The Spike

  • About
  • Style
  • Life
  • Books
  • Food
  • Beauty
  • Shop
  • Contact

Ask the Spike

Send your Question

Blaah BLARGH

screen-shot-2017-01-26-at-10-55-20

Making January not a total loss-leader: Tom Hardy in Taboo

I can’t bear to be a stereotype, to be cliched. Even though I am all the time, I can’t stand it. And so I am really disappointed to find myself so bored, so uninspired right now. And when I say right now, I mean in January, the month that everyone moans on about. I have always tried to find joy and light in January but this year, it’s not happening.

Even my favourite all-time activity, quietly looking at dresses online, leaves me feeling queasy. I don’t know what to think anymore. In the shops it’s just a mess of ditsy floral print, and asymmetric hems, stripes, things all tied up, cold shoulders and bomber jackets. It all makes me want to go and lie down in a dark room.

Although I am pleased that my pre-winter purchases of those little North Face jackets for the kids, plus some snow boots and my absurd Canada Goose jacket have been pulling their weight the past few weeks.

In particular, the kids’ warm outerwear this winter has been this North Face jacket with a Uniqlo puffa over the top if necessary. It’s worked really well, it’s lightweight and gives you options for more or less coverage. Although Kitty managed to pull the zip off last week, and the zip off her winter boots. She’s like an e-bomb for zips.

I am also still stubbornly 3 blips overweight, despite no drinking during the week (except a small glass of whiskey on Burn’s Night with my haggis) and being on a diet. It doesn’t help that Irish Mary, who is thin as a whip, runs past my house at about 092o every morning, yodelling “Halloooo!” in her Lululemon leggings while my brave face crumbles to black dust and blows away on a stiff breeze. I must do something about it. But it’s so cold, whine whine.

PERHAPS THEY WILL MAKE ME THE NEW EDITOR OF VOGUE??? And other insane thoughts.

Anyway look I’d better go, I have to ring my editor about a piece and she’s kindly agreed to take a call from me. I kind of just want to have a chat, but don’t tell her that.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

« Another diet soup
Scenes from home »

Comments

  1. Emily says

    January 26, 2017 at 12:19 pm

    have you seen his Bedtime Story??? He LIVES each character with such conviction. Its amazing.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2017 at 12:52 pm

      watching it RN

      Reply
      • Emily says

        January 26, 2017 at 1:11 pm

        and there’s a new one being broadcast on the 14th!!!

        Reply
  2. Eilidh McDonald says

    January 26, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    The blubbery flumpy Januariness of everything seeps in to every facet of life. Even the dresses. Not long until Spring. Not long!

    Reply
  3. QuarterFrench says

    January 26, 2017 at 2:29 pm

    Ahh Esther but you love winter and got bored with wearing summery clothes….
    I love your columns; you are funny and seem to be far nicer and kinder than a lot of journos on Twitter.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2017 at 3:27 pm

      I am so lovely it’s true. and there ARE tons of bad things about summer

      Reply
  4. Cindy says

    January 26, 2017 at 2:35 pm

    Yes, yes. That bedtime story! I raved to my husband about his acting, but it was genuinely very good. He could come to my party anytime, with or without a hat or a badger.

    This post reminds me – thank you for recommending that John Lewis raincoat for children ages back. My son has some sensory difficulties and finding him the right coat is a bigger deal than it sounds – he becomes actually distressed if they are uncomfortable in any way, or too thick. We had been through so many coats until I remembered your post and ordered this one – he loves it and wears it all the time without any problems, and crucially it has a decent fleecy lining so it is warm enough. I can’t tell you the difference this has made to, well, every trip out of the house. I hardly cry at all any more. I’ve bought it in ball gown length so it lasts him for bloody years xx

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2017 at 3:27 pm

      it’s a VERY good raincoat. I’m glad he and you give it the proper appreciation

      Reply
      • Cindy says

        January 26, 2017 at 4:07 pm

        We do, we do. It has its own peg and everything.

        Reply
  5. Honey says

    January 26, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    Honestly, January sucks. It was my birthday yesterday – what a month to have your birthday in. I want to hide under the duvet until May.

    Reply
  6. Yasmin says

    January 26, 2017 at 3:53 pm

    You are mine and my children’s style guru! Like you I look forward to winter by August but this year I am finding winter so tedious. It doesn’t help that my insane toddler will not wear her hat and gloves and so screams her little head off on the walk to and from nursery. Any tips on how to get stubborn toddlers to wear mittens ?? My children live in their snoods after your recommendation last winter !!

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 26, 2017 at 6:39 pm

      stubborn toddlers HATE mittens. I found a mitten called Easy Kiddos (worst name ever) and they are just about bearable, but basically they hate them and I can only conclude they like having cold hands. cray cray!

      Reply
  7. Cindy says

    January 26, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    Yasmin, I stopped forcing gloves on my children, I simply tell them they are in my pocket and wait until their hands get unbearably cold and they beg me for a solution and accept them gratefully. You may only need to do this once; now mine ask for them when it’s cold. If they don’t feel the discomfort of cold hands they won’t see the sense. If they are happy without gloves – what’s the worst that can happen?

    Reply
  8. Kristy says

    January 26, 2017 at 5:01 pm

    Good grief, it’s cold here today! I’m wearing two layers of Uniqlo AND a sweater and scarf in the house (with the heating on). I am a huge fan of winter, but this is taking the mick. Must be something about the dampness I think.

    Reply
  9. wishingforhorses says

    January 26, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    The belt on the treadmill is broken so that’s my excuse. 😉

    Reply
  10. Elaine says

    January 26, 2017 at 9:11 pm

    Cindy, I’m the same. I am baffled by my mother’s insistence that my 2 year old wear his hat and gloves just because she’s told him to. I don’t know how many times I’ve told her that he keeps his hat and gloves on/ asks to wear them if it’s very cold (in his opinion). If not, he takes them back off again. I don’t know what is so difficult for her to understand about this. Elaine x

    Reply
  11. Sharon says

    January 26, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    Can’t be doing with Mr Hardy in “Taboo”, I’ve tried, but it’s not taking…………..!

    Reply
  12. Sophie says

    January 27, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Marmalade and baking. It’s the only way through Jan. That and leftover haggis on toast. . .

    Reply
  13. Isabella says

    January 27, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I find that looking at sunny beaches and perving on handbags help a lot, but so does turning gaze inwards and meditation. Have a go at aura / chakra rebalancing sesh with a well reviewed healer…why not?
    I love you and your words/ writing so much.
    Love xoxo

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 27, 2017 at 1:15 pm

      Love you too Isabella xxx

      Reply
  14. rebeccasygm says

    January 27, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    This post is everything. I’m done with winter now, I’m done with January. And er unrelated to your post but I’m DONE with building work.

    Reply
    • esthermcoren says

      January 27, 2017 at 3:09 pm

      Building work is so trying

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2023 · Design by Gatto

  • About
  • Style
  • Life
  • Books
  • Food
  • Beauty
  • Shop
  • Contact
 

Loading Comments...