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.

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 5 - sparkly sweatshirt dress

[Outfit: La Redoute dress, Damart gilet, Jigsaw shoes, Whistles bag]

I love this dress because you can eat shed loads without worrying whether anyone is going to ask when the baby is due. And it's sparkly! Also I can layer a long sleeved top underneath it which adds warmth....

...and I can put a fur gilet over the top which makes it even toastier, which can be great on these chilly nights.

A relaxed shape such as this sweatshirt style dress but with some sparkles or a print is a good way of being slightly glam but in a comfortable way. Looser shift style dresses and dropped waist dresses are also a great way of achieving this. What they lack in a fitted shape you can make up for by adding in some heels.

See you tomorrow! x

Camo, leather, fur, patent and embellishment - sounds a lot for one outfit!

 

 

[Oufit: Topshop skirt and jumper, Oasis leather jacket, Damart gilet, Dune shoes and no, I've no idea what I'm doing in this photo either!]

 

Oh crikey so much to say, so little time to say it, so I'm not going to regale you with tales of how I really want a t-shirt with the slogan on "I'm just trying to get the house tidy for Christmas" which I can point to each time one of the children leaves a wet towel on the floor, or school books in our bedroom, or shoes piled in places that shoes shouldn't be piled - all of which happens frequently. 

 

Nor am I going to tell you about how I'm trying to be a Domestic Goddess, using every spare second to bake cakes, make stews or whizz up desserts, all of which I can freeze before Christmas so that a beautiful meal can be produced with minimal effort. Sadly I'm lacking some of the assets of the real Domestic Goddess (namely huge boobs, big red lips and a silky negligee) but you know, a onesie will do.

 

That aside, yesterday I resurrected one of my favourite skirts from last winter. I bought it in Topshop in Belfast, along with the grey embellished jumper, whilst I was over there speaking at a lunch last year. I have such fond memories of that trip - everyone was so friendly.

 

To keep out the chill I've layered it with my old (and on its last legs) cream Oasis leather jacket and a fur gilet from Damart (£39) which they kindly sent to me to review. Having worn a few fur gilets I have to say that this is a lovely one. It's not too bulky which is great as the idea of fur can be good but the reality can be a little honey monster at times. It also has hidden hook and eye fastenings plus as it's collarless it has a nice simple line about it. I really like layering fur gilets over a leather jacket for a layered look - plus the added warmth of course. This one is a good price too so if you've not ventured down that particular road before but are considering doing so, this is a great place to start.

 

Must dash - time to go and order myself a silk negligee so that I can come down and eat the Christmas leftovers from the fridge in the middle of the night in true Nigella style.

A lovely Breton top - you may be surprised where it's from....

 

Now I bet that some of you are wondering why a trendy (!) young (!) thing such as myself (double !!) is wearing something from Damart - a brand historically associated with a customer base, I think it's fair to say, somewhat older than myself.

You may be surprised to know that I made my very first Damart purchase at the age of 21. It was a pair of thermal gloves which I wore for the entire winter (and several afterwards) whilst riding my bike to law school in Chester. Not only that but they were recommended to me by possibly one of the coolest girls in the year. How she came to find out about them I never did find out but to this day, despite having bought several other pairs of gloves for cycling/running since, they were by far and away the best. Incidentally whilst at Chester I was knocked off my bike as, it turned out, by a Lecturer in Road Traffic Law at Liverpool University. The irony wasn't lost on me! Fortunately both I, and the Damart gloves, survived unharmed.

So, when Katy from Damart asked me whether I would like to wear something from the collection, I was only too happy to help. Not only because I loved my gloves all those years ago but also because Katy obviously took the time to read Style Guile and to make some suggestions based on what she saw.

I chose this striped sailor neck t-shirt which is £19. It comes in a navy with red trim, or red with a navy trim and is 100% cotton. It's a really lovely quality and with my Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and Stan Smith Adidas trainers, it felt a really nice, casual outfit. You just can't beat a good Breton top and this is definitely up there with some of the best that I have tried.  I think that my approach to fashion and styling can be best summed up as follows: There isn't any one brand where I like everything, but for every brand that's out there, I like something!