Gemini Fashion - A blogger "style off" in printed trousers

 

Along with Donna at I Won't Wear Sludge Brown and Jane at My Midlife Fashion I was recently approached by Gemini-Woman to see whether I would be interested in taking part in a blogger style off, using a pair of printed trousers from Gemini's Sandwich Collection. together with a top which we were asked to choose from a selection offered.

I was interested as it gave me the opportunity to try Sandwich Clothing, which I haven't investigated for a few years now. It also gave me the chance to devote some time to looking at the collection, trying things for size and checking out the quality. As part of the style off, we were each gifted a scarf in the same print as the trousers.

The trousers that we were asked to wear were the Sienna dot pants in driftwood and they cost £79.50. Being 50% cotton and 50% modal they are really soft and they hang nicely. They are also machine washable. I love the muted colours in the print, which is so versatile in that it would work with lots of shades of grey (maybe 50 or so?!) plus creams, browns and not to mention turquoise. I am wearing the XS in all pieces, all of which were quite roomy, so perhaps opting for a smaller size could be wise.

From the tops on offer, I chose the single jersey jacket in dark wood (£89). It was slightly more fitted than some of the other tops suggested which, whilst lovely, I didn't think would suit my frame. The sleeve length is also good for showing off bracelets and bangles to their full effect and I really like the asymmetric detailing.

I also chose the lightweight jersey top in bright aqua (£49) as I thought that it would contrast well against the jacket, whilst also referencing the blue in the print in the trousers. Being a bit of fair skinned, OK pale, creature - some colour is always good too.

In terms of how I styled the outfit, in the shot below I am wearing both the top and jacket, together with a blue statement necklace, two Reiss cuffs and an Orla Kiely blue bag (which I accidentally left out in the garden overnight - a crime against bags if ever there was one)! I turned the trousers up slightly for a more relaxed look and the waist band down, as the trousers were quite high waisted, which for some is both perfect and essential. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the trousers hung over my bottom - sometimes they can be really shapeless but these were fitted although without any VPL issues!

But because I loved the colour of the top so much, I also went for a shot without the jacket. For me, an outfit such as this could be worn for so many different occasions - from a night out with the girls, to lunch, shopping or perhaps to one of the many "Oh so trendy Rod Stewart/Michael Buble/Gary Barlow" concerts to which my husband I seem to be going of late. I have to say though that the main thing about these trousers is the comfort factor so if you're planning on sitting still for a long time, or eating a big meal or doing anything in which your find other clothes restricting, these trousers could be the answer.

Gemini are currently offering a 10% discount which is valid for 1 month from today on full price clothing together with free delivery on orders over £75. For now I'm sure that Donna won't mind you using her unique code -  GEMSLUDGE10. I will update with mine tomorrow!

And as this is a "style off" Gemini will be promoting it across their social media channels, giving people the chance to vote on their favourite look, which you can do via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook - however really I see this as more of an opportunity to throw a few ideas around on how to style these trousers and to encourage others to give them a go when perhaps they may not have done so. They really are very easy to wear and great for people like me who, when it's hot, don't want to show the lot!

The elusvie boyfriend jeans....not so much a need for head room as a need for thigh room!

Today's post is about those elusive/relaxed/boyfriend non-skinny, but non/bootleg, jeans for which we are all searching. Thinking about it, why we would want to look like we are wearing a pair of bloke's jeans I am not sure - but for me it is all about the comfort factor.

 

Getting a pair with the right amount of slouch, without looking like we have stacked on a few pounds, is pretty near impossible - but it's all about accepting that it's a different look.  Skinny jeans with lycra to hold you in are good for creating a leaner silhouette. However, when heading into boyfriend territory, you just have to let it go!

 

Below I have compared three pairs of jeans that I already owned plus a new pair, to see which fit the slouchy/boyfriend look the best. If, however, someone said that they all looked exactly the same, I wouldn't be surprised.

 

So the first pair are the  GAP  real straight, in a dark wash (£44.95). The size that I am wearing are a 26/32. They have the width around the ankle but are probably my least favourite pair for the slouchy look that I am after, although they are great as an alternative to a skinny jean for a bit of hip balancing. 

 

The side shot is designed to show the fit around the thighs and the room in the lower leg - just in case anyone was wondering!

Moving on to the second pair, these are the sexy boyfriend jeans from GAP (£44.95) and I am wearing a 25" (the finish has changed this season and they aren't currently stocking any like these, though that will probably change). The fit of these is slightly looser all over - definitely looser through the leg than the real straight and they taper more which is OK with heels but for some reason less so with flats. They just feel a bit too carrot shaped with flats for my liking.

These jeans are made from a soft denim, which is nice and when I bought them they were definitely better than the Topshop boyfriend style, which were just skinny, skinny, skinny on me!

 

These are my latest acquisition, the Hampton boyfriend jeans from Jigsaw (£75) which I bought with a gift voucher that I had for Mother's Day. I wasn't quite sure how they differed from the other pairs I already owned and I bought them with the purpose of trying them at home alongside these other pairs, to see whether they were worth keeping.

The thing about these is that they come up ridiculously huge - seriously, massively, huge. The ones that I am wearing are a 24" waist, which is bonkers in anyone's book other than Victoria Beckham's - and even these are a bit roomy.

These definitely have that slouchy look about them. I have it in mind to wear them with my converse or slip on trainers in a very casual way - so why I haven't styled them in that way I'm not sure! I'm not convinced that they would be terribly flattering worn like that but as I said above, it's more of a comfort look that I am after and there's sometimes a trade off in that.

What I would say though is to anyone who is after some boyfriend jeans and who has a decent thigh on them (and I include myself within that) these do have some room so you should get the "slouch" you are after. Just go down a size, or two!

And finally here I'm wearing one of my favourite pair of GAP jeans - the ultra skinny bought from an outlet on the South Coast six years ago and they are a US size 2. Ultra skinny they are not, particularly around the ankle, and although they are quite fitted I can pull them down without undoing the button - all quite random really. 

 

I'm scared that these will give up the ghost before I can find a replacement - but I'm not sure that I ever will. Having said that, these don't quite fulfil the slouchy criteria that I am after.

 

Some other good styles that I have seen are these boyfriend jeans from Hush (£75) which looked so good on a friend of mine - although her legs are very long and slim so she does have a bit of an unfair advantage in the boyfriend jeans department.

 

And whilst I haven't tried these boyfriend jeans from the White Company (£85), I have high hopes from them. With them being from the White Company they should have a decent enough rise on them so that the whole builder's bum look doesn't arise. I would also expect them to be cut with some thigh room.

 

 

I also like this relaxed style jean from Cos (£59), which they had in my preferred choice of a slightly darker wash in the store. The good thing about Cos jeans is that they come in in between sizes, (27,29,31) as well as the even sizes. These look a little bit Mom jean, and a little bit Bros (as in the "When will I be famous" sense) but don't rule them out just yet. All jeans need to be given a chance to be tried on!

 

And so it was that yesterday I tried out my Jigsaw jeans for a day of running around doing jobs and sorting out my wardrobe (oh yes the charity shop had a lot of bags come its way today). I tried them in the way that I have should really have worn them for the above pics - with converse and a fitted jumper just to test their true slouch/boyfriend effect. Having also worn them today, it looks like I'll be keeping them!

Maybe this will give more of an idea - maybe it won't.....

I could go on but I think that you will all have had enough by now, however please do share any top finds you've had in the boyfriend jean department. Maybe just pinching a pair from your husband/boyfriend would be a good, and cheaper, alternative!

 

 

Silver shoes and more silver shoes....a girl should never be without a pair.

I hadn't intended for today's post to be about silver shoes but when my friend rocked up in these at school prior to her day in the office, my plans for today's post went right out of the window.

From nights out with jeans and a nice top, to smarter wedding type events and also to work, silver shoes are a wardrobe staple - and I'm never without a pair or two. They are so versatile, and are really great for adding the final touches to an outfit, or just pepping it up a little.

As a result of taking these shots the pair of us were nearly run over in the car park but you know, it's all in a good cause and I reckon that the sooner that our six year old girls realise that glittery shoes are worth being traumatised over, the better.

I thought that a heel shot would be worth including, just to demonstrate that they are not too high. I have it on good authority from my friend that these shoes are really comfortable and I have now also seen her running in them, so I'm prepared to believer her.

The shoes featured are the dazzling heels from Boden, which are now only available in gold (£71.40) but they also do these party heels with the nearest style to the glitter ones being these which are a mixture of silver and gold. There are also leopard print and coral ones too.

THEN, and would you believe it, as another friend and I set off on our run, she told me that she had bought a pair of silver shoes from Matalan (£15) (whilst going to buy her daughters' white school socks - liking the subterfuge). She wasn't sure what, exactly, she needed them for but let's face it, we all need a pair of silver shoes in our wardrobes don't we? In real life they are much more sparkly.

And as another option, I've included this silver sandal from Next (£28). I have also included a link to all of the silver sandals at Next because they have such a good choice and at such reasonable prices.

OK so who's tempted - and who already owns a pair?!!!

I think that we're finally nearly there with the pale pink GAP trousers....

At the third attempt of wearing these trousers I was finally happy with they way that they looked (in the loosest sense of the word). Look 1, I shared a while ago, look 2, I abandoned as it just didn't work but this look worked better, I felt, because the boots are a similar colour to the trousers. This had the effect of lessening the shortening/sausage widening effect on the legs of flesh colour trousers. Who in their right mind eh????

For anyone out there after some trousers which will make their legs shorter and more sausage like (which probably no one will after I described them like that) the chino slim leg trouser from Jigaw (£75) in vintage pink will do a good job. In all seriousness, I do like them and the shape of these is really good for anyone who doesn't want anything too skinny. For info, they also come in navy, pale blue and dove grey.  I never did find on the GAP site the ones that I am wearing. Perhaps they withdrew them for crimes against fashion.

For a similar top, which I know is being worn a lot right now, I linked to some from Oasis the other day, but I also saw this denim look jersey top in Cos (£45) which I really liked for it's softness.

The boots that I am wearing are really beyond their sell by date and I will replace them when I find another pair that I like and which don't cost the earth. These were bought in a Zara sale one summer and I have since seen some that I like in All Saints and Reiss, Bicester. But there are other more important purchases to make first....

On another note, are there any other households out there still singing the songs from "Frozen"? I have realised that we get through about one track a month, so having done "Do you wanna build a snowman", "Let it go" and one other that I can't bear to think of or it will stick in my mind again, we are now on "Love is an open door." The trouble is that the eldest two have found on YouTube, alternative versions full of expletives, which are equally addictive and which I too, now find myself singing. I  have had to ban them in front of the six year old for fear of the inevitable phone call from the school asking me to explain her recently extended vocabulary....

Primark printed dress - the one that got away - plus some other printed pieces and a round up of what's in the shops

Today I was back in the shops, checking out the new stock. The stores are at a lovely stage now with lots of bright colours and prints, on clothing that we can actually imagine ourselves wearing, unlike when it all first started to arrive back in February. Because there aren't any sales on, the shops are neat, tidy and a pleasant place to be. Which was lucky as I was there for a few hours, starting with Cos before moving on to Karen Millen, Reiss, Zara, Next, Mango, Warehouse, Oasis, Topshop and finally Selfridges.

One of the good things about Selfridges is that they have a decent amount of floor space devoted to Primark - all of which is stocked with the Selfridges' customer in mind. Had this printed shift dress been 3 inches longer it would definitely be staying at the house with the pink front door. As it is, it took one look at itself on me in the mirror and legged it out of the door as quick as it could. However, for anyone who is on the petite side (and who likes the print - all v. personal I know) it's a great buy. It's 100% cotton, lovely quality and costs £13. Primark also has a selection of shell style tops in about 4 prints - not this one sadly so far - and they are £8.

Having decided to write about the printed Primark dress, I thought that it would be nice to include a few other printed pieces - although I must admit that I left M&S for another day, so I haven't actually seen these in the flesh - but I do like the look of these high block heeled shoes from the  M&S Limited Collection (£35). Personally I would have to keep everything else in the outfit really plain.

The Ellie print top from Reiss (£89) was something else that I spent quite a lot of time looking at. It's just a really pretty and versatile top, great for work or for a trip to the pub too.

And these Olivia trousers from Reiss (£95) also caught my eye. Predictably because of the grey and yellowy/green combination I would imagine. Again they are easy to wear with a simple white top, a grey marl jumper (crew or slouchy V-neck) or sweatshirt style top.

Cos wasn't so hot on  prints but was good on colour. Oasis was full of printed pieces and Warehouse was close behind with Karen Millen having a couple of nice sweatshirt tops with neon detailing. Some of the other things that I really liked were pretty lace tops (Reiss and Karen Millen), printed jersey trousers and the huge amount of denim that there is around at the moment. A girl can dream!

The M&S printed, pointy, block shoes get an outing....

 

 

 

Saturday was the perfect day to give my pointed, printed, M&S shoes their first outing. I wasn't sure quite what the weather had in store, hence the cuffed black Jigsaw trousers and the Topshop embellished jumper. However, it all felt in need of a little pick me up so the shoes, with their cheeky print and pink block heel, were called to action.  Do you remember when we were all horrified at the idea of block heeled shoes, instantly thinking of the Queen Mother? And now? They are definitely the way forward, certainly in terms of comfort and practicality. 

 

As I mentioned yesterday, it was Mr SG's birthday on Saturday, so that saw a combination of cake baking, a quick trip to town and several visits to car dealerships to see whether it was possible to squash three children across the back seat of the car of his dreams (it wasn't). In resignation of the inevitable, that is unless he either wants an MPV (he doesn't) or to lose a child (hmmm, vaguely more preferable in his book to driving an MPV), we went to the pub.

 

Anyway, the point of all of this is that the shoes dealt with whatever was thrown at them on that day - although I was happy to revert to trackies and converse on Sunday.  

 

For info, I sized up half a size to a 6. I have just double checked the M&S site and can't see that they are back in stock but then again that site is totally infuriating and I may have missed them. The shoes are Limited Collection and cost £29.50.

A couple more spring time outfits - with lots of Jigsaw and Gap in them it would seem!

 

 

Before the weekend is out, I thought that I would bring you the last couple of outfits that I wore whilst away last week - then I can start the week afresh.  I've had a few days off from blogging - hubby's birthday and such like - and it's amazing what can be achieved in the amount of time that it takes to write a blog post. I think that I ought to get back into the blogging habit before I start to realise the benefits of a more ordered existence!

 

In the outfit above I'm all in navy - by far and away my favourite colour. I could live head to toe in navy every day and never tire of it. I've mixed a striped navy top and deck shoes, both from Jigsaw, with  camouflage print trousers and a denim top, both from GAP. I'm also wearing a leather cuff from Atterley Road and the Kate Spade yellow bag, which I've been using a lot.

 

For another day out and about I'm wearing the same Jigsaw deck shoes and a Jigsaw jumper with a bright pink top underneath plus New Look jeans. I'm also using a Jigsaw bag which I have owned for many years and which was given a new lease of life by Handbag Clinic.  They did a brilliant job on the bag which really couldn't be used as it was so tired looking.  A friend also used Handbag Clinic to repair a Mulberry which, Mulberry themselves said couldn't be fixed. So if you have a poorly handbag, they may be worth a call.

Here's hoping to a good start to the week for everyone....

Dinner out in a dress by Jaeger Boutiqe and a Kate Spade bag

We're now back from our time away in Brighton and boy did it rock! We did crazy golf, the big wheel, pitch and putt, we went on rides on the pier, ate ice-creams, visited choccywoccydoodah and did lots of walking along the sea front. I love pitch and putt and play it in much the same way as pool - whack the ball as hard as you can and see what happens. Most of the time it's a disaster but other times the results are spectacular - far and away above one's true skill.

Anyway, on the first night I decided to wear a dress for dinner. After that it was all downhill and in fact for most of the days I wore my running trainers with my outfits - and not even in a remotely cool or trendy way either - just in a nerdy comfortable way.

The dress I am wearing is by Jaeger Boutique, the shoes by Dune and I bought the Kate Spade handbag on my recent trip to Bicester. It comes in lots of colours and was either £68 or £69. There's clearly a direct correlation between the age of your children and the size of your bag - the older the children the smaller the bag. Obviously our children are growing up. It's nice to be past that stage of having to carry colouring things, sticker books and snacks wherever we go.

And at crazy golf the next day (I managed to get a hole in one, although not in the particular hole we were aiming at) there was a ball to match my bag. It was a sign, I was sure.  Of what, I am less sure but it was definitely a sign....

Spring time outfits for chilly days - denim, denim and a little more denim!

 

In continuing with the theme of how to keep the chill at bay, whilst looking fresh for spring, fabrics are often key. I really like this denim top from GAP (sold out online but I have found some alternatives below) as it's great for layering things underneath, or indeed over, as in the case of this jacket from Boden which I'm wearing (also sold out from what I can gather). I would try and find an alternative but I'm doing this in a hurry - so sorry! I also layered a vest and a short sleeved T under the denim top so in total I had four layers on but hopefully the yellow jacket kept it the right side of spring like.

As I mentioned, I've found some alternatives to the GAP top as follows:

Zip back denim T from Oasis (£30)

Madison T by Oasis (£30)

Hayley denim T Oasis (£30)

 

We're having a break at the moment in Brighton where today it was sunny! I'm living out of a capsule wardrobe which, so far has worked out fine. When we're back I'll bring you some photos but in the meantime, I thought that this article in the Telegraph was fantastic and I would encourage everyone to read it. It's about the Return of the Classics to our wardrobes and makes for an interesting and reassuring read!

Shades of grey in cashmere and a silver cardi/jacket to keep the cold at bay.

 

Happy Easter to everyone! I hope that you have managed to consume sufficient quantities of chocolate to make it feel like Easter, rather than just a normal chocolate type day.

A brief, but fruitful, shopping trip to Bicester distracted me from the usual Easter activity of chocolate for breakfast (well, when I was 9), lunch and dinner but there's plenty of time over the next few days to make up for it. 

As you know, I have been concentrating on outfits that offer warmth but which aren't too winter like in appearance. Some fabrics, such as denim and leather, aren't particularly warm in their own right but they act as a good barrier between you and the cold.

Today's combination centres around cashmere and a cardi (actually it's a soft cardi style jacket but I like alliteration!) the two of which together offer some real warmth. I love cashmere for it's warmth and softness although not to the exclusion of all other fabrics in an "Oh darling I only ever wear cashmere" type way but it is nice for a treat. Worn with jeans and these slip on plimsolls from Jigsaw (£59), which were really comfortable given it was their first outing, I was good to dodge the rain at Bicester. Normally I would add a statement necklace for colour but at the moment I quite like layering a couple of special silver necklaces that I own.

Now this was a lovely surprise from the children - a selection of my favourite chocolates, and crisps, for me to munch my way through. Can't imagine that will be a problem!

Mr SG and I were clearly singing from the same hymn sheet when it came to choosing Easter Eggs for one another. What I can't work out is whether we each chose that particular egg because we thought that the other would like to receive it, or because we would have liked to have received one ourselves. Either way, I can confirm that it is very tasty. (Well, his is. I haven't opened mine yet!)

Keeping the warmth in on chilly days with a leather jacket...

Continuing with the theme of keeping warm but spring like, it wasn't until a few years ago that I first had a leather jacket but I can totally see why cows wear them. They're so warm and one in a lighter colour for spring can work a treat for keeping the chill at bay.

Leather jackets look great worn with anything from jeans, to an evening dress, so they're really versatile and worth their, sometimes, not inconsiderable investment.

I wore mine simply with turned up jeans and converse for a weekend look at home with the family, followed by a night out to see Gary Barlow - one of my other loves in life besides Gary Lineker, Toblerone, fizz and running.

Having just returned, I can confirm that Gary was amazing. I last saw him in London in the early 90's when he was in Take That.  The only problem that I encountered was that one of his songs has the word "Frozen" in it, which immediately made me think of the words "Do you wanna build a snowman?" from a song in the Disney film, Frozen. A song which has plagued me every day since the New Year. And the one time when I think that I'm safe from it, there it is popping into my head yet again.  Oh and the one and only, slightly gleeful, comment that Mr SG made during the whole thing was "Gary's got a bald spot you know." Just to confirm. He hasn't.

Anyway, back to leather jackets. Below I've featured a few of my favourites which are out there are the moment.

Mint Velvet is always a good starting point for leather. The styles are great and the prices are more reasonable than many other brands. This pearl zip leather biker jacket from Mint Velvet (£259) also comes in black, mink and ink.

The Nanette leather biker jacket from Whistles (£325) is obviously more expensive but it's a really good option for those who prefer very clean lines and who don't want the fuss of a collar, buckles, pockets and so on. On some frames and figures those things can all be just a bit too much.

 The Jenn biker jacket from Reiss in grey (£375) is one of my favourites. Personally I like the combination of the mandarin collar and the open neckline, plus the pockets follow the line of the shaping at the waist, keeping it clean and uncluttered.

Given that leather jackets by their very nature are expensive, I think that it's worth considering a faux leather jacket instead - particularly if it's not something you are likely to wear a lot. The faux ones can look really authentic and I really like this faux leather biker jacket from Oasis (£58). It's also a good starting point for anyone unsure as to whether they are likely to get the wear out of a leather biker or not.

 

I wish everyone a really Happy Easter. I'm simply hoping for a day where every moment isn't filled with the words "Do you wanna build a snowman" or some of my other favourite lyrics from the song "Let it go." For anyone who hasn't seen Frozen I warn you not to!