Neutrals and how to wear them if, as a rule, they don't really like you that much!

Today's post is just a quick OOTD. Generally I don't wear too many outfits made up entirely of neutrals. Many neutrals just seem to wash me out and I'm better with colours which have some depth to them, just as you might expect given my dark colouring. However I really like this Boden cardi/jacket that I bought in the sale last year (similar here) and it seems to work OK with this & Other Stories printed blouse (similar (ish) here (£45). It's all quite soft and muted but I think :) that I can just about get away with it. A bit of colour from the sun probably doesn't harm either.

I carried on the "light" theme with some white Whistles jeans and pale suede Jigsaw ankle boots (available here in a size 36) - but then stuck a navy Whistles bag with it all, in all probability just because it was handy.

On this particular day I needed a little warmth but I didn't want to head straight for the winter pile of clothing. Nope, for now I'm hanging on to those lighter shades for dear life.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday. I think that we have some sun due next week. Yipppeeee!  Beth x

A very quick OOTD post - Hush dress, Jigsaw boots, Boden cardi - job done!

Having given my Jigsaw boots and playsuit a whirl the other day, today I tried the boots with a dress which I bought from Hush last summer. The cardi was from Boden last summer too. I hadn't worn them together - in fact I hadn't worn either of them that much at all - but I paired them up today and off we went (to Wales) but not, for now at least, in the rain!

White jeans - a summer staple or a style nightmare?!

Having taken the outfit shots and having loaded up the photos, I'm now going to be incredibly unhelpful and tell you that the white jeans that I'm about to write about aren't actually available online. Sorry. However I do have a plan, which you can find out all about later in the post.

Yesterday I bought three pairs of Whistles jeans (I know, ouch) - one white, one navy and one black, all of which had between 60% and 70% off. At full price they would have been £285 (well they wouldn't because I wouldn't have paid that) but I ended up paying about £115 which isn't to be sneezed at but they will last me for many years.

So, back to white jeans in particular. Tricky little beggars aren't they? And here's why:

1. White acts as a highlighter not only drawing the eye to the area on which its worn but also adding pounds in the process. Perhaps not the best case scenario for one's thighs;
2. They can be see through;
3. This means that not only can you see pants and pockets BUT;
4. Others are able to witness any areas that may not be quite as smooth as they once were (oh all right then - cellulite);
5. Too tight and they can be a bit yuck and too loose they can wrinkle horribly around the knees - and as you can see above, wrinkles in white jeans really show.

I've tried a few pairs of white jeans this season - GAP skinny with rips, GAP girlfriend, Hush and the ones that I wanted to try, Baukjen, had sold out in my size by the time they went into the sale. However with two UK based holidays approaching, I just thought that some white jeans might lift my mood when the rain sets in!

I had nearly given up on white jeans when I came across these Whistles ankle length ones yesterday. They have plenty of stretch, they're thick and supportive, the rise isn't too low and so in the end I just threw caution to the wind and went for it. I know, living life on the edge again. 

So if you too are on the hunt for white jeans, it might be an idea to take a trip to a Whistles store. If there's not one near to you, customer services are usually really good at trying to track items down and they can be sent out to you.  For info purposes the ones that I am wearing are a 26". The good thing about Whistles jeans is that they come in some in between sizes too, so a 27 (size 9) and 29" (size 11) too which is handy to know in general.

So, white jeans, yes or no? Too impractical or a great option for a lighter summer jean without losing the warmth that the weather suggests we might need.  

Seeing spots and stripes in Boden summer dresses...

When I was invited by Boden to write a post  on a topic of my choosing, there was one topic that immediately sprang to mind - summer dresses.

It doesn't matter what else I may have in my wardrobe, my search for the perfect summer dress is always on. And then, when a sunny day arrives, knowing that my perfect dress is sitting in the wardrobe makes my day complete, even before I've opened my eyes.

To me spots always signify the arrival of the spring and summer and it is for that reason that I chose to include the Iris shirt dress (£79) which comes in four colour ways. This classic combination of navy and white would work well for an office or work environment, without being too formal.

Although the dress would look great teamed with a navy or cream bag, I felt that with its dark background it could take an injection of colour and this yellow Kate Spade bag ticked that box nicely. For me, whatever the occasion, it's nice to have an element of something unexpected in your outfit, which is why I also opted for the spotty shoes, rather than a more traditional plain shoe.

Spots also lend themselves really well to a pattern clash, so I worked in some leopard print shoes and a leopard print belt, above and below. In fact spots pretty much work with anything - so just have a play and see where they take you.

Style notes, I'm wearing the size 8 in this dress but there was enough room in it for me to have sized down to a size 6. Although I'm only 5ft 6" tall, I ordered the long length as I was interested to see how "long" the long really was. For a smarter dress like this, I liked the longer length - and to me it's a real bonus that Boden does a longer length.

Another favourite of mine for the spring and summer are stripes, hence my choice of the Blackberry dress (£49). This dress comes in seven colour ways, not all of which are striped.

This dress is a more casual option that the Iris shirt dress although it can be styled up. The soft jersey fabric makes it a really easy dress to wear and perfect for a summer holiday or day trip out with children in tow and all that that entails!

I'm wearing this dress with an old favourite statement H&M necklace which people ask me about whenever I wear it. In the top picture I've opted for a summer basket and above and below I've swapped the basket for a tasselled flamingo pouch, which instantly makes the outfit more pub/dinner appropriate, despite the flat Topshop shoes.

Style Notes: This dress is also a size 8 and comes up true to size. I think that it might be possible to size down to a size 6 but then I might be conscious of the elastic on my waist and I don't like that feeling, even if it's not tight. As to the length? Again this is the longer length but because I would wear this dress casually and probably with flats, I would be tempted to try the standard length, just for comparison purposes.

Honesty policy! Although I have received payment for this post, Boden have not had any control over its content. All of the statements and opinions given are my own and all are completely genuine. The trust that readers place in my recommendations is very important to me and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardise that.

Dressing for the sun in my "Indian Summers" inspired outfit - in the very loosest sense!

The more I think about what I've written below, the more I realise...well, I'm not sure what I realise. Anyway, all I can say is, please just humour me!

I know, don't laugh, it's only a pair of wide jeans and a white shirt, but this is my "Indian Summers" outfit. I guess that it's more to do with the silhouette and the fact that it doesn't contain ripped jeans, skinny jeans, flared jeans or trainers - as opposed to anything else.

For anyone who hasn't been watching, Indian Summers is a drama which tells the story of the decline of the British Empire and the birth of modern India. As you would imagine there's a lot of "no good, argy bargy" stuff going on it and the clothes are beautiful; very stylish and simple, typical of the era. OK, so I was playing crazy golf in my outfit rather than croquet and I wasn't wearing a dress, a hat, or gloves either, but in my head I could see the similarities. Sort of.

I bought these Whistles wide leg jeans (£95 minus the 25% Grazia discount) quite a few weeks ago now as an alternative to skinnies and I held on to them until the timing was right.

The shirt is a Boden one that I have had for a couple of summers and the gold chain belt is from Reiss. The Jigsaw bag is probably ten years old. Incredibly, a very observant instagram follower in Brisbane recognised it as the bag that I had repaired by the handbag clinic a couple of years ago. Impressive!

These Aldo sandals may just have come my way yesterday when it became clear that the sun was promising to shine for a few more days. As you know I've had my eye on them for a while and so far, so good. I wore them for the whole day (they're not very Indian Summers I admit) and they were really, really comfortable.

Loving seeing everyone out and about having fun in the sun. Hope that it continues for many more days yet.

Adding warmth to your outfit - this time in the style of a kimono shaped jacket

For a chilly wimp bag like myself, I have to come up with new ways and styles of keeping warm. Quite often I will wear a jersey blazer over a finer knit jumper, or a boucle style jacket, of which I have a couple. However just before Christmas I ordered the Barcelona cardigan from Boden (£44), which also comes in navy and charcoal.

Liking the fact that I could wrap it around myself to keep myself snug, I went on to order this Rye Kimono jacket from Baukjen (reduced from £169 to £84). So much of the knitwear available at the moment is oversized so if like me you can't carry it off, or if a bit of waist definition suits your shape better, these style jackets/cardis are a pretty good option.

I think that I look a bit like I'm off to do my karate. I'm not quite sure how you translate the sound of a karate chop into words but I'll try "Haaaaaa Yaaaaa." How did I do?

Speaking of going off to do things, tomorrow a friend and myself are going to do a 12km mud run. The words "lung busting, lung burning and waist deep water" feature in the literature. Sounds fun don't you think?

It may still be too cold for an ankle flash and I don't dare to bare my legs, so the only answer is to lighten the colour palette....

Zara coat, Boden jumper and jeans, Marc Jacobs bag, Whistles boots, Reiss scarf

I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to those days when it's warm enough to go without socks or, just imagine this, tights! The thought of losing a layer is bliss but for now, that's not going to happen. Despite today's sun it was still only 3 degrees (cue a 1970's pop song) so whilst in my head it was sunny enough to be in a floaty summer dress, in reality it was anything but.

However, lightening the colours can lift the spirits, so after choosing a lighter coloured jumper I followed the trend with a lighter coloured coat and a scarf too. I drew the line at a bag of the same colour. That would have been a Duchess of Cornwall step too far.

Just a little Mother's Day hello...

Jeans: Zara. boots and jacket: Whistles, Roll neck jumper: Boden. Coat: M&S, Bag: Kate Spade

I hope that you have all had a lovely Mother's Day and that you have been very spoiled. 

It's been fun here. It started with a very long run through some interesting areas of Birmingham. The "arse end" I think were the words that I used. "Victorian" was the description given by my slightly more refined friend but in any event it involved lots of canals, tunnels and industrial buildings. Naturally the day included a little bit of shopping, albeit of the online variety. 

When it came to the purchases, I was quite liberal with my finger on the button but I had the wise words of a friend ringing in my ears. "It's only like going to the changing room really isn't it?" Oh indeed it is. And if you're going to end up going to the sorting office to pick up a parcel, it may as be a big one.  

As to the outfit, a friend of mine always sizes up in a coat and it's a wise move to make as it allows for an extra jacket to be worn underneath, which on occasions can be handy. 

I wasn't sure whether I would wear my ripped jeans much but so far I think they've justified their expenditure and in fact they were nearly pilfered by our eldest for a party next week. I have to keep a close eye on things in this house, I can tell you. 

An outfit for every occasion you're likely to come across this spring/summer....

Before I went away, I had lots on with style parties, speaking to a group of soon to be 6th formers and styling individual clients, as a result of which I had lots of clothes in the house. So here are a few shots of some outfit ideas that I put together in a quick 15 minutes that I had spare. 

I have covered a few of the trends for the season and given some ideas and tips as to when you might wear them.  There are also some more classic looks, some print and some colour. If I'd had the time I would have taken lots more photos as there are some great things starting to appear in the shops...

Outfit 1 - Heading for the office

GAP real straight trousers/ Boden jacket (£38.70 instead of £129) / Limited Collection M&S bucket style bag (not on the site at the moment)/ Primark shoes (OK so maybe a little high for work but maybe not).

Style tip: I love these GAP real straight trousers, they suit lots of women, are machine washable, have some stretch in them and are a lot cheaper than their Joseph counterparts. As to the bag, bucket bags are a huge trend this season and the lovely bright colour does wonders for livening up a darker outfit. The shoes, which I've shown before, are a great Sophia Webster copy.

Outfit 2 - Smart but trendy

Warehouse crepe jogger (£30)/ M&S Autograph shoes (£45)/H&M patterned blouse £12.99)/ H&M longline shirt (£14.99), H&M necklace.

Style tip: Blue shoes seem to be having a moment right now. There are another pair in Limited Collection at M&S and New Look have some too. I love different shades of blue and the blouse layered over the longline shirt, which is 100% cotton, is a modern take on a layering combination. The shirt reminds me of the Me & Em one, which costs a lot more.

Outfit 3 - Classy culottes!

Cashmere striped jumper M&S (£79)/ Shoes as before (not a perfect fit for the outfit but you get the idea)/ Warehouse faux leather culottes (£42)

Style tip: Culottes are also having a moment right now. Don't worry if you've worn them before, they can be done again. Topshop has some great cream pleather ones and Primark have some that look much more expensive than they are - great if you're not sure and don't want to commit too much money to them. I would happily wear these to a wedding with a Chanel inspired jacket but equally they can be dressed down with this cashmere M&S jumper, which is lovely and soft.

Outfit 4 - Saturday morning out and about

Sequin heart jumper H&M (£14.99) again not online at the moment but it should be in stores/ Dune lace up ballerina shoes (£85)/ GAP high rise skinny jeans (reduced to £16.99 from £44.95)/ H&M bracelets £3.99

Style tip: High rise jeans can be harder to find but GAP have some at the moment, as do M&S Limited Collection and H&M. These grey ones have a lovely finish. The lace up ballerinas were first around last season and these are a lovely pair. New Look has some for around £20 so again, a good place to start if you're not sure. Sequins are of course an all time favourite - as are hearts - so this jumper is a winner in my book.

Outfit 4 - Gorgeous geometrics

H&M textured weave coat (£29.99)/ Shoes as before/ Warehouse lace panel top (£32)/ Warehouse crepe jogger (£30)

Style tip: For those who like prints but aren't big into florals, a geometric print is a good alternative and this coat is a brilliant price, looking much more expensive than it is. There are various "rules" when it comes to wearing prints, especially when it comes to their scale, but if you like it, try it and don't worry too much about said rules! The crepe joggers (Next also have some) are a comfortable, relaxed fit. A lace top is a really useful addition to your wardrobe - the weekend alternative to a white shirt - it goes with everything and looks more feminine. Contrasted with denim or leather, it makes a great look.

Outfit 5 - Laid back chic

GAP marled joggers (£32.95)/ GAP fluid relaxed t-shirt £14.95/ M&S Limited Edition sling back mule (£35)

Style tip: These joggers are even more laid back than the crepe pants above but I like them with these M&S heels, as well as the obvious trainer option. The shoes, which are fairly utilitarian in their design, are like a summer version of a boot. They also come in a stone colour. I like the yellow in this outfit which peps it up and also. I styled them with a grey biker jacket, which too was from GAP.

Outfit 6 - Kiddies' birthday party

GAP high rise jeans and Dune lace up ballerinas as before, with H&M bird print patterned blouse (£19.99)

Style tip: The colours in this blouse are just that little bit different. As to it's shape, it is slightly A-line with an inverted pleat in the back which again makes it look much more expensive than its price tag would suggest.

Outfit 7 - Off to a "do"!

Warehouse paint print waisted dress (£45)/ M&S shoes as before/ Boden Westminster bag (£110)

Style tip: I've seen this dress on a few people and it's really lovely - great print, fab shape, good price - a real box ticker! Personally I like the mismatched blue of the shoes and bag but it would be easy to ring the changes with other colours.

Outfit 8 -A day at the beach

Boden blackberry dress (£49) with a selection of shoes from Primark to include bright yellow pool slides. silver Birkenstock type sandals and floral deck shoes.

Style tip: This dress is a really lovely summer option from Boden. All of these shoes are fairly casual but the dress could be dressed up with a navy blazer and accessories in coral/red/yellow/silver/gold to make it more work appropriate. It has a good length to it, which is preferable to some (me included!)

Hope that helps with some ideas. Let me know what you think. x

An outfit for any event or occasion - something we could all do with having a few more of.

[Boden waxed skinnies, Whistles boots, Kate Spade bag, & Other Stories top, Reiss jacket, Damart gilet] 

It's always the way isn't it? When I want to blog the most, I have the least time to actually do it, which is a shame as there are so many new clothes out there that I want to share with you. I've started putting a post together with some outfit ideas so hopefully I might get it out tomorrow.

This week I have been shopping for three events and the house looks like a small department store/tip!

In the conservatory I have 30 outfits for the "Camping, Caravan and Motorhome Show" which is on next week. I've always wanted to go to it as I love bijou spaces and seeing what you can get in them. I was asked to style and present the fashion/style element which is new this year but as we're away I couldn't, however I got to do the styling and shopping for it so it wasn't all bad. Shopping for 10 people (2 families of four plus two extras) has been great fun and a pretty mammoth task. I think that my longer than average arms are now even longer after all the bags I've been carrying.

At the same time I was shopping for a Style Party for seven, so that has seen me giving the shops a good going over. And at the same time as that, I was shopping for suits/work wear to take along to a talk that I gave to a group of soon to be sixth formers at a local school. The upstairs of the house is full of skiing gear as we're heading off on holiday fairly soon so although people are always welcome at our house, there isn't actually anywhere to sit.

Today has seen me undertaking various jobs from talking at the school this morning, to sorting and packing the outfits for the camping show, to preparing the notes for the presenter, doing several school runs and going to a parent's evening. I needed a "one size fits all" outfit and this one did it for me - although I must admit to swapping the trousers for Topshop tracksuit bottoms when doing the sorting, packing, crawling around on the floor and labelling all the outfits in preparation for next week.

The trick now is to find a few more "one size fits all" outfits. The boxes that it has to tick are quite long - comfortable shoes, easy to move in bottoms, warm layers but an outfit which isn't a Onesie and a pair of trainers. I think that I may have to give it some further thought.

Layering up against the cold in Boden, Oasis, Primark and All Saints

Oasis leather jacket, Primark fur gilet, Boden chunky jumper, Boden coated skinnies, All Saints bag, Whistles boots

You all know what a fan I am of layering. Lots of people like to layer because it means that they can take a layer off when they get too warm. Well that never happens to me but I think that several layers can make a look more interesting (and warmer) than one or two heavy layers. 

Here I'm wearing the toasty roll neck jumper from Boden (still available in the sale for £48) plus my cream Oasis leather jacket and a Primark gilet which cost me £14 about three years ago now. This All Saints bag was bought in an outlet store a couple of summers ago now and it just kind of pulled the black and cream look together - plus it's good for carrying a small child in.

I'm delighted to report that my shopping mojo is well and truly back. Recently I have been shopping for a style party that I'm doing next week, plus the most diverse range of styling projects that I've ever undertaken in one week. Hopefully I will get a chance to share some of my favourite buys with you towards the end of the week. 

Now, on a completely unrelated note, I think that it's important to let everyone know that Wagon Wheels are totally tasteless. I've just tried a bit of one and not only that but they are now tiny! Does anyone else remember when they were so huge that it took a week to eat one? I can't work out whether it's for economic reasons or health reasons that they've made them smaller but if I was so inclined that I need more, I would just eat two. Nanny state. Pah!

Something old (jeans), something new (boots), something borrowed (necklace) and something new and blue (jumper)...

[Outfit: Boden jumper, Whistles scarf and boots, Cos jeans, Kate Spade bag, Livto necklace]

I love the very tail end of the sales - the final markdowns, the proper discounts, you know those 70% off ones.

This cashmere button back jumper from Boden (reduced to £44.70 from £189) in pale blue just happened to come my way the other day. Knitwear is lovely but whatever its price, and however carefully it's looked after, compared to something like a sweatshirt or a fleece top which can be washed a million times and still look OK, it has a limited life span. For that reason I try to pick it up in the sale - as with pretty much everything I own to be honest - and then as the years pass I relegate it down the knitwear chain and finally hand it over to our 16 year old. Handy!

I thought that this jumper would go well with lots of different trousers and its slightly looser, relaxed fit works well to balance skinny trousers whilst covering parts that other jumpers just don't seem to cover!

For anyone interested, the jumper is only available in this colour in a 6 and a 16 (although I'm about to return a size 8 as I ordered a 6 and an 8 and the 6 fits me fine.) It also comes in a pale pink colour but that one costs £74.50.

Thankfully I survived the skiing. To be honest I don't have much choice - I have to keep on going so that I'm not left behind by the rest of the family but I think that one or two more accessories may make the experience a whole lot more palatable (tee-hee).

An outfit for a night on the tiles (OK, pizza with friends) and who fancies a Primark cropped top?

[Zara boots, Boden coated jeans, &Other Stories top, Whistles jacket, GAP bag, Whistles gloves]

Crikey me it's cold. Cold in a good way, a proper crisp cold way, rather than a bone chilling damp way, so that's good but it has meant that I've had to resurrect my most duvet like coat from storage. It's not featuring today but it came out last night when I walked to our High Street to have pizza with some friends. It's good and roomy so I can layer a whole outfit underneath, such as this one above, including the jacket which I bought from Whistles last year and which serves me well on days like this. 

So I thought that I'd follow the talk of cold with the skimpiest outfits I'm likely to wear - although just to clarify in case anyone was horrified at the thought, I don't wear cropped tops without something on top of them. This lot is from Primark, which has the most amazing selection of sportswear in at the moment in all different colours. Strategically placed just inside the door and also in our Selfridges, the shopping experience is pretty good. 

I've tested out the vests and one of the cropped tops and so far so good. My temperature seems to have gone haywire when running of late - I think that my jacket has been too warm and the heat hasn't been escaping so I have felt as though I was being basted like a turkey in the oven. However with a cropped top, a vest and one of the Primark hoodies (so good that I returned the Sweaty Betty one that I had ordered and which was 7 times the price) it all seemed a bit better. Anyway, we'll see.

I should add that I've only tried one pair of the bottoms but they were just too low rise. Personally I prefer the thick cotton GAP ones as they offer more support for a bum that's heading south and thighs that are heading both east and west simultaneously - although I will try some other Primark ones but only when I can face taking my trousers off in a Primark changing room. Not that I can quite imagine when that will be.

An outfit of navy and burgundy with a J Crew jumper thrown in for good measure...

[Whistles jeans, Ash trainers, Reiss bag, Boden scarf, Zara coat, Cos jumper]

When it's cold, and when it's a weekend - with all that entails between myself and Mr SG in the battle of the thermostat - there's only one jumper for me to wear, a thick navy one from Cos, who are definitely one of the best brands for warm knitwear. With a vest and two long sleeved tops underneath plus a scarf, all was good on the chilly front. The scarf, bag and Ash wedge trainers delivered the little bit of burgundy that I was after to go with the navy, for my trip to.....the shoe shop for school shoes. So glam! When I've got so many layers on and my torso is warm, I can get away with my sleeveless Zara coat which is sort of liberating on the arm front. I know, fancy that, a sleeveless coat in the middle of winter. Living life on the edge again.

Speaking of thick jumpers, I have been after a cable knit/fisherman's jumper for a couple of winters now and then when I was on the J Crew site the other evening, I came across this Aran sweater (£60) which was just what I was after but which kind of flummoxed me because I couldn't work out why it was £60, given that it was made of merino wool and given that it was on the J Crew site. Anyway, I finally bought it on Saturday morning but I remained intrigued as to its cost so I dug a bit further and realised that it must be to do with the fact that it was made by Aran Crafts (TM) who, it transpires have their own site where they stock.....

...the very same (I think) Aran Crafts sweater for £57.11. (Really sorry about the pic, I can't get a better one but if you go to the site you can have a closer look.)

So given that J. Crew have practically sold out, it might be possible to get one direct from Aran Crafts instead, which would be a good thing on many levels. It's great that J. Crew are stocking the sweaters and it's good to see that there isn't a huge mark up compared to the Aran Crafts site but sometimes it feels right to buy direct from the company who makes them (and who has been since 1856, apparently). I'll report back when mine has arrived....

A lot of navy and a little bit of sparkle. And tomorrow? Tomorrow it's time to wear a dress....

I had a little bit of a navy thing going on today - not too hard give the amount of navy that I wear. It was throwing it down when it came to pick up but I couldn't be faffed with a brolly so I wore this navy metallic beanie from Topshop that that my Mum gave me for Christmas and which I keep in the car for such emergencies. OK so my jacket was less than a wise choice given the rain but the rain sort of appeared out of nowhere.

The rest of the navy ensemble was made up of Cos cotton trousers, a white GAP shirt, a sparkly navy GAP jumper, a Boden jacket and Adidas trainers. I could quite happily wear this kind of thing every day - not jeans but not far from it with lots of navy and a bit of sparkle. Tomorrow I fear it may be a dress kind of day. I can't quite remember when I last wore a dress - New Year's Eve I think, so it's time to be brave and get those legs out. Anyone fancy joining me??? Please say yes!

Pretty prints and clashing colours for a pretty miserable January day....

I like to think of myself as a sunny(ish) kind of soul but today oh flip me, the sun was not shining. All three children were back at school and I missed them. The house was quiet, I still felt pretty rubbish and with a tax return to face, all was distinctly not well with the world.  However, when the new Boden catalogue arrived things started to look up. Not only because it meant that I could procrastinate even longer before starting the tax return but because it gave me a major injection of spring and summer - something that was sorely needed.

I'm more than prepared to accept that in months to come I may well look back and wonder quite what I was suffering from when I decided that I liked these things. However for now, I'm happy to live in a bright, striped, spotty and printed state of oblivion.

Marti dress (£79) - Now obviously I wouldn't wear all of these things together at the same time. One of them would be more than an  enough in an outfit but I love the colours in this dress and its Marni type feel. Its sleeves and looser shape make it more wearable than a more fitted shape.

Alice high heel - These shoes definitely have a touch of Sophia Webster about them. At 8.5 cm the heel isn't too high and the colours would do a fab job of livening up a fairly plain wardrobe.

There are spotty versions too - pink or blue. The obvious way to wear them is as part of an "outfit" - perhaps a wedding type affair - but I prefer the idea of them with boyfriend jeans and a fairly plain T-shirt.

Eliza top (£69) - This top also comes in a few different colour ways and it's a great top to wear layered now, with a cardi or jacket over the top or, wait until the weather warms up and show it off in all its glory.

Great timing by Boden to cash in on our January blues. Repeat after me: "I will not fall for it. I will not fall for it." OK, I'll just take a tiny peek then....

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 12 - one to keep the cold at bay!

Given the cold and frosty weather of late, I thought it fitting to finish my 12 outfits of Christmas feature with something warm and toasty - and a ridiculous grin too but then again it was spectacularly cold!

In a post many moons ago, I referred to Cameron Diaz's outfits in "The Holiday" a film which we watched (again) on Christmas Eve. For one who was supposedly unfamiliar with UK winters, she cracked the casual/cashmere/stylish/ look with aplomb. I noticed her beautiful cable knit jumper when watching the film on Christmas Eve and then, on Christmas morning, I opened a present from Mr SG which contained this great cable knit hat - the starting point for my skiing wardrobe which is going to be a whole new area - quite possibly a disaster one at that, although I have good friends to advise me on the way. Left to my own devices I would quite happily wear a 1970's style all in one with a zip up the front but apparently that's not the done thing these days.

So on to the outfit, this is what was going on underneath, let's count the layers:
M&S vest,
M&S long sleeved top,
Warehouse lace top,
Boden Barcelona cardigan - I'm hoping that the navy one will be reduced even further in the sale soon,
2 pairs of socks - one Pringle and the outer ones are from White Company,
Whistles grey furry gloves (no longer on the site so I can't link - sorry)
North Face hat (it would be wrong to link to this given it was a pressie!)

And this is just what I wear inside! To anyone with snow, I hope that you're having a huge amount of fun in it - wish we had some. x

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 10 - Boxing Day, the Christmas jumper and a pink Boden coat....

With ten of us for Boxing Day yesterday, I thought that it would be a great idea to encourage everyone to wear their Christmas jumpers. Oh and how the family loved me, joining in with great enthusiasm.

I was given this fantastic Christmas Tree jumper (Topshop) by a friend as a Christmas present a few weeks ago now but I wanted to save it for a truly festive occasion, which presented itself perfectly on Boxing Day. Although it's now out of stock (that girl has great taste!) I've linked to it for anyone who may want the details for future reference.

For our walk after lunch, I wore the Claudia coat from Boden in jelly bean (it also comes in grey and navy), which I bought in the sale.  I love a pink coat and the one that I have from Benetton is many years old now so it's looking a little worn and it's a little on the large side so I always feel a bit scruffy when I wear it. This is a lovely coat and when Mr SG saw it he commented how he liked it and how I should keep it. Not one to argue with the fashion guru, I obediently hung it up in the wardrobe. Actually I hung it up in his wardrobe to be precise. Mine is a little full. A bit like me after Christmas really....

A whizz around the High Street for a dress, some boots, jewellery, jeans and most importantly, chocolate!

 

 

Boden coat, Nike trainers, Kate Spade bag, Gap trousers, Topshop jumper

There are a few very non specific things that I would like to share with you today. Things that keep on popping in to my head that I keep meaning to write about and then I forget. So here goes

These GAP skinny high rise jeans (£44.95) are a must have in the run up to Christmas. Once they're on they don't shift. There's no hoiking them up, needing a belt or wriggling around. And if you do happen to have been left a little extra flesh curtesy of a baby, you can tuck it right in. Mine aren't as loose as this on the leg but I guess that's models for you!

Upselling is really annoying. After Clarks tried to flog us wellies and slippers that we didn't need, today BHS tried to flog me a teddy bear that I didn't need, or want. In fact it was impossible to move at the till for flippin' Teddy Bears. And they were hideously ugly. Chocolate, maybe (in fact come to think of it, that often works in WH Smiths) but a Teddy Bear. Really?

This Phase Eight dress (£79) is a really great dress for lots of different occasions. The sleeve length is flattering as is the length of the hem. It has some texture to it so it's slightly broken up and the ruching works. It's a great "dress up - dress down" type of dress - create the illusion of a V-neck with a long pendant, wear with bright shoes, metallics will work well as will sparkles, dress it down with knee boots and a long line cardi, layer a striped top underneath it and wear with flat pointy shoes. The option are endless!

This Kate Spade bag (£245) is a real beauty. I was looking at it in Selfridges today and was intrigued to know whether a bottle of Diet Coke would fit into it. So I took a quick look inside and thought about it. Then I concluded that there was quite a strong chance that they wouldn't really appreciate me shoving a bottle of coke into a brand new bag, especially given that I'm not always that great at putting the lid on securely. So I'll put it on my Christmas list and ask Mr SG to check out that very point instead.  Te-he.

Can anyone please tell me why it is that I like these Adirondack boots by Ugg (£220)? They are so not me but they just look so sturdy and warm and comfortable and they are sheepskin lined (I copped a feel earlier). I can see that I'm going to have to drag our son kicking and screaming to more rugby training just so that I have an excuse to buy them and wear them. Although I must admit that standing on a rugby pitch, just so that I can wear a particular pair of boots is a little extreme, even by my standards.

 

This range of jewellery by Z for Accessorize is really lovely. Not everyone is a glitter bunny or a statement necklace queen and there are some lovely delicate pieces in this collection which could be layered together or worn on their own. It's reasonably priced too so would make a lovely Christmas present. Worth a look despite the shocking images!

 

Bracelet (£15)

 

 

Galaxy trio pendant (£15)

Hope that everyone's week is going well. I've made a great start to Christmas - a pink sequin tree decoration and a huge chocolate Christmas tree from Hotel Chocolate. Well, I figured that some families spend a fortune on joints (of the meat variety) at Christmas but we'll just spend it on chocolate instead. Oh and if children of mine are reading this, hands off, you're having Cadburys.