Can I wear tracksuit bottoms for a meal out? And a few sparkly purchases...

"Can I go out to dinner wearing my tracksuit bottoms?" I asked the family last night. It was our wedding anniversary and I was taking counsel from other family members because, as much as I love going out to dinner, I like being comfortable even more. "Not unless you want to look like a chav and only if you're going to McDonalds" was the general consensus so I cheated and replicated the look in a more acceptable way with luxe track pants from Topshop and the Victorie top from Reiss (£89). Taking a photo at the end of the evening minus lippy and minus most accessories is not generally a good idea but hey ho, you know how these things go.

It was the first time that I had put the Reiss top through its paces and it did the job it was designed to do well, namely keep me warm, look slightly fancy but not too fancy and not cling anywhere that I didn't want it to. This top was way more than I would normally pay but after having a good wardrobe clear out, there was a gaping hole for tops and having tried it on and having deliberated for quite some time I concluded that it would serve me well over the years.

And here's another crappety crap crap photo but again, hey ho, you know these things go. I don't like all this clock changing business. There's just no time to get any snaps during the week. The early morning ones are blue and the evening ones - well there's no point taking any. Luckily our son's school finished at 1pm today, so that was good of them.

Anyway, the reason for the photo was to tell you about the slim cropped pants from GAP (£34.95). I've had these for longer than I can remember but I seem to recall that at one time they were too loose to wear so I put them away. Thankfully my new found addiction to M&S cashew nut butter has resolved that particular problem and now they fit really well. They are so comfortable and a great length with trainers - just enough ankle flash to work but not so much as to be cold. Best of all they are  95% cotton, 5% elastane and they are machine washable. At £34.95 they are a great price too and having felt the Joseph equivalent a few seasons ago, I wasn't convinced that there was anything in it.

And now a couple of snaps of things that I picked up today in preparation for a style event next week. First off some bags from New Look (£22.99). I love this black back pack. It's a sharp shape with simple styling and a great place to start for anyone contemplating one. It also comes in burgundy and with burgundy/claret/ox-blood being such a big trend this season, it's an easy way to tap in to that trend too.

You can't beat a good sparkly bag for the evening but there's no need to spend a fortune on one. These sparkle box clutches are also from New Look.

Finally, most converse lovers will probably know about the leather ones that they do in the winter but for those who don't, these metallic ones from Schuh (£60) are just great. They go with everything and offer a little more warmth and protection that the canvas ones. I love the returns policy at Schuh too - it's a whole year. Can't argue with that.

 

I have a house full of goodies so I will share one or two of my other fabulous buys over the next few posts.

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.

Jumpers of the striped, and Christmas, variety!

I'm writing this in the sun, sitting outside a café waiting for someone and I can't see the screen at all, so I have absolutely no idea what I'm typing - which probably means that it will make way more sense than usual.

I think that there are a lot of us out there who have a bit of a thing for stripes.  Well that is unless you're my sister. Wide stripes give her migraines so if you're wearing them, she can't look at you which is all a bit disconcerting - especially if you happen to be her boss.

I first wore this jumper when on holiday in Guernsey but it's been too warm to wear it since. Actually it was really hot when we were in Guernsey so why I was wearing it there I have no idea - but what's new?  I bought it from Reiss in the sale, at a point in time when I felt that it was a reasonable amount to pay and since then I've pretty much stashed it away. Here I'm wearing it with Zara boots and Jigsaw jeans, together with my Clover Oushka silver handbag which is now on sale, with 50% off, making it £77.50. I love a metallic handbag as it goes with just about anything. It's the same with metallic shoes too. Quick and easy styling is definitely what it's all about.

For anyone after a metallic handbag there's also this lovely one from Boden. It comes in bright coral too and as someone on the hunt for a bright bag, this is definitely a contender. But we all know what I'm like with my lists of things that I could do with, and things that I actually end up buying. Knowing me I'll probably end up with the metallic one.

One thing that was on my list and which I didn't go off piste on, were some navy ankle boots. Given that practically everything that I own I have in navy, I'm not sure why I didn't have any navy ankle boots but it was a glaring gap (OK, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration - maybe it was more of an amoeba sized gap) which I filled firstly with the Boho boot from Boden

but which I replaced with the Petra style of boot from Dune (£89). These also come in  black, natural and tan for anyone who likes the style but not so much the colour. Our eldest looked at them and said "Oooh I like those, they're the kind of boots that Harry (Styles) wears. " Now given that he's a 20 year old bloke and I'm a 40 plus female, I couldn't work out whether that was a case for keeping them or not. But I like them, so I am.

I'm not one for embracing Christmas earlier than is absolutely necessary - and certainly not before bonfire night but today I did make one Christmas purchase. Last year I felt bad that our youngest missed out on the Christmas jumpers and ended up with a Primark one from the boys' section. It wasn't the Primark bit that bothered me, more the boys bit. So this year, and for once slightly ahead of the game, I've been and bought her jumper (also from Primark). And here it is.....

I may also have bought her a "Frozen" t-shirt because who needs to be stylish when you're 6? Or at any age for that matter. And if you should ever hear that I was seen standing in Primark holding a Frozen t-shirt up against myself to see if it would fit, it was a lie.

You know how you can go orange from eating too many carrots? Well do you think that the same is true of Wotsits? I think that I may have over-dosed on them. Tomorrow's photos could prove interesting.

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 trip to London, a peruse around J. Crew and some cheaper alternatives.....

On Saturday I went to London to meet my friend who lives in Brighton. Whilst there, I tried on this Reiss quilted jumper in ivory (£79) (below). We both really liked it but, after thinking about it, I concluded that it was too much to spend on a top that I would probably wear in a really casual way and anyway, I already had a white sweatshirt  (above) which would do much the same job.

Roll on Sunday and I decided to wear my white sweatshirt just to see what I thought. As the end of the day was nearing, I concluded that the Reiss one would, in fact, be very handy to have and as it was a bit smarter than mine I could wear it in a slightly different way.

So we sat down to our evening meal of home made burgers, home made rolls, salad and home made ice-cream (all thanks to Mr SG), the latter of which I doused liberally with salted caramel sauce (the ice-cream that is, not Mr SG). The trouble was that before it even reached the ice cream, I doused myself in it - and what I mess a made. And then, in taking the sweatshirt off to give it the fairy liquid treatment, I managed to get the sauce everywhere - up the sleeves, down the back, on the inside. By the time I had finished with it the top looked like a baby had projectile vomited (and the other) simultaneously and it was at that point that I realised that for once, just for once in my life, I had actually made a very good decision in not buying the Reiss top for had I done so, I would most definitely have been wearing it at that point.

Obviously whilst in London, a visit to J. Crew had to be on the agenda. Now I don't want to be a party pooper, and more than anyone I understand the joy that clothes can bring, but we did enjoy our game of spotting where else we could find less expensive alternatives to what they had on offer. Banana Republic, GAP, Zara and Topshop featured. Of course some of the things are lovely and it's great to see a successful brand but as with anything that has such a strong brand identity, it's important not to get seduced by that, rather than the clothes on offer.

Now one of the items that has featured quite a lot recently is this J. Crew jewelled bib shirt (£495). It's pretty much sold out on line so there are obviously plenty of people who can get their heads around spending that much on a shirt and I have to say, not being one of them, I'm pretty impressed by that.

But for those who can't imagine spending that on a shirt, this H&M  embellished shirt (£29.99) would probably do just fine.

You could even sew a few more embellishments on it to make it sparkle a bit more AND, it would leave £465.01 to put towards this Dulcie coat from Shrimps (£595) which is very covetable.

Anyway, whilst in London I wanted to try this H&M beaded sweatshirt (£29.99) which I had seen in the window of our local store last week but which I hadn't had time to try. When I put it on my friend said "Oh my God, you look like you've been inflated." Which naturally left me very deflated but on looking in the mirror I couldn't argue. The fabric was stiff and the shape wide but on others I wouldn't rule it out - it just might work.

And whilst I'm on the subject of embellished bits and bobs, this H&M  grey beaded sweatshirt  (£24.99) could do a good job of adding a bit of bling as the nights draw in.

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 pretty dress and heels, as a contrast to pretty scruffy cut-offs and a top...

 

Last night when I was putting the piles of washing away, I had a flick through my wardrobe and concluded that it was about time to dig out a few favourites that I haven't worn for a while. After all, there are only so many times one can wear shorts and a top before everyone goes "Oh look, she's wearing shorts and a top again. How exciting."

This Reiss dress I've had for probably three years now and it's always nice on a sunny day. I'm also wearing a Paul Costelloe clutch bag which one of my friends gave me for my birthday and some NW3 Hobbs shoes, which I bought at Bicester for about £30 instead of their £189 price tag.

I shall be up early every morning this week getting a few hours work in before the older two surface. However my 6 year old photographer will be taking some snaps of those favourites I have mentioned. I can't promise that I will wear the outfits for the entire day and once that pink front door closes, it's quite likely that those shorts will be donned again. But at least it makes for some slightly more interesting blog posts...hopefully.

Oh and I am trying as hard as possible not to look at the new season's collections that are filtering through because frankly, I want the sun to last for as long as possible and the thought of winter clothing right now is pretty horrific.  However with the "Fall" collections filtering through - you do realise that "Autumn" will soon be a thing of the past when it comes to fashion - I couldn't help but take a quick look at Baukjen and there, predictably, I fell in love with something, namely this jumpsuit, which is £99.  I like to think of it as a more stylish version of a Onesie. Now we're talking!

Stripes and scallops plus yet another swimwear saga...

Today's outfit is a classic look with a simple colour palette.  I wanted something that gave a nod to that whole 1940's, open top sports car/headscarf/Riviera type look and this jumper from Reiss, GAP shorts and Accessorise sunglasses went some way towards it. And if nothing else, at least I have the blue sky!

I saw these scalloped shorts in GAP before we left but decided that I couldn't really justify another pair of shorts and then, when it became clear that it was shorts weather all the way, I changed my mind but needed to find a way to get them to Guernsey. After trying several different approaches (there's no GAP over here, they don't deliver online and a courier would have cost more than the shorts) my sister picked up a pair in her Brighton store and brought them over. Apparently they were a best seller last week so I was lucky to get a pair at all.

I bought this Reiss jumper in the sale before we left. It was reduced from £110 to £40 and I had my eye on it for a very long time before it was reduced to a price that I was happy to pay. But then when it was, I snapped it up and no doubt I will get a huge amount of wear out of it.

Now following on from yesterday's post, I would like to ask everyone to take a minute to note the size of these particular bikini pants. True, they don't make this particular model's legs look about 2" long but clearly she has copied my M&S beauties because they too are on the rather ginormous side.

I actually feel a little bad about taking the mick so mercilessly out of my bikini because I have to say, it is the most comfortable bikini that I have ever owned, to the point that I'm starting to get the whole big pants thing. There were no cheeky bits of bottom peeking their way out and there was no wriggling or faffing with either the top, or the bottoms, to keep it comfortable.

And one thing is for sure, it was a much finer outfit that the one that I wore on our very early morning swim in the sea. Having decided to run to the beach this morning, last night I gave my sister a bag of clothes, plus a towel and bikini to bring to the beach for me.  Although it transpired that I had forgotten the most important thing - the bikini. Not one to be put off by such a thing I wore some H&M brightly patterned knee length swimming trunks belonging to our 12 year old son, and a bra. Sooooo classy.

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.

 

 

Gemini Fashion - A blogger "style off" in printed trousers

 

Along with Donna at I Won't Wear Sludge Brown and Jane at My Midlife Fashion I was recently approached by Gemini-Woman to see whether I would be interested in taking part in a blogger style off, using a pair of printed trousers from Gemini's Sandwich Collection. together with a top which we were asked to choose from a selection offered.

I was interested as it gave me the opportunity to try Sandwich Clothing, which I haven't investigated for a few years now. It also gave me the chance to devote some time to looking at the collection, trying things for size and checking out the quality. As part of the style off, we were each gifted a scarf in the same print as the trousers.

The trousers that we were asked to wear were the Sienna dot pants in driftwood and they cost £79.50. Being 50% cotton and 50% modal they are really soft and they hang nicely. They are also machine washable. I love the muted colours in the print, which is so versatile in that it would work with lots of shades of grey (maybe 50 or so?!) plus creams, browns and not to mention turquoise. I am wearing the XS in all pieces, all of which were quite roomy, so perhaps opting for a smaller size could be wise.

From the tops on offer, I chose the single jersey jacket in dark wood (£89). It was slightly more fitted than some of the other tops suggested which, whilst lovely, I didn't think would suit my frame. The sleeve length is also good for showing off bracelets and bangles to their full effect and I really like the asymmetric detailing.

I also chose the lightweight jersey top in bright aqua (£49) as I thought that it would contrast well against the jacket, whilst also referencing the blue in the print in the trousers. Being a bit of fair skinned, OK pale, creature - some colour is always good too.

In terms of how I styled the outfit, in the shot below I am wearing both the top and jacket, together with a blue statement necklace, two Reiss cuffs and an Orla Kiely blue bag (which I accidentally left out in the garden overnight - a crime against bags if ever there was one)! I turned the trousers up slightly for a more relaxed look and the waist band down, as the trousers were quite high waisted, which for some is both perfect and essential. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the trousers hung over my bottom - sometimes they can be really shapeless but these were fitted although without any VPL issues!

But because I loved the colour of the top so much, I also went for a shot without the jacket. For me, an outfit such as this could be worn for so many different occasions - from a night out with the girls, to lunch, shopping or perhaps to one of the many "Oh so trendy Rod Stewart/Michael Buble/Gary Barlow" concerts to which my husband I seem to be going of late. I have to say though that the main thing about these trousers is the comfort factor so if you're planning on sitting still for a long time, or eating a big meal or doing anything in which your find other clothes restricting, these trousers could be the answer.

Gemini are currently offering a 10% discount which is valid for 1 month from today on full price clothing together with free delivery on orders over £75. For now I'm sure that Donna won't mind you using her unique code -  GEMSLUDGE10. I will update with mine tomorrow!

And as this is a "style off" Gemini will be promoting it across their social media channels, giving people the chance to vote on their favourite look, which you can do via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook - however really I see this as more of an opportunity to throw a few ideas around on how to style these trousers and to encourage others to give them a go when perhaps they may not have done so. They really are very easy to wear and great for people like me who, when it's hot, don't want to show the lot!

Primark printed dress - the one that got away - plus some other printed pieces and a round up of what's in the shops

Today I was back in the shops, checking out the new stock. The stores are at a lovely stage now with lots of bright colours and prints, on clothing that we can actually imagine ourselves wearing, unlike when it all first started to arrive back in February. Because there aren't any sales on, the shops are neat, tidy and a pleasant place to be. Which was lucky as I was there for a few hours, starting with Cos before moving on to Karen Millen, Reiss, Zara, Next, Mango, Warehouse, Oasis, Topshop and finally Selfridges.

One of the good things about Selfridges is that they have a decent amount of floor space devoted to Primark - all of which is stocked with the Selfridges' customer in mind. Had this printed shift dress been 3 inches longer it would definitely be staying at the house with the pink front door. As it is, it took one look at itself on me in the mirror and legged it out of the door as quick as it could. However, for anyone who is on the petite side (and who likes the print - all v. personal I know) it's a great buy. It's 100% cotton, lovely quality and costs £13. Primark also has a selection of shell style tops in about 4 prints - not this one sadly so far - and they are £8.

Having decided to write about the printed Primark dress, I thought that it would be nice to include a few other printed pieces - although I must admit that I left M&S for another day, so I haven't actually seen these in the flesh - but I do like the look of these high block heeled shoes from the  M&S Limited Collection (£35). Personally I would have to keep everything else in the outfit really plain.

The Ellie print top from Reiss (£89) was something else that I spent quite a lot of time looking at. It's just a really pretty and versatile top, great for work or for a trip to the pub too.

And these Olivia trousers from Reiss (£95) also caught my eye. Predictably because of the grey and yellowy/green combination I would imagine. Again they are easy to wear with a simple white top, a grey marl jumper (crew or slouchy V-neck) or sweatshirt style top.

Cos wasn't so hot on  prints but was good on colour. Oasis was full of printed pieces and Warehouse was close behind with Karen Millen having a couple of nice sweatshirt tops with neon detailing. Some of the other things that I really liked were pretty lace tops (Reiss and Karen Millen), printed jersey trousers and the huge amount of denim that there is around at the moment. A girl can dream!

A leopard print lovely and a Friday night musing

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

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

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

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

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

The Kate Spade bag gets its first outing...

I've had my knives out tonight! Tomorrow our eldest daughter is 15 and I have made mars bar krispie cake for her to take to school for her friends. The trouble is, I didn't think that it was right that she should have to take it in with uneven edges so, whilst cutting it up, I just had keep levelling it off (as you do) so that it was straight. Inevitably this led to a lot of "off-cuts" which....I ate. Yum! I must admit to feeling a bit full right now though.

I know that some of you wanted a peek at my new Kate Spade bag as part of an outfit, so here it is on its first outing. Today I had a meeting about an event that I have in February, so I decided to take it along with me. I really like the design of the bag as everything stays upright in it, unlike some other bags I have where everything slips down and ends up at the bottom - a bit like a drunk person sliding down a wall.

I kept the rest of the outfit simple with navy Whistles trousers, a navy Whistles sparkly jumper, a pea coat from Reiss, a printed Whistles scarf and Zara boots. I couldn't quite face a dress - it was just too cold today!