A wardrobe staple to take you from daytime to dinner out....

Outfit: Adidas trainers, Cos jeans, Mint Velvet top

Most of my wardrobe is made up of staples with a few other bits and bobs added in each season. Cream is a neutral colour that I can wear without it draining the life out of me and I'm always on the look out for a versatile cream top. Throw in some lace too and it's got my name written all over it. Stripes, sequins, neon, navy, cashmere and denim have also been known to do it for me on occasion!

I first saw this Ivory lace top Mint Velvet back at the end of the summer but at £79 it was more than I had in mind to pay. And then in John Lewis last week I came across it in the sale, reduced to £55. I had a good think about it and came to the conclusion that it was worth the investment. It's slightly longer than some tops I have which means that it offers a bit more bottom coverage (always useful) and although I like a white shirt, on occasion I feel much more comfortable in something like this - it's just a little less trussed up and formal. 

 

I would offer some alternatives but we're on holiday in Wales this week, without wi-fi, so I'm keeping it brief. Sorry!

A few old favourites....plus some new(er) trainers

I was shopping all day yesterday and after my race the day before, I decided that my toes needed  a little bit of tlc. Oddly nothing really ached afterwards - keeping on the move definitely seemed to help - but nonetheless I wasn't convinced that six hours of heels would have been a good idea.

Sometimes firm favourites are a good place to start for an outfit and whilst these don't quite fall into the category of clothes that I've had since our (nearly) sixteen year old was a baby, they've been around for a good few years now.

So starting with the trousers, these wide leg ponte fabric trousers from Jigsaw are five years old now, the Oasis cream leather jacket must be about the same and the Topshop blouse too. My Marc Jacobs handbag was a 10th wedding anniversary present, so that's nearly 6 years old now. The newest addition are the Stan Smith trainers - comfortable to the end! So it's not always about new things - not at all - rather it's more about buying pieces in shapes that never really date. Not high fashion, just good quality staples.

And whilst we're on the subject of washing - which I seem to have been of late - today I made real progress. That was until I saw 6 year olds teacher at the chapel doors just before a Harvest service. "Oh" she said "Your daughter was a star today." Words which always start the bells ringing. "She tripped whilst carrying her lunch and ended up with it all in her lap. So then she went to get some more and slipped again. Yes, she was covered in baked beans, cheese, jacket potato and custard." So guess what's whizzing around in the machine as I type. One day I'll get there...