One of my favourite looks and how to recreate it for the spring....

I wanted to do a round up of the "luxury joggers" that are available at the moment - as opposed to the sweat pant variety. They are a really great trouser style, lending themselves to both a more dressed up look of a blazer and heels, or a casual look of trainers and a sweatshirt, or into the summer, sandals and a pretty blouse.

This style trouser is a really accessible trend to many and let's face it, there aren't that many variations on a trouser theme really are there?! The fact that they have some width in the leg makes them more flattering to those with curvier hips than, say, a skinny jean. However the fact that they nip back in at the ankle stops any of that wafting business and keeps them looking fresh.  So if you haven't considered them before now as an option, now might be a good time to do so. 

This is a photograph from December but it conveys the look fairly well and there's no point in reinventing the wheel.

I spotted these crepe joggers from Topshop (£40) earlier in the week. They are the same style as the ones that I am wearing above (and featured below) and what I like about them is the flat waistband at the front. Those with a gathered waist band can sometimes give the effect of a little pouching in the tummy area - where of course really there is none! They are a good, heavy fabric too, which I like.

I thought that I would also show you a rear view because, having a slightly higher waistband, they can give the impression of a larger bottom. The obvious thing to do is to have a top which comes half way down your bottom, effectively cutting it in half. So what I'm saying is, don't be put off if you just try them on with a vest. Get hold of a top with a bit of length at the back, grab some heels and have another go - or try them with a blazer.

For a top with some length at the back, something along the lines of this peony print jumper from Warehouse (£42)...

...or this floral print jumper from Warehouse (£42) would be a good bet, if you didn't want to go down the blazer route.

These are the tailored joggers from Topshop (£38). Again they are a good weight fabric and look much more expensive than their price tag. Being darker, they may work better for some than the lighter pair above. Also the bottom issue may be less of an issue in a darker colour!

For a printed version, there's these floral joggers Topshop (£35). They are great for those who prefer the attention to be directed towards their bottom half and again have the versatility of being able to be styled up or down.

The blurred neon print trousers Warehouse (£35) have a good splash of yellow in them, so they may be attractive to those who have a bit of a yellow thing going on at the moment. I've seen these in real life - not tried them on - but I am interested enough to go back for a closer look when I have the time.

These silk joggers The White Company (£120) are obviously a more expensive option but it's nice to know that they are there if there's a special event that you have in mind. I really think that they could make a nice option for a spring/summer wedding, just by way of a change.

This gives you an idea of how the White Company has styled them for a smarter look. I love it - it's simple, stylish, sophisticated and relaxed and it's such an easy look to re-create without being too try hard.

 

I think that this is one of those looks that's quite exciting in that you might look at and think: "I like it but I couldn't, could I? Or could I?" Well, the answer is yes, give it a go! It's one that could work for so many age groups and body shapes.

Time to dig out the hardcore "Bumper" leopard print boots

I don't normally dig out the Bumper Boots until it snows but oh how it rained today - and blew a gale - and when I looked out of the window just before starting the school run, I knew that it was time for them to make an appearance.

How I came to own a pair of boots which now retail for £265 is beyond me - and from that perspective I do feel a bit bad writing about them.  However I bought them over 6 years ago now in a sale in a boutique in Ludlow. I am sure that I wouldn't have spent more than £75 on them - but then again I was pregnant at the time so perhaps I was having a pregnancy moment!

Their cow hide finish would, I have thought, meant that they were rubbish in the snow and rain - although perhaps that's the very reason that they're so good in the snow and rain. Cows do tend to be waterproof after all. I partly put it down to the raised sole, which means that I almost levitate above the puddles!

Anyway, wear them in the wind and rain I did, with the New Look jeans and a striped Boden cashmere jumper.

Tomorrow I have an early start as I have to be in the studios of BBC Radio WM by 7am. I have been asked to talk about the announcement by Ofsted to overhaul inspections of teacher training, to include a focus on teachers' clothes. They're planning on making a bit of a feature on it with some filming and social media activity surrounding it. So, if any of you would like to tune in, you can do so on 95.6 FM and the feature will be on at about 7.15 to 7.20am.

Thanks to M&S, today I have a bit of a floral/graphic/neon/metallic thing going on....

 

Before I go any further, the only link that I can find on the M&S website to these shoes is at the very bottom of this page. I am guessing that they may have sold out but it could just be the weird and wonderful workings of the M&S site.

I didn't think that I was going to have time to post today - and this is going to be pretty brief (thank the Lord I hear you all sigh!) but an hour unexpectedly became available to me. You see on a Tuesday between 5.30pm and 6.30pm I am usually to be found watching the youngest do ballet. "Miss Siobhan" prefers that we stay and watch, which is lovely. However, after a complaint by a mother a couple of weeks ago over the quality of the choreography for their show, today the parents were asked to leave. I'm dead chuffed - I can't remember the last time I was asked to leave anything. Sadly I missed all the kerfuffle because I was in the newsagents next door at the time buying Grazia, some drumstick sweets and a fruit shoot for the youngest (sssh, don't tell anyone!)

Anyway, carrying on from my post the other day about block heels, last week I also bought these pointed block heeled shoes from Limited Collection at M&S. There are lots of pointed toe shoes around, from flat pumps (LK Bennett had some great ones in the sale) to high heeled ones at Whistles and Clarks (sorry, no time for links!) and these mid height heeled ones, which also come in royal blue and black.

In the dead of winter, these looked a bit scary on the shelves in M&S but on, I really liked them. They have that whole graphic/floral/neon/metallic thing going on - so talk about killing lots of birds with one stone. And they look so fresh too. For the purpose of this post I wore them with a sequinned jumper from Whistles but there's lots of playing around to be had with these little fellas.

Really hope that everyone is managing in this terrible weather. I think that we're getting off lightly by all accounts but for those who aren't, I hope that things improve soon. x

Peter Pilotto for Target - did you or didn't you?!

Yesterday saw the launch of the eagerly anticipated collaboration between Peter Pilotto and the US store, Target. Available in the UK via Net a Porter, the full collection comprised 70 pieces which include sunglasses, skirts, dresses, tops and printed trainers.

People take differing views on collaborations between Designers and High Street stores. Some see it as a cynical marketing ploy by Designers to "hook" those who couldn't otherwise afford their pieces, tempting them to buy from the full collection when the collaboration is no longer available. The Designers' view it as bringing their pieces to a wider audience i.e. doing those of us who can't afford their collection, a massive favour. It's all too easy to over analyse these things!

Up until now I haven't ever bought anything from any of the many collaborations that have hit the High Street. I have witnessed humanity at its worse with people grabbing box upon box of Marni jewellery and armfuls of clothing which no individual could possibly have needed (hello e-bay let's make a buck or two) when the H&M/Marni collaboration was launched. I found the whole scene so profoundly disturbing that I left. Ridiculous as it is, I suspect that the Peter Pilotto launch wasn't much better but given that it was all conducted on-line (in the UK at least), from the comfort of my kitchen and through the well regarded Net a Porter site, it gave it a veneer of respectability!

Anyway, to cut to the chase, the reason that I was interested in this little tete-a-tete is because I like Peter Pilotto's designs. They are very distinctive and he uses great patterns and colours (kind of me to say so, I know. I'm sure he'd be most chuffed to know that I think that.) I'd heard that the quality was OK too, despite Target being an inexpensively priced store, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

This is a typical example of a Peter Pilotto piece - Elizabeth  dress (£975)

And this is what I chose....

cotton blend jersey top (£23) - nice colours, nice print, great with just about everything plain that I like to wear on my bottom half.  The dresses were pretty but possibly too short for me and also having a small frame, some prints head to toe can just drown me. I knew that I would get more use out of a top because, in it's simplest form, I can just chuck it on with a pair of jeans - job done!

cotton blend sweatshirt (£30) - same as above! It could work well, it could be a disaster but I'm prepared to take the risk - all in the name of research of course. I've been after a printed sweatshirt for a while now and up until now everything has been pretty plain - so this (may) fit the bill nicely.

floral print sneakers (£30) - in for a penny, in a for a pound I thought. My Dad would certainly appreciate these if I were allowed aboard his wooden boat (cue deep, stern, voice: "no heels, no wooden soles, only rubber soles - you know the rules.") Yes, I've been made aware of the rules constantly since I was 8 which is why these are almost an exact replica of the first pair of canvas deck shoes I ever had. I don't think that I would ever wear them in a "cool" way - as in with a dress - or indeed quite possibly at all - but I'm quite excited about the prospect of them. They could well provide a moment of hilarity or two for the family!

So, did anyone else grab a bit of Pete for their wardrobe?

A "through the keyhole post" - this time of our house, rather than my wardrobe!

I usually take a break from blogging at the weekend but today I thought that I would bring you a post with a difference - a house post. It's not that our house is particularly amazing, or huge, but it's light and homely and if you're anything like me, you like reading about other people's houses! I think that I owned every single copy of Living Etc for the first five years or so that it was published!

We bought our house 9 years ago now. At the time we weren't even intending to move but I saw it in the Estate Agent's window after I had dropped the eldest (then 6, now 15) off at ballet one Saturday morning. I collected the details, showed them to Mr SG later that day and we looked at it on the Monday. Having both fallen in love with it - or in the words of Mr SG "I've been here before. You do know that we'll end up living here don't you?" - a man of few words but profound ones - we put our house on the market on the Monday, sold it on the Thursday and did the deal on the Friday.

Originally it was a late 1920's three bedroom detached house and was therefore much lighter than the Victorian terrace that we left behind.  A developer had bought it and re-developed it, adding a kitchen from the front to the back of the house, where previously there had been a garage. He added an extra bedroom and ensuite above, a conservatory and he also converted the top floor into two bedrooms and a bathroom. The garden was long and sloped down to allotments at the bottom, so although we are only about 3 miles from the City Centre, we can hear an owl hooting in the sycamore tree outside. I think that most of the women in the local area either knew about the house or had been shown around it by the developer but we were blissfully unaware at the time!

The developer had done the usual - an Ikea kitchen which was finished with a lovely work surface shipped over in one huge piece from China, relatively inexpensive bathroom suites but good taps and so on. He put in glass bannisters and lots of skylights, so it feels light and airy. The house had been painted white throughout so that all we had to do was to arrange for carpets to be fitted. I also whizz around the house once a year with white paint and a roller, getting rid of dirty finger marks! I take a similar approach to the house as I do to my wardrobe - lots of plain pieces with the some brighter accent colours. Really I treat it like a big dolls house and move things around all the time.

Since we moved in we have painted the front door (an immediate and necessary job so as to replicate the colour of the front door at our old house which was quickly painted a very dull bottle green - in our opinion - by its new owners) added wallpaper in our bedroom (see the jeans post for closer pics), added wallpaper on the hall, stairs and landing, in the downstairs loo and in the living room. Other than that, apart from re-tiling the en suite, we haven't really done anything other than swap a couple of light fittings.

However, we've had Dave the Decorator in today. He has re-papered the chimney breast in the living room with some wallpaper that I bought in the summer.  Previously I'd never felt happy in that room but it's so much lighter and brighter now that I am sure that it will get used much more.

I knew that something needed to give but with new curtains and/or new furniture being much more of an investment, it wasn't really an option to change them. But for the sake of a couple of rolls of wallpaper and the labour cost of putting it up, the room has completely changed its feel. Given the colours in the curtains/furniture, we were limited in choice but its worked well - well Mr SG says that he likes it so it must be OK!

The grand-daughter clock was a present from me to Mr SG about 10 years ago now, as was the Liberty leather elephant. The picture is by Janet Bell who paints lovely bright, cheery pictures of Anglesey and Cornwall. I'm not really a fan of "serious" artwork but rather I prefer something fun and which engenders happy feelings and the rug was from Habitat a few years ago.

So, that's what's been going on here today - that and various ferrying of various children to various activities - and lots of cooking and baking! Hope that you are having a good weekend.

The verdict on the Boden yellow jacket and some patched jeans (and accessories) from GAP

 

When I opened the parcel from Boden containing their soho knitted jacket I must admit to being really unsure about it. For a start there wasn't any fastening and nor was I sure about the colour. But then when I put it on, I decided that I really liked it. It felt fresh, slightly different and nice against my skin. It's also one that I can style up or down and different options are always good when it comes to clothes.

As to the rest of the outfit, when I was in GAP the other day, I picked up a pair of these jeans, using my 30% discount voucher from Grazia - more because I was interested to see what they would look like than anything else. I haven't quite reached a conclusion on them yet. I think that they're OK and that they make a nice change from traditional straightforward jeans but hmmm, I need to think about them. I could do with another pair of jeans but whether these are it or not is a different matter. Dangerous question but - what do you think?

GAP patched skinny jeans £49.95

Now the colour block belt GAP, (yellow and grey, £19.95) is a definite keeper. I didn't buy it with the intention of wearing it with the jacket, largely because I thought the jacket would be going back, but they work well together so they can become bosom buddies in my wardrobe. As I wanted the option of wearing the belt around both my hips and waist, I bought a M, knowing that it would need extra holes in it to fit my waist. It also comes in a few other colour ways.

This leather flap clutch from GAP in soothing sea (£24.95) is a great find. It too comes in several colour ways, including yellow.

And finally these leather Oxfords from GAP (£44.95) are a great price, particularly with an additional 30% discount. Predictably they also come in several colours, including gold. They also do a printed canvas Oxford in flowers, spots and stripes.  

I have to say I'm pretty impressed with what GAP has to offer so far this season. With what I have featured above, together with their crossbody leather tote, I think that they are really strong on their accessories in particular so it may be worth taking advantage of the discount whilst it's still available.

Another new love - the block heeled ankle strap shoe - and do you recognise the dress?!

 

It just keeps happening. I keep falling hopelessly in love with some new style of shoes or clothing which I know will drastically revolutionise my way of living - but these really are it: the block heeled ankle strap shoe. And if you just bear with me for one minute I will tell you why...

During a normal working day I don't like to be restricted, or slowed down, by what I am wearing on my feet. Nor do I like to be uncomfortable. That's why trainers, boots, converse and anything which I'm strapped into is pretty good for me (although having said that, I'm not a fan of Mary Janes or T-bars which just really leaves trainers, boots and converse). Whilst I love courts and high heels, they irritate me after a while and I just want to take them off and get on with things. And ballet flats and smoking slippers make me feel dumpy.

However my need for speed can make it a bit difficult when wearing skirts or dresses. I've kind of had enough of ankle boots with dresses and skirts (until the next time I wear them that is) because there's no getting away from it, they do chop one's legs off. I've never been a fan of knee high boots myself as they always stop at that point just where things start to go downhill.

However when I saw these in M&S today I did think to myself "Hmmm, these could be a winner." That was after I had spied, and tried, some very pointed pale blue buckled boots, which most definitely were not - but at least I was taking my own advice from yesterday's post.

So now I'll get to the crux of the matter. This is why they work: First, they have a slight heel and I must admit that I prefer having my butt raised as far from the ground as is practical. Secondly, the ankle strap does a really good job of keeping the shoes in place, so I don't have to make any effort in that regard. Thirdly, as the strap is quite thin and black, it blends in with black tights, so the whole "cutting off the leg at the ankle" thing becomes less of an issue. Because of all of the above, I can now see myself wearing skirts and dresses that up until now I have steered clear of, unless I'm in a situation when I can wear proper heels. Come the warmer weather, when socks etc are no longer required, they will also do a pretty fine job of working with boyfriend jeans (a post on those to follow sometime soon - I have identified the ones I will be scrutinising) and possibly skinnies too. And for those who like the idea but not the look of the ankle strap, when worn with trousers the ankle strap may well be invisible - giving the benefits without the negatives.

M&S seems to have a great selection right now - as I am sure will many other brands but for now, I'm sticking with Marks - who also have some nice block heeled pumps minus ankle straps.

These silver leather block heel shoes M&S (£39.50) are next on my hit list for the spring. With jeans or a shift (provided it's not to short and the legs aren't too white/blue) these would work brilliantly.

These are the ones I am wearing above: pony skin block heels shoes M&S (£59). I haven't quite sussed the pricing of these shoes out yet. Some are Autograph and some not but there doesn't seem to be much uniformity, even from ones within the same "brand".

I'm loving these for a bit of colour: Royal blue block heel shoe M&S (£55)

The darker ones are easier to wear if tights are necessary, which is why I like the navy ankle strap block heel shoe M&S (£39.50). Speaking of tights being necessary, how is it that despite the fact that Victoria Beckham lives in the UK, she is frequently shown without tights? I don't think I've ever seen her in a pair of opaques.  Is it not cold in her little enclave of London, or does she not feel the cold? Hmm, interesting.

I'm actually really happy that I have found something else that I really like apart from the NL jeans or I fear that I would be wearing them every day. By the way, do you recognise the dress?!

My best friend...a slightly different post, written with the aim of helping someone...

77 Diamonds is celebrating all of the diamond best friends out there this Valentine's Day, so they have asked me to blog about what makes my best friend so special. The winning blog post, as judged by the co-owner of 77 Diamonds, will win a £1000 gift card.

I don't often enter competitions but I decided to enter this one for two reasons. First, best friends are incredibly special and deserve to be recognised as often as possible, and this competition gives me the chance to do just that.

Secondly, a gift card for such a generous amount could be used to make a huge difference to someone's life, so I decided to take the opportunity of trying to win it so that I can make that difference - I'm not quite sure how yet - that may have to come later!

My best friend....

You were with me as we laughed through school, joined at the hip, the terrible duo. At ballet class we danced our hearts out in our stripy leotards, footless tights and leg warmers, the height of 80's chic. We bopped away at University discos, tried to fix each other's broken hearts and grew up together. At Law School we bonded over trips to Jigsaw and desperately longed for the lectures to stop, so that we could eat flapjack in the canteen. You scooped me up off the floor in London when the going got tough and took me all the way to Cornwall for a weekend away.  On my first day in a new job, in a City familiar to you, you embraced me into your life and shared your friends with me. With our babes in arms, we shared bleary eyed trips to playgroups and through holidays, fizz and chats we have been there for one another. A friend who cared for our baby when no nursery could and a friend who, despite her busy life, never forgets to text to see how we are (and who makes amazing cakes!) Oh how we laugh at the daily trials of life - a ray of sunshine during a busy day. Our Monday night runs keeps us healthy of body and mind. We are together every night before we go to bed and every morning when we wake up (unless you have been replaced by a small child!)

Like the 58 facets of a brilliantly cut diamond, my best friend is multi-faceted. My best friend is made up of the memories, anecdotes and daily exchanges of, and with, the special people I have met throughout my life. Not all of them are with me everyday but none of them are ever far away and, in times of need, I know that every one of them is there for me, as I am for them.

An outft of spotty trousers - and pushing the fashion boundaries; just a little!

 

 

Spotty trousers - something I thought I'd never wear!

Today I wanted to write about a common theme that I have observed many times - and something that happened to me on several occasions, until I decided that life was too short not to take risks and be open minded about new styles of clothes.

Often women see other women (quite often younger than themselves) wearing a particular pair of boots, a certain style of jacket or a slightly different outfit combination and love it. Their heart skips a bit, it brings a smile to their face and then they think "But I couldn't do that, I'm too old/short/tall/"x" wouldn't like it/ people will laugh at me/I'm not trendy enough/it's just not me," so instead they stay in their comfort zone of safe pieces, feeling slightly deflated and demoralised - that heart skipping a beat moment having passed them by.

Now that's not a criticism but what I wanted to do in this post was to urge any of you who ever feel like that, just to go for it. It's better to try something new and decide that it's not right, rather than never go there in the first place and feel frustrated - and that doesn't mean being a slave to the latest fads.  Skinny jeans, a pair of heeled boots and a blazer for a night out - it's all do-able. Boyfriend jeans and heels or converse, a printed blouse, a coloured knit, a leather jacket, a sweatshirt, a bomber jacket, a statement necklace, a pleated skirt, a pair of culottes - give them a whirl.

The worst thing that can happen is that you decide not to go down that route but you may just wear your new things with a smile on your face and a spring in your step - slightly like someone from an advert for hairspray or laxatives - but hopefully not.

My pick of sunny yellow pieces from the High Street

For those who have been reading Style Guile for a while now, you will know that I have a bit of a soft spot for yellow. I don't have a huge amount of it - a Primark jumper and a lovely grey Whistles jumper with yellow sequin stripes - but that's about it. It is so light, bright and cheery though and it goes so well with grey, navy and black, that it's one not to be overlooked.

So here's my pick of some favourite yellow things of mine which keep coming back onto my radar - despite my efforts to blast them into outer space!

The Soho Knitted Jacket from Boden in citrus (£99) is on its way to me as I type. I can't remember the last time that I bought a traditional hip length "cardi" as they just don't really do it for me. However the concept is right, so it's about finding alternatives - which is where this jacket comes in. It's called a jacket but I will wear it in the same way as a cardi - so less of an "outer" piece, for now at least.

I keep coming across this Lori sheer panel top from Whistles (£85). I'd have to try it to see how the whole underwear issue works (or not)  - but I wouldn't write it off without taking a closer look at it. It's meant to be dry clean only but as it's 100% polyester, I don't see that would be necessary. Grazia have started with their run of discounts - it being GAP's turn this week - so the Whistles one will no doubt be on its way soon. Great with boyfriend jeans and heels, navy cigarette pants and loafers, textured slim fitting black trousers and brogues - it offers quite a few options.

Buying this could be a good way to make use of the Grazia offer at GAP that I have just mentioned. The crossbody yellow tote is leather, wipe clean and costs £79.95.  If I was at that stage still, I would be very happy to use this as a nappy bag - but as I'm not, I will just borrow a baby for the day, or alternatively just use it for all my "stuff" - which would probably amount to the same in terms of volume and would also be less hassle.

I have absolutely no need for one of these rain jackets - although with holidays in Cornwall and Guernsey planned again, perhaps I do - but I really like them. This one is from  GAP kids (which go up pretty large) and costs £26.99. I have seen others at Petit Bateau and a similar one at Boden.

Now all I need is a dog to borrow to take for a walk so that I could wear this. What with that, and a baby so that I can use the bag, what I really need is someone else's life. (And just so that no-one feels the need to leave a comment to this effect, I know that what I really need to do is to GET a life!)

The result of the jeans experiment and where they are leading me.....

I know, enough already of these ridiculous photos! The last post was a long one though and this is the only image I have of what I wanted to write about today - so forgive me!

Thank you to you all, for your comments on the jeans post - I will get back to you all. I'm always slightly nervous when I do a post like that but it's really nice to see what lovely people read Style Guile. There was very much a general consensus on the New Look jeans, which is good because they are the ones that I kept. Taking into account colour, fit, composition and value for money, they worked the best for me. (Having said that I haven't yet returned the others, so there's still time.)

As part of my "in-store" research I took this photo (whilst waiting for the eldest) which I'm sharing because I really like the "Love" jumper, also from New Look (£19.99). I didn't buy it at the time because there's no way that I need another grey jumper. Also I am trying not to spend too many pennies so, with great resolve, I left it in the store. And anyway it was a bit "polyesterish".

However there could be an argument to say that, as it's coming up to Valentine's Day, it would be really nice to have a jumper with "Love" written on it - in the same way that it's nice to have  Christmas jumper at Christmas time, whether we need one or not. I know! Lame, even by my standards. OK, so let's try again. How about......On the other hand, we all need a bit of polyester in our wardrobes. It's great for demonstrating how static electricity works to the kids, so really they would be the ones to benefit if I owned this jumper. Better? Hmm, maybe not.

Or it could be argued that grey and orange is a refreshing colour combination and one which I don't really have much of at the moment, in which case there's this jumper from Reiss (now £65 instead of £95). And stripes are so appealing.....

I'm just starting to wonder whether the less expensive jeans were a false economy. What's the betting that one of these jumpers will have snuck it's way into my wardrobe in the not too distant future? Oh and I've seen some lovely boots to go with my new shade of blue jeans too.....

A jeans experiment - and some advice on jeans buying

Like many things to do with clothes, I've thought long and hard about my jeans. I don't think that I have ever spent more than about £60 on a pair of jeans and generally I spend quite a bit less. I'm fairly lucky in that I don't find it hard to get them to fit and I'd rather spend the pennies on something else. Having said that, I have put plenty of women in more expensive jeans, and for them it has been totally worth it.

Feeling in need of a bit of jeans update for the spring (most of mine are really old and pretty unflattering too) and fancying a pair that were just the right shade of  blue (which is hard to describe as lots of jeans are blue) I thought that I would do a little experiment.

I'd spied some that I liked in Whistles so I tried those, along with two pairs from GAP and a pair from New Look. I also hovered over the Topshop ones but knew that our eldest was in  the market for a pair, so didn't want to cramp her style by getting there first - but I do really like the Baxter ones. Really I wanted to try the jeans side by side to see whether I could feel the difference in cut, comfort and composition - and to see whether I should be spending more on them than I tend to.

For me, one of the most interesting things was how different they were in size when lined up together. All of them were the right size for me - whether it be a size 8, a 26" waist or a "S" but the pic at the top shows the variation in their actual size. There's a huge difference in pairs 3 and 4 from the left. It's all to do with their composition and the quantities of polyester and elastane in them.

I was going to do this post on a "guess which pair costs the most" type basis but I figured that I'd probably end up getting it all around my neck, so I've kept it simple, showing you the label from the jeans followed by two pics of me in each pair. I was going to include a shot of me in each pair from behind so that you could see the shape and size of the pockets - but I decided that that was just asking for ridicule. In all honesty I'm not sure that they really look that different but anyway, see what you think!

At £22.99, this pair from New Look was my cheapest. The composition of them is 99% cotton and 1% elastane - although they feel as if they have more than only 1% elastane. I'm wearing a size 8, 32" leg. The stitching is blue, rather than the usual orange - and I quite like that. As soon as I put them on, they were incredibly comfortable. They have a good rise to them, although they are slightly looser around the knees than some others.

At £95, this pair from Whistles were the most expensive. I started off in a 28", went down to a 27" and ended up in a 26". They don't do a 25" but do do a 24" which is interesting. I like it when brands do in between sizes, just because it all helps. The composition of this pair is 92% cotton, 8% polyester and 2% spandex. I felt that the shading over the thighs was a tad too light for me and also, somehow they didn't move WITH, me but rather they did their own thing, which was odd give their polyester and spandex content. The pocket shape and positioning on the back was good though. Additionally they had a good rise on them and they were snug enough on the legs.

These legging jeans from GAP were £49.95.  I asked our eldest her view on the jeans and these were probably her favourite but I must admit that I did feel like I was wearing a pair of tights - which for the record isn't necessarily a good thing. I felt that every contour would be on show and whilst possibly good for a night out (in somewhere pretty dark), I would have felt a little self conscious wearing them in the day. The composition of these is 66% cotton, 31% polyester and 3% spandex. They definitely sucked me in - not in an uncomfortable way - but I wouldn't have felt happy in them.  So for me they were a no.

The GAP Always Skinny cost £44.95 and their composition was 87% cotton, 12% polyester and 1% elastane. I found it quite easy to discount these as the colour was too similar to some that I have already and the rise felt a bit low compared to the others. Also they weren't as skinny around the ankle as I wanted. And I so wish that GAP would do something about the pockets on their jeans. They haven't been changed in years and they are just a bit plain. Overall they're not a bad option though.

So, the contenders for "Spring Jeans 2014" were the New Look ones and the Whistles ones. Which do you think I went for? I have to say that I have had enough of trying on jeans to last me for quite some time, so I won't be repeating the experience again in a hurry!

A note about jeans buying: The most common mistake to make when buying jeans is to buy them too big. I know that it's hard to buy something which feels slightly on the small side but that's exactly how jeans should feel in the shop. The denim warms up when worn, and gives, making them bigger. I often wear jeans at home for half an hour or so before taking the labels off - just to be sure. The addition of spandex makes the problem less severe than it used to be as the fabric springs back into shape more easily but it's still one to watch.

The other thing to look out for is the composition of the jeans. Whilst this is a personal thing, I don't particularly like the feel of the ones that have a lot of polyester in them - which is a relatively new development. They feel a bit "slimy" to me and I prefer the combination of cotton and spandex. The downside of course is that they don't fit quite as snugly but there's always a trade off in life!

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 beauty of an uber big coat on a very cold day - and how to train boys to look after handbags!

 

We've had snow! It wasn't a huge amount and it hasn't settled but needless to say it was really, really cold here today. My friend and I ran for nearly two hours in it and despite wearing three layers, two of which were pretty thick, it still wasn't that warm. After returning home, I showered and headed straight into town to do some work and some jeans research (more on that tomorrow hopefully) but I also went to town because I have found that, after a long run, it is better to keep moving.

When it was time to do the school run, it was still freezing and I was grateful to have my Whistles parka. Luckily it is large enough to throw over any other jacket I may be wearing that day without making me feel squidged like a sausage in a skin . It wasn't something that I bore in mind when buying it but it's actually really handy to have a coat big enough to accommodate what you have on already, without having to take a layer off - which obviously totally defeats the object on a cold day.

The pockets are great too and they mean that I can stuff everything in them whilst leaving my handbag at home. Today however I didn't have time to decant everything into my pockets. When the car is full, as it was today, there isn't space for my bag to have its own seat so I had a dilemma. Abandon a child so that the bag can have a seat or ask a 12 year old boy to sit with my bag on his knee? I took the latter option. I did feel slightly bad for my son's friend but then I figured that it was good training for later in life - and quite possibly better than abandoning him at the railway station or making him sit on the roof. Handbags deserve respect! I do feel though, that I ought to mention it to his Mum, just in case she wonders from where he has gained his newly acquired knowledge of (semi) designer handbags!

In addition to the Whistles Parka I was wearing the Whistles Annabel jacket and Whistles jeans, Topshop pale blue jumper and belt, Zara boots and Jigsaw necklace.