Mum on the Run - Speaking at an event for Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer - why not come along for an evening of fun?!

Today's post is all about promoting a fanstastic local charity, Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer and I also wanted to tell you about an event at which I will be speaking on Thursday next week (25th).

 

The charity was set up with the aim of buying additional equipment for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The first fundraising project saw the team of volunteers raise £5000 to buy a cooling cap to prevent hair loss during treatment. A further sum of £150 000 was raised to buy an Ultrasound scanner.

 

In total the charity has raised over £1 million which has provided the hospital with vital equipment, enabling it to become a centre of excellence. As a result of this, the hospital is able to provide patients with a level of treatment far beyond the means of the NHS.

 

Funds are currently being raised to buy a second, and much urgently needed, mobile mammogram trailer.

 

I will be hitting the shops beforehand, buying all sorts of fabulous pieces about which to talk during my "bit".  My aim is to provide plenty of hints and tips on styling, to look at some trends for the season, to talk about building the perfect capsule wardrobe - and anything else that I think may take our fancy! There are some great raffle prizes, fabulous stalls and a fashion quiz too.

So, if you would like to come along, please drop me a line at style@bethgoodrham.com Otherwise, I just really wanted to try and help raise awareness of this charity. Breast cancer is a cause which is close to many of us, so any help which you could offer in terms of raising awareness, making a donation, offering a raffle prize or even better, coming along and saying hello, would be very much appreciated.

You can follow LFBC on twitter here and on Facebook here

Thank you!

Mum on the Run - Layering a dress over trousers and wearing a couple of Bicester purchases...

With the impending trip to One Direction (sorry, I can't bring myself to write the whole 1D thing) I don't think that there will be time for a post tomorrow night, so here's a quick one until I return, probably with ringing ears.

 

There's a closer shot of this All Saints dress below, which I bought at Bicester in March, along with the Hobbs shoes that I am wearing. I hadn't appreciated the height of the "scoop" at the side of the dress but let's just say that whilst it hangs in my wardrobe, it will only be worn over trousers. Yeah, says she of the "I don't like wedge trainers" statement.

 

Not being sure how over exposed the outside shots would be, we headed indoors to take a couple more over exposed shots but nevermind.

The leather jacket added warmth, the coral necklace some colour and I was good for the day - until I returned home having seen a friend's freshly painted kitchen and decided that our paintwork needed sprucing up. The outfit of too short, too wide, 9 year old Topshop boyfriend jeans elicited the comment of "nice outfit" from the eldest. Nice outfit indeed. I think that she might find me wearing it tomorrow night when we go and see Harry and the boys.

All Saints dress (above) which also comes in a top and Hobbs NW3 shoes (below)

Mum on the Run - Two days of outfits and planning our trip to One Direction!

See, not a wedge trainers in sight, although the boyfriend jeans seem to be getting a bit of a battering. I fear it's because they are a relaxed fit, which translates to roomy, which translates to comfortable, which translates to me being to eat more toblerone. Fantastic!

 

Spring has finally sprung here. Yesterday when we went out of the front door it was just like stepping off a plane in Benidorm, or somewhere equally exotic. It was a little windy and it rained for the rest of the day but hey, it was definitely warmer. Yipppee. It was the same today too. Two days in a row must mean that spring is here to stay.

 

It was so warm, I wore a short sleeved top yesterday - probably the first time since last September. This is a plain top from Hobbs NW3, which I bought in the sale last summer. It's slightly larger than I would normally have but I didn't want it to be too fitted. As with most simple pieces, it's really versatile in that I can wear it with jeans, under a smart blazer, with a pencil skirt, with a long sleeved striped top layered underneath or worn over a maxi dress. Here I wore it with Gap boyfriend jeans, All Saints shoes and H&M coral necklace, to brighten it up.

 

 

This is a closer shot of my "rocker" belt from Topshop. I had my eye on a Jigsaw one at the time but it was nearly £100 so I went to Topshop for a less expensive alternative. In truth it probably wasn't quite as nice as the Jigsaw one but it's such a long time ago now that I can't remember what the Jigsaw one was like, which I guess is one benefit of the passage of time!

Being a lazy whatsit, I wore the same jeans and shoes today but layered a couple of lighterweight jumpers under this cape, which I bought in the Zara sale at the end of last summer for £10. It hasn't been warm enough to wear until now but (as I keep on saying) today it was. What a great disguiser it is of all things that need disguising! I'm a bit of a fan of a polo neck and it has separate sleeves, which I like.

 

Later on in the day I swapped the shoes for eye wateringly bright trainers when I took the youngest out on her bike - minus stabilisers but which she can't yet ride on her own. Not that my back kills me or anything now.

The trainers were then swapped for wellies when we went in the garden to plant flowers. We now have about 500 000 poppies growing in 1 square cm of soil and when they were watered, they needed mouth to mouth and a life raft.

Along with two of her friends, I am taking the eldest to see One Direction on Wednesday. I've decided that the least cool thing ever is to sing along only to the cover versions they do, in this case "One way or another" and "Teenage kicks" because all that does is show your age.

 

No, the only thing to do is to either sing along to nothing, or everything. This means either a) listening to One Direction songs non-stop for the next two days, because it will take me that long to learn their deep and meaningful lyrics or b) standing there mutely.

 

I have a c) up my sleeve, which is to go and chuck my biggest Bridget Jones knickers at them instead. 

Mum on the Run - Swooning over (no, not George Clooney) but LK Bennett shoes and wearing a little Hobbs, Gap, Dune and French Connection

I keep seeing the lovely LK Bennett Aroa sandal wherever I look, so I thought that they deserved a little collage of their own. I'm a sucker for anything broderie anglaise and the fact that they are such pretty colours and a lovely design means that I am smitten. They're like French Fondant Fancies for feet!

Keeping it brief, the weather still hasn't been up to much of late. It was raining all day yesterday which meant that we stayed inside so with that in mind (and the fact that there were six children here) I decided to give my Dune brogues from last summer a trial run. With boyfriend jeans, a French Connection striped jumper and Gap bird print scarf I was good for the day and I only managed to get my scarf caught in the dishwasher about 350 times.

This morning we managed a shot outside. Hopefully you will all be good enough to notice the new door mat and freshly planted pots in preparation for outside shots, as opposed to the bag containing the children's too small school shoes which need to be re-cylced, and the rest of the re-cycling. It would be unfair to blame a five year old for including them.

I promised not to include the wedge trainers for a while but there's a reason for wearing them which goes like this. Yesterday I was asked whether I would like to interview a couple of celebs on Monday. Having agreed, I looked at the state of my eyebrows and decided that they needed some serious attention, hence an emergency 8.45am trip to the beautician at the end of the road.  As I keep telling everyone, the wedges are so comfortable that they were perfect for the fact that, predictably, I left slightly later than I should have done. Actually, I'm secretely quite pleased that the cost per wear of them has now gone down to, oh I don't know, at least £25.

We then went off to see my Mum for the day and so it was that a Monsoon lace top came to be worn together with the Hobbs blazer that I wore the other day - because now that the temperature is right I really want to get some wear out of it and it also goes better with creams and lighter blues than with darker winter colours - and a Lola Rose scarf. Fortunately Mum doesn't have a dishwasher so there were no near strangling incidents but I did manage to dangle it in the washing up bowl a few times.

Right, I will now go and join the rest of the family and watch Britain's Got Talent (unless I can find some washing/ironing that needs to be done instead). Hope that everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Mum on the Run - In Primark, New Look, M&S, Ash and Jigsaw for another lovely sunny day!!!!

I was a little less "tucked in" today but believe me it's all show. Underneath that untucked denim shirt was a vest that was so well tucked into my trousers (and belted in too, come to think of it) that it would have taken a minor earthquake to untuck it all.

 

I realise that the wedge trainers have featured far too much of late but I finally sussed out last night as I was drifting off to sleep, what it is all about. Remember that I mentioned that they were comfortable? Well hold that thought.

A few weeks ago my Mum was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthirits in her feet. One of the pieces of advice she was given was to wear lace up shoes. The fact that they were laced up meant that they would stay securely on her feet, allowing her to take a slightly larger or wider size/width, which would reduce the discomfort in her feet.

Well hello Ash wedge trainers. Lace up? You bet. All the way up the ankle in fact. Generous of size? Tick. Mine are a generous size 6. Slightly wider than usual? Absolutely. The shape of the toe means that there's no pinching going on.

So, basically the reason that I love them has nothing to do with trends/looks/being cool (never have been, never will) or anything else. No! The reason that I love them is that they serve the same purpose as an orthopedic shoe - not that Mum is in those yet. She's still looking at Hotters/Padders and Echo.  The rate I'm going, I fear that I may get to the real thing before she does.

Anyway, I promise not to post about them for a while. For those interested in the rest of the get up, the shirt is from New Look, the jumper is a Cashmillon number from M&S for £12 (or 2 for £20 sometimes. Get me, don't I know my M&S offers!!!!) and Primark jeans for £10.

Before I sign off, there' s a story behind the Primark jeans. When I first wore them my husband asked whether they were leather. And I just thought to myself how amazing, given the price of leather trousers, that he asked about them in such a nonchalant way. The thought that I could have got away with buying a pair of leather trousers without prior discussion, or consultation, made me wonder what I really could get away with on the clothes purchasing front. Not that I ever would of course....

Mum on the Run - All "tucked in" in Hobbs, Gap, All Saints and H&M

This is probably going to be the shortest post in the history of the blog but if I don't finish up here soon I'll have suitcases under my eyes tomorrow, rather than just bags.

 

I look a bit "buttoned up" and a bit "tucked in" in this outfit but as I was once described on Mumsnet as being too "tucked in" it would seem quite apt. That phrase made me laugh, largely because it's absolutely true. As a child I would spend hours tucking my vest into my pants and if it wasn't right, back to square one I went until it was all smooth and as it should be. 

 

I'm wearing a Hobbs jacket, Gap jeans, All Saints boots, Cos collar, H&M jumper and Orla Kiely bag.

Out of interest, is anyone else a fan of being all tucked in or is it just me?

Mum on the Run - Anathema Designs - uber cool jewellery designed Sian Rookwood, a Trainee Architect

The good thing about Anathema Designs is that the jewellery does the talking which, you will all be relieved to know, means that I don't have to.

The jewellery is made by Sian Rookwood, who is a trainee architect moonlighting as a freelance jeweller.  Sian specialises in recycling broken or unusual objects and materials to create unique items of jewellery. Her aim is to change people's perceptions about what is beautiful and what isn't.

This heart necklace is made of Japanese chain mail and costs £25 which (I think) is far too little, given the fact that it is a unique hand-made piece. It's a limited edition item and it's the only one left, so anyone who wants it needs to be quick as I have my eye on it.

In October 2012, Sian was selected as a Judge's favourite on BBC2's "Paul Martin's Handmade Revolution" and has since gone on to have her pieces used by stylists in photoshoots.

As jewellery making isn't Sian's full-time job, and because she is currently studying towards exams, there can be a time delay in turning orders around - but how much would you enjoy the anticipation of waiting for it to arrive?

 

You know me, I'm a sucker for anyone with amazing talent and I love the fact that with her architect's training, Sian probably sees things completely differently to most people. Her jewellery is so different and would look equally great with a plain white T-shirt and jeans as it would adding edge to a LBD.

I have my sneaking suspicions that Anathema Designs is one to watch.

Mum on the Run - Seeing spots thanks to Boden, plus a little bit of Cos, Gap, Oasis and Warehouse for good measure

Right now I'm really hoping that Mary Berry's recipe for Chocolate Fudge Hot Pot Pudding is as good as her taste in Zara printed jackets. The idea of making the chocolate sponge mixture, putting it in a dish ready for baking and then pouring a combination of hot water, cocoa and sugar over the top goes somewhat against the grain.  The eldest two are on stand by with spoons and ice cream as I type, so fingers crossed that it's not a total disaster.

 

During the school holidays I always think that there will be so much more time to do things but I never fully understand why I should think that - and why I keep on thinking it even when I know it's not the case. The phrase "memory of a goldfish" springs to mind. There are lots of things that I want to write about but for tonight at least, I'm afraid, I am just bringing you a couple of photos of recent outfits.

 

Having not worn the Cos Chelsea boots for a while, I gave them an airing last week with a Cos roll neck jumper (you may remember that I was obsessed with it when I first had it but haven't worn it for a while). I also wore the Boden spotty coat which is now 11 years old and my Mulberry handbag which my husband gave me for my 40th. So that's nearly a year old now (ha, yeah right and the rest! 

If ever the occasion arrives when a more expensive gift is coming my way, I need a sign to convince me that I am making the right choice. Maybe it's just me wimping out. Perhaps in handing the decision over to fate I feel that it abrogates me of all responsibility. It was the same with this Mulberry bag. I loved it but was "umming" and "ahhing", as there were so many other lovely options. However, when I found out that the colour was Mouse grey, and given that "Mouse" is the nickname for our youngest, I decided that this was the one. I find that if I persevere hard enough, a sign eventually comes my way!

So yesterday we went to visit family. I can't remember how the idea for this outfit came to mind (see, memory of a goldfish and all that) - not that it's particularly wow or anything but there's usually a reason somewhere - even if it is just because it's close to hand. I think that I wanted to wear the wedge trainers again, this time with my slightly not so tight skinny jeans which, thanks to Easter, some of my others are.

The cream leather jacket from Oasis, cream Warehouse bag and Lola Rose scarf lightened it all up a little, which felt right given that the sun was actually shining. At one point it even felt quite warm - and for that brief moment I was quite happy to be sitting in the play area of a service station off the M40.

So, did anyone make it to the shops on Saturday and did anyone make any purchases that they would like to share with the rest of us?! It's going to be a whole 8 degrees tomorrow - let's bare all!

Mum on the Run - If the weather were warmer I would think about wearing this....

Another deal was struck on Easter Sunday. If I wanted photos taking, I had to hold the rabbit. So, the rabbit it was, although I don't think that the photographer kept to her side of the bargain. The quality of the photos is slightly questionable and I think she must have gin in her milkshake but then as I've said before, I like the soft focus look.  

 

This is the Zara lace blouse that I bought a couple of weeks ago, together with the Next trousers that featured in yesterday's post. I think that they will work either in the day or for the evening. I'll obviously wear a cami underneath the top when out on the town, so to speak.

This is the monster who held me to the deal, looking as if butter wouldn't melt...

Some of you will remember that I have written about Cecily previously. Sarah and Louise launched the brand in the Autumn and today their Tess dress was worn by Kate Garraway on Daybreak. They have a collection of eight dresses which are made in the same facotry as Victoria Beckham dresses in Portugal. You can see from this shot that the dresses have a great length to them and most of the designs have sleeves in them too.

I can't remember whether I took this shot prior to inadvertently switching the TV off when trying to re-position it, or after. Anyway, whichever it was, I couldn't put it back on again and had to have assistance from the youngest member of the family. I don't think I'm alone in that - but it speaks volumes!

Loving Kate's bangs with the dress - somehow for me, they just work together and I think that it's a great colour on her too. For anyone wanting to follow Cecily on twitter you can do so here and you can "like" their fb page here. I have it on good authority that more Cecily dresses will be appearing on TV next week, so I'll keep you posted.

 

Just as an aside, you see that dot at the top of the climbing wall? Well she is the chief negotiator referred to above. The mad scootering five year old knows no fear and will have a go at anything.

Fortunately shortly after we arrived home, this parcel arrived which calmed my nerves. I haven't yet opened it, saving the treat for a quiet moment sometime over the weekend. I have a sneaky feeling it will still be sitting there on Sunday night!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. I suspect that a few of you may head to the shops on the basis that spring must surely be just around the corner (and if you're off with the children, a break would be good for everyone's well-being). If you do make it to the shops, I hope that they are full of lovely finds.

Mum on the Run - If the weather was warmer part 2!

Being such a total wimp, I've realised that the cold weather really doesn't have much of an impact on me at all. The reason for this is that unless it's 20 degrees outside, I still wear four layers of clothing so whether it's 4 degrees, 8 degrees, or 12 degrees, I'm still frozen.... I wonder, do you think that a bit of reverse psychology works as well on the weather as it does on (young) children? No, I suspect not either.

 

However, if the weather was a little (or a lot) warmer, I would be tempted to wear this outfit, which again I photographed having failed to negotiate the youngest away from her Barbie film. Well, if you've bothered to do your hair and make-up you've got to take advantage of it before it all goes flat/slides down your face.

 

The trousers are the Next ones I have written/tweeted about before. They are £18 and described as Harem Pants but I can assure you, there's not a drop crotch in sight. There may be a bit of bottom drooping but that's an entirely different matter and I can categorically assure you everything is where it should be in the crotch department.

 

The trousers are quite a lightweight fabric so it would need to be warmer to wear them.  Here I am wearing the navy ones but they also come in grey and black. At £18 I think that they are a great price for anyone tempted to venture into the non-harem, harem style of trouser.

 

This is a great jacket from Mango. It has a really good weight to it, so in theory it could be worn anytime soon. There are a whole host of jackets around in this tapestry/aztec print and also in this style. Zara had a good selection last year and for me they are a great way of tarting up (excuse the expression) one's jeans a little, or putting over a simple dress to take it up a notch. Jackets like this are multi-functional, sometimes a life saver and a kind of "one size fits all" piece to have in your wardrobe.

The trouble is that the image of this Topshop boucle coat (£79) which I wrote about several months ago now just won't leave me and I feel that I really need to bottom it out before too long. I know some of you will shout "yuck, granny coat" or think that it looks like something that the Queen would wear but I love the colours and the fact that the yellow on it looks as though it's there because a kiddie has gone up to it and crayoned on it. Why that should appeal I have no idea but there we are.

 

Once again, for the sake of research, I am prepared to go and try it and report back. My generosity knows no bounds!!!

Mum on the Run - Heading for a fall in my Ash wedge trainers

When I say I'm heading for a fall, I don't mean literally. No, I'll leave that to our eldest who, in avoiding something she saw on the floor at school the other day, tripped over it and then realised that it was her own foot.

 

What I mean is that so many of you were so complimentary about yesterday's outfit that I know it will be a different story today. Not only am I back to the winter clothes but I am also wearing the Ash wedge trainers. A friend has just texted me to ask me whether I've worn them yet as she is still undecided whether to get any or not so perhaps this will help, one way or the other. Actually, as she only lives around the corner, I might take them round to her for a little try on one day soon.

 

The photos aren't that great but on the positive side, the wedges are fairly innocuous in terms of colour, which suits me. I love the look of some of the summer coloured ones but I think that I would feel too conspicuous in the yellow or turquoise ones. These I can wear with navy, black, grey or tan.

For me they have their limitations in that I will only be wearing them with skinny jeans or trousers but I can vouch for their comfort wholeheartedly. I wore mine all of yesterday and all of today and they were incredibly comfortable, which is a huge bonus. I also like the extra height that they offer me.

I've added a couple of the other photos which I took when they first arrived so that the colours are eaiser to see. 

Having worn them and bonded with them a little, I am now hoping that I will be able to pack them away until next winter. Having been around for a few seasons now, I think that they will be here to stay and even if not, now I've bought the flippin' things I will be wearing them anyway. I've really enjoyed wearing something that's just a little different.

 

Normally I would ask here, would you or wouldn't you but I'm not going to do that! Instead I'm going to ask whether any of you have tried anything different recently and if so, how have you got on?

Mum on the Run - If we had some warm weather, I think that I would wear this....

If the warmer weather won't come to me, I'm just going to have to pretend it's here, even if it is only for ten minutes or so whilst my photos are being taken. I tried to negotiate with the youngest in an attempt to persuade her to take these shots but I was given the choice of waiting for 20 minutes until Barbie had finished or doing them myself. I didn't have the heart to drag her away from Barbie, hence the mirror shots - which I don't like doing but there we go.  

 

I thought that something bright was called for after all the dull weather we have been having, so coral colour block it is! This is the Boden cashmere jumper which I unpacked the other day, worn with GAP legging jeans, which I bought in the sale for about £23. It's definitely a bright outfit but I don't mind colour -  in fact I am so fair that colours work better on me than neutrals.

I'm also wearing the Mango shoes I have written about a couple of times now. They come in black or pink (they are less pink and more nude really) and go with everything. I like that the ankle strap does up with a stud (see below) rather than a buckle. They are minimalist in their design, a good price and comfortable - particularly now that I have decided to keep them, as a result of which I can take the scratchy label out. Also, because they are nude, the ankle strap doesn't act as a leg shortener in quite the same way that ankle straps in other colours can.

So, if we had some warm weather, what would you be wearing?

Mum on the Run - Loving Wrap for its linen T's, tan boots, paisley trousers and all things sequinned. A little bit Jennifer Aniston, a little bit LA - we just need sun on the side.

I know from my conversations on twitter that some of you also have husbands who think that they are comedians. Today my husband helpfully suggested that in order to make my life easier we could take away the cupboard next to the washing machine and put another washing machine in next to it so that we had two, enabling me to complete the washing in half the time. He's sooooo funny.

Each season the Wrap look book drops through my letter box. Unsuprisingly I always flick through it but for some reason this season it caught my eye and I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.

Wrap sells under-stated, largely unstructured clothes in a muted colour palette. Interest is added with the use of sequins and lace for a laid back LA look. Their linen vests and T's look great and they also have a good selection of tops with sleeves, which I know will appeal to Helen over at The Flaky Fashionista who suffers from psoriasis. Additionally their clothes start at a size 6 and many go up to a size 22, so they are good at catering for a broad market.

We all know that it's a particularly tricky time of year. Our instincts tell us that it should be warmer than it is but if we were to dress as we would hope to be dressing at this time of year, it could result in hypothermia. It should warm up soon so to start with I've looked at some lighter knits. With free p&p and returns at the moment, I'm tempted to put in an order to see where it gets me...

Being the magpie that I am, the Roxy sequin cardigan (£89) appealed to me. It also comes in a top with a Peter Pan style collar. I like wearing sequins in the day time with worn in jeans as styled here, to stop them looking too formal. The cardigan also comes in several other colours.

The Tatiana lace sweater (£89), again worn with slightly scruffy jeans, is a great way to wear lace in the daytime. I had someone contact me recently looking for a top such as this to wear at a baby shower and I can imagine it fitting the bill perfectly for that kind of occasion. It comes in a wide range of colours too.

I like the Georgie sweater (£89) for adding a block of darker colour to something which is brighter on the bottom half. For a first foray into brighter jeans or printed trousers, wearing something which is pared down and darker on the top half can make you feel more comfortable and less "out there". This jumper is navy but grey marl does exactly the same job. The jumper has an open back with a button detail on it, which is what attracted me to it.

For when it finally warms up, the  Koko sequin t-shirt (£49) is a lovely addition to your wardrobe. Available in black, white, grey slate, soft teal, soft gold and rose gold, there's a neutral colour in there for everyone. Worn with ankle length skinny jeans, wide jeans and wedges or printed trousers (see below) it's a T-shirt with interest.

All things paisley are big this season but it can be hard to wear it without feeling too conspicuous. These Paisley trousers (£59), especially in the pale aqua (these are dusty pink), which have a grey background, aren't too bright. Paired with a neutral top and shoes, they can be the focus of your outfit without screaming too loud. The reviews suggest that they come up quite short but I think that I might put them to the test just to be sure. The fabric is well received by those who have tried them and I think that they are a nice alternative to jeans or linen trousers in the summer months.

I also like the look of the Taylor slouch jeans (£99), which come in two leg lengths.  Wrap has slim leg, skinny, crop, slouch and flared jeans. I can't (yet!) vouch for their quality or fit but if you have exhausted all usual options and are looking for a new pair of jeans, trying a totally different brand can sometimes work wonders.

Prior to going into sandals or summer shoes, lightening up the colour of your boots is a good way to start making the transition towards spring clothing. As with lots of things it's totally psychological - but it's also a fab excuse for another purchase - should one be needed. These Studded suede boot (£229) aren't too high and will still work well with darker skinny jeans and casual trousers. For those with the legs for them (not me) they will also work with pretty white dresses and denim shorts, when the warmer weather finally does arrive.

So, if you're ready for a new different brand at which to take a peek for some relaxed clothes, Wrap could just be for you.