Hi, my name is Helen Brookes and I am @40plusnotgivingupyet
I am a SHOPPING ADDICT who craves the opportunity to help women get back their mojo and feel the very best they can.
I love sharing my high street finds (and fails!) on my Insta feed and you can tune into my honest try-on sessions anytime, anywhere via my daily Instagram Stories @40plusnotgivingupyet.
I’ll share stuff I love, bargains and discounts and answer your burning fashion questions such as;
- Which SIZE should I buy? (size 12 in one store? size 16 in another? or can I size down)
- What does the material FEEL like? (itchy? cheap? silky? Do I need to iron?)
- Will it show my BULGY bits? (we’ve all got them just what to wear to make you feel as confident as you can)
- What kind of UNDERWEAR will I need? (I love a bit of control underwear but also let’s talk practicality if it’s see through you need to know)
- How can I DRESS IT UP or down? (insta style with heels don’t always transfer well to the real world where you’re probably just going to Lidl)
- And of course….does it have POCKETS?!
We’ve all ordered online and been bitterly disappointed when the garment arrives, usually in the wrong size or fabric. Don’t think it’s you. My mantra is if it makes you feel rubbish, or it’s all wrong then IT’S NOT YOU IT’S THE DRESS!
I’m also a hungry bargain hunter and definitely not into designer clobber (I don’t have the cash and even if we did, I think a trip to Mauritius would be more my bag!). I’ll share the deals and discount codes and if I can I’ll try and wrangle a code for you! I share the beauty products and fake tan secrets that I can’t live without too, anything that helps my mid 40s!
I’m also pretty random and share lots of the stuff I love; family life, VERY simple foolproof recipes, and travel and just life as a Mum of three – my two girls Lola and Poppy, and George my nephew. I’ve been hit hard by loss in the past having lost my sister, and my Mum and Dad and I will talk about grief sporadically as it’s a huge part of my life and I’m happy to normalise it and share. Oh and there is also a very tolerant husband in the wings but he NEVER appears on insta.
Helen
Let ME try before YOU buy!
It’s a lottery buying online. Let me road-test your purchases – before you click buy! I take the best of the current high street fashion and feed back to you about it’s cut, sizing, quality and how best to style it. Time saving reviews delivered straight to your phone!
My Instagram @40plusnotgivingupyet
Curly girls can never replicate the same hair again so here it is Monday when my hair was curly not witchy. I will end up looking like Grotbag today if I try to do same I know 😂.
I've talked before on hair issues both thinning hair and lack of it and I often get Dms so I'd say if you're struggling you're not alone. For lots of us losing our hair is a side effect from stress which is quite brutal. Grief and anti depressants played havoc after my sister died and my hair fell out. My lovely hairdresser @hairsanctuary2017 helped me pin point it and guided me through. I wore hair pieces for 18 months. We are a long time on now but after my shit summer of 2018 I saw my hair suffer and I've taken iron tablets and flaxseed and used thickening shampoos the lot. I even had hair extensions over a year ago that I LOVED and allowed my real hair to grow healthily. I've since taken them out (lockdown 1!) but would def consider again just make sure you research good ones that won't damage your hair. I went with @beckylennonextensions and was thrilled.
For now it's just me and my own barnet with my straggle most days and can't wait to get back to the hairdresser. But there is a rare good hair day like Monday when my straggle went straggle rock...
If you've had issues with your thinning hair or hair loss then ⬇️⬇️⬇️ please share what works for you. There are quite a few of us I know!!
There is good stuff coming though right?
#40plusnotgivingupyet
Might stay in and watch a bit of telly tonight how about you?
#saturdaynight
#sundaynight
#mondaynight
#tuesdaynight
#wednesdaynight
#thursdaynight
#fridaynight
And repeat. 📺📺📺📺📺📺📺
⭐GIVEAWAY⭐ FIVE WINNERS will WIN a gorgeous gown or kimono of your choice from beautiful family business @onehundredstars ⭐ and yes we are giving away FIVE prizes so FIVE winners!!
In the foreseeable, not TOO distant future, we can go out and rock these when going OUT OUT. For now perhaps if you don't feel like glamming up your daily walk (I did today and yup I did feel fab!) then you know these make for stunning and gorgeous lounging! I've tried a few to share with you ➡️ as you see me here today in the Paris gown, the Wave gown and the Willow Collar Kimono. I love them paired with my jeans as wearable art. But of course, any traditionalists can wear them with their PJs too. I'm all up for that too. Whichever way you will, hopefully, feel utterly as fabulous as they truly are.
@onehundredstars have also kindly said we can have FIVE winners to pick a kimono or gown of THEIR CHOICE from the website. They have different lengths and styles and patterns so I think the hardest bit will be choosing which one you want. They are utterly beautiful 🥰🥰🥰.
Here you go, to be in with a chance of winning:
⭐like this post
⭐follow me and @onehundredstars
⭐tag at least two pals in the comments (separate your tag per comment for more entries!).
That's it!!!! This competition is not endorsed by or affiliated with Instagram. Competition closes Monday 1st March at 9am when I shall draw the FIVE winners at random on stories. No other account will contact you and please watch out for fake accounts I would never ask you for money etc. Giveaway open to UK, EU and US residents where @onehundredstars will deliver. Good luck!!!
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#40plusnotgivingupyet #onehundredstars #giveaway #instamum #mumstyle #loungewear #luxeloungewear
"It's not you, it's me. We want different things. Sorry it's just not working out.."
"Mum, why you being so weird?"
Roll on March 8th 😂😂😂.
I'll miss them a little. They won't miss me. And that's good. More than good. This amount of time for teens and pre teens living with their parents without escape has been TOUGH on them. The end is in sight kids!!!
#40plusnotgivingupyet #mumofteens
Pre lockdown 3 vs now➡️. Last night I compared this fetching second *Shameless* pic as a laugh compared to how I was 10 years ago but even more tragic is this first photo taken a few weeks vs Feb half term now. Bugger me if lockdowns don't take their toll 😂.
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#40plusnotgivingupyet
Blending in to the scenery just how I like it.
This was a walk where I changed our usual route AND I got a mocha instead of an americano. I really need to get a life. As soon as possible I'm going to Carpe the fricking Diem out of life. Just not yet. Today I might go back to americano.
#40plusnotgivingupyet
I love my RECKLESS and BRAVE sweatshirt @monsterandfoxuk but MASSIVE disclaimer as what constitutes reckless for me these days is literally starting a movie as late as 8pm or maybe trying a different curry from my usual in our takeaway tonight. Actually both of those make my hackles rise they feel a bit too much. Yup Fridays ain't lost their razzle dazzle over here let me tell you.
Go on then what's reckless for you NOW? I have done sky dives and moved to foreign places on my own when I knew no-one and not even with a place to live. Now I'm hesitating about going beyond my lamb naga (it is delish though) . What have I become 😂😭😭😭....
Swipe ➡️ for close up of the sweat. Lovely Tigger at Monster and Fox has been blown away by your orders this week. Code 40PLUS gives 10% off till Sunday so I thought I'd get it out on here. I'm in size large and I'm size 14 #PR gift. Love it.
#40plusnotgivingupyet
#smallmumtallmum
You can see our #smallmumtallmum reel on our Instagram highlights so check it out!
A hashtag born from an Instafriendship with Abi @stealmystyle40!
We shopped, we storied, we shared our try-ons and laughed at the differences in sizes. Our followers told us they LOVED it and asked for more. #smallmumtallmum was born!
