Jigsaw sunnies and a French Connection shirt because the sun is continuing to shine (yippeeee!)...

" I liked your recent blog post." said Mr SG when he came home from work the other day. "You called me the lovely Mr SG. Except the Jigsaw gift card that this lovely Mr SG gave you for Valentine's day was for £100 but the Jigsaw shoes you bought were £149." Okaaaay.  Anyway, all it took was a little bit of explaining and Mr SG got the picture.....silk top or a piece of knitwear for £100 which I would probably trash in one season, or £149 on a pair of shoes that would last me for 10 years? (I have plenty of evidence to back this up.) You see, I was doing the family finances a favour after all.

Now I don't know about anyone else but it takes more than just the first sign of sun before I can even contemplate getting anything out - but today, after the second or third day, I braved it and out came the ankles and a forearm (or two). And as for accessories? Time for the espadrilles - I know, steady on - and the sunnies. Oh there was so much flesh on display in Birmingham today that it would have been easy to mistake it for Rio carnival.

I'm wearing the Jigsaw Imogen sunglasses (£55) above which I liked just because they were a little different. They're not too dark so I can keep them on all of the time. For some reason darker lenses disorientate me slightly. No idea why!

I'm also wearing this French Connection cropped shirt (£50) which felt about right for today. It's made of tencel so it's soft and a little bit draped but it has some weight to it too. For me it's an easy no brainer type of shirt.

Before it got too warm I wore a khaki Kew jacket. This one is very old now but if I was starting from scratch I would probably go for the Mango one that I featured on my last post or the Hush military jacket  (£65) below.

I hope that the sun continues, or starts, to shine wherever you may be!

The hunt for the perfect white jeans is on and has been for some time now.....any ideas anyone?

Today I just couldn't face the idea of jeans again, so I forced myself kicking and screaming into a dress and unsurprisingly, it wasn't all that bad. This Whistles denim dress has really wide sleeves so I'm limited as to what I can get over the top. With a trip to soft play planned (oh the joy) there was a risk that it could be cold and so it was all about the warmth and not the style. This Barcelona cardi from Boden stepped up to the mark though.

A couple of days ago I got some of my summer clothes out. I'm not quite sure why because there hasn't really been any suggestion that summer is on its way but you never know when it's about to appear and I would hate not to be prepared.

One of the items that I found, with some slight glee I have to admit, were some white flared jeans from H&M that I've had for about three or four years now. When the time is right, assuming that I like them when they're on, I will wear them. I also have some GAP skinny ones with rips in them but they irritate the wotsits out of me because they are too low rise and when I bend over they slide down my bum, which is not a good look on any level.

So what I am really after are some straight/boyfriend style white jeans. My search started a couple of weeks ago with the  Hush white boyfriend jeans (£75). I had high hopes of these but even when they were on their way I was given the heads up by a friend that the 8 were big and she wasn't wrong. They were really big on the waist, to the point that they were a bit slouchy around the crotch. Again, not a good look. The model can get away with it - less so on mere mortals!

Next I looked to GAP but they didn't have any in store, although they had these destructed boyfriend jeans online for £44.95. I like the shape of these but I'm not after rips (this time).

Topshop didn't have what I was after in store either but I do like the Moto Mom jeans (£40 online) and as I haven't tried any of those (well, not since I wore them when they were last trendy in 1989) I have ordered them. I figure that they could be good - or failing that, good for a laugh!

My other plan, which I have to admit failed spectacularly, was to buy some high rise H&M skinny jeans (£7.99) in a much bigger size than I would normally take, to see whether I could get some slouch into them. As I've eluded to, it didn't work. They didn't seem any wider on the legs so they kind of got stuck on my calves but then the waist stood out by about 4" and the crotch was around my knees. Again, not a good look. But had it worked they would have been a real coup. They're not online so I can't share them - sorry.

I love the fit of these from Seven but at £180 they're not going to be happening any time soon.

I've also checked out Whistles, Oasis, Jigsaw and Warehouse, just in case anyone was after some slightly slouchy white jeans too but they haven't come up with the goods (so far).

The Next relaxed skinny might be an option (£26) but I've just realised that they are distressed and so am I now too as I didn't want ripped ones. Well they're for the high jump before they've even been ordered.

So the hunt continues. If anyone has top tips on slightly slouchy boyfriend/straight jeans, please do share them!

Seeing stars in jumpers, tees and jewellery....

Is it just me or does anyone else ever have the desire to hire a skip and just chuck everything in it? I can imagine sitting around the dinner table and someone asking where one of the children is, only to hear a muffled yell from the drive as it transpires that I've inadvertently thrown a small child in there too. Today I found an organisation that comes and collects unwanted furniture and I must admit that I'm tempted to let them come in and have free rein, taking whatever they fancy. That would give Mr SG a shock when he came home.

Anyway, on to today's post - STARS! Who doesn't love a star or two? To my way of thinking they fall in the same category as stripes. They're a little more sophisticated than some prints - such as floral or hearts - and  they're a little less girlie, which can be preferable.  They are fairly subtle and not too overwhelming on smaller frames, whilst at the same time having that slight cool/insouciant feel about them. Not too try hard. Just there.

It was whilst I was flicking through the new Hush catalogue that I was struck by their great collection of star items. I had a grey jumper from there last year and I have to say that there are several other items that could quite easily tempt me....

This star gazer jumper (£69.50) is one of my favourites - probably because it combines two of my current favourite colours. Love it with this fab denim skirt which isn't for my legs but is definitely for someone else's!

There's also this style of star jumper (£69.50) that comes in four different colourways...

There's also a star gazer tee (£30) which would look great with denim and tan accessories - or indeed just a tan!

This tee also comes in a blue colourway (£30) and I really like it with these relaxed trousers (£45) although I think being super tall, super slim and rather beautiful helps to make them look as good as they do here!

One of my favourite accessories that I have seen so far this season is this tassel necklace (£39.50) which comes in turquoise, neon coral and neon pink. I had one similar last summer and I loved wearing it. It's light, bright, a little bit boho and does a great job of giving a bit of life to a plain tee and blazer.

But keeping with the star theme, there's star stud earrings (£34.95)...

Anyone else tempted?!! This time of year is very dangerous. We can just start to see a glimpse of spring and with it a whole new wardrobe...

Happy New Year! - I know it's a little late but there's a good reason for it......

[Outfit: Hush dress, Seven Boot Lane boots, Reiss jacket, Hobbs necklace]

I wrote the following post on New Year's Eve, the Eve before I was cruelly struck down with tonsillitis. I haven't even managed to leave the house so far this year. Soon I'll be appearing on my own TV show "the woman who woke up one day and never left the house again." Actually I lie, I've been out once to go to see the Doctor and can you believe that the first money I spent in 2015 was on anti-biotics? Lucky I didn't have a no spending ban in operation. 

I could have passed this post over but I haven't written anything else, or worn anything that anyone would want to see, ever, so here goes. Hope that you are all keeping well and Happy New Year. Thank you for being such a lovely bunch of readers! 

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I should know myself by now. I should know that when ever there's a big event coming up - a birthday, the day before Christmas, the day before we go on holiday, the day before the NEW YEAR that I get this sudden urge to clean. "Oh" I think to myself, "wouldn't it be lovely to go to bed in clean bedding, to wake up to a newly cleaned kitchen and fresh bathrooms, to have cupboards that are neat and tidy and full of folded clothes." I should know that the tidal wave of needing to clean is on its way but I never anticipate it until WHAM, it arrives and then it's too late. I just have to get on with it.

Which is why I found myself doing all of those jobs this afternoon. I scrubbed the kitchen island to within an inch of its life. I even turned the toaster upside down and shook it over the sink (unwise unless you want a blocked sink), plus I emptied out the crumb trays, cleaned behind the bread maker, took all of the rubbish out, polished the kettle, washed the tea pot and wiped out the fruit bowl, all the while thinking that I needed to be ringing friends and family to wish them a Happy New Year.

We went over to some friends for the New Year and as we were walking there and as it was cold, flimsy glamour was not the order of the day - or night. I've only worn this Hush dress once but it's really warm and with a jacket over the top it gave me the warmth that I needed. OK so the boots are more practical than glam but the pavements were hideously slippery.

I should have pre-programmed a twitter message to go out and I should have written something on facebook to wish you all a Happy and healthy New Year but I didn't get around to it, so I apologise to you, as I do to all of my friends and family for not getting in touch but I'm sorry I was cleaning....

A little (warm and comfortable) winter white day dress from Hush

 

Apologies for the leave of absence. When things start to get out of hand (and by that I mean when there's wet washing that hasn't made it on to the line for so long that it's gone stinky and needs washing again) then something has to give - and that something has to be the blog. Obviously I need to keep feeding the children, keep the house in a state which is semi-hygienic and then there's work to do too. Can you believe that in the last few days I've had 14 great outfits in the house all of which have been unpacked, hung up, used on the catwalk, packed up and returned to John Lewis without me even photographing one piece?  Now that's bad. Really bad.

So today I'm just doing a quick outfit post. In the pic above I'm wearing the Hush quilted sleeveless dress (£45).

Let's guess why it appealed to me. Could it have had something to do with the word "quilted" in the description? My heat radar had it being in its sight as a dress which, despite being sleeveless, could still be warm enough to wear in the winter (indoors of course and with the heating on full blast). And I wasn't disappointed. It's soft and comfortable too. And the texture of it reminded me of a sofa that I had made when I bought my first house. Which is obviously as good a reason as any to like a dress. Isn't it? Plus I love winter white/cream. It's just, well, bright and happy really.

I'm wearing it with a textured Reiss blazer and heeled loafers. When I get a chance I'll play around with necklaces etc but for now I thought that I would show it to you in its "naked" form.

When there's a hair disaster there's only one thing for it.....a hat!

 

Outfit: Whistles Ella jacket, Hush jumper, New Look jeans, Aldo shoes (I'm sure I'll write Aldi one of these days!) Oushka bag

I think that "disaster" is probably too strong a word to describe my super short hairstyle but whenever I look in the mirror I do think to myself "Ouch, that's short." And then to top it off I decided to colour it but to pass the time quickly I blogged at the same time, leaving it on for much longer than I should have done - so not only is it slightly shorter than I would have liked but it's slightly darker too. Having said that, I did ask for it to be cut shorter partly because I seem to have to get it cut so often and also because I'm running/swimming a lot at the moment so it's constantly being washed or getting wet.

So, when it came to the blog I had two choices. First, to disappear for a few weeks until it had grown and lightened OR to share it with everyone and just get over it. I decided on the latter a) because I like blogging and b) because....actually I don't think that there is a b).

Anyway, I decided that now is probably a good time to have a hair disaster - well a couple of months time might be even better - because there are so many lovely hats around this season. From the Reiss Ava and Hattie (is that a great name for a hat or what?) (£69) to the Fedoras at Topshop, which at £28 are a good place to start for anyone heading (get it??) for the first time into trilby/fedora territory, to the Zara wide brimmed felt hat (£19.99) or the trilby (£25.99).

The Jigsaw bridget fedora (£39) is also a great choice...

as is the Jigsaw Isabella trilby (£39) which comes in a variety of different colours.

Hats really are just one of those things that you have to try on and just because one brand doesn't work, it doesn't mean that another brand won't. Often it comes down to the colour, the width of the brim, the height of the hat - and confidence too.

I saw this "Love You" beanie in Zara (£12.99) today and I think that it would look great with my New Look jumper which has "love" written across the front. It would take matchy matchy to a  whole new level.

The Hush star jumper (£75) that I am wearing is from the summer collection but they have done this winter version, for anyone who fancies having a star plastered across their chest.

I am also wearing the Ella Ponte jersey jacket from Whistles which is £45 or £95 depending on the colour. If you're tempted, do have a hunt around the site for a bargain. For anyone unsure, they do tend to come up quite large so if only the size below yours is available, don't be put off. It's a jacket that I find hugely useful and easy to wear, largely because it is made of jersey.

 

So, although it's only early I'm off to bed - I think that hair grows more quickly when you're asleep!

A round up of the weekend's outfits (they're not glamourous in the least!)

These are the weekend photos that probably shouldn't be shown to the world but they're all that exist for now.  Plus I always wanted Style Guile to be real life - so I'm going to use that as my excuse for these horrors!

Saturday morning started off with the park run. When it comes to the park run I've realised that age is actually a great advantage.  Clearly not that many women run in my age category which means that it's possible to do a less than brilliant time and still look quite competent (on paper at least). That's my kind of running! Here I'm wearing GAP running clothes, which I really like. They're not great for anyone who prefers a silky, lightweight fabric but personally I prefer a thicker fabric with a bit of support.

Then I decided on my Hush star jumper and a chambray skirt for the rest of the day, plus Topshop shoes. Usually I would choose a slightly more fitted top but it was a relaxed kind of day so, you know, I just went with the flow.

Sticking with the relaxed theme, Jigsaw tencel chinos, a Reiss jumper and converse plus a Kate Spade bag were good for a trip the swings - until it rained and I needed to levitate to keep the white converse white. Such a ridiculous choice of colour for converse!

A birthday outfit and a very "boy-like" comment...

 

Whilst we were in Cornwall, I celebrated my birthday. For some reason, I keep thinking that I am a year older than I am, so when I was asked how I felt about being 44 my response was that I felt great, because I keep thinking that I'm 45. Next year bodes quite well too because then I will only have reached the age that I already think I am, so really it's all shaping up quite well on the age front. Until I'm 46 that is.

 

The cupcakes were ordered by my husband from the restaurant but he was so eager that I should also have a dessert that they weren't brought out until after dessert had arrived - hence both the cheesecake and the 12 cupcakes. Sugar rush! (I think that it's still going on.)

This is the outfit that I wore when we went out - it's a Hush dress, Oushka clutch and Zara heels, although I must admit that I ditched the heels before I even put them on and wore flop flops instead.

There was some great improvising on the wrapping paper front. What could be better than having your pressies wrapped in pages from Grazia - and the current copy no less?!

 

I was treated to this lovely Kate Spade watch and wore it with a stack of friendship bracelets from Accessorise. Predictably, I immediately fell in love with the pink detailing on it.

 

And for once the sun shone, and shone and shone!

I wore this dress on our last evening and also for our journey to Guernsey. I wrote about it fairly recently as it being a favourite that I have had for many years.

Mr SG very rarely comments on what I am wearing (although I am sure that he has plenty of thoughts!) but he did say how much he liked this dress and how well it fitted me and how (wait for this) it was less "tent like" than the one that I wore the evening before ie the Hush one. I gently reminded him that the term he was actually after was "more fitted" rather than "less tent like". Boys!

Packing like a pro (!!!)

 

So if I ran a blog where everything was perfect, including my packing, this is what it would look like. There would be a carefully selected number of pieces in a simple colour palette which could be worn in a multitude of different ways over two weeks, to create an endless supply of stylish outfits.  There would also be a stylish piece of hand luggage into which everything would fit, therefore avoiding the need to check a bag in, together with all that entails (particularly at the other end). 

As it is, this is the reality. A not insubstantial amount of different coloured clothes with varying prints. Knowing me the dread of having to wash everything when I get back will mean that I only wear a fraction of it so it will be more "Wear one dress to death" and "How to accessorise 50 different ways with loom bands" rather than anything else. My suitcase is just that - a suitcase plain and simple but note the use of the word "my". Having selflessly packed everyone else's clothes first, it just so happens that there's a whole suitcase left for me. Whoever would have thought it?! I like to think of it as packer's prerogative.

 

 

When is a blazer not a blazer and when is a cardi not a cardi? When it's a jersey blazer, or a jacket style cardi....

 

Whilst I realise that from these photographs it looks as though I accepted the offer of Thunderbird on the train to Leeds at 10am yesterday, honestly I didn't. The slightly tired/barely there make-up look is as a result of a very long, and very lovely, day out with my friend - plus not looking in a mirror since lunchtime.

 

Anyway, back to the train. Somehow I managed to get myself caught up amongst a stag party of 15 men travelling to Wakefield whose sole intention was to get totally and utterly trollied - hence the offer of Thunderbird at 10am. I have to say that the reveller who apparently drank a whole bottle of gin one evening not so long ago, and who ended up in intensive care for two days as a result, really looked quite good on it - so perhaps I should have accepted the offer of Thunderbird after all.  

 

For all sorts of reasons I'm a fan of using jersey type blazers, or jacket type cardigans, instead of a more formal blazer, or a traditional styled cardigan.  Whilst in some instances only a really sharp blazer will do, on many occasions they're not really necessary anymore, particularly given the more relaxed rules in the work place. Equally a soft jersey blazer or jacket style cardi can give a very casual outfit a much smarter/pulled together look than a traditional cardi - so they can have a dual purpose.   

 

The cotton jersey jacket Jigasaw (£49) is a Jigsaw perennial and usually comes in a couple of colour ways. They are a really useful "roll it up and put it in your bag" type piece, to quote my friend from yesterday, who has one. They're not currently in the sale but still, they're not too bad a price. I've put several ladies in these jackets and they have found them really useful for many different occasions.

 

 

This knitted cropped jacket from Hush (£60) is a lovely piece. It's quite light weight but definitely warm enough for the summer. I thought that the s/m would be huge on me but it's not. To me this is one of those interesting pieces which doesn't necessarily have a lot of appeal as an image but when it's on a person....

...as seen here (OK, a rather beautiful person I admit!) it takes on a whole different look. That's so true of many pieces that I come across. Often people think that they look frumpy or boring but when they're on, they can really come alive. So that's my tip for the day - try, try, try!

The Jersey blazer Hush (£55) is of a similar ilk to the Jigsaw one - an easy peasy throw it on piece. Great with a big scarf or statement necklace or even under a sleeveless coat.

Again, you can see here how it looks when on a real life person - much better!

The multi-coloured short cardi Hush (£120) is another example of a jacket style cardi. It's quite short in the body, fuss free and with an interesting neckline. Please do check the sites for up to date prices as they may have changed in between this post being written, and read.

I loved this cotton knit jacket Jigsaw (£110) when I spotted it a few months ago. Sadly it looked pretty terrible on me but on others it would look great. I didn't fill its shape and with my long arms the sleeve length was all wrong but I still think that it's a cracking piece - on the right person.

And lastly the hand crochet jacket Boden (£59.40 down from £99) which I am wearing above. I knew that the forecast for Leeds was chilly - and it wasn't wrong! This suited me down to the ground though. It has a good thickness to it and whilst the reviews are accurate in that it is snug on the arms, that's just the closeness of the knit, rather than anything else. Anyway, it can't be that tight as I managed to get a long sleeved top and a sweatshirt underneath it too!

 

 

For anyone who hasn't yet included something like this in their wardrobe, I think that they are an under-rated wardrobe hero and definitely worth investing in. With shorts, jeans, chinos, printed trousers, over dresses and with skirts they can just add that little something extra - or take the sharpness away. Take your pick!

 

In the above photo I am also wearing printed M&S shoes, Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and the Clover handbag by Oushka which was kindly gifted to me by them. It was the first time that I have used it and it was brilliant. The bag comes with a detachable clutch which is on quite a long strap. This means that you have easy access to your purse/cards/phone etc all just by pulling the clutch out of  your bag with the strap, rather than having to take the bag off your shoulder and delve about in the bottom for everything that has dropped down there. Sometimes the simplest things in life can make all the difference. (Like click and collect from Waitrose for John Lewis cushions......) 

Current classics....jeans, converse and a grey sweater of the Hush variety

 

As you may have noticed, I've changed the settings on the blog so that the pictures are larger, which frankly, I find rather horrific. I've always quite liked the fact that I can hide behind slightly blurry/small/distant photos but a change is always good - as is a change back, which I think may be happening fairly smartish! I suppose that I could always do what some other bloggers do, which is to take photos minus their heads - but that may be even more horrific.

Anyway, size of photos and lack of heads aside, I really liked wearing this star jumper from Hush (£69.50). I promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more grey jumpers but then I somehow forgot. This jumper also comes with a bright green star, or a navy star. It's very soft and easy to wear. Here I've just put mine with a white long sleeved T from H&M, Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and white converse.

When it comes to white converse, I've recently observed that they are the one item of footwear that cross both the generations and the sexes. I have seen them worn by both men and women, aged anywhere between 10 and 75 (at least) - and I'm wondering how it happened. I'm not really aware of any huge marketing campaigns and white canvas shoes aren't particularly practical so I'm wondering whether the fashion goblins have somehow got to us all! 

Time for a new Hush frock!

 

I was quite excited about wearing my new Lisa dress from Hush (£60) which I had ordered especially for our holiday. It was partly because wearing a new frock is always exciting and partly because it was a little bit different for me. I wouldn't normally choose an empire line (something to do with having had three children/wearing maternity dresses) but because the fabric beneath the empire line wasn't too voluminous it didn't create a bump, or make it look as though I was trying to hide/accommodate one. Well at least I don't think that it did!

For me the dress worked because it is slightly longer at the back, which for some reason always makes me feel a little bit safer. For info purposes, the one that I am wearing is an xs. One thing that I should say though is that the dress is utterly and totally see through - which I hadn't appreciated when trying it on.  A really long vest underneath it gave me the extra coverage required.

I'm still really fond of the bright red shoes that I bought from Topshop last year, so it was nice to wear them again, together with my Marc Jacobs clutch. 

One of the many things that I like about the hot weather is planning an outfit the night before - albeit a simple one of shorts and a t-shirt and knowing that's what I'll be wearing the next day. No last minute changes of plan due to rain/fog/hail or snow! We currently have a good game going on here which involves Mr SG putting the air conditioning on full pelt and me switching it right down. It's a bit like the game that we play all winter with the heating, only in reverse. Never let it be said that our household isn't full-time fun and games!

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.