from that shop, and actually someone might have left it there while they tried something else on and then forgotten about it.  I think the guy working at the cash desk was just chancing his luck, selling it for a pound!  This suspicion was compounded when KM asked if he had any others and he very quickly replied (without so much as a glance at where I'd picked it up) "No, that's the last one."  The last one, or the only one, I wonder??

A very happy result for me today and I think I'll stick that on for travelling on Saturday because it's very lightweight and will be comfy for keeping my hair off my face, which is my pet hate.  Although I'm sort of growing my hair out at the moment (more out of indecision and apathy than anything else), it drives me mad when it's hanging in my face or on my neck, so I'm always tying it up or sticking a hat, scarf, or turban, on to get it out the way.  I'm sure it won't be long til I get it all chopped off again.  But in the meantime I'll wear my fabulous turban with joyous style and pizazz!