Mum on the Run - A Whistles sparkle knit at a bargain price at Atterley Road and lots of nude shoes!

Recently I had reason to have lots of nude mid height court shoes in my possession, so I thought that I would share them with you. It's amazing how much the colours differ between them all and it becomes even more noticeable so when they are all lined up like this. 

 

Nude courts aren't for everyone, and the assistant in M&S who I know quite well, certainly made her views known on them when they were being returned! However, there's no denying that they have fantastic leg lengthening properties and they are incredibly versatile too.

 

 

From left to right there's the:

 

Mid heel patent court shoes M&S £15 - worn by many and sworn to be both comfortable and a great fit, not to mention a great price. The trade off obviously is that they're not leather but for some that's ot a trade off at all, in fact it can make them much more attractive.

 

Stiletto heel platform court shoes Limited Collection M&S £19.50 ditto above I would imagine, although I haven't checked but I want to get this published due to the great bargain below...

 

Leather almond toe court shoe Autograph M&S £49.50 (blush)

 

Sabira leather patent leather court shoe LK Bennett (£155 down to £95) in light taupe and they also come in latte.

 

LK Bennett is also known for its:

 

Sledge platform court (£195), which is the highest of their nude shoes and has a platform. I have a pair in taupe which I much prefer to the light taupe colour in the Sabira style above;

 

Shilo shoe (£170) lower than the Sledge and minus the platform;

 

Sybila leather platform court (£170) lower than the Sledge and with a platform - so a mini sledge really;

 

Florete point toe leather platform court (£170) lower than the sledge minus a platform but with a pointed toe.

 

Whilst in House of Fraser today I also came across another brand - whose name escapes me now but I will be back in there tomorrow so will take another look - and they do a great mid height court with a very slight platform. They come in a couple of nude colours, navy and red and cost £95. Although they're not cheap, for anyone who relies on a good mid heel court as a wardrobe staple, these could be a good option and they are less expensive than the LK Bennett ones.

 

Whilst in the process of acquiring nude courts, I looked to Hobbs but that's as far as it went as they aren't such a good colour this season.

 

Out of all of them, my favourites were the M&S Autograph ones at £49.50. The slightly pinky tone was really flattering but I remain a fan of the taupe Sledge too, despite the criticism levelled at those who wear them! 

 

If you're a size 10, tonight could be your night because I'm bringing you a Brucie Bonus! This Nell all over sequin jumper by Whistles is reduced from £110 to £65 at Atterley Road, whilst currently still full price in the stores. I have one and I love it so if you're tempted, I'd nip on over quick before they all go.

 

 

 

I was planning on posting some outfits today but for some reason I can't. When I try and add an image to the post, a banner with Shane Warne pops up, advertising some casino or another. I think that bloke is a twonky head at the best of times but now he's really starting to irritate me. It's those perfectly tweezered eye brows and that too smooth complexion. It's just not right, especially for an Aussie cricketer.  Blimey, next we'll be seeing him in a sparkly jumper like the one above. That Elizabeth Hurley has a lot to answer for. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mum on the Run - Style Event on Thursday 23rd May

Just in case anyone may be interested, here are some details of an event which I will be presenting this Thursday evening. If you would like to come along, contact details are at the bottom of the flyer. Hope to see some of you there!

 

 

Beth Goodrham Personal Stylist

IN CONJUNCTION WITH FRIENDS OF WINTERFOLD PRESENTS 

AN EVENING OF STYLE AND FASHION

 

Friends of Winterfold and Beth Goodrham, Personal Stylist and fashion

blogger, invite you to a style event for Summer Season ‘13. Designed with

busy women in mind, Beth will share her insider tips and fashion knowledge,

which will help you to see your wardrobe in a whole new light!

Using pieces that she has selected from well know high street brands,

Beth will:

 

• Bring you the key essential items for your S/S ‘13 wardrobe, and show you how to incorporate them into your existing wardrobe;
• Teach you how to accessorise your outfits;
• Provide advice on how to create the perfect wardrobe;
• Give you tips on how to style your body shape;
• Answer your style dilemmas! 

THURSDAY 23 May 2013 – 7.30pm for 8.00pm

Winterfold House School, Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster DY10 4PW

Ticket price : £10.00 Admits One 

For more information or to book tickets contact the School Office or

Emma Hollingworth (07768 877578)

 

 

Mum on the Run - Skirting around the issue. Skirt styles to tempt you into summer.

I'm sure that I have said this before but skirts can be tricky. Tricky to find in the first place, tricky to find the right tops to go with them and tricky because unlike a dress which is an outfit in it's own right, they require more thought in terms of shoes and accessories.

 

Separates are always billed as being the way forward but finding a good, everyday, skirt is no mean feat. Whilst pencil skirts are having a moment, they're not for everyone.

 

The skirt that I am wearing below was from Jigsaw last summer. It's their trench skirt and I liked it for it's length, its volume which allows me to move around easily, and for the fact that I can put lots of things with it - except tops with buttons as it then looks like there's a bit of a button fest going on.

 

 

 

For a skirt along similar lines, there's this Hobbs skirt (£69). It's an easy fabric in the sense that it's not too far a departure from jeans - it's just jeans in the guise of a skirt really - which can be a good starting point. With it's slight fullness, it is flattering over curvier hips and the wider hem has the effect of making legs look slimmer.

I like to be able to wear my skirts with lots of different shoes, from heels, to brogues, to converse or flat sandals (not asking much am I?!) and for me the Hobbs Millie Derby (£139) would be the perfect complement to this skirt. However for those not so fond of brogues, there are lots of other options that would work equally well. It goes back to this being the skirt version of jeans really.

 

 

This French Connection skirt (£65) has a great print on it. It too is fuller in the skirt and therefore requires a fitted top to counteract that, so as to keep the silhouette neat. Depending on your height, it's designed to be knee length, as opposed to mid thigh or midi. Again, one to be worn with heels or brogues, it could take you from a sunny day out with flats and a strappy vest, to a night out with heels and a silky top.

The challenges that tall ladies face in finding a skirt with enough length to it are just as great as those faced by petite ladies who find lots of skirts too long.

This Pixel python skirt (£95) from French Connection is more of the midi variety - depending on your height - and arguably requires slightly more styling to keep it out of frumpy territory. However, that can be done with the usual suspects which I use to "rescue" outfits from going down the wrong route. These might include a denim shirt, some neon jewellery, a biker style jacket, a silky fitted top and shoes in the shape/style of the season. We all know how the "right" shoes can make all the difference to an outfit.

The Crochet pencil skirt (£87) also from French Connection comes in dark blue as well as this pretty cream/ivory colour. When thinking about what types of skirts to include in this post, it reminded me of a navy Mango pencil skirt that I find really useful in both summer and winter. It's great in the winter with thick tights and a short fitted jumper and in the summer with lighter weight shoes and a denim shirt, breton style top or a pink vest top. There's also a cheaper one in Next - just go to the webite and search for skirts/blue and it should come up on that page.

I love this Zara pencil skirt (£29.99) for its print. It's so pretty and there are lots of colours which could be picked up in a top to go with it. The Zara blazer which I wrote about yesterday comes in a fantastic blue colour which goes with this skirt perfectly, for anyone needing a smarter outfit. It too has a decent length to it but don't be put off if at first instance it appears an inch or so too long. If heels don't take it to the perfect length for you, having it turned up even slightly makes it look completely different. For me, the length that it is shown at below is about right but sadly not all of us are as tall as the model!

This skirt is a great style and the polka dots keep it really young and fresh. The Next flippy skirt (£28) is a good price. It is shorter in length and the fabric and shape make it a really flattering style for ladies with curvier hips.

For those ladies who prefer to keep largely covered up but don't mind flashing a little leg through a side split, the Hush maxi tube skirt (£40) could be perfect. Some maxi style skirts and dresses have way too much fabric in them adding pounds and drowning out smaller frames. However the neater lines of this skirt avoid that and are good for those ladies who perhaps aren't quite so fond of their knees/lack of tan/blemishes/veins - and I include myself within this category - but who don't want to wear trousers all year round either.

 

Hopefully that may have given you some ideas as to where to head now that the warmer weather has, hopefully, arrived and because skirts are now, hopefully, going to be an option (as was mine until the sun went in and the jeans went back on)!

Mum on the Run - Green with envy. One of my favourite shades of green to add the wow factor to your wardrobe.

Looking pregnant because you are pregnant is one thing. Looking pregnant because your top is sticking out due to the way that it is sitting over your belt buckle is an entirely different thing.  Which is the reason that two sets of photos had to be taken today. This is from the second set and whilst still pretty dodgy, at least I don't look pregnant in this one. Well, at least I don't think that I do.

 

 

Anyway, the point of this post is to talk about one of my favourite colours - which, now I come to think of it, I'm not quite sure how to describe. Jade green perhaps? The type of green which suits lots of people and which you can gurantee others will always comment on when you wear it. It makes blue and green eyes stand out and had sufficient pigment in it to give fair complexions a lift, without being overpowering. Like coral and cobalt blue, it's a great accent colour and works well with navy and black as well as with creams and taupes. 

 

The top that I am wearing above was from Jigsaw a few summers ago now and I love the colour of it. There are also a few pieces below from Zara - just because that's where I have seen the most green recently.

 

This Zara dress (£49.99) has a great swish to the skirt but the fabric isn't massively forgiving, so one needs to watch one's undies! The neat empire line is also flattering too, drawing the eye to a narrow part of the body. Unlike a lot of empire lines, there isn't a huge amounts of of flounce happening underneath the empire line, which we all know can give that pregnancy effect. Crikey, I think that there must be something in the air tonight with all this talk of pregnancy.

This Zara necklace (£19.99) is a fantastic piece. It's really popular and has sold out in our store but is still available online. The vibrant greens and blues would look stunning against a white t-shirt, a tanned skin or as an accessory to a simple dress.

OK so not strictly, or even remotely, the same shade of green this Zara jacket (£49.99) is worth including for it's great price, fantastic simple single breasted shape and the wide array of colours in which it comes, which includes royal blue, bright pink and yellow. This is definitely a current high street hero of mine.

If anyone is still short of a blazer for the Queen's Garden Party next week, this could be just what you are after.

This is what I am planning on wearing for my next post. What do you reckon? Spotted whilst at the BBC in Birmingham today, I just had to include it. It was worn by someone from Strictly Come Dancing, or something similar.

Can you imagine not only wearing this but actually flinging yourself around in it at the same time whilst being not only judged but filmed too? If that's not enough to keep you away from the biscuit tin, nothing would be.

Mum on the Run - Loving leather (jackets that is....)

There's always the danger that when you spend a lot of time searching for something, the end result never quite lives up to your expectations. Sometimes the bar is raised just too high and (in this case) the piece of clothing just can't compete with the blood, sweat and toil put into finding it. Especially when the piece in question is a replacement piece. In fact, I wonder whether I should even begin the search now at all?

 

I don't know about anyone else but sometimes the thrill of spotting something, falling in love with it, buying it on the spot and realising that it was just what you were looking for but hadn't realised it, can't be beaten. Which is exactly what happened with my first cream leather biker jacket. So now I really know not to bother taking the search any further. The bar has now just gone from being the lowest of the asymmetric bars to the highest one. I'm doomed to failure.

 

However, many of you have commented on my cream leather jacket - Oasis in the sale for just over £100 - so in the name of research I will continue. It's also starting to look a little tired and having had it cleaned, at pretty much half of its cost, I am debating where to go with it next. I know that I went through this whole debacle about a year ago now and I didn't replace it then. The nearest I got to doing so was an All Saints one in Bicester but the fit wasn't right.

 

For those who haven't tried a leather jacket before I do think that they have their place. For a start they are warm. I often layer a Boden cropped cashmere cardi under mine so it adds another layer of warmth without being visible. They are work just as well with jeans as with dresses, as well as over evening outfits.

 

Reiss arguably does the best leather jackets on the High Street. They always have a good selection of styles and colours and sometimes they can be found in Bicester at a reduced price. Having said that, the Reiss stores are much better than they used to be at having sales. They didn't ever do mid-season sales, or one off promotions but that has changed recently.

 

This Kara jacket from Reiss costs £350. Reiss also has an ice blue, a cornflower blue and a red leather jacket, for anyone who is after a coloured one. I like it probably as much as any other but the price is a sticking point...

 

  

 

Please excuse the photo of the Hanni leather jacket from Ted Baker (£359). I like the no fuss approach of this jacket but sometimes a little detailing is needed to break up the expanse of leather across one's chest!

The leather peplum jacket from Oasis (£175) is a better price but I wonder whether it may be taking the detailing to the extreme. I am not quite convinced that the combination of the peplum, the sleeve detail, the tabs at the back, the detail across the shoulders at the back and what looks like quite a shiny finish is a winning combo.

 

The collarless quilted leather biker from Warehouse (£165) is a better price and a nice soft grey colour. The absence of a collar is great for those who don't want a lot of faff going on around the neckline -added to which it's one less thing to get grubby.  Personally I think that it looks better on the model than in the main picture, so it may be one of those that's worth trying on.

Looking to Oasis again, this colourblock leather biker jacket (£160) may hit the mark for those looking for something pale but interesting. They also have a nice drape waterfall jacket (£140) - which suit some shapes more than the biker style - and a suede biker jacket (£100) both of which can be found here 

This biker jacket from Baukjen (£369) also comes in cobalt blue. The style is great but I'm not sure that the colour is quite what I am after. Maybe it's a little bit too far down the brown, as opposed to the neutral, route.

For something slightly different, the sail leather biker jacket from All Saints (£398) is a really lovely colour. It's really versatile and might be a good alternative to a cream one, now that the cream bar has been set so high.

There are of course many other brands that do great leather, as well as specialist leather shops and ebay, for great finds. This is just a quick whizz through what is available now and which can be bought with relative ease for most - in terms of geography at least.

Mum on the Run - A poor quality dress, some golden boots and a kingfisher blue kitchen...

 

Why is it, do you think, that when we have the most on our plates we go and throw a spanner in the works by going and doing something totally random?

 

I'm not quite sure why, having finished work yesterday, that I decided to paint the kitchen - but I did. Why I had to carry on until 11pm and then do another coat at 6.45am today is equally beside me.

 

Given that I was working yesterday I didn't partake of my usual Saturday night glass of something fizzy, instead having it last night. Which is how, at one point, I came to have a paintbrush in one hand and a piece of chocolate in another and which is also how I came to be watching "Homes under the hammer" whilst painting. Well, it was the closest thing to "Home and Away" on playback, which I had previously watched. 

 

As to the colour, if you imagine a baked bean tin, that's where it's at. The inital plan was to go down the orange route for accessories but we're now - or should I say I - am debating deep pink instead. The hunt for the perfect handtowels and tea towels is on!

 

 

I was also working on Friday night at a Style Party. They are such good fun, especially when people start trying on. What I have come to realise is that there is always one piece that people really love. I can never predict beforehand quite what it may be but this time it was a navy sweatshirt from French Connection, with sheer sleeves and sparkles on the front in the shape of a circle.

Telling you all that is about as much use as a chocolate tea pot because I can't actually find it on the French Connection site nor on the John Lewis one.

However I do know that it's called the spot ditton sweatshirt and is similar to this plain ditton sweatshirt - but as I mentioned, it's navy with sparkles on it in a circle. I am sure one of you eagle eyed shoppers will be able to find  a link to one somewhere. If so, could you share it with us please?!

Last week, before I took my leave of absence to work, to paint the kitchen and to help my husband to drain the water from the fishtank through our sieve/tea strainer respectively (I suggest that from now on that anyone who is offered pasta or tea at our house should refuse) I mentioned a dress that I had bought from Reiss.

What appealed to me about the dress was the style, the print and the length of it. I find it quite hard to find summer dresses that I like so even though it was more than I would like to pay for a summer dress, I took it home anyway to see how I felt about it. And how did I feel?

Disappointed. The quality, in a word, was pants. So pants that I could see my pants through it and the only way of avoiding doing so would have been to have worn a really long vest underneath, which I do with a white dress from Mango but that's fine because the Mango dress is really pretty and cost me £40.

I don't often name and shame because it's not very constructive but this was dreadful. When I returned it and explained how poor the quality was the guy tried to explain it away and credit to him, he gave it his best shot, but it didn't work. I actually think that it would be quite difficult to find a dress of such poor quality anywhere else.

Anyway, moving on, I know that summer is meant to be somewhere around the corner but I'm still happy to look at boots, especially given that I nearly froze my toes off in converse the other day. My latest loves are these boots from All Saints.

Given that trousers and jeans seem to be the way forward in this country and given that boots are such a practical option, these gold ones will just add a smile to my face - and quite possibly to other's too as they laugh at me, but who cares. If the sun won't shine I am quite happy to bring an artificial glow to my wardrobe.

Mum on the Run - Feeling blue? Here's something to lift your spirits....

Today's post on cream leather jackets was sabotaged by a dodgy wi-fi and a project on the Titanic. Having finally managed to save the photos that I wanted, and having kept the relevant pages open to get the links later on in the day, SOMEONE leapt on the computer on returning home from school and shut them all down. I didn't have the will to find all the links again, or to tell him off. Much.

 

So, this evening I am looking at blue pieces of clothing. Having spent the day shopping I now have lots of other blue things in the house but I had better do the Style Party first or there wouldn't be much point in folks turning up.

 

From left to right there's a Zara trouser suit, navy Peplum top from H&M, Hobbs NW3 jacket and a Mango jacket.

 

Sorry this is all so brief. I want to do some Tracey Anderson torture moves before going to bed...

This is the Mango Aztec jacket which I have featured before but which is a lovely piece. It's of a really great quality too. Smart enough for a wedding but equally good with jeans - this could work really hard for you.

This is the Hobbs NW3 jacket which I probably shouldn't feature again as they are now hard to come by. Bicester village may come up trumps though and Zara has a similarly coloured one.

 

This is a great navy top from H&M. Fab with a pencil skirt, or with a statement necklace and jeans. At £24.99 I didn't feel that it was too big an investment for a peplum top.

 

 

Trouser suits are the way forward this year and predictably Zara are up there with the front runners. I would love to wear one to a wedding as an alternative to a dress.

 

Love these cobalt blue Zara shoes - I realise that ankle straps aren't for everyone but they are everywhere this season so if you haven't dabbled before, now might be the time to do so.

 

I've just thrown this in as I liked the 60's feel about the outfit. Although it's a coat and shoes, with some skinny ankle length jeans it would make it a very accessible, wearable look. The coat is from Zara and the shoes, Clarks. There's also a top in this print if the coat felt too much or, the coat also comes in a pretty blue colour. It's a win win!

I really hope that all of the above makes sense. Given the time of day I'm not quite sure that it will but hopefully you will all be kind enough to read between the lines if not!

Mum on the Run - Nothing old, lots of things new, something yellow and something blue, thanks to Whistles, Reiss, Topshop and Warehouse

Although there's nothing old in this shot, I wouldn't want anyone to think that there's nothing old in my wardrobe. Believe me, there are plenty of old things in my wardrobe but that's good. I grow very attached to clothes and the stories behind them. Lots of women are the same, as I find out when I do their Wardrobes. I love hearing when they bought their clothes, how they made them feel, how they wore them, when they wore them, where they wore them and so on. 

 

These are a few pieces that I bought last week and below you can see how I wore two of them. From left to right there's a sparkly jumper from Whistles, a dress from Reiss (more about that another day) a jumper from Topshop and a jumper/top from Warehouse.

 

 

First off, the yellow jumper from Topshop. Plain and simple - great for someone like me who feels the cold and who isn't quite ready or willing to bare all on a warm day. It's not going to set the world on fire but a few up to date basics are the way to a winning wardrobe. The colour, relaxed fit and detail at the neck all worked for me.

 

All of these photographs were taken on Sunday as we went about our fun day away. Here's the jumper in all its glory with navy Cos trousers and Dune brogues. As you can see from the sleeves, there's enough length there for my lanky arms which is good as sleeves quite often come up short on me.

 

As it got warmer I added a Lola Rose scarf - daft I know but being of the fair skin persuasion I burn easily and that's never a good look, especially with a yellow jumper. In fact my friend and I had a debate about the colour of this jumper. I described it as custard yellow but she disagreed. However it transpired that she was talking about Bird's Custard and I was thinking more along the lines of Waitrose custard - which isn't really custard at all but a poncy concoction passing itself of as custard - so then we both got where the other was coming from and all was fine. 

I'll also wear it with a big striped navy and white scarf, with a denim or white shirt layered underneath and perhaps with a statement necklace.

As we headed towards the beach I knew that I would find it cold(er) so addded a striped Zara blazer, trainers  (as the brogues are OK but not that comfortable for a long walk or being on the beach) and a huge Zara scarf in the same colour as the jumper which could have doubled up as a blanket, scarf, handkerchief, sling, tourniquet etc for anyone who required it. Oddly it left the beach in the same state that it arrived, which was pretty suprising.

Here's the Warehouse top, which I can easily layer a vest and long sleeved top underneath if required. I have to say that I am a fan of tops with a bum scoop at the back. They just offer that safety net that is sometimes required!

And here it is with skinny jeans and the shiny Topshop red shoes, which I can confirm are really comfortable. Much more so than my brogues infact, despite their heel and wooden sole.

Tomorrow I start shopping for a Style Party on Friday night. Can't wait to see what the High Street has in store this week.

Mum on the Run - These two lovely pieces would make my Wardrobe complete.....

When I say that these two pieces would make my wardrobe complete we all know that what I mean is that they would make it complete until the next time that I went to the shops or opened a magazine.

However for now - for this evening only - these are what I would like to own - aside from a Sophie Hulme cross body-bag of course but we're talking the real (ish) world here. Well, with a fair wind, a good discount and an even better excuse.

These shoes from Zara were also featured in the Sunday Times Style Magazine yesterday. When I spotted them last week I thought to myself that they would look good on here. I kept going back to them, strangely drawn to them without knowing whether I really liked them or not but I do. I can just imagine how they could give all sorts of clothes that I already own a real kick up the whatsit, giving them a new lease of life, dragging them kicking and screaming into a modern look. With pink, blue, black and yellow on them they would work with all sorts of things. I say "work" rather than "go" because part of the fun of fashion is having a little bit of clashing going on.

I can see them with black trousers, a black jacket and a simple top for a night out, with boyfriend jeans and a biker jacket, giving some edge to a pretty white dress, or worn with coloured jeans and a blazer or an oversized T.  Frankly if you were wearing these it wouldn't matter what else you were wearing, great or otherwise, because no-one would notice. All eyes would be on these babies!

Zara lace up shoes

And then, and I do have the Sunday Time Style Magazine to thank for this, I love this  Hobbs NW3 Lawrence top (£99) which is leather. I've had my eyes open for a leather top for a while but the Whistles ones that I have seen have been either really dark or very much down the sports luxe trend and a couple of hundred pounds too. Others just haven't cut the mustard either. No, this is far more me and luckily we have just received an invitation to a wedding reception. Remember that excuse I was looking for? Well maybe I have just found it.

Mum on the Run - A bright layered outfit for a pub lunch where Broadchurch was filmed - how exciting for a Broadchurch groupie!

 

After this week's antics, it would seem quite appropriate that we are staying with some friends in what used to be a lunatic asylum (please forgive the un p.c. term - it's not of my doing), down in Dorset.

 

So, what does one wear when the predicted temperature is 12 degrees with rain and you are going to a nice pub for lunch a three hour drive away? The answer, for me at least, was layers, a bit of trial and error and open toe sandals of course. What else?! 

 

I think that it started off with me wanting to wear the red Topshop shoes and I built things from there upwards, with Gap skinny jeans, a cashmere Jigsaw jumper (with a vest and a long sleeved top layered underneath) and a quilted jacket from Johnnie B - which by my calculations makes a total of 4 layers.

It could be argued that I look like I'm going to a jubilee party but I can live with that, largely because my friend said far worse things about me later in the day....

And look where we ended up. For those of you who don't recognise the cliffs, they featured on Broadchurch - which I loved. Our eldest and I had a weekly date infront of the TV on a Monday night for a few weeks and it was great.

And this was a poster in the newsagents in West Bay, where Broadchurch was filmed...

It was at this point that my friend said that I didn't need to wear a Dork T-shirt. Having been going there for years I think that it was fair to say that she was totally embarrassed by my seriously uncool behaviour but hey-ho, I was in my element.

Hope that everyone is having a great bank holiday weekend and that the weather is warm and sunny - as it turned out to be where we were - luckily. For there to be warm weather on a Bank holiday and for us to be in the same place as it is nothing short of a miracle.