Wanted List: TFNC Elida Sequin Pleat Dress
I’ve never believed in love at first sight, I’ve always thought it was impossible – a fairytale created to give people hope – but that all changed this morning when TFNC updated their Facebook page with a dress that made my heart jump for joy.
Feast your eyes on the beautiful Elida Sequin Pleat Dress:
How beautiful?
This dress would look great in most settings – dressed up with heels for a wedding, or down with flip-flops for a barbeque with friends – in fact, the floaty pleated skirt will hide enough lumps and bumps for you to eat that extra sausage bap you had your eye on – perfect, non?
There are four colours available – pale pink, gold, silver and black – and priced at £48.00 I think this is going to sell fast, so be sure to buy yours before it’s too late!
LilliesandLove xx
Friday Fittie (Phillip Schofield)
Today’s Friday Fittie will be recognised by most of this blog’s readers and has been requested quite a few times by visitors to this blog – he’s the one and only Phillip Schofield.
Schofe (as he’s affectionately known by his fans) has really been a constant in my life; when I was younger he was on my screen with the frankly quite amazing Gordon the Gopher and he’s still there now, having taken a break for a spell in musical theatre, before making his way back onto our televisions and into the hearts of the nation.
Our Phill is often quoted as being a prime example of how men get better with age, and now his crowning glory has changed colour, he’s a perfect example of the ‘Silver Fox’ that so many of us ladies love!
It's Gordon!
Aww!
Who would you like to see as next weeks Friday Fittie?
Let me know!
Mother’s Day – It’s Not Too Late!
This Sunday, the 18th March, is Mother’s Day.
As we all know, Mum’s are very special ladies; they spat on a tissue and wiped your face with it, they shouted at children in the playground that were being horrible to you, and they forced you to sit at the table until you’d eaten all your dinner. If nothing else, they deserve something special just for all their years of hard graft!
Now, I’m sure you’ve all remembered Mother’s Day, but, for those of you that haven’t had a chance to buy anything yet, or did in fact, totally forget, I’ve found a few items available at shops that (hopefully) most people should be able to get to before Sunday.
Navy floral print chiffon midi prom dress from Matalan - £18.00
Pink Flowers Bracelet from PastTimes - £12.50
Victorian style pink boquet leather wallet from PastTimes - £20.00
Hopefully there’s something on this page that your Mum will love!
LilliesandLove xx
Open Letter to the RAC
Via Mail, Email and Open Letter on my Blog
Dear Sirs,
I write to express my disbelief and disgust at the way I have been treated by your company. I’m sure you will insist there is some tiny piece of small print somewhere that covers you legally, but unfortunately I have been unable to read this since you haven’t bothered sending me any paperwork. However, I hope that morally you will be able to appreciate your actions are questionable.
On 4 March 2012 I went to see a show at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. I had a lovely day and was in a fantastic mood, despite it being Sunday and me having to go to work the following morning (we all know those Sunday evening blues, right?) So, as I was driving along with a smile on my face and not a care in the world I heard a bang and my car veered to the left. 8-years of driving experience told me I had a puncture but I hoped the power of positive thinking might prevail and opted to sit in my car for a few minutes thinking “No, please not a puncture.” With hope in my heart that Noel Edmonds is right and there is such a thing as comic ordering I got out of the car and went to check my tyre. Sorry Noel, no luck this time, my tyre was totally deflated. Empty of air. Flat as a pancake. Useless.
I called your 0800 number (the time at this point being just before midnight). I didn’t have my RAC membership card with me so gave the gentleman at the call centre my details. He looked me up on the computer and said my membership had expired. I said I hadn’t realised this so he put me on hold to go and look into the matter further. At this point he very helpfully cut me off.
I rang the number again and told the RAC representative who answered that I was female, had a puncture and had been told my membership had expired. He checked and said it had indeed and therefore I wasn’t covered. I asked if I could pay a call-out charge and have somebody come to rescue me, but was told I had to sign up to 1-years RAC membership. At a cost of just over £140.
It was midnight, it was raining, I was freezing and had no idea where I was, and although I believe in female equality in this modern world we live in, I’ll admit I was scared. I was hoping a police car would pass so I could ask them to help a damsel in distress, but alas, this didn’t happen.
Although reeling from being forced to purchase membership (which I was informed only covers me within 10-miles of my front door and not for home-starts; practically useless I think you’ll agree) I went ahead and paid the money. I was stuck in who-knows-where in the middle of the night, I was soaked and shaking with the cold; let’s be honest, you had me over a barrel.
At this point I was transferred to another RAC staff member who took my payment information and details of my location. I was told it would be 45mins-2hours until help arrived.
A short while later I had a call from a local number saying somebody would be with me in approximately 25-minutes. Fantastic, help was on the way!
When my knight in shining armour arrived he wasn’t in a RAC van and he wasn’t an RAC staff member – the most expensive call I have ever made (£140 for approx 13-minutes) had been ‘subbed’ out to a local garage. As I was sure there were icicles forming on the end of my nose and I could feel the cold creeping into my bones, my brain wasn’t working on full capacity (it was totally frazzled) and neither the ‘Recovery Driver’ or I could find my locking wheel nut. As he was a ‘Recovery Driver’, he didn’t have any tools with him that could be used, so he put my car on the back of his lorry and drove me home. (Please note the title ‘Recovery Driver’ – the gentleman sent to assist me wasn’t a mechanic, he told me that himself.)
I phoned your call centre the next day to ask if I could cancel my membership and just pay for the call-out, only to be told that as I had already used your services I couldn’t: “If you hadn’t used us, we could have cancelled it”. I’m sure you can appreciate the irony of this – I called the RAC because I was stuck and was told the only way I’d get help was to sign up, so I obviously had to use your services. The very definition of ‘Catch 22’.
So, the bottom line is this:
I feel completely, totally and utterly violated by the RAC. I was in a vulnerable position and I feel this was taken advantage of and used to the benefit of your company. I was in a delicate situation and, standing there soaking wet and freezing cold, I would probably (no, definitely) have sold my own granny for somebody to come and rescue me (if she was still alive, of course).
With this in mind, I have thought of another business idea that could profit from the suffering of others and wondered if you would be interested? I could even apply for us to go on Dragons Den with it? Okay, my idea is this: Set up a chain of bars in the Sahara Desert. The bar staff wait until a dehydrated, bedraggled, desperate person appears on the horizon, dragging themselves along by their chin, before asking them for the last tattered piece of their loincloth in return for a thimble-full of something liquid. Just an idea.
I don’t expect for a minute that you will even attempt to understand my point of view, or that you will be kind enough to do the decent thing and allow me to cancel my years membership and pay only for the call-out, but at the very least I have been able to get this off my chest and that’s made me feel better.
Whilst writing, it might be worth making a note on your records; I wouldn’t bother approaching me for a renewal of membership next year – it’s not going to happen.
Yours (but only for another 357 days),
LilliesandLove
Friday Fittie (Ryan Gosling)
The subject of this week’s Friday Fittie is a very popular man indeed! Starring, most notably, in the hit (weepy) film ‘The Notebook’ (and my goodness, did I cry!) Ryan Gosling melted the hearts of many a woman and secured himself a very safe spot on the lists of ‘Sexiest Male’ the world over.
Gosling fans are a very dedicated bunch and held a protest on the streets outside People Magazine’s offices in New York after Ryan was beaten to the title of ’2011 Sexiest Man Alive’ by previous Friday Fittie, Bradley Cooper. Holding placards and banners sporting slogans such as “Ryan was robbed!” they donned masks of the actors’ face and made their displeasure very well known!
As his career seems to be going from strength to strength, I predict Mr Gosling will be on the Hollywood scene for a very long time to come, and I have absolutely no doubt that his fans will stay loyal throughout.
Who would you like to see as next weeks Friday Fittie?
Let me know!
Wanted List: Motel Goldie and Motel Gina
I’m a big fan of Motel, their clothes are bright, eye-catching and fashionable, whilst managing to flatter the figure at the same time. With a huge celebrity following and their pieces being papped on stars all the time, this label is a big name but remains affordable for us mere mortals working 9-5 in our office blocks.
Although the LilliesandLove Wanted List aims to focus on one item per post, I just couldn’t decide between the Motel Goldie dress and the Motel Gina dress; they’re both so stunning I couldn’t pick a favourite – I want them both!
Firstly, there’s the Motel Goldie bodycon dress (£48.00). Available in black or silver, this dress has hexagon patterned mesh panels which work to shape your frame, slim your body and accentuate your curves (which is great for a petite girl like me – I need all the help I can get when it comes to faking curves!)
I love this dress and think it would be perfect whether going on a hot date or out on a night of dancing and cocktails with the girls.
The other dress to catch my eye and capture my heart today was the Motel Gina dress (£42.00). The Gina style isn’t a new one, however, this colour combination of navy blue and cream lace detailing is.
Again, this dress is a bodycon style and has padded shoulders which help to give the illusion of a slimmer waist (perfect, right girls?) Long sleeves keep this dress looking elegant, while the short skirt and low cut back give it a little bit of an edge.
I really love this dress and think it would work in so many different environments; work parties, date night, hitting the town with your girl friends – I think this stunning dress would suit most occasions!
I think it’s impossible to choose a favourite out of these two dresses – what about you?
LilliesandLove xx
