Denim, denim, denim....what is it all about? Well I (may) have the answer.

So, you may ask yourself, how can it be that denim is a trend this season? As we all know, denim is always all over the high street, so it's difficult to see how it can be new, fresh, or updated in anyway. Well it can and here I've done a whizz through how you might wear it slightly differently than you have done before.

When it comes to jeans, we've gone from bootleg, to skinnies, to boyfriend and mom and now (back) to flares but wide leg jeans haven't really had a moment of their own. However Whistles (£95) has this pair which are a lovely change from our usual suspects - and they are surprisingly flattering. Don't forget the 25% Grazia discount at Whistles until the 15th. Boden also has a pair too.

These GAP denim joggers (£34.95) are a nice soft, lightweight fabric for the summer and the shape is a refreshing change too. I love them with heels but they will look equally good with flats - either pointy, or lace-up ballerinas, maybe deck shoes, espadrilles or the nerdy sandals I wrote about the other day. Lots of options so have a play!

There are lots of dungarees around and with many brands sold out, people may want to take a look at these Whistles slim dungarees (£120). I like how they've styled them here - much more sophisticated than some takes on them (my own included!!)

I've been in two minds about denim jackets for many years now but I really like this Whistles frayed edge denim jacket (£95). I think that it's because it doesn't have a collar, which makes it look more up to date. Lovely with a white cotton dress and silver shoes in the spring.

Then there's the GAP bomber jacket (£44.95) - again a more modern shape than the traditional very boxy shape of the 90's. There's 40% off at GAP at the moment too (if you sign up for their emails) which makes their clothing a really good price.

I've been waiting for these Warehouse denim culottes (£42) to come into the stores for ages. They have just appeared on line. That length could be tricky, very tricky and most mere mortals may need heels to pull them off but I shall investigate further and let you all know!

OK so this isn't so much out there as a wardrobe staple. It's the Miss Selfridge shirt dress (£42) which seems to be in limited supply at the moment - probably for good reason. I like a shirt dress for the summer. It's great for lots of shapes and don't be put off by the pockets, even if you do have a curvier bust. Kirsty was wearing a shirt dress on Location only moments ago and it looked great on her and she's not lacking in the boobage department.

When it comes to a shirt or blouse, this French Connection denim shirt from John Lewis (£50) is a refreshing change from a more traditional style. Because it's quite short, it should work well with a higher waisted full style skirt as hopefully it won't cover the waistband - again I'll report back once I've tried it.

I felt that I needed to update my own home made denim cut offs and yesterday I bought these GAP boyfriend shorts (£29.95). I liked the colour, the slightly slouchy fit, the length and the price. I wasn't so sure about me in them and I found the ribbed marks around my legs from my socks slightly off putting but you can't have everything.

And finally for shoes, GAP have these denim sneakers (£29.95), which are an easy denim addition to make to your wardrobe.

There is so much denim out there at the moment and this is only the tip of the denim ice-berg but hopefully it will offer a flavour of what is available. There's also a great boiler suit/jumpsuit in GAP but I can't see it on line. Has anyone tried it? Would love to hear about it if so!

Something to banish the Sunday night/Monday morning blues...

I've said it a million times and I will probably say it a million times more but I'm a huge fan of a coloured coat for the winter. There are so many dull, dark days during the winter months that it's lovely to see a bright pink, blue, red, yellow or coral coat.

In this post I'm taking a look at blue coats. I've seen lots of them on my travels over the last few weeks and months and there are some great ones to choose from.

French Connection has two of my favourite blue coats. There's this imperial wool coat (£169) which I used  on a model at a style event a couple of weeks ago. It has a great depth of colour to it so is easier to wear than some of the lighter blue shades. It currently has  20% off with Grazia (OCTFC20 which continues until midnight on 2 November

This French Connection oversized wool coat (£225) is a lovely soft blue. It's more oversized than the style above so arguably may have a shorter shelf life but if you're after a coat in the shape of the season, this could be a winner. The wide collar and simple styling are also a nice touch.

The Great Plains wool funnel neck coat (£120) is a real gem. It is slightly oversized without being swamp like and the funnel neck is a real winner. It has a strong nod to the 60s trend which is so big this season and as with anything that is based on a style from times gone by, it won't date - because it already has, albeit in a way that is trendy once again - if you get my drift.

Despite the oversized styles that dominate at the moment, lots of ladies still prefer a fitted style of coat, feeling that it is more flattering and waist defining/bust minimising - which quite often it can be. Sometimes with fashion trends there's a trade off between wanting to wear something that is new, fresh and different vs wearing a shape which is known to be flattering. The classic example is the trade off between boot cut jeans, which tend to be more flattering on lots of women, vs skinny jeans which are more modern. Some things can be styled in such a way as to overcome their limitations and sometimes all that is needed is a period of adjustment and time to get used to a different look.  So really what I'm saying is don't rule anything out - not without giving it a proper try first as that's how we get stuck in a rut.

However if it's still not possible to get one's head around a looser shaped coat, the Boden Ingrid Coat (£179 down to £143.20) has a semi fitted style so it may tick all of the right boxes.

This Country Casuals blue fold collar coat (£249 but currently with 20% off) has a clearly defined waist and is also has a nice detail across the back, also adding to it's shape. It's one of the few double breasted styles out there at the moment and in the flesh it's a really pretty blue shade. I was quite surprised when I came across it in CC but in actual fact they had quite a lot of nice clothes (don't tell anyone I said that!) I like looking at lots of different brands as without fail, all brands have some great pieces - even if only a few - and all brands have some rubbish pieces. The weight of some of their dresses, particularly their wrap dresses, is really good. Far better than equivalent priced brands, or even those that are more expensive. They also have a fairly extensive petite range.

Warehouse also has a couple of options. There's the brushed drawn hair coat (£95) which currently has  25% off with this week's Grazia. Having said that there aren't many double breasted options look at this - another double breasted option. Lovely colour, nice fabric and a good price with the discount.  

Or there's the Warehouse boucle coat (£85) which obviously has more of a texture to it. I'm not entirely convinced how well this one will wear given its finish but it's worth taking a look at it to see how the fabric sits once it's been tried on and rubbed over a couple of times - not that I'm suggesting that anyone should go and try clothes on and give them a hard time before deciding whether to buy them or not.

Lastly Coast has this Soho Crombie Coat (£175) which is a lovely mix of a classic style but with a modern edge, thanks to the zips above the pockets. I think that it would work just as well for work as it would with jeans and trainers at the weekend.

 

So, what d'you reckon? Is anyone tempted by a blue coat of any shade at all? My Boden spotty blue coat, now heading into its 9th winter, may well be making an appearance sometime soon.

My pick of the High Street prints

 

Outfit: Jigsaw jumper and printed trousers, Topshop shoes

 

Prints - we either love them or hate them, pretty much instantly. They can remind us of our grannies' curtains, outfits we wore as children, or something the cat brought up. But equally they can lift our spirits, change our look and give us a new lease of life.

Some shops are known for their prints - or indeed for their lack of them. Zara always has lots of different prints (although it's better not to go in there after 9.35am because it looks like a jumble sale). Warehouse is always strong on both print and colour - plus the quality is better than Zara too and walking in there is so refreshing, compared to some other stores. Both the Monsoon and Boden prints stand out a mile away - and not always for the right reasons. Whistles has great prints each season which they usually also do in a scarf for anyone who just fancies a touch of one. Sometimes it's just about giving them a go.

I always like Great Plains. The price point of the brand is good and they often do more than one piece in a particular print. The Hoxton top from Great Plains (£40) is a nice fit and is a non scary print type option. It also comes in a long sleeved knee length dress.

Despite being largely a dark print, the blue in it is really vibrant and it looks great on people with blue eyes.

The Great Plains City Scape trousers £60 are a good place to start for anyone tempted to try a print on their bottom half. The print has a dark background and can be worn with black, navy or grey. Also they're smart enough for work with a blazer, or relaxed enough for out of work with a jumper, so they're pretty versatile.

The French Connection wilderness bloom comes in both a pencil skirt (£75) and a fitted dress with a zip up the front. Made of cotton and with stretch in it, it also straddles the work/casual boundary really well. It's easy to pick up the navy, cream or burgundy in a top. The model used is 5ft 11" so on most people it will come up longer.

Generally known for its very plain and slightly more architectural pieces, each season Cos does a couple of prints. This one has been around for a while and Cos have done this print in both a bomber style jacket (£79) and a pencil skirt.

This Warehouse floral jersey tee (£28) is good for a first foray into the world of prints. It's plain grey on the back but with nice shaping down the side and the print is modern but subtle - it's the kind of top that could work its way into your wardrobe and sit their quite happily amongst those black and grey pieces until it's required to give the a bit of a lift. Do suss out Warehouse if you're after a printed top.

And whilst this isn't my favourite print of all, LK Bennett can always be relied on to do a couple of striking prints each season. The Joe Rose print full skirt (£195) has a graphic floral print which is great for a winter wedding.

At this time of the year the stores can start to look a little dark and flat and I think that can be true of our wardrobes too, so it's good to pick up a print every now and then, just to keep everything balanced.

An old favourite dress because today I'm feeling slightly delicate....

It's always good to have an old favourite in your wardrobe, a tried and tested dress made of natural fibres, that will withstand whatever you throw at it and, which once on, can be forgotten about. For me this French Connection linen dress does the trick. It may not be the height of fashion (a stack of friendship bracelets and my new flip flops helped slightly) but the length is good enough so that I don't have to worry too much about what I'm doing in it and given it's age, I'm not at all precious about it even though it is cream - which is good because, having just looked down at it, I've got a beetroot stain on it. I mean seriously, who in their right mind prepares beetroot in a cream dress? Haven't I read Victoria Beckham's book about never going near beetroot?

In all honesty I'm also feeling a little delicate today, which was another reason for needing the comfort of an old faithful. I'm not delicate in the way that you might imagine, given that last night was a Saturday night - but rather because a friend and I decided that it would be a good idea to go for a summer solstice run. We ended up running 22.5 miles which was slightly longer than we had planned but it was brilliant fun and arriving by the University clock as it struck midnight is something I will always remember.

The weirdest thing both before, and after, a long run is how much you need to take on board food wise to stop everything from coming to a grinding halt and how suddenly everything becomes so much less appetising.  Chicken and rice at 12.30am was not what I fancied but was what I needed. And whilst normally I would love oatcakes and goats' cheese, it really didn't seem that appealing. And as for jelly babies and drumstick sweets - right now I could quite happily never see either again. Well that is until next time....

Way behind the times in Zara skorts and crossing the line....

 

Golly, it's been a while since I've blogged, largely because I have spent two days out of the last seven at 1D concerts, 1 day with a stinking migraine and the other days in the shops and washing.

Now, anyone who was anyone when it came to fashion was wearing Zara skorts last year, so I am way behind the times. When they were everywhere I felt far too intimidated to wear them but a year later I seem to care a little less (if anyone thinks that I should care more that's fine!) Then when I saw these in Zara (£19.99) last week thought to myself "Oooh, I'll take them home and give them a whirl and see what I think." The fact that they are denim also makes them seem somehow more accessible.

The sun was out this morning and so as I departed on a trip to see my Mum, I chucked them on without really taking a second look. Clearly I didn't take a look before this photo was taken either, or else I may have tried to have done something about the creases.

Stripes and brogues are always a good bet for me when I'm testing something new and I need the comfort blanket of some reliable staples, just to rein it all in a little.  For info, I am wearing a size 8 and they're really roomy - most unlike Zara.

The pale pink brogues I bought from Topshop a few summers ago now and for something in a similar colour, these loafers from Topshop (£58) are a good bet. The French Connection jumper was bought in a sale a few years ago now too - but you don't need me to direct you towards striped jumpers - they are everywhere!

For anyone interested, this is my thought for the day. When it comes to 1D, there's a fine line between being an interested Mum who sort of learns some of the words so that she sort of knows what's going on at the concerts rather than standing there like a dis-interested muppet - and being a fan.

My fear is that I'm edging really, really close towards that fine line and it's not because I wear the face paint (wrong on so many levels) or have the tattoos (ditto) or know ALL of the words (ditto) but as one friend said "it's your enthusiasm." And she's not far wrong. I love going, I even enjoy standing for hours - everyone is so happy, the atmosphere is great, the evenings are warm and balmy and the music is OK. Sadly the fifteen year olds that I accompanied (OK, they were my cover) won't need me to accompany them next time 1D tour - but I've already recruited some friends to accompany me next time - at which point I think that the line will have been well and truly crossed.

Some lovely pieces from the High Street - sparkles, stripes, spots, sheer, denim and neon brights. Take your pick!

 

After my weekend working with the Touchwood Shopping Centre, I thought that I would bring you some photos of some of my favourite pieces, which I put together in (loose) themes in between presentations. Some of the clothes moved around in the breeze so I had to keep dashing to straighten them before running back to photograph them - so please excuse any wonkiness! I haven't linked to each piece but from left to right, I've listed the brands.

 

The QR code above was amazing. It was able to be scanned and went straight through to the Touchwood Look book. A really innovative piece of PR!

 

Pretty in (shades of ) pink

 

Next, French Connection (x2), Hobbs, Bravissimo, Office, River Island (bag)

 

Soft Citrus Sparkles

River Island, French Connection x3 and French Connection mules.

A type of monochrome

Next, Hobbs, French Connection x2, Bravissimo, French Connection mules

True Blue

French Connection, Hobbs, River Island, French Connection, Bravissimo, River Island (hat and bag) Office (cobalt shoes) Next (striped slippers)

Pale and interesting

GAP, French Connection, Hobbs, Next, River Island

Nineties throwback

All GAP other than jumper (French Connection) shoes and trainers (both Office)

Working Girl

Hobbs, French Connection, Phase Eight (dress and shoes underneath), Hobbs, Next, Office (blue and pink shoes), River Island (bag)

 Tropical prints

River Island, French Connection, River Island x2, Next, Office (pink, blue and green shoes) French Connection (mules)

Chic in White

Hobbs suit, River Island top and bag, Office shoes

I am hoping that there may be one or two pieces there to get you thinking about your spring/summer wardrobe, now that we finally have some sun. Ooh and there's a competition running at the moment, the prize being £250 to spend in Touchwood, which you can enter via their website. Don't let a small thing like distance put you off!

A few lovely bits and bobs available in the shops ...and an invitation!

Up until now, despite my promise, I haven't managed to get around to bringing you the photos of some of the pieces that I took along to an event last Saturday. So today, I'm going to whizz through them. There's no time for links I am afraid but they are all still available in store - although of course sizes will be limited. Some pieces are actually new season so they should be in plentiful supply.

 

This top from French Connection is one of their new season prints. There will be a lot of pastels around for s/s '14 but the addition of black to the mint green will, I think, make it more appealing to those who don't like the idea of a top which is entirely made up of pastel colours.

 

Another new season print, this time from Whistles. As is quite often the way with Whistles, they also do the print in a scarf, which is a good way of wearing it in a way which is less expensive. It also means that you can wear it more often. There's a good length to this dress and the black panelling down the sides is really flattering - so definitely one worth investigating.

For a sunny yellow colour, this new season jacket from French Connection adds a nice touch to black, navy or grey pieces. I have a feeling that there will be a lot of yellow/green pieces around in the shops soon.

 

This coral dress from Coast is now in the sale, reduced massively to something like £35. It's a really flattering cut - not too fitted but not too voluminous either plus the sleeves are an added bonus for many.

Both the fabric and the colour of this Ted Baker jacket are lovely. It's a stretchy supportive fabric and again, nice to wear with darker pieces and also the yellows that I mentioned. This is currently somewhere in the region of £62.

This pretty pink blouse from Coast has been around for a while now and it too is hugely reduced in in the sale. The pretty collar detail is lovely and the vibrant pink certainly makes you look twice!

This is a current season top from French Connection which I chose because of its shape. A lot of spring/summer tops are either really clingy or hugely voluminous, whereas this one falls right in the middle. It has enough movement in it for it not to cling but equally it won't swap either. The vertical pleats are also flattering. It would be perfect with the trousers below...

You may recognise these from Ted Baker as they put the print on about 32 different pieces. However, given time I think that the slight "print overkill" will fade from people's memories! They would look great in the summer with a plain t-shirt and flat sandals. These have been reduced from (something like) £129 to £59.

 

Ah, I love this jumper which I featured a long time ago now. It has been reduced from £99 to £50. Great colours for a dark winter's day and then on into the spring.

These cotton animal print trousers are currently in the sale at French Connection. These too would be great come the slightly warmer weather, with something hot pink, turquoise, bright yellow or coral (see below) on the top half.

This coral jumper from M&S is their new season stock. It's around the £65 mark which is good for cashmere. The necklace is in the sale at Coast for £19.

Closer pic of the Coast necklace, which is lovely but just check that the stones are all secure.

This is a current season M&S striped jumper. It's more oversized than the one above - so not for everyone - but I was totally taken in, not only by the stripes but also by the hint of pink (so predictable) which of course you can't actually see when it's on. Doh!

Here I added a statement necklace from Topshop, which just gives the jumper a slightly different feel. More of a "jumper with a necklace" feel than "a jumper without a necklace" feel. Radical huh?!

Here's the rail of clothes in its entirety - which was actually quite bright for a post Christmas event!

Now, on to the next event! For anyone not on my email list/twitter/fb and who lives close enough to come, it would be fantastic to see you there. I am really looking forward to it - specifically to see what everyone else there (nutritionist, make-up artist, personal trainer, skincare specialist) has to say! Sorry for the fact that it's slightly oversized - no time to faff!