Does anyone else like blue as much as I do?! I've illustrated the point with pieces from Whistles, Jigsaw, Boden, Hush and GAP

I have friend who refers to her Mother in Law's house as "The land of brown." Everything in it from the carpets, to the crockery, to the candlewick bedspread, are brown.

I've decided that my wardrobe should be re-named "The wardrobe of blue" because so many things in it are blue.  My love of navy arose many, many years ago - as did my dislike of brown (other than pieces that are in leather) - I blame the 70's!

As to other shades of blue, I remember buying a pale blue top from Whistles in 1998 on a hot weekend to Leeds, just days before I found out that I was pregnant with number one. That explained the weird feeling that I had all weekend! I didn't possess that many clothes then and I loved that top. It was worn and washed until it went frilly around the bottom.

Anyway, these are a few of my favourite blue things at the moment. First off, there's the Lisa dress from Hush (£60). It's just arrived and I have yet to try it on but that day will come soon. I fear that it won't look quite the same as it does on the lady below!

I treated myself to this silk front sweater from Jigsaw (£89) with my Mother's Day Gift Card (it's amazing how far that seems to be going!) I'm really looking forward to wearing this. Just need somewhere to go now...

 

Ah, now I have my eye on these - the geo print trousers from Jigsaw (£89). I think that they will work well on my hols with my Boden sparkly sandals and I fancy some wide legged trousers for a wardrobe freshen up.

Eh, you can't beat a bit of navy and when the sun comes out and the legs are a little less blue than they are now (blue legs are one thing I'm not so fond of) this navy tube skirt from Whistles (£55) will be good to go.

For a sunny day, this blue Chambray dress from Cos (£69) with its 60's neckline and neat fitted shape will be a good backdrop to lots of different accessories.

This sweatshirt top from GAP (£19.99) is also a current favourite and now you can start to see what I mean. There's a lot of blue going on right now.

 

For a beach cover up, the Birkby Liberty print dress from Jack Wills  will come into its own. By the time I finally ended up with the right size, it had been reduced to £54, down from £79 - so it was worth the wait.

Over the years I've flirted with lots of different colours. We all know that I have a penchant for pink, am mad about metallics, go crazy for coral, am nuts about neon and and I love lilac - see I'm in lilac here (it's not blue)....

...but I always come back to blue.  Some colours make me feel positively unsettled. We once moved into a house where the living room was decorated in a shade of terracotta. Needless to say it was soon changed - to duck egg blue.  I just couldn't sit in it. Other colours make me look like my days are numbered, or in this case, up completely. (Not that I don't love these cropped cashmere cardis from Boden (£89) and they do have some great colours - but you get my drift.)

Currently I have my eye on these Liberty print Nike trainers from Office (£74.99) and guess what, they're blue.

But then I also really, really, like these printed shorts from GAP - see, no blue! Maybe all is not lost. However on many other levels, it so seriously could be (aged 43, three children, legs on show hmmmm)! Maybe I'll just wear them when it's boiling hot and blame it on sunstroke....

..or maybe I'll just buy some in blue. 

What to wear when you want to feel as though you are wearing PJs all day but don't (quite) want to look like it!

 

 

Today dawned sunny and bright and I knew that with that came the possibility of tennis with our son, bouncing on the trampoline with the youngest (subject to the loan of some pelvic floor muscles from somewhere), a few random squats/lunges should the mood take me (it didn't), some ironing and faffing in the garden. So with all those possibilities in mind, jeans or restrictive trousers were out of the question.

Given that I didn't plan to come across many people that I knew, other than during a quick trip to Waitrose (to buy the most unhealthy basket of ingredients for posh bread and butter pudding, ice-cream and chocolate cake - thank heavens for the huge bag of crisps which hid everything) I figured that I could get away with my harem jogging bottoms from Next.

I stuck them with a denim shirt tied at the waist and a modal lace vest from Jigsaw (£24) to fill in the gap between the two. M&S are great for vests with their long ones being particularly good - and H&M vests are great too but if you need one with lace around the bottom, the Jigsaw ones are the best. With a pair of converse I was good to go and all that I needed to do all day was swap the converse for wellies when I went into the garden.

I really think that a pair of good joggers/track pants, call them what you will (as long as it's not a shell suit I really don't mind. Oooh, can you imagine those making a comeback?) are a good addition to your wardrobe. Easier to style than leggings, they are also a little more forgiving, (arguably) a little more stylish and can be worn for travelling or whenever else you just need to be uber comfortable.

With trainers being such a huge trend now they can be worn with those, skater shoes, converse or wedge trainers and somehow they have become acceptable as a fashion piece in their own right, rather than just something to slob around in at home behind closed doors or when nipping out to the chippy.

My trousers aren't cuffed at the bottom but I would be very happy to wear a pair that were. I think that the thing to remember about them is that some cheaper ones will work great on some people, whilst others will have to spend a bit more. It just depends so much on the individual. I bought some from H&M late last year and they were so wrong that it was hilarious - too low in the rise, too tight on the calf - not a life enhancing experience! Anyway, here's a quick round up of some that I have come across:

There's the Next harem track pants, which at £22 are a really good price.

The Next luxe joggers (£30) are made from modal so are slightly more elegant than jersey ones and could also be styled for an evening out.

The Whistles Lola track pant (£65) are lovely and soft and hang really well.

The Whistles Dalia jogging pant (£65) have a good rise on them, for anyone preferring something not too low slung.

These slim leg joggers from Hush (£39.50) are some of my favourites - but then I'm a bit of a sucker for Hush!

And these cotton cashmere trousers from Cos (£49) have had my fingers run over them many times, although I haven't ever tried them. I'm very tempted to do so though as the combination of cotton and cashmere makes them a) much less spendy than their cashmere counterparts and b) means that because of that, I would actually be more likely to wear them than rather just look at them and wish I were brave enough to do so!

 

As an aside, whilst Freddie was taking my photos, he was fiddling with the camera. I asked him what he was doing and he said that he was making me look "vintage" to which I responded that I was quite capable (sadly) of doing that all by myself. Oh well, it's good to be good at something.  

 

Top tips on how to choose skirts for ladies with curves - Cos and Jigsaw are my favourites right now

A few posts ago now, I was asked to advise on which style skirts suit those with curvier hips. To my way of thinking, there are two way of looking at this: First, there's the Kim Kardashian way, which involves wearing body con skirts to show off those curves. I like this approach for its full on, two fingers in the air gesture to the "traditional" way of styling curvy hips - and in her case a curvy bottom too. It works really well for those who want to make the most of their assets and who have the attitude to carry it off. The only thing to make sure of is that you create the smoothest silhouette possible with the right underwear.

The second way, the more "traditional" way, for those who are less inclined to want their assets papped, is to use styling tricks to re-balance the proportions.

I'm not being prescriptive here, as it's always a matter of trial and error with these things, but rather I'm just putting tips out there so that your radar can pick them up, or not, as the case may be. In all honesty these type of posts scare the life out of me as I would hate for anyone to think that I am being critical/bossy so my advice is to take what you like and leave what you don't....

The theory is that to balance wider hips, a skirt needs to have some volume in it. The best way of establishing this is to look at the circumference of the hem. If it's teeny tiny and tube like, it's probably not for you - unless adopting the KK approach that is.

It's not quite as simple as that though because ideally you don't want the width to start from the waistband - as per skater skirts which just add further volume, or as per those with lots of tiny pleats/gathers which can just add bulk over the tummy as well as the hips. I think that it's best that I try and talk you through a few!

Cos is my favourite brand for a good selection of skirts which are made for those who have some decent hippage! The Cos photos aren't that great either in terms of size or styling, so I suggest that you follow the links and then click on the image to enlarge it.

This one is probably my favourite of all. This pleated skirt (£59) sits flat over the hips and tummy and then flares subtley further down to balance out the hips. Delicate fabrics are better than rigid ones as they skim. It's lined and has a laser cut hem - all of which I had a good look at today.  It's a really versatile skirt in that it could be worn with a chunky jumper, tights and ankle boots during the day, or really dressed up for the evening with sparkles and heels.

The panels in this panelled A-line skirt (£59) give it the width at the hem but it's still quite neat over the tummy and hips. The flat shoe styling never really helps though! It's a good price and also a versatile option too - it just need a bit of imagination in styling the top half. Dark colours can work really well on the bottom half for those with curvier hips, so one option is to play with texture, print and colour on the top half.

This flared panel skirt  (£69) is again neat over the tummy and hips with the flare starting from beneath the seam which is part way down the skirt. For some the flare may be too wide, for others it will work well. I would always recommend trying a skirt like this with dark tights and a heeled shoe or boot - not necessarily high ones but enough to give some lift - or else the danger is that the proportions won't look right and it will be taken straight off again.

This printed jacquard skirt (£69) has subtle A-line shape and the print too is fairly subtle. It would work well with navy, grey, black, purples or lilacs so it too is versatile in its own way. Those that are just above the knee work well on petite frames who don't want to be drowned by too much length.

For a more spring like option, this A-line skirt (£69) (which comes in cornflower blue and midnight blue) could be a real winner. Another tip for those with curvy hips - and who may also have heavier legs - is to tone the colour of hosiery to the colour of your shoes, rather than the skirt. In the spring however this could be worn with a bare leg and nude or tan shoes, to continue the lines which creates a slimming effect.

This wool cashmere skirt (£59) would suit those with a small frame. You can see that it has a slight A-line to it - just enough to re-balance the proportions.

For a splash of colour this orange skirt with front pleats (£55) is a bit quirky and unlike some colours, would still look OK with black tights and shoes or boots for now...

I also liked this lightweight melton skirt (£69) which I saw when shopping today. Sometimes you have to watch the pockets on A-line skirts - it just depends how they sit and they can always be stitched down. The vertical centre line is a good detail though as it draws the eye up and down creating an elongating effect.

Predictably I also loved the melton skirt (£69) in pink. This one is a different fabric to the one above - slightly heavier and a bit fluffy but again great with black, navy or grey so a versatile option despite being brighter.

I could go on but I think that you get the picture. The things to bear in mind when shopping for a skirt with a little more volume in it are:

Floaty fabrics are better than rigid ones, the use of panelling can work a treat, look for A-line shaped skirts, or for those that flip out half way down, tone tights to shoes rather than the skirt, wear heels if possible - substantial ones are better than delicate ones and direct shimmer, colour, print, horizontal stripes and texture to your top half. Phew, hope that helps! x

How to wear a fur gilet for a trip to the pub!

 

With two of the family in Italy and one in Greece, the youngest and I are having a little party for two of our own this week. So far we've done a whistle stop tour of friends and family and we have some other exciting things lined up - to include seeing the film "Frozen". It won't be just any old version though - oh no, we're talking the all singing, all dancing, "sing along" version. How jealous are you all now huh?!  Who needs Italy and Greece when you've got sing along Frozen in Birmingham?

So last night, I had a sneaky trip to my old local, where I also once worked. The youngest can't quite grasp taking photos on my new phone - it's all a bit big for her little hand and my Mum would probably try to turn the TV on with it or something, hence me looking like a plonky head in front of the mirror again.

I wore a Cos oversized top, Whistles bag, Faith shoes, New Look jeans and fur Primark gilet. I quickly glanced at an article in the Sunday Times Style Mag yesterday about gilets but I need to have a closer look to see what inner secrets I have revealed about myself by wearing one. Maybe it reveals that....I get quite cold. Or perhaps that's just a cover for something else more sinister.

This is a closer shot minus the fur gilet. I'm also wearing an Atterley Road bracelet bought as a Christmas present by a friend. I love it and wear it all the time. It's the right shade of blue to add a bit of a kick to an outfit. I did cop a couple of stares from the locals at my leopard print shoes. I guess they were a bit OTT for a night out in my local - but then I don't get out that much!

 

A leopard print lovely and a Friday night musing

To continue with today's fight against the cold, I opted for a thick Cos roll neck jumper, Reiss pea coat, Gap jeans and Clarks boots. My Boden leopard print satchel gave the outfit a bit of focus and as I spent a large part of the day shopping with our eldest, it also meant that I had both hands free to assist her (OK, to carry the bags)!

On a different note, I've been mulling something over for a while now which is this: the way that brands attribute people's names to their clothes, is pretty cunning.

If I see something - such as the jeans in Whistles, or the shoes in Clarks, both called Matilda - or something with the name Florence, Flo, Floss or Flossie, Lexie, Libby, Ellen, Ellie, Poppy, Ruby, Lottie, Emily, Emilia and so on (I've chosen these names in particular because I have seen all of them used in this way) I am more positively pre-disposed to the said item than if it wasn't given the name of someone that I know.

It's not so much that I would go "Oooh yes, I know a person with that name so I must buy said item" so that I end up wearing a random selection of clothes (well, I may end up wearing a random selection of clothes but that would be for a different reason) but I may look on it more favourably and I will almost certainly remember it - which could translate into a sale further down the line.

So whoever thought of it, it works, just in the same way that naming coke cans did because yes, I was one of those people who hunted high and low to find a can with a specific name on it (only to be beaten to it by the then five year old). On reflection I don't know whether that makes the marketing departments cunning, or me just gullible and a softie!

Rugby matches and style. A contradiction in terms I wonder?!

Whether this outfit was a hit or miss was besides the point as its sole purpose was to keep me warm when I went to watch our son play rugby today. [I strongly recommend that you skip the next paragraph if you don't want to read my "Rugby Rant" - but better to do it here than to bore my friends - and at least you don't have to pretend to be interested!]

 

And as for this rugby business? Now I like a bit of competitiveness along with the rest of them but really? You bring your children up to share and play nicely but once they're on a rugby pitch, all bets are off. Your son has the ball and someone on the other team wants it? Well that's just fine - why don't you go right ahead and knock him to the floor and if you want to knee him in the face whilst he's lying there, that's just fine too.  And then at the end let's all shake hands and pretend what jolly good fun that was. And to continue with my rant.....snowball fights are banned on the grounds of Health and Safety, playing with conkers is banned on the grounds of Health and Safety but let's just let them kick the whatsit out of one another all in the name of sport. If that kind of behaviour occurred anywhere else it would be an assault, or a riot, or a breach of the peace. Rant over. I know I'm missing the point....

 

Anyway, as to the outfit - I wore Gap jeans, a Warehouse cable knit jumper, a French Connection scarf, a Primark fur gilet, the warmest overcoat that I own and which is from All Saints, M&S leather gloves and Cos (now very muddy) Chelsea boots, which our eldest held up this morning and said "I like these, they remind me of Harry Styles."  For once I didn't quite know what to say!

 

 

 

 

 

Swapping skinnies jeans for a flared pair...

 

Today just felt like the kind of day for a flared jean and some heels. I bought the jeans from Jaeger Boutique in the sale a couple of summers ago. They are high waisted and very supportive - in fact I used not to be able to wear them as they made me feel faint, which wasn't really very good at all. They are OK now though and having done a long run today, I felt the need for clothing which would hold me upright and which would prevent me from collapsing like a jelly on the floor. They did the trick up until 7.45pm and then I gave up on clothes in favour of my Onesie.

Being of the chilly persuasion, I also wore a Cos chunky roll neck and my Primark fur gilet which is great for the school run and nipping in and out of the car. I find that if my torso is warm, I can cope without wearing sleeves and the lack of fuss and flapping of a longer coat is always welcome!

These red patent Kurt Geiger shoes, which were also a sale purchase a while ago now, made a nice change to boots and their chunky heel works with a flared jean, more so than a thinner, more delicate heel - especially in the day time.

As much as skinny jeans have a big role to play in my life, some days only a flared jean will do and there's no denying that their shape definitely makes you feel more elegant and elongated. I suspect that over the next few seasons we're going to see more of them making an appearance so get ready for them....the bootcuts will be back!

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 4 : The sparkly skirt and the sequinned pyjamas

Christmas is finally here! I can safely say that because today we went to see my Mum and it is impossible to go to her house and not come away feeling Christmassy. From the star lights hanging in the window to the tinsel, wreaths, mantelpiece decorations, crackers, Christmas tablecloth, dishes of Quality Street and plates of home made mince pies - it's all going on in her bungalow. And best of all she's been to New Look and bought the Christmas pudding jumper that I featured on here not so long ago. Brilliant!

 

I knew that Mum would appreciate the sparkly skirt look so I wore my navy Topshop skirt together with a roll neck from Cos, a long sleeved top from Cos and Jigsaw shoe boots. Whilst in the car I also wore my Zara sleeveless coat - or long waistcoat - or fur vest - or whatever it's called. The elasticated waist band on the skirt was very good for accommodating the aforementioned mince pies/quality street etc, which turned out to be quite handy.

As to today's gift, I picked these Christmas pudding pyjamas up in Asda yesterday. As yet I have no idea whether sequins will be comfortable to sleep in or not. I suspect not but I'm willing to give them a go! At £11 for the set I think that they are a nice little stocking filler. The top doesn't appear to be available online but there were plenty in store and the tartan pyjama shorts are available  online from George at Asda. There are also full length tartan pj trousers for anyone who prefers them.

A classic, navy, fail safe dress courtesy of Cos

As with the past two years, this year I will be running my "12 outfits of Christmas" feature, where I will be bringing you an outfit a day for 12 days over the festive period. However, this means that between now and then, I will be digging deep into my wardrobe to wear things that I haven't worn for a while. Well, it's either that or go out and by 12 new outfits. Now there's an idea.

So today I wore a navy Cos wool dress, which I have had for about three years and which I bought as I was presenting at a conference. It is lovely and warm and I like the horizontal zip detail on it, although I am always slightly concerned that someone will come up to me and "un-zip" me. This is a good dress to have in my wardrobe - not uber trendy but more of a classic style which won't let me down. I also wore my new Topshop statement necklace and Jigsaw shoe boots.

I decided not to edit this photo as had I done so, you may have all wondered where my eyes had disappeared. The reality was that I was really laughing at my friend who was taking the photo in our local M&S as she practically had necklaces wedged up her nose at times.

My cosy, toasty Primark fur gilet

Is it really bad to admit to wearing the same clothes two days running? Well it wasn't the entire outfit that I wore again today - it was only the fur gilet. It was so warm and cosy and I didn't get a chance to photograph it yesterday so I wore it again today too. At least it reduced the price per wear and given that it was from Primark in the first place, it now practically pays me each time I wear it.

 

I was working from home for part of the day today, getting myself prepared for an event tomorrow night, and given that I wasn't on the go that much the extra layer came in really handy.

 

I'm also wearing Primark skinny coated jeans, Zara boots and one of my favourite Cos funnel neck jumpers. Sadly it shrank in the wash but oddly only in its length, and not so that it has gone all boardy and stiff, so it is still wearable.  More by luck than by judgment, this turned out to be a great way to wear it as its "shortness" is totally hidden.

I haven't been able to face Primark for a while to see whether they have any fur gilets this season but the closest that I have come across so far is this Topshop fur gilet (£60) which is also available in grey, mink and lime. 

I like the head to toe black look (not necessarily on me but just in general) which is broken up by the colour of the sleeves and neckline of the jumper. It just makes it more interesting than an all black outfit and means that you can play around with the colours. The fur of the gilet and the coating on the jeans also adds texture to the outfit and as I mentioned above, it works at hiding washing disasters and possibly pulled threads, moth holes, stains and damage caused by little peeps. Who else can see a whole new range of wardrobe possibilities opening up for them?!

Working the grunge look...

Inside grunge...

 

 

Outside grunge...

 

Here I'm working the grunge look, in a way which I find wearable. Actually that's a total lie - I'm just wearing a selection of clothes which happen to fit into the grunge look, as defined this time around!

 

I'm wearing grey Cos skinny jeans (I love Cos jeans for their in between sizes and slightly higher rise - definitely worth checking out for anyone who finds it tricky to get jeans to fit because they are in between sizes - see similar here), Seven Boot Lane boots , Cos pink top, Jack Wills plaid shirt (for a good selection look here, some are in the sale) Zara parka (similar here in navy or cream) and a Radley bag. I bought the bag as a nappy bag when I had our son, so it's 12 years old now but still going strong. Whenever I look at it I think "Wow, that's a great piece of cow" because it is just a fabulous piece of leather and it still smells great too.

Daytime navy sequins and a chunky knit

As a consequence of totally ruining our holiday this half term, I have given myself a series of "punishment jobs".  So far they have included tidying out cupboards, sorting out under the stairs, securing some loose curtain hooks, attacking the ironing pile and sewing the hem on this skirt although, as our eldest pointed out, sewing the hem on your own skirt can't really be classed as a "punishment job".

 

A few days ago I commented how when I first buy something, I often wear it to death before giving it a rest. This navy Cos roll neck jumper was one such piece this time last year. It's really versatile and goes with everything but even I reached the point where I needed a change. 

The sequinned skirt I bought in the Coast sale, probably three winters ago now. I know for a fact that it sat waiting for the hem to be sewn all last winter, which meant that I didn't wear it at all - so it's nice to resurrect it again.

In truth I'm probably more likely to wear  this skirt it in the daytime rather than in the  evening, as bizarrely I would feel too dressed up in it in the evening. Others of course will feel completely the opposite and wouldn't dream of wearing sequins in the day - but I like a bit of daytime "sequinnage" whether on shoes, a top, skirt, jumper or dress - they just lighten the day. Keeping the outfit simple and just using one or two colours makes wearing sequins in the daytime a little more accessible - just in case anyone fancies giving them a try.

A walk along the beach...

A weekend away with three friends in Dorset meant a capsule wardrobe of comfortable, practical pieces which I could layer and which I didn't mind getting mucky. I think that the emphasis was more on comfort than anything else. I seem to remember donning PJ bottoms at about 6pm on Saturday evening. 

 

Our Saturday started with a wander around the local town, progressed to lunch at a beach café after which we went for a walk along the beach. It was warm enough for me to go down to two layers - shocking, I know - hence the coat around my waist and the jumper around my shoulders.

 

Even if in scruffs I still like a bit of jewellery so on went the yellow necklace, which picked up the yellow in the jumper and also in the bag. The grey jeans, green parka and navy wellies (I have to be so careful with that word as it always auto-corrects to "willies") were a bit random but who cares - I was on holiday!!! I don't think that I did the whole wellies in the town thing - choosing to wear Zara ankle boots instead.

 

[The denim shirt was sold out online and I still can't find it although they were meant to have had new stock. Although I have seen the Parka in Zara, it's not on the site (it's a basic one) but I have included links to the ones they have. Mine is closest to the one on the top left of the link. Again the COS jeans are the nearest that I could find.]

 

Zara  Parka

New Look denim shirt

Primark jumper

Cos jeans

Joules Wellies

Cath Kidston bag

H&M necklace

 

Does anyone recognise those cliffs?!!

 

Tapping into this season's fur trend with a Zara top

In about an hour I am going to be collected as a few of us are off on a girls' weekend away to Dorset - so apologies if this is unusually brief. Perhaps many of you will prefer it!

 

It was my plan to wear this outfit to travel down in but not only did I decide that most of it would be superfluous to requirements when it got down there but my trousers got soaked when I did the school pick up and clammy trousers are never good. 

 

Oh the trousers! I bumped into my husband briefly in town today and he looked at me and asked whether I was wearing new trousers. He would make a rubbish PI. Not only does he not look like Magnum, which is obviously a pre-requisite of being a PI, but his powers of observation are pants. The Cos trousers are pretty much on their last legs having been worn to death. Had he gone north by 10cm though and asked whether the blue and black, leopard print fur top (ie the really distinctive top that I was wearing) was new then yes, he would have been right.

 

So, there we have it: one fur fronted, leopard printed, short sleeved sweat from Zara, which I cannot now find anywhere on the site (rel details are 0909/236/800 and it's from the W&B collection for anyone interested) Zara boots, Cos trousers. I forgot to include the blue handbag which picked up the royal blue in the top but it was raining at the time.

As to how the outfit came about, having been running, I was late leaving for a meeting, so I opted for old faithful trousers, my new Zara boots (minus cardboard inserts) which I really like and just worked upwards. The top could have just as easily been a silk shirt, a sparkly knit or a striped top. Having half an outfit to think about when you are short of time is so much easier than thinking about a whole outfit!

I know it looks a bit mangy here but really it's not!