Most of us can relate to your predicament, so you now need to go and enjoy the best life possible. You are important and the world is a better place with you in it. Sending hugs and kisses ❤😘

Well done for acknowledging that your mental health is suffering at the moment and being kind to yourself. Just remember the mantra 'this too shall pass'.

better days are ahead for you. Love your outfits and the mix and match makes for more stay safe - sending warm hugs to you

You look so lovely in the lavender colors. Sometimes when hard things happen in our lives in the end we come out in a better place than where we were. I believe this for you!

Such a great haul. I loved seeing you excitement with the new pieces too! My favorite was the blue dress with the side lacing. It's going to look even better once you gather in the shoulders. Sending you lots of love!

Hi Claire, the love the clothes you bought and they look great on you. Purple/mauve is one of my favorite colors and it looks wonderful on you. Congratulations on going down 2 sizes in your wardrobe ! Thank you for showing us your shopping haul.

Well done for dropping two dress sizes. It's not easy. You bought some lovely, pretty clothes. Enjoy wearing them and enjoy meeting your friend.

I send you all my love from Antwerp / Belgium. ❤

I agree those side ties would be a great addition to handmade dresses

You’re looking fantastic, Claire!! I love the blue dress on you best. Sending love and hugs ❤❤

Hang in there, Claire. You seem to be coping very well, even if you are feeling bad. You have a natural goodness about you that shines through!

getting something new to wear makes us girls feel good.

I'm praying for your wellbeing. I hope and pray you'll get through this and be well in all aspects of life.

Woo-hoo, you lost 2 dress sizes, that's awesome news. Keep positive Claire, you will get through this! It may take time, but believe me you will get through it all and shine. Take good care ❤

As always thanks for sharing. Try being positive and do what you can. Life is hard and too short. When you're tired get some rest. Dont over do it. Take care of yourself. Wishing you all the best.

I hope you are able to get your sewing machine and fabrics soon. Sooo very happy you have a supportive sister and friends to help boost you. I am wishing you the best through this time.

Hey Claire, beautiful Lady with beautiful clothes. They look fabulous on you. ❤

Keep your head above water!!! Don’t give up. Your friends from all over the world are pulling for YOU!!!

Your new clothes look great and really suit you. We'll done for dropping two sizes (wish I could) . Enjoy being with your friend. Praying that things get better for you very soon. X

So much fun! Hey…that black dress is very flattering on you… You deserve a nice treat for yourself. I also love the light blue floral dress that laces on the side….and BTW the purple suits you! You look fantastic…keep on hanging in there…we love you!

I think you look really good for only 3 hours of sleep! Some retail therapy is the cure every now and then - a little instant gratification, something new to lift the spirits and feel a bit better - especially if you don't have access to all your stuff it is totally justifiable. For me, a quick trip to the clearance rack or thrift store to find something I will really use works from time to time. The fabric in that skirt is really pretty and I particularly like the gray and white striped tee. No one else would think twice about the shoulders on that beautiful dress - only someone who sews and has started to alter patterns usually notices things like that, and the ties down the side are an incredibly good idea. Take care and hope you have a good night's sleep after a happy time meeting your friend - always good to be with someone who "knew you when," someone you don't have to explain yourself to - they already know you!

So glad you’re doing something special for yourself. Very smart shopping. You’re in a “one step at a time “ spot right now but things are opening up for you.

Easy fix on gray and white stripe t-shirt. Make a dart that goes from 6-8 inches above the breast and mid back of the shirt at mid way of top shoulder seam attaching front and back. Yellow bra can be dyed with brown dye and becomes a beautiful addition to your wardrobe if it’s the right size.

God Bless your heart. I hope you get your machines soon and you can sew some. I think it will help your mental health. Take care of yourself. Love all the clothing.

You look beautiful in your new clothes Claire, such bargains. Sending you loving thoughts and kindness for this rocky patch in life. Take care of your loving heart.❤

Oh my, everything looks great! Can't wait to see you wearing them on the channel soooooooon!

Claire.. you got some real bargains and that black dress looks gorgeous on you, as does the patterned tunic with the lilac cardigan.. so pretty. You'll get through this... sending you lots of ❤ 🫂 and 🙏 and of course, a ☕. You take care and thank you for making the effort to do the videos.. we all know you're feeling crazy. Xx

Thank you so much for sharing your shopping haul with all of us. Huge success! Everything looks so lovely on you. Oh, yes . . . blue is your friend. We girls deserve to pamper ourselves every now and again with an "I don't care if it's not on sale -- I like it so I'm getting it" item. Have a wonderful visit with your friend. And one last thing . . . how is it that you look cute with no sleep and I, on the other hand, look like I could be cast as a zombie on The Walking Dead? What gives?? As always, sending you love and emotional support from across the pond.

That skirt is super pretty. It looks great with the matching top. The grey stripe tee looks well made. Its been ages since I have bought RTW except 2nd hand. Those prices are actually cheaper than my local thrift store! You look good in purple. You did a great job on putting together a capsule.

Hi Cliare, congrats for the 2 sizes down!🤗🌺🏵 I know the feeling, having had the same experience, and you're perfectly right for wanting to look good. And you DO look great in the new clothes, they're really pretty, love the colours. You look great in purple. I wish you all the best for times to come, remember to "always look on the bright side of life", and take care. Hugs from Germany❤🌺🌹💐

You deserve to feel good. I hope you get your sewing machines back soon.

the colours look good on you nice choice, hope things get better for you. good on you for make healthy choices😇

Also, when the shoulders fall off, I have just gathered the seam by hand from the neck to the shoulder seam and it has worked very well for me to make garmens wearable.

Thanks for continuing to put out rad content for us!

Nice to see you are down a couple of sizes. Wahoo!!! Your outfits look nice.

That black dress is lovely ❤️

Beautiful bargains! Well done. Keep your chin up. Hugs from Illinois ❤️

🌺

Adore that floral dress on you… it looks just lovely. 😊. Chin up all the way from NZ 💜

💞

What a great haul and very well thought out. I hope better times are ahead for you.

The drops shoulder are so unflatering in general, we are lucky to know how to sew to fix that!

I love that blue dress on you, so pretty!

That blue number looks great on you!

Hi Claire! Your new clothes are very cute and look really good on you! Just think, soon you will be doing tutorials on resizing clothing, after losing weight. 😁 Keep your chin up and smile, there are wonderful things coming your way!! I’m sending big hugs 🤗 to you, from Orlando, Florida.

I'm sorry that you're in such a rough place, but I'm glad to see you treating yourself just a little bit. It's so important. I would _love_ to see how you alter clothes to fit you. Especially in adjustable ways. I'm losing weight, too, and buying thrifted clothes as clothes get looser.

Sending lots of love and hugs Claire. Believe it or not your videos cheer ME up. Love your shopping haul especially the summer and black dresses and purple cardi. Thank you.

Hi Claire I sew enjoyed watching your fashion show. I think everything is lovely. Loved the t shirts - I live in t shirts n jeans. Loved the black dress and the blue one with the orange and lilac flowers. To stop that one from falling off your shoulders sewing a bit of ribbon to the shoulder seam to wrap around your bra strap then catch with a small press stud - I hope that makes sense 😳- for the skirt I would try to get away with just reducing the elastic first - that might work. Love the skirt btw. I only buy garments like jeans because I could never make them and it’s wise to buy items that are way cheaper than making them. Lovely to see you having such fun 😊

Oh bless you! You have done a great job shopping and they look great on you. I love that dress on you! Chin up! It’ll all come right in the end you’ll see. Lots of love my friend ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

What a great haul, Claire! Glad to see you are feeling better and hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.❤️

Just found your channel and am working my way through. I’m sorry that you’ve been feeling down. I haven’t found the video where you explain why but no matter. For the few I’ve watched…You are kind, beautiful and so giving. Please take care of yourself. The world needs more folks like you! Love and appreciation from Canada. P.S. loved your purchases. You look amazing in them. Love the purple, as well.

I like taking patterns off ready to wear when I get something I really like and it fits well. I like purple too!! Glad to see you looking a bit happier, all the best to you.

You have some really pretty clothes. 😊

Thanks for sharing Claire, I hope you are feeling better about things before too long, it just has to be take it one day at a time, it's not surprising your mental health has been affected. I have had to take a mild anti depressant for a while now, and coming up to a particularly hard time at the end of the month, so I understand how debilitating that can be, Wishing you well. love the new clothes and like you I find I have gone down a few sizes. taken a long time, (10 years) but gone from size 24 to a 16, previous time I was at a 16 was over 40 years ago..

You deserve top feel pretty and you are ❤ Keep your head up 🤗

A shoulder dart midway between the neck and the shoulder seam looks very unobtrusive especially on a patterned fabric. After seeing it online I had a go and it got the shoulder seam exactly where I wanted it. Love your videos.

Fun clothes! I saw on another video that she would wear a dress (like your black one) with a skirt over it and it really looked cute! I'm not sure if the flowery skirt would look good over the black dress but it's worth it to check it out!

Thanks!

You got some great things! Darn good fits also for ready to wear. Hope you feel better soon and can get your machines situated.

I am just like you, just bought a R.T.W. shirt size 18 and I am a 14, they didn’t have but I know I can take it in 👍. I take in or up everything and have done since leaving school. (In 1980 no petite sizes then). You’re doing fine, 😘

Re: the blue print dress. I have taken at tuck at the shoulder. So yes...I think the elastic should work.

I loved all your purchases Claire. Fantastic that you got the surprise of being smaller in the RTW. I think my fav was the blue dress with the flowers - the lacing detail was really flattering. The black one was stunning on you - hope you wore some of your new clothes on your visit with your old friend. LOL - last time I was in England I stocked up on bras at Sainsburys. 🤣😁 I might have even bought a yellow one! So funny - no groceries just me and 6 or 7 bras all off the discount rack. (Frankly they're better quality/fit than what I can find here in Canada - most of them here have padding - definitely don't need that!)

Oh ‘Em you are doing amazing I love all your new purchases and the colours look great on you I can sympathise what you are going through as been there but I can assure you that you will get through it just take it one day at a time Great you are with your sister and catching up with a friend Sending you a big hug ❤️😘🌹

You look great in all of them and i do like the striped one, it looks intentionally dropped, i also have that dropped when it shouldnt be lol

Claire, Your honest and heart-felt comments are beneficial for your mental health. Likewise, you are giving your followers something precious. ❤

❤

I went on the free “Eat Like A Bear” diet online and lost 50 pounds in 6 months. The first time I fit into a size 12 Levi jeans (which I haven’t worn since 1992) I told a complete stranger! Over 200 people have lost over 100 pounds on her diet.

Congratulations on going down 2 dress sizes. We had to take my hubby shopping today as he has lost 4 inches in his waist. The clothes are really pretty. I especially like the skirt. I’ve been reading the book called “Color Me Pretty.” It’s about picking the right colors for yourself for clothing & makeup. In no way could I afford to have a color analysis done. I ordered this book off Amazon for less than $9.00. I got the Kindle edition. It’s packed with all kinds of information. I’ll continue to keep you in prayer for all your problems.

You’re looking fantastic, Claire!! Thanks for the catch up. It’s great to share your thoughts and experiences xx ❤❤

Thanks

I like your new clothes. I want to encourage you to remember that whatever happened to instigate your visit to your sister happened because things were not good already. But that’s the past and now you have the future ahead of you and I think you’re gonna do OK. I think you’ve always ultimately done OK. The crap happens, but you have moved beyond it and you always will. That’s who you are. I am a survivor also. I’ve made mistakes. Sometimes I’ve screwed up. Sometimes I’ve been screwed, but I keep on going. I recognize a fellow human being that keeps on plugging away. We are strong and we are beautiful so don’t let this situation make you lose sleep. But more importantly (jk) when are you getting your sewing machine back? I can’t wait for you to clone that cute little cardigan. I have been learning how to clone things and I am not good at T-shirts so I’m impressed that you are. I’ve worked with other knits but my tshirt attempt is now a dust rag. I am not that stubborn to keep messing with it. Maybe in a couple of years I’ll try again. I’ve learned a lot this year and I’ve done new things and I decided that if one of them has to be set back for another attempt later, that’s OK. It was a horrible color for me anyway. I hope you get your machine back soon. If they have Freecycle or craigslist, maybe put an ad and see if anybody’s got one they want to get rid of free or cheap . A lot of people that bought sewing machines during the pandemic have no use for them now. Or so they think😎. Maybe somebody will just loan you one. I would not be shy to put it out there that you’re looking for a loaner or a gifted used one. There are a lot of dusty sewing machines out there in the world.

The only thing I didn't like was that mustard yellow bra, but I would have bought it too at that price! Everything is so expensive now! You look adorable in that pretty blue with the orange, and loved the tops you got, they are all so cute on you. You're looking great, honey! Isn't it great when you find out you've lost weight without even knowing it? Those little things really help when you are feeling weighed down with the cares of the world. You are going to do great, but for a while you will wonder. I have been there, and I think you are a strong young woman, you're a survivor for sure. I'm buying you another coffee! Or cocoa or whatever you want. Keep that pretty smile on your face as much as you can. Isn't it great you can sew and fix the things that are too big? I've lost a little since my husband died in February. It's a dark time, but we'll get through it. I hope you can get your sewing machine and things that give you some joy before long. (((big hugs)))) Love, Lita xxx

Please let us know how you're losing the weight. You're looking beautiful at the moment, keep up the good work xx

Liking the mauve on you. You will work wonders with that skirt. The turquoise dress is lovely... and goes great with the turquoise.The black dress does nothing for you....( being honest here ) I think you recognised this yourself to be fair . I wore black for years and found that when I wear colour it always gives me a lift .... Supermarket clothing is great value for money... I always wait for the sales too...

Thanks!