Yeeee-haaa! Slappa my thigh in my knee high burgundy boots!

 

Although I've been writing Style Guile for over four years now, I think that you would be hard pressed to find any outfits where I've worn knee high boots. For the last few years I haven't really been a fan of them - not on me at least - but slowly the tide is turning. I guess that ankle boots just took over for a while but then I came across this La Redoute pair of heeled/slightly slouchy boots that were gifted to me by them last year. I always loved the colour of them and with burgundy/ox-blood being a big trend this season it prompted me to give them a whirl. In theory (or in my head at least!) they should also work with my striped navy and white Whistles skirt - time will tell!

For similar try these from La Redoute (£169)...

Or there's this pair, also from La Redoute which at £44.50 are half price.

Let me know what you think and how you get on!

Outfits that make me happy and keep me warm! And a little something for my wardrobe...

 

"There's nothing worse that tights that don't fit properly" were the words of wisdom imparted by the 6 year old on the way into school this morning. And you know, she's absolutely right. I replenished her tights stock at John Lewis yesterday but clearly I got it slightly wrong. I like it when the girls have lots of new school tights. It makes me feel like a competent and organised mother.

I even looked at buying one of those gingerbread houses to make at Christmas as that would have made me a competent and organised mother but in an entirely different stratosphere. A domestic goddess no less. But then I looked at the instructions, realised that all that icing bag and piping nonsense was probably way beyond me, that it would look like a two year old had done it, that no-one would eat it and that I would finally put it in the bin mid January cursing what a waste of time it had been.  And then where would my well performing mother role be? No, sometimes knowing your limitations in life is a good thing.

I spent a huge amount of time in the shops last week and these were a couple of the outfits that I wore. They're not drastically different to one another and largely comprised of basics to include navy Whistles trousers, boots (black or navy) a jumper (sparkly or roll neck) and a jacket (Whistles: top photo, or Oasis and Zara: bottom photo).

On my rounds I came across too many things to mention but this Oasis snowflake jumper (£42) caught my eye. It's much nicer in really life - more vibrant and sparkly and the longer length will be preferred by many.

I also absolutely love this New Look fur duffle bag (£22.99), to the point that it may be finding its way into my wardrobe sometime fairly soon.

Hope that everyone's week has got off to a fabulous start!

A sparkly skirt, shiny shoes and a silver bag for a day in the shops...

Boden jacket, Warehouse jumper, Topshop skirt, Dune shoes, Oushka bag, H&M necklace

 

When a friend and I were out running last night we were talking about clothes. I know. Shock horror, can you imagine that?  Amongst many topics we discussed, we were talking about how re-working older pieces with newer bits and bobs can make all the difference.  

 

Today I was working with a lovely lady for a third time. Knowing what a fan she is of all things sparkly, I wore this navy sparkly skirt which I bought from Topshop last year. It's not old but not new either, so it sits somewhere in the middle. However I have had the navy Boden jacket for about four years now and the Warehouse navy jumper with sparkly shoulders, for even longer. The Dune shoes are new this winter as is the (much used) silver bag - so it really was a case of mixing something old with something new and a few bits in between. 

I knew that it wouldn't be long and at last the Christmas jumpers have started to arrive in the stores. The Primark ones have been around for a while and I love the one in the men's section with the built in Santa belly. However luckily it's just been pipped to the post on my list of "Desirable Christmas Jumpers" by this Warehouse sequin Robin jumper (£42). I know that there are Christmas jumper detractors but I LOVE them and anyone who doesn't is, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, is a misery pants.

When I was getting dressed this morning for some reason my printed scarves from the last few years just didn't appeal to me. I'm not sure what it was and no doubt they will again but I think that it's because secretly I'm harbouring a desire for a fur scarf. The trouble is that most of the ones that I have seen in magazines have been hugely expensive but then I came across this one in  Next (£20) and somehow everything just fell into place. So that's one for the Christmas list then.

I'm back in the shops again tomorrow and for the rest of the week so I'll keep my eyes open for some other gems.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Checking out some checks and a special invitation...

For those of you with your eye on the ball, or your ear to the ground - or just if you've been out shopping really - you can't but fail to notice that checks are everywhere.

Checks can have connotations all of their very own, depending on their size and colour way. From picnic blankets to Rupert bear, we've heard it all before and do we care? Hmmm, maybe, particularly if they're plastered across one's thighs, other than that? Nah!

Typically I'm starting with a coat that isn't even checked. It was written about in the press over the summer and I saw this wool blend coat in & Other Stories (£145) a few weeks ago now. Predictably the pink jumped out at me and I think that it was this coat that started me down the road of checks. This one wasn't right a) because it's not checked and b) the lack of joining up in the stripes department would drive me nuts - but I still like it.

Then I came across this checked coat in Warehouse (£95). Having spent a lot of time in the stores recently, it keeps jumping out at me. Pink and grey are a lovely combination and this coat would add a nice touch against darker winter clothes.

And then yesterday whilst working in M&S I came across this checked coat (£139). I spotted it from a distance across the store and went for a closer look. As they only had it in a size 20 or 22 I didn't think that I would get a true representation of what it would be like on me so instead I ordered it to our local store and I've just had the email through to say that it's been received. So guess where I'm off in a mo?!

 

The checked capes that are around can be harder to wear. The proportions need to be right and there is the danger that they will swamp but there is something that I find very appealing about them. For a start you could wear a million thick jumpers under them and there would be no issue about not being able to get your arms down the sleeves of your coat.  There's also something a bit "swishy" and dress like about them, even if they're being worn with jeans and boots. I keep gravitating towards this one from Warehouse (£30).

 

 

For anyone unsure about a whole garment made of checks, there are some great scarves around this season. I love the colours in this River Island coral blanket scarf (£22), which also comes in different colour ways. And Mango has more check scarves than you could even begin to imagine. Use one as a way of giving a new lease of life (otherwise known as tarting up) an older coat which needs a bit of va-va-voom.

 

 

Tomorrow I am spending the day in John Lewis who are kindly lending me some outfits for an event I am styling next week (invitation to follow shortly) but for now, here's the official Jigsaw invitation for the event we are running at the Birmingham store this Thursday. Please drop me an email at style@bethgoodrham.com if you would like your name adding to the guest list. We'll have a 10% discount on the night and a chance to win a Jigsaw gift card for £100. I'll be covering lots of different looks and with fizz and canapés on offer, I think we'll have a ball. For those of you who have already responded, I look forward to seeing you there.

 

 

  

Topshop printed trousers with (yet more) sparkles.

 

Ooooh golly, it's such a busy time of the year work wise that I don't have time for my usual ramblings - which is probably a relief to many.

I bought these Topshop printed trousers before the summer holidays but I hadn't got around to wearing them. However  since buying my black pointy Dune shoes (these are great Halloween shoes!) it's made wearing quite a few outfits just that little bit easier. With a block heel and strong style, they go with lots of things and together with a navy sequin jumper from many moons ago, I really liked wearing these trousers.

There are lots of printed trousers around this season - lovely ones at Zara and H&M too. At £14.99 the H&M ones are a really good buy. They are 98% cotton and 2% elastane so they have a nice feel plus a little bit of stretch. Amusingly - or so I thought - they are called "slacks" on the label, which is what my Grandma always called trousers. I know that I've said it before but for anyone less sure of printed trousers, a dark background with a lighter print is more flattering.

And there's these great H&M  cashmere jumpers (£49.99) which work really well over a printed trouser as they offer a little "bottom coverage" without being too loose and baggy. I've linked to the page so that you can see the different colours. The one that I have just bought is a pretty peachy/light coral colour which will pick up the same colour in the trousers. H&M also have a lovely grey cashmere cardi and a round neck jumper style too - so it's worth taking a look if you fancy a little bit of cashmere but at a more reasonable price.

 

 

I'm away for a couple of nights in Wales with some friends over the weekend so I'll blog when I get back. So far I've packed a Onesie and my trainers - an interesting sartorial combination if ever there was one.

Mustard, mustard, mustard - one way or another it's going to get you!

This season it's out to get you. Unless you try really hard, one way or another, mustard is going to feature somehow, somewhere, in your wardrobe. It is literally everywhere. I don't think I've seen a colour come from nowhere and dominate the High Street since brown did it in about 2002/3 (and wasn't that a season to remember?)

For me it started with a Topshop T-shirt that wasn't actually mustard at all, but when I was trying to find a jumper in the same colour, I held up a mustard coloured one and you know, it looked OK. Being of a slightly brighter hue it works with black, navy, grey and even purple, plus white. And you know, it's just nice to have a change.

The jumper in question was the textured sleeve jumper by Warehouse (£36). See how good it looks with denim? And let's face it, we all have denim don't we?

This Zara printed T (£19.99) is a subtle way to tap into the colour. Admittedly it's not so subtle on the 1960's design but if you like the 60's trend, it too is a great way to tap into that. Mixing mustard up with other "safer" colours makes it more accessible for those mustard newcomers out there.

The geometric print trousers Zara (£19.99) are also another good way of wearing mustard for those who don't like the colour next to their face. The print will attract attention to the legs so for anyone with great pins, these could be for you. I also like that it's mixed up a little with black and white, rather than being a block colour.

These trousers look great on but they do have a couple of small pleats at the waist band (you can see them more clearly on a close up photo on the site.) They do sit pretty flat  and as they're so high up a jumper would cover them but they won't to be everyone's taste. There's also a top in the same print.

For those who like the comfort blanket that grey offers, mixing mustard with it as in this Boden woven front jumper (£70.31) makes it much easier to wear. The sweatshirt styling and raglan sleeves also keep the look fresh - much more groovy than granny!

And finally I loved this Zara printed shirt (£25.99) so much that I made a special trip into town on Friday to take a closer look. The royal blue works really well with the mustard and being a fan of blue I could imagine feeling happy with this colour combination. Sadly the background was too grey for me but on some else it could look fab. It has small ties up the back but in the grand scheme of things, these are pretty insignificant.

So, is anyone tempted to go there? For many I think that it may well only be a matter of time.

My pick of the High Street prints

 

Outfit: Jigsaw jumper and printed trousers, Topshop shoes

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An outfit round up....

 

I seem to have so many different projects on the go at the moment that I haven't managed to blog for  a few days. So, I thought that I would bring you all up to date with a 3-in-1 type post.

Over the years I've realised that it doesn't matter how organised you are before the children go back to school, there are still lots of jobs that don't get done, so I purposefully left the labelling (of the iron on variety) until this evening. Happening upon the  cardi of our youngest stuffed in her PE bag and needing a wash wasn't so much part of the plan but not to worry. Oh and I've just been told that one of them needs a stitch in their blazer pocket. I think that a raised eyebrow conveyed my response adequately.

Some of you with eagle eyes may recognised the NW3 purple jumper from the blog sale. It wasn't snapped up so I decided to wear it. I didn't own the trainers, necklace or the t-shirt when I bought it but now they all worked together. So that was one new outfit sorted.

Keeping with the theme of boyfriend jeans, yesterday we took a trip into town to get the requisite school trainers and rugby boots. I think that the prospect of a visit to Sports Direct is what gave me my deathly pallor! Anyway, Stan Smith trainers (which are uber comfortable) with a lace Warehouse top and Boden jacket were fine for that particular little jaunt - which also involved a visit to the Build a Bear Workshop. No visiting the new Whistles store for me. Tomorrow however will be a different story!

And today I was photo bombed by an angel! Now, the top that I would ordinarily wear with this Jigsaw skirt is mine no more, so I wandered into shirt territory (GAP) for a change. Neither converse nor trainers seemed to work with it all so the Birkenstocks, which are now sadly on their last legs, stepped into the breach.

 

And as for tomorrow - who knows what it will bring in terms of an outfit. As for my activity for the day, it's shopping all the way. Yipppeeee!!

If you buy one thing this winter, make it furry! It's an instant wardrobe update.

I am so going to go there this year! Without a shadow of a doubt, fur, feathers, or sheepskin in muted shades is definitely the way forward. The High Street is going to be packed full of all things furry. Many haven't reached the stores yet so I would advise waiting for a few weeks, seeing what's out there and taking your time - unless of course you get that sudden beat of your heart and come out in a cold sweat because you've fallen in love with a particular coat. In that case, just buy it there and then - there's time for thinking (and possibly returning if needs be) at a later date and chances are, if you don't buy it someone else will. I predict a riot when the Whistles one is released! But for now, here's what's out and about...

Fur jacket from Warehouse (£65) - I love the colour and the length of this jacket. I've had a fur jacket a few years but it's a bit of an in between length, whereas this one is clearly a proper "jacket" length.

I love the simple styling of this Warehouse shot too. It's all very relaxed and not at all how fur coats used to be worn, which was all so glamourous. No, this is much more down to earth and accessible. Once we've got our heads around that idea and made the transition, everything else will fall into place. Skinny jeans, waxed jeans, chunky boots, trainers or skater trainers - that's the way to go with a fur coat.

Jigsaw sheepskin jacket (£395) - This is such a pretty, pale silver grey.  I'm going to road test it as against the man made fibres of the fur coat, for warmth. Jigsaw also do a sheepskin car coat for £995.

You won't be surprised to learn that Zara has a plethora of fur coats. This Zara blue fur coat (£69.99) is also on my list to be tried and twirled in.

You too can do your best Easter chick impression in this yellow Zara short fur coat £69.99. Hello to my friend out there who was after a yellow coat last year and didn't get one. Could this one be for you???

I'm aware that many will feel that a fur coat is just too bulky for their frame and that it risks throwing their proportions out. First of all, there will be some that are lighter weight and less furry than others and some will be more fitted than others, so don't rule them all out.

Secondly, there are also a variety of gilets (or vests as the Americans call them. A vest? I thought that was something you wore under your clothes) which work really well layered over a leather jacket, so you still get the warmth on your arms but without the bulk. I also quite often find that if my core is warm, it matters less what is going on with my arms.

If all of those options fail, look to accessories. This Zara furry clutch bag is a great winter wardrobe pep up and would work well against anything black or navy. There's also a variety of fur hats, scarves, gloves and skater trainers too, so it's still possible to work fur in somewhere along the way.

But back to the jackets. The Zara styling is soooo much better than it used to be. Previously the models looked like they wanted to pack up and go home. Now they may well have had good reason to look like that but it didn't really inspire people to shop in the way they perhaps would have done otherwise.

I like the simplicity of this Zara short fur jacket £69.99. I'll definitely be steering away from black. Maybe not quite to yellow but away from black. There's so much black around in the winter and this is such a great opportunity to break free from it, without looking like Joseph in his technicoloured dream coat. There are plenty of longer fur coats too - but for anyone taking a first foray into fur, the jackets are an easier option.

This what I mean by a vest. Actually it's not what I mean by a vest at all, it's what Zara  means by a vest. (Fur vest £59.99)

There's only one word to describe this coat from Marc Cain (£335). Marmite.

As to other options that will be appearing in the stores shortly, there's this coat from New Look for £64 and I've already mentioned the Whistles one which looks like a very pale lilac colour.

So will you or won't you? My instincts tell me that there are plenty who are going "no way" but as the season progresses I suspect that minds may be changed. And I only say that because I suffer from the affliction of being fickle when it come to fashion.