A must have shoe for the spring - something pretty but practical and high enough off the ground to keep your feet dry!

 

Last spring and summer, I really enjoyed wearing my red patent wooden sandals from Topshop. As soon as I saw them, I fell in love with them, tried them on and the deal was done within minutes. Those instinctive purchases are rarely ones that we live to regret - unless they are made under the influence of alcohol, or a broken heart, or there's some other motivating factor at play. They went with so many things and were comfortable whilst giving me that bit of height, and slight chunkiness, that balances me out. On the other hand, I do think that they're a bit of a marmite item - some will look on in glee, others will turn away in terror!

I haven't been able to find anything similar this year at Topshop but there are a couple of styles out there that I would be quite happy to wear as an alternative. There are lots of huge wedges but that's not really what I was after. Cork is also a good option for those who don't like wood and it's also lighter too. I'm feeling a 1970's vibe coming on here!

Whilst it may be a bit early to wear sandals it's good to have them waiting in the wings and the good thing about these sandals is that they're not too "high summer" too early on. I like a gradual transition from boots, to converse, to these type of sandals and then flatter, strappier ones. It's the same with my clothes - a layer at a time is fine, thank you very much! I've never been one to whip everything off at the first sign of the sun.

These cork sandals from Hush (£70) are a pair of shoes that I would love to try. I love the chunky heel and the platform negates some of the heel height, which will make them much more wearable than they look. They also come in a couple of other colours too.

The Boden court platforms (£84.15) are also another option. I like shoes which go with lots of different things and these would be good with dresses, skirts, skinny, boyfriend or biker jeans, or chinos - the list goes on really. They would even be good with a really wide pair of high waisted, flared jeans.

The Lotta  peep toe clogs (£57.50) are a slightly lower, less chunky version. I've included the link to Swedish Hasbeens who also have a great selection, which are really similar.

And I realise that these are a bit of wildcard because they would be pretty difficult to walk in, let alone drive, or run in (and they are wedges) but I do love the look of these Hush leather clogs (£95) - especially in the image underneath them. If I thought that I could pull it off I would - but one has to know one's limits! Maybe with trousers though.....

 

Alice's Wonders: The treasure trove of sweetie coloured statement jewellery has just had more treasure added to it!

A couple of weeks ago now, I wrote a post about Alice's Wonders a fabulous online shop run by Cathy, who I met via twitter. People were so taken with her choice of necklaces and ear-rings on Alice's Wonders that she quickly sold out. However, you will be really pleased to hear that her shop is now well and truly stocked with some lovely pieces so for anyone who missed out, now may be the perfect time to pick up a lovely sparkly number to wear in the sun. I can't promise that the pieces featured above are still available but the ones below are.

I'm loving a bit of lime right now and this lovely necklace from Alice's Wonders (£8) will look fantastic against a navy or grey backdrop or with a denim, or white, shirt.

With all things blue being such a huge trend for the season, this Alice's Wonders necklace (£8) allows you to tap into it without having to make too much of a financial commitment. Put against a backdrop of a plain white T-shirt, this necklace would really make it something other than, well,  just a plain white T-shirt!

And it would be wrong of me not to include something as lovely as this beautiful pink necklace from Alice's Wonders (£9). It's just fabulous!

So, for those of you who have been waiting for Cathy's new stock to arrive, quick, go and take a look before it all goes!

What to wear when you want to feel as though you are wearing PJs all day but don't (quite) want to look like it!

 

 

Today dawned sunny and bright and I knew that with that came the possibility of tennis with our son, bouncing on the trampoline with the youngest (subject to the loan of some pelvic floor muscles from somewhere), a few random squats/lunges should the mood take me (it didn't), some ironing and faffing in the garden. So with all those possibilities in mind, jeans or restrictive trousers were out of the question.

Given that I didn't plan to come across many people that I knew, other than during a quick trip to Waitrose (to buy the most unhealthy basket of ingredients for posh bread and butter pudding, ice-cream and chocolate cake - thank heavens for the huge bag of crisps which hid everything) I figured that I could get away with my harem jogging bottoms from Next.

I stuck them with a denim shirt tied at the waist and a modal lace vest from Jigsaw (£24) to fill in the gap between the two. M&S are great for vests with their long ones being particularly good - and H&M vests are great too but if you need one with lace around the bottom, the Jigsaw ones are the best. With a pair of converse I was good to go and all that I needed to do all day was swap the converse for wellies when I went into the garden.

I really think that a pair of good joggers/track pants, call them what you will (as long as it's not a shell suit I really don't mind. Oooh, can you imagine those making a comeback?) are a good addition to your wardrobe. Easier to style than leggings, they are also a little more forgiving, (arguably) a little more stylish and can be worn for travelling or whenever else you just need to be uber comfortable.

With trainers being such a huge trend now they can be worn with those, skater shoes, converse or wedge trainers and somehow they have become acceptable as a fashion piece in their own right, rather than just something to slob around in at home behind closed doors or when nipping out to the chippy.

My trousers aren't cuffed at the bottom but I would be very happy to wear a pair that were. I think that the thing to remember about them is that some cheaper ones will work great on some people, whilst others will have to spend a bit more. It just depends so much on the individual. I bought some from H&M late last year and they were so wrong that it was hilarious - too low in the rise, too tight on the calf - not a life enhancing experience! Anyway, here's a quick round up of some that I have come across:

There's the Next harem track pants, which at £22 are a really good price.

The Next luxe joggers (£30) are made from modal so are slightly more elegant than jersey ones and could also be styled for an evening out.

The Whistles Lola track pant (£65) are lovely and soft and hang really well.

The Whistles Dalia jogging pant (£65) have a good rise on them, for anyone preferring something not too low slung.

These slim leg joggers from Hush (£39.50) are some of my favourites - but then I'm a bit of a sucker for Hush!

And these cotton cashmere trousers from Cos (£49) have had my fingers run over them many times, although I haven't ever tried them. I'm very tempted to do so though as the combination of cotton and cashmere makes them a) much less spendy than their cashmere counterparts and b) means that because of that, I would actually be more likely to wear them than rather just look at them and wish I were brave enough to do so!

 

As an aside, whilst Freddie was taking my photos, he was fiddling with the camera. I asked him what he was doing and he said that he was making me look "vintage" to which I responded that I was quite capable (sadly) of doing that all by myself. Oh well, it's good to be good at something.  

 

Continuing with my shopping trip - now over to Jack Wills for a try on...

Having finally got my head around the idea of whipping my clothes off at the drop of a hat on my shopping trip yesterday, there was no stopping me! After Jigsaw I headed to Jack Wills to take a closer look at their collection of clothes made in Liberty Art Fabrics. First off I tried on the bomber jacket and whilst it's lovely arguably the blue print, when put with jeans, was just a little all to blue - even for me, the queen of blue.

I did try on and subsequently purchased, the Jack Wills Liberty Dress (£75) although it was in a smaller size than the one that I'm wearing here, which for info is a size 10. There's currently a 25% offer with Tatler magazine, making it slightly more palatable cost wise. No comments on white legs etc necessary - I'm prepared to sacrifice my dignity for the sake of the greater good of showing you the length and fit of this dress.  The picture below is probably a better example of how it's supposed to look but you know we can't all be 5ft 10" and have legs up to our armpits now can we? On the other hand I don't think that you can ever be too old, or too young, for liberty prints. They just transcend the generations.

We're going to Cornwall and Guernsey for our summer holidays this year. In both places the weather can change so quickly (usually from good to bad!) so this dress gives me the practicality that I need in terms of warmth but I really like the print and relaxed style. I can wear it with converse, sandals, slip on trainers or birkenstocks and I can also carry in my bag some leggings (not my clothing of choice but I can see their benefit on occasions) for when it gets too cold to be bare legged.

For anyone who was reading Style Guile last summer will recall, when I'm off with the children I like to be ready to do anything at a moment's notice and I'm quite happy to keep rotating just three or four (OK, one or two) outfits, so this is another one to add to my very short list!

Last year on our way to Cornwall I bought from the men's section at Asda a raffia hat similar to this one from Zara (£17.99). I'm almost certain that one that I saw yesterday had a spotted trim, so that may be working its way into my summer wardrobe too.

Of course the Jigsaw slip on trainers that I featured yesterday would also work really well with this dress - not that I'm creating a case for buying them or anything like that.

An invitation to come on my shopping trip with me - first off Primark and Jigsaw

Apparently it's going to be warm this weekend, which I'm delighted about because I went shopping today!

Lots of people ask me when, how and where I shop and I never really know the answer, which sounds a bit bizarre really. Obviously I spend a lot of time in the shops but I'm usually working and concentrating on whoever I'm styling. Then, when I do have some spare time, going back into the shops isn't always top of my agenda. But occasionally, I really enjoy spending some time just looking at things that I like. Today there were things that I wanted to look at in Primark, Zara, Jigaw, Whistles, Jack Wills, Topshop and Warehouse. If you want to come along, I'll take you on the first part of my shopping trip with me.....

Primark was slightly freaky I felt - far too many My Little Pony, Barbie, Mr Men and Marvel t-shirts for my liking. There were one or two things that I saw but then I thought to myself "Really? Can I be bothered to take my clothes off to try these things on?" As I found myself leaving the store, I knew the answer. Having said that, for anyone on the lookout for a printed short/skort suit there are two amazing floral ones which are made of a lovely fabric.

Jigsaw was a much more pleasant experience. The girls were unpacking a new delivery and there were lots of things that I loved and a couple of things that I bought. This is what I found:

Silk front sweater (£89) - the back is plain and it's just one of those easy, pretty, tops for when something more than a t-shirt is needed but full on bling isn't required.

If you can, I think that you'll have to try and look past the styling of these Tencel trousers (£79) because they are actually really lovely. I didn't buy this chambray pair as, already having boyfriend jeans, I didn't feel that they added that much to my wardrobe but I did buy a pair in navy. They would be brilliant for anyone who gets really hot in the summer and who wants a lighter weight, non-linen, trouser. They won't necessarily work for everyone but it's worth being open minded about them and giving them a go. They also come in charcoal and I put them with....

......the Jane Suede Court Shoe (£139) which are top of my list for a (rather generous) Mother's Day present. I've seen them a few times but given that I was in Jigsaw for a while today, I had a chance to put them through their paces. Despite their heel, they don't feel too high, the suede makes them really soft and they have padding in them too. I like the lighter coloured heel as it makes them less work like and more spring like and the pointed toe makes them feel really fresh.

You can't go wrong with a good Breton top and Jigsaw does them each season. This Amelie top (£35) also comes in a navy stripe and a pink stripe. It's horses for courses when it comes to Breton tops but I have always got on well with the Jigsaw ones.

This is one of the items that did make its way into a bag and out of the store with me. The Jigsaw striped dress (£75) is quite close fitting but it's pretty thick and supportive with it. It's one that I could wear now but I'll probably try and hang on to it for when it's slightly warmer.

Sophie is the Manager of Jigsaw in Birmingham and has been for ever (by her own admission!) Today she was wearing this Double layer jersey dress (£49) which had arrived in the new delivery.  It looked great on her in as much as it was fitted but really flattering even though she's not straight up and down (she wouldn't mind me saying that!) Even if you don't normally wear fitted clothing it's worth trying something different from time to time as styles vary and it is possible to hit on an item which, when on, looks amazing, even though you might not have though that it was for you.

If I had a wedding to go to this Spring, or Autumn, or probably any time other than July or August, this Audrey Coat (£179) would be part of my outfit. It's lovely - stylish and simple - and also comes in navy.

When I saw one of the girls in Jigsaw earlier in the week she said to me "Hey, look Beth, Jigsaw's getting trendy, we have bomber jackets!" I really like this Quilted Jersey Jacket (£69) but it's so similar to a grey quilted sweatshirt that I have that it wouldn't have added much. Jigsaw are also going to do a silk one in about four or five colours - the white version is shown with the tencel trousers above.

I know I've featured these Slip on plimsolls (£59) before but today I got to try them properly and they are so comfortable that they are definitely on my list. They gave a different look to the striped dress and also the tencel trousers. I'll wear them in exactly the same way as converse.

I also tried the Zipped sweater (£89) which comes in five different colours. It's described as cropped but it's not really - it's just not long and oversized. It's neat and fitted and a really good all rounder.

There were so many things that I could have written about. They had a great emerald coloured sweatshirt which isn't online (at least I don't think it is) and which also comes in orange. There's a good selection of basic T's and long sleeved tops too. Over the last couple of seasons the new design team has (apparently) been drip feeding the odd slightly non-Jigsaw type piece into the collection, which explains the brighter colours and more on trend shapes and styles. Although I have always loved Jigsaw, I'm starting to see it a whole new different light. Some time soon I'll show you what else I bought....

Who wouldn't want a free Magazine for the weekend? Diet Coke makes it possible!

A few weeks ago now I received an email to tell me that Diet Coke had a gift for me. I was very intrigued as to what it may be - but the obvious sprang to mind. Of course, a gorgeous hunk as per the adverts. What else could it be? Well, as it transpired, it was something much better than a gorgeous hunk. For a start there was a Jo Malone candle, a red Nails Inc nail varnish, 6 cans of diet coke, 2 magazines and a handbag. Well really, there was just no contest was there - what more could a girl want?

For those of you who may not know already, Diet Coke have teamed up with "Look" and "Now" to offer a free  magazine with every purchase of a promotional pack of Diet Coke (the packaging has hearts on it) between 17th February and 30th March.

To redeem free copies of Look or Now, all readers have to do is purchase a special promotional pack of Diet Coke, visit diet coke, enter the unique code from the pack, choose their preferred magazine, print the voucher and take it in-store to redeem. What are we waiting for? (No, the hunk isn't about to come knocking, so let's just get on with buying the coke and getting the free magazine.)

Disclaimer: All that Diet Coke asked me to do was to let as many people as possible know that they could get a free copy of Look or Now magazine. And for those who know me well, no-one will doubt me when I say that I LOVE diet coke!

PS Did you know that over 7 billion people have enjoyed 336 billion litres of Diet Coke globally over the past three decades? I think that I probably consumed 335 billion litres of it myself.

My favourite printed dresses on the High Street - and what they can do for you...

 

I realise that you've seen this dress several times before but I still like wearing it and I wanted to do a run down of some nice printed dresses that I have seen recently.

Printed dresses are good on several levels. They keep the eye on the move and give a cleaner silhouette (Oh OK, let's be honest, they hide lumps and bumps) they can add colour and interest to your wardrobe and a dress in a print of the season can look so much more up to date than its plain counterpart.

This Riviera shirt dress Boden (£69) - otherwise christened "my Kirsty Allsop" dress by a lady I was working with today, is a great dress for hourglass figures. It's beautifully fitted over the bust, without any gaping, nips in at the waist and then flares gently over the hips. With nude wedges it's a really simple, elegant look.  My only advice would be to tie the belt to one side (rather than over the tummy as above) just where you have those little "dips". Also try to make the belt as flat as possible, rather than tying it in a bow which can add bulk.

The Atlanta dress from Coast (£75) has a great big bloomin' print (literally) over the upper torso, which can serve to either attract, or distract, attention from a particular area. So if that's where you want to draw attention - either because of a shapely bust or a flat stomach - or if you want to use it as a diversion away from curvier hips - or just because you like it - this is the dress for you. The colours in the print are quite unusual and I really like the pale pink which I would pick out in accessories.

 

This abstract floral print dress Warehouse (£46) is the current version of the dress that I am wearing. The model wearing the dress on the website is 5ft 10" so don't be put off by how short it looks on her. I like the grey, lilac and yellow in this dress, which would look good with a jacket such as this one from Zara (£59.99). It's a great style with a lovely pleat at the back.

This Forget me knot midi dress Great Plains (£65) is a simple shape in a stretch cotton fabric which offers support. A dress with a sleeve and a good length such as this can be hard to come by so this is a particular favourite of mine. It also comes in a different colour way.

Here's a little collage of the dresses, which I then decided wasn't as good as the individual images but it took me so long to do, that I've decided to leave it in anyway - plus the links may be quite handy!

 

Clockwise from top left:

 

Riviera shirt dress Boden (£69)

 

Forget me knot midi dress Great Plains (£65)

 

Abstract floral print dress Warehouse (£46)

 

Atlanta dress from Coast (£75)

Eco and organic clothing for a birthday present - happy birthday sis!

Today it's my sister's birthday and for her present she asked for a t-shirt or long-sleeved top, which was fair trade/organic. I have to say it's been one of my toughest missions to date and despite extensive searching, I've only just managed to find what I am after.

Just to put things into context, when it comes to clothes, my sis and I are very different. When we were children, for Christmas I would get a new ballet leotard and she would get a Liverpool football kit. I would bet good money that she doesn't own a skirt or dress and she definitely doesn't own a pair of heels. I think that she secretly despairs at my fashion mags! She's more of a walk along the beach, or in the hills, kind of girl and loves a pint in her local. And she could probably give Richard Attenborough a run for his money when it comes to nature and the living world. So really it's not surprising that she likes her clothes to be made in an environmentally sound way - and to be honest we could probably all do with taking a leaf out of her book. 

I did find this sausage dog tee from People tree (£32) which I couldn't resist sharing. It also comes in a red and white stripe and it's just so sweet. I think that I may get away with this as she likes dogs, although probably not the shape of the t-shirt.

But in general, the clothes that I found fell into two categories. Either they were quite trendy - such as most of the range from People Tree - which is lovely, and to be fair I have featured quite a lot of it, but not what she was after - or ASOS Africa - equally not her. Alternatively they were very slogan led items, expounding various environmental causes - which again isn't really her, at least not in that very vocal way.

Now I know that this post isn't about me and what I like BUT I did find this range by Orla Kiely for People Tree, which may appeal to others. (Sorry to have snuck that in there sis.)

People Tree did have this slub t-shirt in grey (£28) - which was right in terms of the shape and it is a good basic piece but not overly inspiring - particularly for a birthday present.

They also do the slub t-shirt in white (£28). Again very handy but not very "wow"!

But then I came across the Eco Star Organic Clothing Company which is based in Wales and has very much an Innocent Smoothie approach to their business. They seem to spend their time divided between surfing and working, they treat their staff well and use organic cotton for their t-shirts which are embellished with stars made from clothes which would have otherwise gone to landfill. With simple styles, bright colours and just a little embellishment - and without a slogan, or flash in the pan trendy detail in sight, I finally felt that I was heading along the right lines.

I really like this organic cotton tee in yellow (£9) and as yellow is her son's favourite colour, he might find himself with one too.

There's also this organic cotton tee in green (£9)

And this organic cotton tee in pink (£9) - which may be slightly on the bright side but she has been known to wear some pink brogues once, so it may be a winner.

Of course she's allowed more than one £9 T-shirt for her birthday but it's a start. And as an aside, my sis has worn Birkenstocks for many, many years now, so when I told her that they were uber cool this season she just said "See, if you wear something for long enough it comes back into fashion again" before giving me a look as if to say "you numpty". Cheers sis, happy birthday!

Please feel free to let me know if you know of any other brands that might also fit the bill, especially if they are up and coming newbies.

How to pull together a bit of this and a bit of that to make a new outfit (plus the 25% discount code for Whistles)

Today dawned vaguely sunny so I decided to wear a dress - which I then wore as a skirt, which kind of defeated the object but never mind.  Anyway, because it's so versatile I wore my Pia jersey dress from All Saints (no longer available but the Marilla dress by All Saints (£88) is pretty close) with a striped GAP top, cobalt blue GAP jumper, Kausar cobalt blue bag (sadly no longer available), Whistles scarf and M&S leopard shoes.

With a very fitted bottom half, I wanted a looser and more relaxed look on the top half, so this jumper fitted the bill and the cobalt blue in the scarf and bag tied the outfit together - but hopefully not in a too matchy-matchy kind of way. I like it when a variety of random items comes together to make a new outfit - it's a bit like conjuring up a new recipe for dinner -sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but I was happy enough with this ensemble.

Forgive me for bleating and tweeting about Whistles again but I just wanted to let you know that the Grazia offer has finally arrived and there's currently 25% off. If you're buying online, just quote the code WH25SS14. If you're buying in store, you will need the voucher from the magazine. If what you're after is showing as sold out, don't panic. Whistles has the most fabulous customer service department. Just email them at enquiries@whistles.co.uk with your query and they will let you know which store has the item you are after. You can then call that store and purchase over the telephone. A friend of mine has already used the service today with great success.

So far I've heard of people buying sweatshirts, tops and bags. What bargains (in the loosest sense of the word of course) have you bagged? I'm off to take a look now.....

Kin by John Lewis - Good basics at a good price - one for your radar maybe?!

I've had my eye on Kin, the clothing range by John Lewis, for a while now and it is getting stronger each season. It offers clothing which is "affordable, well designed, contemporary but timeless". The range offers pared down basics with simple, clean lines, which (to me at least) take inspiration from the Scandinavian brands such as Other Stories and Cos, with a bit of GAP thrown in as well.

I've chosen a few of my favourite pieces to show you but you can see the whole range for men, women and children here. Whilst the pieces are slightly different from a typical JL brand, I like the comfort of knowing that it will be good quality, good value and with a sensible returns policy too.

For anyone tempted by a bomber jacket this quilted bomber jacket (£59), which also comes in grey, would be a good place to start. It's a beautiful soft colour for the spring - arguably a little more "out there" than a black or navy one but it's less heavily styled than some of the varsity style ones.

This linen blended jumper (£45) is a fairly typical Boden/Gap style piece but I like the fitted sleeves, scooped hem and boat neckline. It could be layered over a camisole in a contrasting colour and worn with a long pendant necklace, just to jazz it up a little. Or throw it on with shorts and converse in the summer months.

I know that a lot of you struggle with work wear. You may be pleased to know that culottes (£69) are firmly on the fashion radar this season. If I still worked in an office environment I would definitely try a pair of these - just because they are a little different to the norm, without being too challenging. I'm not sure that the photo does them justice and they do require high heels to make the proportions work properly, and for the shape to look right, but they could open up a whole new host of wardrobe ideas.

A navy blazer (£49) is always a great addition to a busy woman's wardrobe and this one is 100% cotton which makes it great for those who either prefer, or need to wear, natural fibres.

This tan tote (£89) is a fabulous wardrobe staple and big enough for essential baby items or papers/ipad etc for work (or many cases, both - altogether and all at the same time.)

And I love this ankle boot (£120) which also comes in pistachio (see below) white and brown. The navy and pistachio are particularly nice for this time of year when we're starting - very slowly - to think about heading towards warmer weather and lighter colours.

For anyone on the look out for a relatively inexpensive brands, with some good basics that not everyone else will be wearing, Kin could be worth a peek around.