It's midi, it's pleated and it hides a multitude of sins...

So what are the sins that this skirt hides? Let's think - bruises, blemishes, failure to attend to one's less than smooth legs?  So far so good. And it "wafts" beautifully in the breeze, making one feel almost lady like - although it also catches in the back of my trainers as I walk down the stairs which could, quite possibly, result in a less than lady like fall followed by less than lady like language.

There are lots of pleated skirts around at the moment. One of my favourites is this grey jersey one from Oasis (£30). It has a slightly more casual feel about it, so is good for those who don't fancy wearing satin on a daily basis.

Or for a bit of colour, there's this coral one from Oliver Bonas (£55), which also comes in blue or white. 

New Look has a great selection of pleated skirts, including this stripe monochrome one, for £27.99

The skirt that I am wearing is the satin pleat ankle grazer skirt from Topshop (£49), which also comes in a midi length (and that comes in tall and petite too.) I liked the khaki as a change from my usual grey, navy or black and they are surprisingly easy to wear - trainers, ankle boots, block heels, skater trainers, sandals - plus as I mentioned above, they hide a multitude of sins.

Lots of people have asked me whether they can get away with a pleated skirt and the answer is yes - it just has to be the right one. Some are very voluminous and they don't always work so well with flats, so the satin ones, or the ones with fewer pleats help with that. The longer ones also create a really nice vertical line, so they are surprisingly elongating even on a petite frame. So if you're tempted, go and have a good try on with some different styles of shoes and see what you think. Enjoy!

Rainy Day Yellow Mac...

I'm interrupting the sunny posts from Cornwall to bring you a newsflash. It's raining here. A lot. But the temperature isn't too bad and last year I had a realisation that 17 degrees is my perfect temperature.

Any hotter and all I can be faffed with is some shorts and a top; any colder and we're into four layers including vests, tights and a coat. But 17 degrees? Well that's just perfect. It means that I can wear those clothes that sit in my wardrobe the rest of the year and which I look at longingly, before resorting to jeans, boots and a roll neck.

Everyday this week I've managed to wear something that I haven't worn for ages because it's been too cold to do so and today it was the turn of this Whistles dress. Please excuse the photo - I have to get a snap in in between the workmen arriving/someone using the portaloo/a delivery lorry appearing etc.

And because it was raining (but not too cold) it gave me a chance to wear my Petit Bateau coat, which really does keep the rain off - on the bit that it covers anyway. As to the rest of me? Well by the time I got home my dress had pretty much risen up to the bottom of the coat, so the dress didn't get wet which was good.  Luckily I didn't take the route which went via the police station.

No, I didn't go via the police station. But I did go via Sainsbury's because we had reached that dire stage of running out of everything that a house needs to function properly - loo roll, toothpaste, clingfilm, silver foil, bleach, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner, milk. With our current living conditions I feel slightly like a student - but I'm trying to embrace the general mess and disorganisation rather than fight it. Anyway, whilst in Sainsbury's, the lady serving me commented how much she liked my coat and asked where it was from. I told her that it was from Petit Bateau and that Warehouse had a similar one last year and then, when I arrived in town, look what I found in Topshop - a yellow hooded rain mac (£55).

So I googled the number of our local store, called her and told her the good news. I think that she thought that I was slightly crazy but she was very happy too and on her day off, she's going to go and buy one. So that was all good. Given that the rain will probably hang around on and off for a while yet, I thought that you all might like to know about this coat too. Happy splashing!

Last chance to enter the M&S competition for a day out at the new Longbridge store....

For those of you who haven't yet entered the fabulous competition that I am hosting with Marks & Spencer, you have until mid-night on 24th March to do so. Don't miss out on what promises to be a brilliant day out with a friend at the new M&S store in Longbridge complete with lunch, a personal shopping experience, make-up with the beauty team, brows or nails at the nail bar PLUS a £100 gift voucher for both you and a friend to spend in store. 

For anyone who would like to enter, please email me at mail@bethgoodrham.com and I will put your name into my metaphorical hat. I will notify the winner before close of play on Good Friday. Good luck to everyone! 

Beth x

So how do you run 24 miles? (If I couldn't do it with a friend, I wouldn't do it at all!)

But before I start.....

I didn't manage to get a place in the ballot for the London Marathon, which means that I am fundraising for Coram, who do amazing work with vulnerable and underprivileged children. I feel really uncomfortable asking for donations from people, so instead I will shortly be posting about a fabulous competition that I am going to run on here to help reach my target. Do keep your eyes open! 

Twenty four miles is the most that my friend and I have run whilst training for the London Marathon. "How do you do it?" is a question that I've been asked a lot recently.  Compared to some, I've run very little. Many others have run much further than this and much more frequently too.  But the one thing that I do remember is being in the position, not so long ago, where I would look at others and think "How on earth do you do that? How is it physically possible?"

On reading this I really DID ask myself "how is that physically possible?" The author is an ultra-marathon runner. 50 miles, 100 miles - it's no problem to him!

The answer is you build up to it slowly. It's not as if you just wake up one day and think to yourself "Oh I know, today I'll go and run 24 miles." Having completed the Birmingham half marathon last October, my friend and I ran the half marathon distance possibly once a month until Christmas. The day after Boxing Day we did 13 miles, the week later 16 miles, then 18 miles, 20 miles, 22 miles and then 24 miles. So like anything, if you build up little by little, it's not so much of a shock to the body.

The day before, and the day of, a long run preparation is key. We do our long runs on a Friday afternoon and we do shorter sessions, and hill and sprint work, either together, or alone, or with other super lovely friends who run, during the week.

I don't do too much exercise the day before. On a Friday morning I eat a lightish breakfast, have a mid-morning nutri-bullet and an early lunch. Then, when the running watch starts charging, together with the FitBit, and the phone - when the bum bag gets loaded up, when the key and cash get stashed in the phone holder that I wear on my arm - that's when the adrenaline kicks in.

Unlocking the key to the success of the Kenyans in distance running. 

I wouldn't want anyone to be under the illusion that we run 24 miles non-stop. After five or so miles we'll have a quick stop. Out comes the M&S chocolate flapjack, the elderflower water, the Love Hearts, Twix - you name it, we've got it. In fact, if we're honest we probably spend most of our run working out when we can next stop to eat something delicious and sweet.  We could do with a Mrs Overall style trolley for our three course meal that we take with us. And thereafter we'll stop every 40 minutes or so to top up as once you've gone past the point of no return, you really know about it.

And as for passing the time? Well we go in phases. Mostly we chat - a lot. In fact a friend of mine said the other day that she heard us coming before she saw us, which was impressive as we were wearing huge amounts of pink lycra.

We talk about our children, work, schools, things we've read and how we're going to run on the day. What if one is faster than the other? What if one needs a loo stop? What techniques are we going to use to motivate ourselves through the tricky spots? And most importantly, how are we going to communicate given that, for once, we won't actually be talking? We un-pack things that need unpacking and when the going gets tough, which is does, we try to re-set one another's brains by the use of distraction, or pretending that we've only just started and that we're full of beans, whereas really we're at mile 18 and just want to go home.

Occasionally we'll just plod along in silence - but that's usually only when we're going up hill and we're breathing too hard to talk. Then one of us will say "I'll talk at the top" and on we plod until we've made it and normal chatting is resumed.

We have run in all weathers and sometimes the harshest weather makes it more fun. Blizzards, hail, snow, rain, wind (my least favourite) - it all helps with the stamina. I think that our greatest difficulty will be if it's too warm as that is something that we're not used to at all.

And crikey sometimes we're laughing so much that we have to stop running. We've been known to balance precariously over canal locks when the tow paths have been closed. We've clambered over, under, through and around barriers of no-go areas. We've run through the industrial backwaters of Birmingham, under the M5 bridges and under railway bridges with their huge concrete supports, expecting (in my case) to find a dead body at any moment.

And then, when we run up one of the hills to get us home, sometimes we get that fourth, fifth or sixth wind and it no longer hurts. It feels as though we're flying. Not out of breath, not aching just powering up towards the traffic lights that signal home. And then we stop. And then we can't move again because everything hurts and those seconds of pure joy have passed. But still we keep on chatting...

So my tips - none of which are revolutionary or revelatory because if you're training for a distance this will have all be covered in a training plan/manual somewhere:

• If I couldn't do it with a friend I wouldn't do it at all. Of that I'm sure!
• Whilst some people love them, I'm suspicious of the gels and would rather eat proper food, even if on the day I carry little bits and nibble it slowly - so flapjack, Naked bars - it's all good stuff. And sweets really do give you that sugar kick just when you need it;
• On a long run avoid looking your watch too often. It's like going on a long plane journey - you just have to switch off and let the hours wash over you;
• The long runs for us are to get used to the miles and to build stamina - not really for the speed, although we do wear running watches so that we know how we're doing. It's the other training - the hills and the sprint work that will help with the speed and a bit like baking a cake, hopefully it will come together on the day;
• I find that core and leg work also help with strength, although it may just be psychological;
• I love reading books about runners - Running with the Kenyans, Eat and Run, Running Like a Girl, books about Ultra Marathon runners - all of them have the page corners turned down at places where I find something helpful or inspiring;
• Running is as much psychological as it is physical. Next on my reading list is "the Runner's Brain". If you can accept that it's normal to want to stop, then you're half way to keeping on going! 
• What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. You may prefer to run alone, to listen to music or listen to podcasts, to re-fuel with gels - it's all just trial and error really. But the one thing that I am sure of is that never once have felt worse after a run than before. 

A brilliant competition with M&S - the chance to win a makeover day for you and a friend with lunch, styling, beauty and a gift card each!

We all love M&S pants and they can work miracles so if I buy them, do I get the bottom as well? 

On November 4th last year, fashion icon Twiggy opened one of the largest Marks and Spencer stores in the UK. It is in Longbridge, just outside of Birmingham (yippeee!) and to celebrate the store opening, M&S have asked me to host a competition for a reader, and a friend, to win a make-over day which will include....

Don't you just love a bit of M&S Best of British?

• Lunch at the M&S cafe or deli bar,
• A personal stylist shopping experience with the Women's Wear Team (I hope to come along too if that's OK!)
• Make-up with the beauty team;
• Brow or nails at the nail bar;
• A £100 gift card for each of you and your friend to spend in store.

I always get so excited by seeing what Limited has to offer. There are so many gems in there!

And such a gorgeous silhouette from Autograph

One of the things that I really wanted to share with you about the new Longbridge store is that it will carry the new "Archive by Alexa" fashion collection which has been curated and handpicked by Alexa (Cheung) and the M&S design team. 

Really it deserves a post of its own but briefly, using the Marks & Spencer Archive in Leeds, Alexa and the M&S team have brought archive pieces back to life for 2016. 

The introduction of both modern fabrics, and a modern colour palette, has resulted in a contemporary womenswear collection but which still references M&S' heritage - which won't be surprising to those familiar with Alexa Cheung's particular style. 

The 31 piece collection will be in store in April 2016 and I can't wait to see it.   Also, this is the first of the "M&S &" series, which is "a sequence of unique, exclusive collections in collaboration with some of today's most exciting designers, brands & fashion icons." Any ideas as to who might be next?!

The Competition Rules:

I was so excited to be asked to host this competition for M&S and as I'm able to decide the rules, I've decided to keep it simple and select the winner at random. Previously I've asked people to write in to explain why they are deserving of the prize but then....(cue long sentence coming up...) everyone has been deserving and I've had to make an election as to who is more deserving than someone else, which makes makes me sad because I feel mean for not giving the prize to everyone and then I lay awake concerned that people will be upset and then that has horrible consequences for being tired the next day. So, let's just keep it simple shall we?

So this is how we'll play it...

• I will select one winner at random after the closing date, which will be mid-night on Thursday 24th March. I will contact the winner on Friday 25th March. Hopefully that will make a nice Easter surprise for someone;
• The winner and their friend will receive an M&S makeover and lunch at M&S Longbridge, and each person will receive a £100 gift card to spend;
• The prize is not transferable and there are no whole/part cash alternatives;
• The Gift Card will be presented on the day of the makeover.

So how does that all sound? If you email me (mail@bethgoodrham.com) to let me know that you would like your name to go into the metaphorical hat, that would be fantastic!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!

Notes about the store:

• The 150 000 sq ft store offers customers a wide range of products and services and is home to a large Womenswear department, as well as Menswear and Beauty;
• The store has the Midlands' first M&S Brow and Nail Bar and Baby World;
• It also includes a Homeware Department, a 245 seat M&S Cafe and a Food hall which will feature a Deli and Pasta Bar and an in-store Bakery.

For anyone who would like to connect with Marks & Spencer on social media, you can follow them on twitter here and on facebook here.

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Jumper Dresses - Why don't we go there?

M&S jumper dress, Reiss leather jacket, Zara sleeveless coat, Whistles gloves and boots, Marc Jacobs bag

From the various emails that I've had, I know that lots of you are toying with the idea of a jumper dress but aren't sure whether to take the plunge or not.  It may be slightly late for this winter but fear not they will be around next year, so I thought that I would share my thoughts.

Being a creature who feels the cold, unsurprisingly I really like jumper dresses. Warm and comfortable, they tick my boxes.  So what are the pitfalls and how do you go about styling them?

Firstly, I think that people are put off jumper dresses by the thought of having to wash them each time they're worn and wondering how they will fare on a long term basis. The solution? Lightweight layers underneath mean that the dress won't be next to your skin, so it won't need to be washed each time that it's worn (or ever, potentially!)

Secondly, not all styles are particularly forgiving, especially the fitted/ribbed styles, so make sure that you check from all angles before buying one. I like wearing mine layered with this sleeveless coat as it just gives me a little tum coverage. And in all likelihood when I get home I would take the dress off anyway, so preferring it styled in this way really isn't an issue.

Thirdly they can make you feel a bit "square" and bulky. I know, I'm really not selling them! It's more with the one that I'm wearing above than the navy Jigsaw one that I have (below) so again, the sleeveless coat, or a jacket, breaks the body up leaving just a narrow column on show, which is a great styling trick for narrowing a wider torso.

Jigsaw jumper dress, Karen Millen leggings, Adidas trainers, Whistles bag and gloves

This navy jumper dress from Jigsaw however is much easier to wear. Due to the fact that it is a looser fit and that it's darker, it is easier to throw on and go, rather than having to work a little harder at styling it.  The fact that it's shorter too means that coat lengths aren't so much of an issue.

But when it's a cold day as it was on Monday, only the grey ribbed one will do. It's probably the nearest thing that I have to a onesie in terms of warmth and comfort, so you can count me in big style. It was only through working with M&S on a blog post that I decided to try one in the first place but I'm so glad that I did.

What's your experience of jumper dresses - yes or no to the jumper dress? And if you haven't been there before, are you tempted? Hope that you're all having a lovely week. x

Kicking an outfit into touch with one of these...

For me, apart from a pair of shoes, there's nothing that can give an outfit a kick up the bum in quite the same way a a lovely shirt or blouse. It can take a pair of plain black work trousers into something which is quite kick-ass (sorry for all the derriere references tonight.) With a pair of ripped jeans and heels, a black metallic blouse can make the perfect outfit for a night out - and who doesn't love a bit of Victoriana?

So this is my run down of some gorgeous blouses that I've seen out and about on my travels recently....

Mint Velvet tie neck blouse (£69) - this is perfect with a pencil style skirt for work or with fitted trousers for a dressier look. Blouses are really great tops for curvier figures as they tend to skim without clinging, unlike jersey tops which can show every little trace of muffin consumption and muffin top.  The lighter  weight fabrics are brilliant as they don't add bulk, plus the ones with pussy bows have a v-neck line, which is so flattering on a larger bust. With a print to keep the eye on the move, they are absolute winners.

For those of you with curvier busts, you will know the problem with shirts and blouses and buttons that  pull. This Somerset blouse by Alice Temperley at John Lewis (£79) though is fantastic because....it doesn't have any buttons. Perfect! There is plenty of stock in store although not in this colour on line. It also comes in a lovely sage colour too which makes a nice change.

There are a lot of metallic shirts around this season. They can be scratchy so it's worth having a good feel of them on the inside if you don't have time to try them on as no-one likes to feel as though they are wearing a brillo pad. Marks and Spencer has this metallic effect textured blouse (£45). There's also one at Reiss (£145).

For something a little bit pretty and Victoriana, Limited Edition has this lovely lace trim blouse (£29.50). Zara also has a good selection too.

I was working with this M&S  Autograph satin blouse (£35) last week. Again it's really good because it doesn't have any buttons and it's silky fabric elevates it to being a little bit more special, despite its simple design.

Marks and Spencer also has this Autograph animal print blouse (£35) which again has a flattering shape, fit and fabric. It's the type of blouse that could be worn all year round and with leopard print being one of those prints that never disappears, for years to come as well.

Ah, now the Whistles lace shirt (£145) ticks many boxes. The colour is vibrant and great on many skin tones. The fact that it is lace makes it that little bit special and with a shorter length it will sit perfectly with a skirt - just like the one in the above photograph. In fact as time goes by, I veer further away from a "party" type dress, which just sits in the wardrobe until it needs to be squidged on for a night out - and more towards stylish separates which can be worn for many different events.

For sequins, I love this Zara sequinned blouse (£25.99). I would look an utter plonky head in it but I do really like it nonetheless. Particularly on other people.

An outfit for the school run....

Yesterday I had to buy an umbrella. And why did I have to do that? Well, I insisted on walking to school without (in my defence) realising that the heavens were going to open. But they did - big style - and I had three choices a) to wait until lunchtime for the rain to stop before walking home (tempting but lurking in the doorway of our local M&S for three plus hours probably wouldn't have been a good look) b) to get my new Oasis coat soaked (not flippin' likely) c) to buy an umbrella. Or as my friend pointed out, there was an option d) which would have been to get a cab - and in fairness this would have been cheaper. Anyway the youngest thought that it was highly amusing and that it served me right for making her walk/scooter to school. She'll thank me when she's older. Actually scrap that, who ever thanks their parents for making them walk to school? They just torture them with the fact, making them feel guilty at family gatherings.

When I'm dressing for the school run - as opposed to the school "drive" I always work from the ground upwards. Adidas trainers, new Whistles high rise skinny jeans (bad move on a Monday morning - breathing is actually quite necessary in life, or rather, for life), silk shirt, one of my favourite slogan jumpers (New Look special last winter) and my new coat - which created a whole little story of its own.

Capes, ponchos, sleeveless coats - I'm trying to get as much wear as possible out of the lot of them before the winter sets in and it's thermals and duvet style coats all the way!

Hope that you're all having a good week, dodging the rain and not spending your pennies on unnecessary purchases as a result of being a sparent (stubborn parent - it's an addition to the tiger mother/helicopter parent/snowplough parent theme - poor, I know but it's the best that I can come up with!)

Does my bum look BIG in these trousers? Oh yes, it does! But at least the two cream jumpers aren't quite as bad...

One day soon I will take these boots off, I promise. But not just yet. When the rain and mud arrive, I shall pop them back in their box but for now they are just perfect for the scooter run to school.

I've just posted another vlog (which can be viewed here) in which I'm wearing the cream cropped jumper that I've featured above, plus the cream cable knit jumper which you can see below.  I think that I'm a bit jumper obsessed at the moment. There's nothing like being prepared is there?!

I'm also wearing a denim shirt (which in the end I decided to keep, despite my reservations!) and a pair of spotty trousers which, talk about "Does my bum look BIG in these?" Oh boy yes, it does! In fact HUGE would be a better description. But I think that I've tried to explain why that is and how it can be fixed. (It doesn't include surgery for the record.)

Zara cream cropped sweater (£17.99)

Zara cable knit sweater (£29.99)

Sorry, I'm going to have to scoot now. I'm trying to watch Dr Foster on catch up and keep getting distracted from typing. Isn't it fantatic?!

Have a brilliant weekend. Beth x

Time for a treat - bringing you flowers and a 20% M&S discount. Ladies, it's time to shop!!

Who doesn't love flowers? I just adore them - especially when they come ready tied so that all I have to do is put them in a vase of water. So when I was asked by Blossoming Gifts whether I would like to receive a bouquet of flowers in return for writing about them on here, I wasn't going to say no, was I? It gave me an opportunity to not only enjoy them briefly myself but also to hand them on to a lovely friend of mine, who I knew would love and appreciate them too.

Blossoming Gifts is a brand new UK based flower delivery company specialising in beautiful flowers at a low price. I'm always intrigued by new companies, mostly because I'm nosey and I like to see how they compare with those who currently dominate the market.  Interestingly there is a range of cheap flowers for under £20 and it is possible to search the website by flower, by occasion plus there is also a wide selection of personalised gifts, hampers and wine.

I chose the beautiful Sky bouquet which was made up of oriental lilies, roses, agapanthus and greenbell - but it was a difficult choice to make because the choice is so extensive. Blossoming Gifts have a lovely selection of flowers by post* and as a thank you to me, and to you for reading this post, they are offering a fantastic 33% discount offer which is available using the code BGIFTS33.

And whilst we're on the subject of discounts, as an M&S cardholder I get certain discounts as do my "Friends and Family". Well that has to include everyone who reads this doesn't it? So for anyone who would like to buy anything from M&S which falls under the category of "clothing, beauty, home and furniture" between 17th and 21st September, if you quote code SEP15A12 online, you can get 20% off. Go shop with glee!!

*The flowers by post range is excluded from the 33% discount - but it is only very small!

My Zara sale star buy!

Sometimes the best buys that we make aren't expensive, or "big" or things that we've coveted for months but rather things that we spot out of the corner of our eye and which make our heart miss a beat. I know that this makes me sound very simple but for me it was this navy sparkly jumper in Zara, which was reduced from £25.99 to £7.99. I came across it yesterday - the last one in the store but I've just checked and it's still available online in both navy and khaki. It only comes in one size - a medium - which kinda makes things easier.  Some people collect jeans, or shoes or bags - well I collect navy sparkly jumpers and this is my new favourite.

Zara sequin jumper reduced from £25.99 to £7.99

Reasons why I like this jumper?

• Apart from the fact that it's navy and sparkly, it's short so it works really well with this Whistles midi length skirt, which up until now I've had a problem finding a top for;
• Ditto this will open up a whole host of options with other skirts and high waisted trousers;
• It has a decent weight to it so it will keep me warm.

What more do I need to say?!! Have you made any great sale buys. Come on, 'fess up!

ps If you look closely by the ankle strap of my left sandal, you can see my Sponge Bob Square Pants plaster. Such a classy bird!!

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.  

Can I persuade you to jump into a jumpsuit?

Not so long ago, I could never have imagined wearing a jumpsuit but I guess that's partly because I hadn't found the right one. A very short, very tight, Ted Baker style one (lovely as they are) worn with heels for a night out would have just caused looks of consternation wherever I went. It's a bit like the off-the-shoulder top that I tried on the other day. What looked like a 19 year old's top next to the face of a 44 year old. Not so much.

However just after Christmas I took the plunge and ordered the Baukjen playsuit that I'm wearing above. I didn't expect to like it but I was pleasantly surprised not only by its comfort and quality but also because of its laid back style. Whilst I couldn't deal with a jumpsuit in a dressed up environment I can get my head around it in a more relaxed setting, with flats and a stack of friendship bracelets. The drawstring waist means that I can alter the length of the shorts, the addition of a sleeve means that I feel less exposed and the neckline is one that I like. As with my denim Topshop jumpsuit that I've worn so much, an all in one outfit just takes the hassle out of dressing.

This Baukjen playsuit (£71) is a good alternative, although sizes are limited. 

And M&S Limited Edition has this playsuit (£45) which I love for its denim look, although the reviews about its fit aren't great - but obviously one size doesn't fit all and I would personally still give it a try. In fact M&S has quite a good selection of jumpsuits, both printed and plain so it's worth taking a look there as a starting point.

GAP has this tencel playsuit (24.99) which would be perfect for those who might prefer a little less coverage, possibly because they're going somewhere other than wet Wales or rainy Guernsey for their hols!

I know that some of us may be over 40 and that some of us will soon be teetering on the brink of being nearer to 50 than 40 - but that doesn't mean that we have to resign ourselves to wearing mid calf, wide leg, flippy, flappy linen trousers in the summer.

The outfit that I wore whilst presenting an M&S fashion show...

It's always nice to be invited to do something and a few weeks ago I was asked by M&S to go down to their Camberley store for two days to prep for and present a new style of loyalty event.

Ordinarily the style events are run in about 40 stores around the country over a two day period. Presentations are run every hour on the hour and during that time the stylists talk through trends, advise on bodyshape, build outfits, accessorize, talk about underwear and generally show the brand at its best. However this event was somewhat different in that it was run very much more like a fashion show in that there were four models, a catwalk and music.

When the stage is finally set but there's no one about it reminds me of a ghost ship - eerily calm. The set was built on the Wednesday night after I had left the store for the evening so it was strange to see it there on Thursday morning.

The first day was spent pulling the product, photographing it and getting the outfits approved, tweaking bits and changing sizes, sorting out the running order, labelling the clothes up for the models, marking out the catwalk in a training room for the run through the next day and so on. 

The second day was spent fitting the models, making the final changes to the outfits, doing a technical run through with the music, de-tagging everything and then getting the models into hair and make-up before the first show at 6pm. I have to say that all the prep was very much a team effort and that I wasn't in charge of the team - I was just a very small part of it! 

When presenting these events I get to choose an outfit to wear - the only proviso being that it's smart, and that there's plenty of availability. I get such little time to take photos during the prep - or at all - but someone did take the above snap for me and this what I wore...

 M&S floral lace pencil skirt (£39) - I loved wearing this skirt. It was so comfortable, had a great length and the colour was fabulous. Even given the distance in this photograph you can see how bright it is. For anyone who works in an environment where this type of skirt would work, I would strongly recommend trying it. It would also be good at a formal event, such as a wedding or christening.

Then I opted for this M&S textured boxy top (£19). With the skirt being so bright I was happy for that to take centre stage, with the top very much playing second fiddle.

But then I opted for a piece of statement jewellery, just to balance the outfit out. I chose this Limited Edition chain link necklace (£18) because I liked the blue of the necklace with the coral skirt.

And finally, I opted for these Autograph shoes (£55). Again there has to be sufficient availability and I like to wear heels for these events - especially as the models went on to the stage first - all 5ft 10" of them on average - and then I had to come out second. What a disappointment to the audience - the dumpy, ugly one!

So what do you think to the outfit? Is anyone tempted by the skirt? I know of a few people who might  just like its very bright colour....