New buys

I'm trying to keep to a strict budget this year and only buy what's necessary. These two dresses were on further markdowns at Madewell and looked like they'd give me a great deal of use, especially for running around after a toddler. Both may be silk or silk blends (which I'm trying to avoid) but their dark colours will limit dry cleaning costs and their capacious cuts hide my still too lumpy postpartum body. I'm slowly getting back into my pre-Severin clothes but the cold and brutal winter has led to some enforced inactivity and too many Aeros and Cadbury Twirls, flakes and Dairy Milk (not that it's too much for some, but with my still high blood sugar, any carbs are too many carbs).

Super-cheap (I think I paid around $40) and with pockets, this dress not only flows well but could conceivably be layered up for the next few cold weeks. I'm assuming we'll have winter for at least another month, even though I like the knowledge that the decent weather is pending and all in front of us. It's the same feeling I have in late April about the summer holidays.

There's a story behind this one--Madewell discounted it to $99 from $158, then when they had a 30% off promo, it went back up to almost full price. I emailed them about it and got it for around $68. Great customer service and lovely print. My only issue is that I'd love pockets. It's a cotton-silk blend so I'm going to check the instructions to see if it can be washed. Unlike my Mum who assumes everything can be handwashed, I don't want to risk shrinkage. Mum is usually right (on this and all other matters), but when she is wrong she and I have ended up with much smaller, even doll sized, garments. I try telling myself that the reason I don't fit into some of my clothes now is because she washed them and they shrunk but I know that's unfortunately not the case.