Blogger Sale Tomorrow

A quick post from me today because I’m busy trying to get the shop ready for my blogger sale tomorrow. I have purged my dressing room and there are nearly 100 items of autumn clothing from all kinds of brands. Everything goes on a first come, first served basis. It’s a bit like an old fashioned jumble sale and those with sharp elbows will be the most successful. I’m just warning you that the majority of items were sold in 20 minutes last time so be ready.

I will post the link on Midlifechic at 11am tomorrow morning (Saturday 27th October). We are going away for a few days next week so items will not be dispatched until w/c 6th November.

Bag order update

We had our first delivery of the bags that have been made to order today. Anybody who ordered a Pop Of Colour bag should have an email from me – please can you check your Inbox and let me know if you haven’t received one. The other bags are still being made but it shouldn’t be long until they arrive.

Midlife lately

Let’s kick off with a couple of outfits of the day. Firstly, a picture from last week when we were going to the President’s Dinner that I told you about. The night before the party, Mr MC was booking taxis when it occurred to him that it was nearly the same price to stay at the hotel overnight – so we did. And because it felt so exciting to do something spontaneous, we left the office early to make the most of our afternoon.

Here’s another example of the new silhouette I’ve been talking about. Your top almost needs to be shrunken to balance out the volume in the bottom half which is then set off by a skinny heel. This is a standard size 12 jumper but in a very classic fit, I have it in a number of colours and it works really well with pleated midi skirts too.

Cashmere jumper (25% off with code UKGW0101); M&S by Alexa Chung cropped trousers (past season); Boots; Bag – available to order from Midlifechic

A similar look here for a day of meetings today – the volume is in the bottom half of the outfit. I usually avoid cotton shirts because I hate ironing but this one is the silkiest cotton I have ever worn and the iron just glides over it (did I really just say that)! I would really like to get the white version of it too but I’ve maxed my budget so I’ll have to wait.

I professed my love for these flared ponte tweed trousers a few weeks ago and they have become the trousers I wear more than any others. They work really well with the fitted cashmere jumpers too.

Statement Sleeve Shirt; Flared Trousers; Shoes

And, because there was frost on the car, I had to wear my new red coat which finally arrived this week. The first coat day of the year.

Red longline coat

Anyway let’s just go back to the event last week. We arrived at the hotel early and I had packed my gym kit and a swimsuit because it has really great leisure facilities. My plan was to earn lots of GymCube points so that I could enjoy my evening with a glowing conscience. First of all though we decided to have a quick bite to eat. And of course just as we were finishing, our friends started to arrive because they had all had the same idea as us.

It began well – I went to get changed because I had some dresses I wanted to photograph while we were there. So, much to our friends’ entertainment, we went off and did that but when we had finished of course, we were tempted to go and have a quick drink with them. As I told you last week, they are the friends that we knew well when the boys were at primary school. Without the daily contact of the playground we have drifted and we don’t see each other very often so there was lots of catching up to do.

We had another glass of wine and before we knew it, it was time to go and get changed for the dinner. So, we started the evening on a high, enjoyed the dinner and then moved on to the charity auction. Now whenever we go to these things, there is usually furious bidding that goes on between a number of men in the room until they reach silly numbers and somebody wins. The difference this time was that it was a silent auction where you submit sealed bids. Even so I expected it to go the same way.

I looked through the listing and spotted an adventure weekend that looked like fun. I knew there was no way that we would win and, having had a couple more glasses of wine by this stage, I didn’t really look at it in any great detail. I placed a bid at the reserve price just to show willing. You know what’s coming don’t you. We were all in the bar (again) after dinner when somebody came and tapped me on the shoulder saying she was delighted to inform me that I had won a weekend in Transylvania for two.

Mr MC rolled his eyes as our friends erupted with laughter. Clearly without the opportunity for a public display of testosterone, nobody else had bothered to bid. Of course with a clear head the next day I read the small print and realised that flights are not included, the break can only be taken at weekends etc etc. So – Mr and Mrs MC are off to Dracula’s castle… and the Ice Hotel… at some considerable expense. But I suppose that at least I will know (as I shiver in the snow) that I helped the homeless this winter.

I have a list that I have compiled over the course of my life of things I should not do after even a single glass of wine – talk politics or religion…karaoke… text people… post to social media… dance until my toenails fall off… and now I am adding ‘bid on charity auctions’!

Anyway I’ll finish with a ‘now and then’ picture. We three always seem to be the last ones standing when our more sensible friends have retired to bed. Here we are at a primary school PTA night back in 2014…

…and here we are now. It’s good to keep in touch isn’t it.

Next week

It seems to have been half term everywhere in the UK this week apart from here. For us it is next week. I don’t know whether you remember my 50th birthday back in May – our celebrations were quite low key because all three boys were right in the middle of their exams. I asked people not to buy me gifts but to give me their time and I have had lots of lovely treats over the last few months, doing things with the people I really like. The last of the big ones will be with my nearest and dearest next week because we are heading off with the boys for a few days in Marrakech.

The first time Mr MC and I went there was in the early days of our romance when, as editor of Selfridges magazine, I was invited to fly out there for Sunday lunch. It was one of the most indulgent things we have ever done and since then, Mr MC in particular has been completely hooked on the city. We’ve been back on our own but we’ve never taken the boys there so I’m really looking forward to experiencing it with them. Of course it will also be nice to have a few days of sunshine before the winter hits us.

I will be posting on Instagram whilst we are there and I’m planning to do a few more Instagram Stories (I haven’t told the boys yet) even though video is not my comfort zone. So do come along with us (@midlifechic) because the Stories will only be there for 24 hours before they vanish in a puff of pixels. In the meantime, don’t forget the sale tomorrow. As always, I will be making a generous donation to Bloodwise with the proceeds.

Another plea for votes

Just a quick plea – if you enjoy reading Midlifechic please could you give me 30 seconds of your time and vote for me in the ThirtyPlusAwards here. I’ve been shortlisted for Blogger of the Year but I’m up against some blogging heavyweights such as HonestMum so your vote really counts. Thank you.