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Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Monday, 29 May 2023
Frilled to Bits: Style Not Age Challenge
Dear friends. It's the monthly Style Not Age challenge, and we're all Frilled to Bits with Anna's prompt. Stand by as five style bloggers over the age of 45 show their interpretation!
Thursday, 25 May 2023
What's been on my [May] Calendar?
Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Top of the Crops
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. Summer heralds the cropped trousers/pants season, which I love! I snapped up a few new pairs as soon as they went on sale and now have orange and yellow in addition to the rest of my collection.
What do I like about them? They're very adaptable: you could wear them in the office, they are longer than shorts, and they look polished and professional with a jacket. They're available in a rainbow of colours, and they work on most shapes and sizes.
Friday, 19 May 2023
Is This Mutton May Book Reviews
#WHATSBEENONYOURBOOKSHELF
Dear friends. Welcome to another month of book reviews. A very varied selection for you: two novels that will be among the most talked about of the year; a delightful celebration of a garden over the decades; the latest thriller from Kim Slater; the Tudors (again), plant-powered protein, and two memoirs.
Thursday, 18 May 2023
Tell Us About....Gardens and Gardening
Dear friends. Welcome to this month's Tell Us About challenge, which is now even bigger. We have 10 bloggers taking part, from the UK, US, Australia and Portugal.
They all have their own spin on this month's topic which is Gardens and Gardening, courtesy of Penny from Frugal Fashion Shopper.
I love gardening and also visiting gardens.
Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Lake District in the Spring
& WowOnWednesday
J and I were taking it fairly easy this time. We've both had bad colds recently and J was keen to avoid any muscle strains prior to his gruelling cycling holiday. So unlike previous trips, we didn't climb the really big fells like Scafell Pike, Helvellyn or Skiddaw.
Wednesday, 10 May 2023
10 on the 10th: Can I upholster a chair?
& Wow on Wednesday link-up
Wednesday, 3 May 2023
Coronation Ready with Cotton Traders
& #WowOnWednesday
Friday, 28 April 2023
What's Been on My {April} Calendar?
#WBOYC
Dear friends. Time for my review of April! It must surely be the coldest April on record. Yet it started off quite well. I managed to find one photo for a walk on April 4 where it was warm and sunny!
Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Find the Trousers that Suit You Best
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. You may have noticed that trousers, or pants in North America, are having A Moment. Wide legged trousers and trouser suits are both trending for spring and summer. But how do you feel about wearing trousers and jeans? Are you wary about them suiting your shape?
I have a love/hate relationship with trousers, jeans and shorts. I've always had big thighs proportionately. When I put on weight, it goes to my thighs and waist.
Monday, 24 April 2023
Bring Me Sunshine!
#StyleNotAgeChallenge
Friday, 21 April 2023
Is This Mutton Books Edition, April
Dear friends. Welcome to another Books Edition of Is This Mutton. There's a nice variety of books in today's post: two works of fiction, three memoirs and a nutritional guide. Where I'm reviewing a book that has been supplied free of charge as an advanced reader copy, I give the publisher's description and then my own thoughts.
Thursday, 20 April 2023
Tell Us About....Whimsy
Dear friends. The monthly Tell Us About challenge is back, and this time it's set by Mary Katherine of MK's Adventures. MK, a US based blogger, chose Whimsy.
It was surprisingly difficult. I had imagined there would be a lot out there on Google and possibly even a museum of whimsy I could visit. Well there are, two - but both in America.
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Moto Jacket 6 Ways
& WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. I'm a great believer in snapping up duplicates if you find a garment that's perfect. If it's available in different colours, all the better.
I love the Kettlewell Chloe jacket for its versatility - and colours! I now have six. I started with one in lavender, followed by jewel blue. I then found a pre-loved Chloe in soft white. This season, the jacket reappeared after a year long hiatus, and I went a bit mad and bought three in island green, cream and soft yellow.
Monday, 17 April 2023
A Day in My Life: April 16 2023
Dear friends. I was intrigued to see Leslie documenting one of her days because I've thought about doing this, and even had a half finished version of a day in February.
In 20 years time I imagine we'll have forgotten the flow of our days, what technology we were using, what we were eating and so on. Life changes so fast.
So I made notes on Sunday about everything I did. It was a "rest day" for me, I wasn't planning to take any exercise. I like to have a couple of hours to take photos for the blog, and the weather was promising. J was going out on a long cycle ride so I knew I'd be uninterrupted. Unfortunately I didn't take as many pics as I should have done...but here goes!
Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Avoid frumpiness with the right accessories
& Wow On Wednesday
Accessories have their own seasonal trends, the same as clothes. Buying the right accessories can jazz up outdated outfits and remove any chance of frumpiness.
I approach accessory buying very carefully. I look at sites such as Asos and Schuh to see what's trending for jewelry, bags, sunglasses, shoes and sandals. I identify the trends I like, and set about buying them in the right colours for my wardrobe.
Wednesday, 5 April 2023
On Trend Summer Jewelry
& WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. Jewelry (jewellery in the UK) is one of my greatest pleasures. It's the fastest way to update a look and needn't cost a fortune.
I was thrilled when Meideya Jewelry approached me. I discovered their fashionable range looks far more expensive than it actually is.
Friday, 31 March 2023
March in Review
#WhatsBeenOnYourCalendar #WBOYC
Dear friends. March could be described as "the month that sunshine forgot." They say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Unfortunately, it was a lion for most of the month! Let's hope for an improvement in April.
So what did I get up to? I continued with my monthly discovery of art, and I succeeded with my personal self-care goals. There were two colourful Kettlewell meet-ups and a trip to Devon for Mother's Day. Not to mention walks and books.
Wednesday, 29 March 2023
Beauty Rummage and the Cult Products I Can't Live Without
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. I won't lie to you, it has not been an easy week. I lost my devoted companion Molly seven days ago and the grief has been intense. Last week I threw myself into work - blogging and cleaning. But the last few days have been more difficult. I sent J to collect her ashes, which we will scatter on the garden on a sunny spring day.
I jettisoned plans for an outfit shoot today when it started raining again. Instead it's a good time for a periodic rummage in the makeup bag and a look at the products I consider indispensable. Plus the cult products I can't live without. These would surprise the young beauty bloggers and social media managers I suspect. But we like to surprise them, don't we?
Monday, 27 March 2023
Denim - Not Jeans: Style Not Age Challenge
Thursday, 23 March 2023
Read All About It: March Books 2023
Dear friends. I didn't think I'd read many books this month but the list is quite long, and shows what you can do what you put your mind to it! My post is late this month but I've managed to join the southern hemisphere link-up by the skin of my teeth!
My books of the month are:
Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown by Alison Weir
Metronome by Tom Watson
Remembering Molly 2004 - 2023
Dear friends. Sad news. My devoted companion Molly the Mouser has gone to the great garden in the sky. She was 19, we think, and had a long, happy life.
Wednesday, 22 March 2023
My Cotton Traders Spring Edit
& #WowOnWednesday
Thursday, 16 March 2023
Tell Us About....Scent!
& The Tell Us About It Link-Up
Dear friends. Welcome to another edition of Tell Us About, the challenge where bloggers from the UK, US and Australia respond to a prompt each month in their own unique way.Wednesday, 15 March 2023
Accidentally On Trend - and Bold Colours
& #WowonWednesday
Dear friends. Ever had that delightful epiphany when you discover you're accidentally on trend? It happened to me twice this week.
Friday, 10 March 2023
10 on the 10th: Ring Ring!
Dear friends. I couldn't resist this one: 10 questions about phones! It's the March prompt for 10 on the 10th from Marsha in the Middle. I had a brief two year stint working at BT International in the late 80s and am a bit nerdy about phones.
Wednesday, 8 March 2023
New Beginnings! Fashion and Nutrition
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. Happy International Women's Day!
I always regard March or September as the best times for new beginnings. Forget January with its bad weather and all the pious crusades for giving up this, that and the other. For me, as we move towards the spring equinoxe, the light changes and it's much clearer to think now about how we want to enrich our lives.
SPRING WARDROBE
After not buying anything in January (yep, I fell victim to a pious crusade!), I've bought a fair few things for spring. I don't feel guilty about it. As I've always said, buying everything from charity shops is laudable, and essential if your budget is tight, but if we can afford to buy new we're doing a huge favour to retailers, the fashion industry and the huge numbers of women who work in that sector.
When the Kettlewell new range came out I was thrilled to see the return of the short moto jacket Chloe and in a shade called Warm Yellow. Since my re-rating as a spring last year, I've discovered that warm light yellow is one of my best colours. I love it! I have several of these jackets. I wear them a lot in spring and summer both on my everyday walks and dressed up for social events.
I also snapped up the Sunshine Scarf in yellow and flamingo pink, top pic, which I'm wearing with the Becca sweater in lemonade and short tie wrap in flamingo pink. I bought a couple of basics too in terms of tops and another short tie wrap.
Make-up Used
Clarins Everlasting Youth Fluid in Honey, Too Faced Papa Don't Peach blusher, Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift in deep brown, Suqqu Waterproof Mascara 107, Look Fabulous Forever Soft Eyeliner in forest green and No Shimmer Eyeshade Trio in Soft Greens plus lipsticks True Coral (top pic) and Sunset Glow (second pic). Highlighter: Lisa Eldridge Elevated Glow in Crystal Nebula.
CHANGING MY DIET
Back in 2019 I started eating low carb and it's helped me to keep off the weight. Cue reminder pic of me in 2002, to show you what I used to look like, three and a half stones heavier, at 12 stone 7 pounds (175 pounds or 79kg).
I'd seen research that suggested it wasn't a great diet long-term, and I didn't think much about it. That is, until I had a blood test when I signed up for the NHS Our Future Health initiative (read about it here). My triglycerides were so high they couldn't get a reading for cholesterol.
When I Googled high triglycerides, it suggested that this affects obese people who eat processed foods and sugar, as well as those who consume too much alcohol and those who don't exercise.
I immediately cut out my lunches of full fat Greek yoghurt layered with toasted nuts and berries, and reduced my my high consumption of cheese. I then took a private blood test with Medichecks - you do it yourself and send the sample to them for analysis. Four weeks had elapsed and everything was normal (including triglycerides) except for my cholesterol which is high, both for "good" and "bad" markers.
My risk of heart disease is still mercifully low because I have hereditary low blood pressure. But it's still been a wake-up call.
My diet was mainly deficient in grains, fruit and pulses, so I'm gradually reintroducing them. I've decided to have red meat only very occasionally and to increase consumption of fish. I'm also reducing consumption of eggs, although they seem to be exonerated in most research I've seen lately, and swapping my egg breakfasts for overnight oats, porridge or smoothies with oat milk, cacao and berries.
The thing that bugs me the most is the full fat business.
The British Heart Foundation has a low cholesterol diet on its website and it recommends everything should be low fat: yoghurt, milk and cheese, with vegetable spread instead of butter and vegetable oil instead of coconut oil for cooking. I find this odd because low fat foods, and vegetable spreads and oils, are generally highly processed and/or full of sugar.
I still can't bring myself to buy low fat yoghurt so that's an avenue of pleasure closed.
I'm not expecting to lose weight but I hope to see the cholesterol levels drop. I pledged to myself that I would do everything I can to stay in good health and not require prescription drugs.
International Women's Day
In honour of today I bought a book from Amazon which is from a first time author in her 50s: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy. It's been long listed for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023. It's the haunting tale of a Protestant-Catholic love affair. Another debut novel, Fire Rush from Jacqueline Crooks, also in her 50s, made the long list too. It just goes to show that we are not past it in our 50s and beyond!
What's your view on new beginnings for spring? Have you made any fashion buys yet? Do let us know in the comments.
Sharing this post with: On Mondays We Link Up at Glass of Glam, Weekday Wear at Away from the Blue, #AnythingGoes at My Random Musings, Rena at Fine Whatever, Turning Heads Tuesday at Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Confident Twosday at I Do Declaire, Style with a Smile at Stylesplash, Talent Sharing Tuesdays at Scribbling Boomer, Chic & Stylish at Mummabstylish, #SpreadTheKindness and #Linkup on the Edge at Shelbee on the Edge, Thursday Fashion Files at Doused in Pink, #Neverendingstyle at The Grey Brunette, Fancy Friday at Nancy's Fashion Style, Traffic Jam Weekend at Marsha in the Middle, Fabulous Fridays at Lucy Bertoldi, Curated by Jennifer (Wednesdays).
Wow On Wednesday Link-Up
Now it's time for #WowOnWednesday, the weekly link-up with extra goodness. Readers can find new blogs to read, and bloggers, Instagrammers and YouTubers can find new audiences! Plus I promote five to six posts that caught my eye each weekend on FB and Twitter. The week's favourites - most clicked - are shared on Instagram Stories on Wednesday.
Last Week's Favourites (Most Clicked)
Layering with a Vest During Bridge Season by Di from I Wish I was Back in Style
9 Spring Trends You can Actually Wear from Kellyann of This Blonde's Shopping Bag
Heather from Bauchle Fashion with 5 Must-Have Thrift Fashionphile Finds
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enterWednesday, 1 March 2023
How Much Longer Can Brands Ignore the Revenue Opportunity of Older Women?
& #WowOnWednesday
This huge discrepancy is highlighted in the 2023 Is This Mutton annual survey.
Monday, 27 February 2023
Buttoned Up: Style Not Age Challenge
Friday, 24 February 2023
February in Review: Art, Abba, Health, TV and More
Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Is Your Cashmere Ethical?
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. Sorry to add another worry to the list, but are your cashmere sweaters and cardigans ethical?
Unfortunately, cashmere, that most luxurious of yarns, has the most destructive environmental impact of any animal-derived fibre. Plus, as it comes from the winter coats of goats, it also involves animal exploitation, cruelty, stress and injuries. Goats have a nervous system and can suffer and feel pain.
But fortunately ethical suppliers are addressing some of the problems, and there's a welcome trend for seeing cashmere restored and recycled, which means we can buy with a clear conscience.
Friday, 17 February 2023
Judging Books by their Covers and #WhatsOnYourBookshelf
Dear friends. Have you ever paused to look at a particularly beautiful book cover, and maybe bought the book as a result?
As a Kindle reader, book covers have been less important to me. But now that I have access to thousands of unpublished books via NetGalley, and choose titles based on their description/author/book cover, I'm finding that the covers guide me to the right choices.
Thursday, 16 February 2023
Tell Us About.....Play!
Dear friends. My angle on Play, this month's theme for the Tell Us About Challenge, is "The Play's the Thing", and my thwarted theatrical ambitions.
Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Bright Outfits, Chewbacca and Abba!
& #WowOnWednesday
Dear friends. I don't expect you ever thought you'd see that triumvirate feature together in a style blog. Put your feet up, this could be a long post.Further to my January Brights post, here are more colourful outfits which I've been wearing for various challenges on IG/FB, and on outings.
Friday, 10 February 2023
10 on the 10th:
Dear friends. Time for 10 questions on the 10th on the month, set by Marsha from Marsha in the Middle. I'm glad they're not the usual "ick" questions around Valentine's Day. Instead it's all about our loves and hates. Let's dive in!
Wednesday, 8 February 2023
Feeling Your Way to the Best Colours
& WowOnWednesday
Alison Bowker has been running Feeling Colours since 2018. She describes herself as a guide rather than a colour consultant. In her method of colour analysis your body responds to the vibrations of colours. The outcome is a seasonal colour rating and the knowledge that you have a swatch of colours that will flatter you and make you feel fabulous.
Wednesday, 1 February 2023
Walk into Style
& #WowOnWednesday
Monday, 30 January 2023
January Blues! Style Not Age Challenge
Dear friends. Ah, January. Everyone's favourite! It's cold and dreary; some of us are giving up alcohol or buying clothes; many of us are hard up after Christmas. So it's not surprising there's a "Blue Monday" when we're supposed to be at our lowest ebb. But here's the #StyleNotAge gang to cheer you up with some colourful blues.
Friday, 27 January 2023
January in Review - #WBOYC
Dear friends. Welcome to the first month in review of 2023, which has a different look and feel. I'm joining bloggers in the southern hemisphere for #WBOYC, what's been on your calendar.
I didn't set any resolutions as such for 2023, but I did have a few goals:
- To read 100 books and be active on Good Reads
- To have more relaxation via activities like yoga, massage, sound baths
- To have at least one cultural experience a month
- To go on or two MeetUps or walks with the Ramblers Association each month
- To mix up my exercise and do more weights
- To launch a new blogger link-up
- To not buy any clothes in January but shop my wardrobe!
Books
Walks
Cultural Experiences
I've booked to see the new David Hockney immersive exhibition in March. I'm thinking a visit to Tate Modern in February might be good - haven't been there for a few years.
Relaxing
Blog Activities
BBC Radio Devon Anniversary
Afternoon Tea at The Berkeley Hotel
