Office Party
The other week I happily snapped up a beautiful navy silk Lila Dress in the Rose Noir print by Erdem at their sample sale. It was such a steal at £150, the fit amazing, giving me a really nipped in waist and I thought it would be ideal to wear to the office Christmas party. But it would still get lots of wear for day occasions, drinks, dinners, a very versatile dress and so pretty.
Erdem dress (see more erdem dresses)
Credit of photo from here
I had wanted to wear pointy stiletto heels but the approaching weather on the day started to turn bad and we experienced snow flurries in W1 which put paid to that idea. So I made a quick dash to TKMaxx and got my self some sweet glittery ballet pumps for £14.99. I may as well channel the 50's vibe and be Betty from Mad Men (OK I'm not a blonde but you know what I mean). I could have shopped from my wardrobe but I wanted a new head to toe outfit. This was going to be the last occasion I would see everyone (impeding redundancy - boo-hiss)
I made a sneaky trip to Hershesons Blow Dry Bar in the basement of Top Shop Oxford Circus; as I knew I wouldn't get a chance to wash and style my own hair prior to the party. I have to say it was the best £24 I ever spent getting my hair done. George the stylist was super quick and gave me a cross between Big and Bouncy, with the Marcel wave (click on the link above to see the look book). He used tongs to give me tight curls to the ends of my hair but as my hair is super straight it softened up into a looser wave when teased out. A lot of hairspray spritzing and I was done and back at my desk!
[I still have to post about my 2 weeks hair nightmare when my blue dip dye job went really WRONG. But its getting resolved in a few weeks or so.....]
So I head home and do the usual mummy thing of feeding, bathing and getting the 3 kids into bed. In-between putting on my make-up and spanx pants. Ladies whatever you do - don't do what I did and eat the kids leftovers before trying to get into a tight dress. Spagetti, meatballs, roast potatoes are not your friend and my waistline expanded an extra few inches. Which caused a sweaty panicky 'trying to get the zip up my dress' maneouver. I mean I only bought the sodding dress a week ago and the size 8 fitted like a glove...now I couldn't breath but us women have to suffer to look good.
Bus, Train and I my feet are freezing in the glittery ballet pumps. But at least I had my big fur coat which did the trick keeping the bitter cold wind off me. I decided keeping warm was more important if snow was going to settle overnight; so chanced my luck wearing my vintage fur coat and deal with the consequences of any animal right campaigners. Luckily for me they didn't seem to be out on Friday night . As I'm waiting for my train back into Central London - my sister rings to tell me the latest - she had a baby last weekend (Baby B, kid number 3) and was back in hospital as Baby B had lost 10% of her birth weight and hadn't poo'ed for 5 days - a big deal for a newborn. She was tired and fed up and naturally worried. I gave some advice after my experience with the twins being in SCBU. Told her to get some rest and things will improve - babies are very resilient.
Now for the party - I arrived at the club at 8.30pm and there was a massive queue for the cloakroom sneaking all the way from the ground floor up to the first floor and another sodding queue for the bar (plus no champagne left). Not a great way to start the party and the food (which had been promised) had already been and gone. So I was kinda thankful I did scoff the roast potatoes from the kiddies plate.
The music was diabolical, Maroon 5, Dolly Parton and Bryan Adams. Seriously I could have given them my own party mix tape and it would have got a lot more people shaking their tails. A very drunk colleague gave me a spin around the dance floor but because he is very tall and I am vertically challenged it didn't really come together and we wouldn't have won any points on Strictly ;-)
There was some entertainment from a gospel choir but the sound system was so poor all I could hear was screeching and I did seriously wonder if it wasn't a group from the Finance department having a laugh around the mic! The only saving grace was the 2 photo booths set up on both levels; so me and a few girls climbed in and did the obligatory silly poses and wore ridiculous glasses/hats/wigs.
Don't I look great? You can't see how amazing my hair is but there was a wind machine inside - such fun. We didn't know who that guy was that decided to join us in the booth, found out today he was an accountant from the second floor...Now I know I am a lightweight since having 3 kids but I was ready by 10pm to head home. The party really didn't have the right atmosphere, the music was crap and I really didn't want to keep fighting my way to the free bar for drinks. Also I wanted to get home to hubby, for him to warm my feet up and get out of the ridiculously tight dress. I couldn't sit down for fear of passing out!
Post-script; Baby B did poo after 7 days no poo and has gained more weight and was discharged from hospital. All is well with them.
Erdem dress (see more erdem dresses)
Credit of photo from here
I had wanted to wear pointy stiletto heels but the approaching weather on the day started to turn bad and we experienced snow flurries in W1 which put paid to that idea. So I made a quick dash to TKMaxx and got my self some sweet glittery ballet pumps for £14.99. I may as well channel the 50's vibe and be Betty from Mad Men (OK I'm not a blonde but you know what I mean). I could have shopped from my wardrobe but I wanted a new head to toe outfit. This was going to be the last occasion I would see everyone (impeding redundancy - boo-hiss)
I made a sneaky trip to Hershesons Blow Dry Bar in the basement of Top Shop Oxford Circus; as I knew I wouldn't get a chance to wash and style my own hair prior to the party. I have to say it was the best £24 I ever spent getting my hair done. George the stylist was super quick and gave me a cross between Big and Bouncy, with the Marcel wave (click on the link above to see the look book). He used tongs to give me tight curls to the ends of my hair but as my hair is super straight it softened up into a looser wave when teased out. A lot of hairspray spritzing and I was done and back at my desk!
[I still have to post about my 2 weeks hair nightmare when my blue dip dye job went really WRONG. But its getting resolved in a few weeks or so.....]
So I head home and do the usual mummy thing of feeding, bathing and getting the 3 kids into bed. In-between putting on my make-up and spanx pants. Ladies whatever you do - don't do what I did and eat the kids leftovers before trying to get into a tight dress. Spagetti, meatballs, roast potatoes are not your friend and my waistline expanded an extra few inches. Which caused a sweaty panicky 'trying to get the zip up my dress' maneouver. I mean I only bought the sodding dress a week ago and the size 8 fitted like a glove...now I couldn't breath but us women have to suffer to look good.
Bus, Train and I my feet are freezing in the glittery ballet pumps. But at least I had my big fur coat which did the trick keeping the bitter cold wind off me. I decided keeping warm was more important if snow was going to settle overnight; so chanced my luck wearing my vintage fur coat and deal with the consequences of any animal right campaigners. Luckily for me they didn't seem to be out on Friday night . As I'm waiting for my train back into Central London - my sister rings to tell me the latest - she had a baby last weekend (Baby B, kid number 3) and was back in hospital as Baby B had lost 10% of her birth weight and hadn't poo'ed for 5 days - a big deal for a newborn. She was tired and fed up and naturally worried. I gave some advice after my experience with the twins being in SCBU. Told her to get some rest and things will improve - babies are very resilient.
Now for the party - I arrived at the club at 8.30pm and there was a massive queue for the cloakroom sneaking all the way from the ground floor up to the first floor and another sodding queue for the bar (plus no champagne left). Not a great way to start the party and the food (which had been promised) had already been and gone. So I was kinda thankful I did scoff the roast potatoes from the kiddies plate.
The music was diabolical, Maroon 5, Dolly Parton and Bryan Adams. Seriously I could have given them my own party mix tape and it would have got a lot more people shaking their tails. A very drunk colleague gave me a spin around the dance floor but because he is very tall and I am vertically challenged it didn't really come together and we wouldn't have won any points on Strictly ;-)
There was some entertainment from a gospel choir but the sound system was so poor all I could hear was screeching and I did seriously wonder if it wasn't a group from the Finance department having a laugh around the mic! The only saving grace was the 2 photo booths set up on both levels; so me and a few girls climbed in and did the obligatory silly poses and wore ridiculous glasses/hats/wigs.
Don't I look great? You can't see how amazing my hair is but there was a wind machine inside - such fun. We didn't know who that guy was that decided to join us in the booth, found out today he was an accountant from the second floor...Now I know I am a lightweight since having 3 kids but I was ready by 10pm to head home. The party really didn't have the right atmosphere, the music was crap and I really didn't want to keep fighting my way to the free bar for drinks. Also I wanted to get home to hubby, for him to warm my feet up and get out of the ridiculously tight dress. I couldn't sit down for fear of passing out!
Post-script; Baby B did poo after 7 days no poo and has gained more weight and was discharged from hospital. All is well with them.
Ha I haven't read a blog to make me laugh like this in quite a while bravo. Shame your work party wasn't all that, but sometimes relaxing at home beats partying any day.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore Erdem, and what a steal!! Such a beautiful dress. You are a lucky lady. I wish I lived in London - I need sample sales in my life pronto.
Nothing beats a wash and blog to set your mood just right. I have heard the one in Topshop is actually rather good, so it's not just you.
Glad the Moroccan oil is helping with the hair disaster, and that Baby B is well!
xx