Thanksgiving & Sample Sale

So yesterday was Thanksgiving and my waistline is still feeling it! My lovely friend Lauren Leigh Dougall is an all american babe from Indiana. Every year we celebrate Thanksgiving with her, usually heading out to an authentic american restaurant such a Bodean's for a slap meal and good times all round. But this year she took the next step and cooked the whole thing from scratch and it was
......A-mazing!

Lauren's basting skills

Delicious hot cider

Clare, Steph & me...and yes that banner behind us says 'Happy Turkey Day'

Sad butternut squash turkey

Thanksgiving cupboard

He's so thankful!

10 of us crammed round table in the kitchen, very cosy!

Tonight i went to the Simon Harris sample sale. Simon Harris is a jewellery supplier to big brands such as Karen Millen, Ted Baker, Jaeger, Lulu Guinness, Cath Kidson and my beloved Vivienne Westwood.

I could have gone crazy in there, but it was bad timing as the Clothes Show live is next weekend so any pennies have to be saved for then.

But I did purchase a bag full of large crystals for £2, what a bargain! I'm an absolute magpie hoarder so I don't even need to have a reason to purchase these. Although I'm dreaming up some kitch and glitzy Christmas decorations as I type.

I also got my mum's Christmas present there, don't want to reveal too much incase she reads this but it took a lot of will power not to keep them myself.

Simon Harris hold these sample sales about twice a year and are perfect places to pick up gifts, prices range from £5-£25.

Alterations shouldn't stop at your hems...

It happens all the time, during sales or just bad luck, the bra you have your lustful eyes on isn't available in your size. Don't fret with a few simple alterations there are plenty of options.

Many people are unaware that you can 'cross-grade' when it comes to bra sizes. It's a little bit confusing but basically if you wear a 32D, you could wear a 34C, 36B, 38A or go down a back size to a 30DD, and they would all fit you in the cups. This just means that you would have to either tighten or loosen the back (either by wearing it on a different hook and eye or getting the sewing needle out and taking even more out of the back). And don't forget to adjust the bra straps either! It makes the world of difference, and is often something forgotten when trying on bras.

To make things a little clearer from my waffley ramblings heres a neat little table showing the cross grades of bra sizes. Find your size in the chart and anything in the same column vertically will be a cross grade for you.

28C

28D

28DD

28E

28F

28FF

28G

28GG

28H

28HH

28J

28JJ

28K

30B

30C

30D

30DD

30E

30F

30FF

30G

30GG

30H

30HH

30J

30JJ

30K

32A

32B

32C

32D

32DD

32E

32F

32FF

32G

32GG

32H

32HH

32J

32JJ

32K

34AA

34A

34B

34C

34D

34DD

34E

34F

34FF

34G

34GG

34H

34HH

34J

34JJ

34K

36AA

36A

36B

36C

36D

36DD

36E

36F

36FF

36G

36GG

36H

36HH

36J

36JJ

38A

38B

38C

38D

38DD

38E

38F

38FF

38G

38GG

38H

38HH

38K

40A

40B

40C

40D

40DD

40E

40F

40FF

40G

40GG

40H

40HH

42A

42B

42C

42D

42DD

42E

42F

42FF

42G

42GG

42H

44B

44C

44D

44DD

44E

44F

44FF

44G

44GG

46B

46C

46D

46DD

46E

46F

46FF

46G

Tonight I altered my own 'Sherlyn' bra which was originally a 36B down to a 32D, just by taken 2cm out on each side of the hook and eye and voila! The perfect fitting bra.

(Sherlyn bra available from Agent Provocateur)

The finished result! If you want to see some truely beautiful images of this bra check out AP's website, I love the gothic print and delicate eyelash lace combo.

http://www.agentprovocateur.com/new-in/info/sherlyn-bra~purple--black

So in conclusion don't let that beautiful bra go to waste if it's not in your size, make do and mend ladies!