Well it wasn't strictly my 18th birthday party was it? No, of course it wasn't. That was nearly 29 years ago now. (Oh flip, can I swear a little please?) And the fact that it was our daughter's 18th birthday party only serves to reinforce just how old I feel. How can that have happened? How can she be 18? I can remember the cheese and ham sarnie that my husband made for me when I came home from the hospital with her so clearly. I swear that it was the best food I've ever tasted. No Michelin starred restaurant can ever compete with that.
So what to wear to a party with 50, 18 year olds in attendance? Well my first rule was a lot. As in a lot of coverage was required. No legs, no cleavage, no back or arms on display. And definitely no mid-riff.
Secondly, nothing from Topshop, H&M, Reiss etc. Nope, I had to head to a brand that no 18 year old would shop at. And any "fun" stuff had to be on the fringes - so nails, ear-rings, shoes etc, that was the place to have the fun stuff. Other than that I decided to keep things plain but with a bit of colour.
Well this was an easy top given the name of our daughter - the Florence jersey top from Finery (£39). This is the most brilliant top if you fancy a fancy sleeve but you don't want to dip it in your soup or catch it in the dishwasher or end up with toothpaste all over it. The fancy bit is made of a fabric which is a) wipe clean and b) which you can fold back and it will stay there. Double result.
And I also wore this Belshaw skirt from Finery (£75). I'm a big fan of a statement skirt and a top as it's so versatile. And of course the pink had my name written all over it. I also ordered the zebra jacquard skirt which I loved but the colour against my bare legs wasn't great - so that will be going back. It's a great option though for anyone on the look out for a funky printed midi skirt.
Oh and I bought the bag in the Whistles sale and the shoes were a few seasons old from Aldo. There's a shoe story which I will save for another day!
The party was a success and the birthday girl was really happy. Happy Birthday sweetheart!
