Julia and Donna Nooooo

[madaunty]

One of my bugbears about new builds in particular, is the way they are assuming Doll's house proprtions. I have only once lived in a newer (1980s) home, and I have visited friends in much newer places and I feel like Gulliver in Lilliput!
Bedrooms with barely enough space for a bed. Sitting rooms that fit a 2 seater sofa. No built in storage. No wonder minimalism is so trendy! People get sucked in by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, but how usable is the space?
In continental Europe everything is advertised based on how many metres squared a home has...and some are as space-strapped as we are.
In many other countries people are not sold housing with such mean proportions that you struggle to fit basic furniture in.
I know this is a first world problem, but it can be such a rip-off and these matchbox size homes don't come cheap.

My OH’s mother summed it up beautifully a few years ago...
“as the TV’s get bigger, the houses get smaller”.

 

[Twilight]

An 'exclusive gated community' was built, sorry created, at the end of our road four years ago & two of the houses are now for sale, one for £595,000, reduction from original price. It looks like a dolls house sitting on a green hand towel, is on the junction of our road & one that is a bus route, six buses an hour, & from pavement to front door takes two paces. Whoever designed did an incredible job because you never think such a tiny building could contain four bedrooms, one with dressing room & en suite, & four rooms downstairs. Average house price in our area is £270,000.

 

[merryone]

Had to go and see the presentation....and I agree the top looked terrible on everybody concerned, even the model (who just looked frumpy). Julia in particular...oh dear, never was the expression "spare tyre" more appropriate. This really isn't intended to be bitchy - but is it only the viewer that can see how bad these things look? Ok, I've not watched IW for a long while but in my memory, when I've seen the presenters wearing the clothes, they've never looked as shockingly awful as they do on Q. Yes, I've thought mmm that's probably not what they'd choose to wear outside of the studio, but at least the clothes seem to fit.
Both channels realise they're not pitching their wares to fashionistas, and yes there are going to be a lot of viewers out there who's figures aren't what they used to be, but in Q's case they go one of two ways - One is to ignore this completely. "Yep this top won't hide your spare tyre, if you've got chubby legs, these tight trousers will emphasise them - but it is what it is, so if you like it buy it". Otherwise, it's a case of if you're big, buy big and buy shapeless and cover the whole lot up from the neck down! and to add insult to injury throw in a few "buzz words" such as "Drama" and "statement".
I know it shouldn't bother me as I've got no intention of buying clothes from Q, but somehow it does, and the more I see the more angry I get. This is not about the ridiculous prices (that's a story for another day), but if you go onto a highstreet retailer's website, you'll see stills of models, looking as good as possible therefore making the clothes look as good as possible - we'll not get to see how Mrs Average with all her lumps and bumps is gonna look. Qvc on the other hand - this is your USP - and you're not fulfilling it. You have the models on hand, you've got the BAs, the presenters (all different shapes, sizes and age groups), you've got the stylists and you're coming up with nothing. Julia for instance, she'll happily talk about being 5'4", that she's got a large bust, and dancer's calves - but never is the fact that she carries a lot of extra weight around her tummy area mentioned - this is totally ignored so she usually looks an absolute fright. In fact the only time she looks ok, good even is when she's presenting anything other than clothing. This cannot be right.
I don't mean to pick on Julia because there are other presenters that have specific body shapes - Jackie Kabler has the typical straight up and down "boyish figure", Jill Franks is very slim, Jilly H is of a sturdy build all over, Flinty is an apple shape, Chunt's is pear shaped - but these facts are never mentioned - clothes are thrown over them in the hope they'll look ok. The amount of times you hear them talk about being in the wrong size "I usually go for large, but I thought I'd wear the xl today...so if we've run out of your size, just go up or down a size and it'll be fine"! No it bloody won't!
Going back to JK, she's the only one who seems to be "looked after" properly as she usually presents with RL, and the clothes seem to suit her figure, the two of them have a rapport. I realise that her figure is a lot easier to dress -but if this channel are lauding themselves as fashion experts then they should learn how to dress every shape and size to its best potential. It'll never be spot on -nobody expects that, but they are making zero effort and it shows . Sorry about the rant folks..time for a cuppa after that lot!

 

[Lemonpop]

Had to go and see the presentation....and I agree the top looked terrible on everybody concerned, even the model (who just looked frumpy). Julia in particular...oh dear, never was the expression "spare tyre" more appropriate. This really isn't intended to be bitchy - but is it only the viewer that can see how bad these things look? Ok, I've not watched IW for a long while but in my memory, when I've seen the presenters wearing the clothes, they've never looked as shockingly awful as they do on Q. Yes, I've thought mmm that's probably not what they'd choose to wear outside of the studio, but at least the clothes seem to fit.
Both channels realise they're not pitching their wares to fashionistas, and yes there are going to be a lot of viewers out there who's figures aren't what they used to be, but in Q's case they go one of two ways - One is to ignore this completely. "Yep this top won't hide your spare tyre, if you've got chubby legs, these tight trousers will emphasise them - but it is what it is, so if you like it buy it". Otherwise, it's a case of if you're big, buy big and buy shapeless and cover the whole lot up from the neck down! and to add insult to injury throw in a few "buzz words" such as "Drama" and "statement".
I know it shouldn't bother me as I've got no intention of buying clothes from Q, but somehow it does, and the more I see the more angry I get. This is not about the ridiculous prices (that's a story for another day), but if you go onto a highstreet retailer's website, you'll see stills of models, looking as good as possible therefore making the clothes look as good as possible - we'll not get to see how Mrs Average with all her lumps and bumps is gonna look. Qvc on the other hand - this is your USP - and you're not fulfilling it. You have the models on hand, you've got the BAs, the presenters (all different shapes, sizes and age groups), you've got the stylists and you're coming up with nothing. Julia for instance, she'll happily talk about being 5'4", that she's got a large bust, and dancer's calves - but never is the fact that she carries a lot of extra weight around her tummy area mentioned - this is totally ignored so she usually looks an absolute fright. In fact the only time she looks ok, good even is when she's presenting anything other than clothing. This cannot be right.
I don't mean to pick on Julia because there are other presenters that have specific body shapes - Jackie Kabler has the typical straight up and down "boyish figure", Jill Franks is very slim, Jilly H is of a sturdy build all over, Flinty is an apple shape, Chunt's is pear shaped - but these facts are never mentioned - clothes are thrown over them in the hope they'll look ok. The amount of times you hear them talk about being in the wrong size "I usually go for large, but I thought I'd wear the xl today...so if we've run out of your size, just go up or down a size and it'll be fine"! No it bloody won't!
Going back to JK, she's the only one who seems to be "looked after" properly as she usually presents with RL, and the clothes seem to suit her figure, the two of them have a rapport. I realise that her figure is a lot easier to dress -but if this channel are lauding themselves as fashion experts then they should learn how to dress every shape and size to its best potential. It'll never be spot on -nobody expects that, but they are making zero effort and it shows . Sorry about the rant folks..time for a cuppa after that lot!

Merry two words,spot on.

 

[Brissles]

When I first started watching QVC, they rarely did dresses, and if I'm right they were summer cotton frocks by Centigrade - with Genevieve as BA. Then around the time that Ronni Nicole appeared, there was another American brand -- Tiana B (?) with a lot of black bordering on the hems, and presented by a short American lady with dark hair; and this was the first time I remember the poly/elastene printed stuff being shown. I stand to be corrected though.

Up until then it was mainly trousers, tops and a few skirts. At that time, Michelle Hope was more known for her 'knitteds' than the lace and stretch she now sells.

 

[Twilight]

When I first started watching QVC, they rarely did dresses, and if I'm right they were summer cotton frocks by Centigrade - with Genevieve as BA. Then around the time that Ronni Nicole appeared, there was another American brand -- Tiana B (?) with a lot of black bordering on the hems, and presented by a short American lady with dark hair; and this was the first time I remember the poly/elastene printed stuff being shown. I stand to be corrected though.

Up until then it was mainly trousers, tops and a few skirts. At that time, Michelle Hope was more known for her 'knitteds' than the lace and stretch she now sells.

You're right, even Kimmy's stuff was all separates. The dark haired lady was Joanne, I liked her enthusiasm & product knowledge & she sold me a red & black drees that went in minutes so when mine arrived & it was cerise, jade & white I was not impressed. Finding the one I liked on eBay for a fraction of the Q's price was great & I wore that dress for years.

 

[Grizelda]

I've just googled Donna, just so that I was 100% sure of who we were talking about and apparently she's a PA to Helena Bonham Carter, Rachel Weisz, Sir Derek Jacobi, Samuel West and Harland Miller. Wow, I certainly didn't expect that when I started typing her name

How does she have the time ?

 

[Vienna]

Has anybody been watching the channel 5 series "How to look 10 years younger in 10 days" ? Oh my goodness Gemma Shepherd doesn`t half dress them in some strange things. This week Gemma herself look as if she was wearing a multi coloured circus tent or Joseph`s coat of many colours and sent out one of the women on this week`s show in long wide leg cream trousers tucked into the tops of ankle boots. The poor woman looked like she was off out doing a bit of deer stalking !

 

[Twilight]

How does she have the time ?

That was my first thought.

 

[Dream Girl]

When I first started watching QVC, they rarely did dresses, and if I'm right they were summer cotton frocks by Centigrade - with Genevieve as BA. Then around the time that Ronni Nicole appeared, there was another American brand -- Tiana B (?) with a lot of black bordering on the hems, and presented by a short American lady with dark hair; and this was the first time I remember the poly/elastene printed stuff being shown. I stand to be corrected though.

Up until then it was mainly trousers, tops and a few skirts. At that time, Michelle Hope was more known for her 'knitteds' than the lace and stretch she now sells.

I think the dresses with Genevieve you refer to, could have been
Casual & Co / Denim & Co ones.
Debbie Greenwood was a regular wearer of the dresses.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Kimmy was a great one for the skirts/trousers and then a matching top all sold separately so plenty of profit on the postage. Very old fashioned but I think it suited the then democratic.

 

[shopperholic]

I can’t stomach Queen Julia, but channel hopped on QVC before and my gob was truly smacked. When did she start talking and acting like one of the kids from Beverley Hills 90210, she was absolutely ridiculous. She was trying to talk that girly and posh that she pronounced Zebra as Ze—bra, when I wiped the tears of laughter from my eyes enough to find the remote, over the channel goes.

 

[SusieSue]

I think it was yesterday I heard Queen Julia saying that she was running a competition on her QVC blog to win some Liz Earle goodies.

Guess she needs to clear some space for the next lot of freebies.

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

I think it was yesterday I heard Queen Julia saying that she was running a competition on her QVC blog to win some Liz Earle goodies.

Guess she needs to clear some space for the next lot of freebies.

Cant wait - touched by the lady herself - I’m in!

 

[AndiK]

Has anybody been watching the channel 5 series "How to look 10 years younger in 10 days" ? Oh my goodness Gemma Shepherd doesn`t half dress them in some strange things. This week Gemma herself look as if she was wearing a multi coloured circus tent or Joseph`s coat of many colours and sent out one of the women on this week`s show in long wide leg cream trousers tucked into the tops of ankle boots. The poor woman looked like she was off out doing a bit of deer stalking !

I was too busy looking at Gemma’s Mr Whippy hair. But I saw the end of the show in the week and agree wholeheartedly about the clothes she gave the women.

 

[Lemonpop]

Caught AY on the Gatineau show in a long dress with trainers peeping out if the bottom.

P lease what woman in her fifties wears trainers with dresses, Oh yes QVC women.

Maybe or mebbee,as she says,these were the samples shex was sent??

 

[Twilight]

I was too busy looking at Gemma’s Mr Whippy hair. But I saw the end of the show in the week and agree wholeheartedly about the clothes she gave the women.

I suggested that my Mr T adopted that look, the look he gave me should have laid me out but I'm made of sterner stuff. Now where did I put that hair gel?

 

[Twilight]

Caught AY on the Gatineau show in a long dress with trainers peeping out if the bottom.

P lease what woman in her fifties wears trainers with dresses, Oh yes QVC women.

Maybe or mebbee,as she says,these were the samples shex was sent??

Just had a look & saw the thick white sole peeping out from under her nightie. Queen Julia has suddenly started wearing sandals WITH heels As can be seen from around 0.50 in following link.

https://www.qvcuk.com/Kim-%26-Co-Brazil-Jersey-Short-Sleeve-Twist-Front-Jumpsuit-with-Pockets.product.187953.html?sc=IROA

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

P lease what woman in her fifties wears trainers with dresses, Oh yes QVC women.

Is it trying to emulate those US TV shows where city girls wear them on the subway with a pair of Jimmy Choo in their Mulberry hand bag?

Where I live people would think you were just in from the farm for the day.

 

[merryone]

Caught AY on the Gatineau show in a long dress with trainers peeping out if the bottom.

P lease what woman in her fifties wears trainers with dresses, Oh yes QVC women.

Maybe or mebbee,as she says,these were the samples shex was sent??

The look's everywhere now, it's the new cold shoulder top! If I'm honest I don't mind the look too much but it does depend on a few variables. The age of the wearer, the youngsters look fine, but the older the person is the more desperate they look, the style and state of the trainer - they've got to look pristine and not look like something you'd wear to go to the gym or go running in. The other look of course is to wear everything with ankle boots, and again imo it can be a good look depending upon the wearer and the boot.
The trainer and skirt/dress look has been going for longer than you think - but back in the day it was confined to eccentric old dears and down and outs. Love it or loathe it, I think it'll be around longer than the dreaded cold shoulder stuff, and that's because trainers and boots are comfortable to wear and they hide less than perfect feet!