Birthday (Cake)

birthdayYup, today I am another year older but not much wiser.

However, in my ongoing bid to become a responsible adult, I decided to take the bull by the horns and do something I’ve never done before.

There’s a special occasion coming up next month and after gazing at my pre-thyroid wardrobe, I realised I really do have nothing to wear.

So. Get this – I booked in for a personal stylist appointment at John Lewis. I know. Me!

I drove into town, parked up and had a coffee in the local bookstore’s cafe, ear-wigging at the French for Extreme Beginners group meeting being held next to me. Quite excruciating, but their seriousness was inspiring. They caught the waiter’s eye and yelled ‘Garcon!’ in unison. Ah.

Anyway, I arrived at the due time this morning and was quickly ushered into a little room full of mirrors. Great start. The lovely stylist made me stand up and turn around. Before I knew it, he’d pulled my loose-flowing shirt tight, showing my muffin top off in all it’s glory.

‘I see‘, he said with a certain level of gravitas.

He dashed off with a rail and I sat there for ten minutes, glaring at Cara Delevigne on the front cover of Vogue.

Against all hope though, Boy Wonder The Stylist arrived back with five garments. Each of them was perfect. Divine. Behind my heavy velvet curtain I sighed and stared at my transformed figure. The clothes were beautiful.

He was a genius. He had picked the perfect outfit. Simple, comfortable, and most importantly, stylish with flat shoes.

I paid and floated out the store on a shopping-induced high before foot-drop tripped me up and me and my John Lewis bag – clothes exquisitely wrapped in tissue – went flying outside the Apple store. Red-faced, I gathered myself together with the help of two pensioners and got back to my car in one piece.

p.s. I’m not actually 42 until 8.04pm tonight.

p.p.s. So I still have a few hours in my very early 40’s.

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20 thoughts on “Birthday (Cake)

  1. Rachael McKenzie says:

    Many happy returns of the day, Barbara! xxx

  2. Kirsty says:

    Happy birthday. ?????. I love John Lewis. I’d never be that brave, well done you. Oops re fall. Glad you’re ok. Xx

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thank you!
      Was a bit scary. Bit embarrassing. Well, a lot embarrassing.
      They’ve got some beautiful clothes there. I don’t often go in 🙁
      X

  3. Judy Epstein says:

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!!! I’m so glad to have met you, even though it’s through an ms connection. A bit about me: I turned 60 (OMG!) 3 months ago and ms gently but surely turned into secondery progressive from the occasional solvent induced rr. This was my reality, though my neuro rolled his NHS eyes at me in “I know and you don’t” disbelief. However that doesn’t make it any less true. Finland and Norway knew way (1938 and 1980 or so) before the UK that some people would be negatively effected by solvents. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12410015 They and everyone else was busy gearing up for WW2.

    So I open the windows and leave room before I press print on my printer. Be well and enjoy YOUR day!

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Aw, thank you so much! And you look amazing!
      Yup, I read that research before. Pretty scary stuff.
      My dad contracted MS in 1970 (or even earlier, not sure), and passed away in 1978 – bit like Parkinson’s being linked to crop-spraying?
      x

  4. David says:

    Congratulations happy birthday, 42 eh.
    During a fall the only time to be embarrassed is when you’re legs in the air showing you’re nickers, hahahaha. Anyway well done with John Lewis experience, I was thinking of you the other night a program about shoes ??? Christian Louboutin he ever makes flat shoes, well that’s me done I’m waiting for the kitchen builder to arrive. Have a really good 42nd birthday ? xx

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thank you!
      I did see a write up about that programme, but couldn’t bear to watch it now I’m permanently in flat shoes, gah.
      Luckily I was wearing jeans 🙂 Still embarrassing.
      x

  5. Nicky says:

    Love a good personal shopper 🙂
    Happy Birthdayxxx

  6. Lucinda says:

    Happy Birthday! Have been debating whether to book a stylist for years but I keep saying I’ll do it when I get this stone off, mmmm I’m now 44 and getting very close to mid 40s, think the stone is staying put so maybe I should just book it!

  7. Jenny says:

    Happy birthday, welcome to the 42 club!

  8. happy birthday! every time I’ve fallen like that there have been nice people around to pick me up thankfully, even running after dropped money 🙂 there are still some nice people out there thankfully 🙂

    I’ve thought about a stylist, but I’m too lazy to keep to the person’s advice :p

  9. Louise says:

    Arrr the wonder of John Lewis, for me its Debenhams!! Happy Birthday by the way!!

  10. Julie Martin says:

    Belated happy birthday!
    I felt old when I turned 30, 40 and then 50 this year. I have realised though that I actually wasn’t old at 30 or 40, and when I get to 60 I will realise I am not old now either! So I may as well make a start and stop feeling old! 🙂 x

    • stumbling in flats says:

      Thank you! An excellent point 🙂 I’m actually really enjoying my 40’s, far more than my Confusing 30’s!
      x

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