When is a blazer not a blazer and when is a cardi not a cardi? When it's a jersey blazer, or a jacket style cardi....

 

Whilst I realise that from these photographs it looks as though I accepted the offer of Thunderbird on the train to Leeds at 10am yesterday, honestly I didn't. The slightly tired/barely there make-up look is as a result of a very long, and very lovely, day out with my friend - plus not looking in a mirror since lunchtime.

 

Anyway, back to the train. Somehow I managed to get myself caught up amongst a stag party of 15 men travelling to Wakefield whose sole intention was to get totally and utterly trollied - hence the offer of Thunderbird at 10am. I have to say that the reveller who apparently drank a whole bottle of gin one evening not so long ago, and who ended up in intensive care for two days as a result, really looked quite good on it - so perhaps I should have accepted the offer of Thunderbird after all.  

 

For all sorts of reasons I'm a fan of using jersey type blazers, or jacket type cardigans, instead of a more formal blazer, or a traditional styled cardigan.  Whilst in some instances only a really sharp blazer will do, on many occasions they're not really necessary anymore, particularly given the more relaxed rules in the work place. Equally a soft jersey blazer or jacket style cardi can give a very casual outfit a much smarter/pulled together look than a traditional cardi - so they can have a dual purpose.   

 

The cotton jersey jacket Jigasaw (£49) is a Jigsaw perennial and usually comes in a couple of colour ways. They are a really useful "roll it up and put it in your bag" type piece, to quote my friend from yesterday, who has one. They're not currently in the sale but still, they're not too bad a price. I've put several ladies in these jackets and they have found them really useful for many different occasions.

 

 

This knitted cropped jacket from Hush (£60) is a lovely piece. It's quite light weight but definitely warm enough for the summer. I thought that the s/m would be huge on me but it's not. To me this is one of those interesting pieces which doesn't necessarily have a lot of appeal as an image but when it's on a person....

...as seen here (OK, a rather beautiful person I admit!) it takes on a whole different look. That's so true of many pieces that I come across. Often people think that they look frumpy or boring but when they're on, they can really come alive. So that's my tip for the day - try, try, try!

The Jersey blazer Hush (£55) is of a similar ilk to the Jigsaw one - an easy peasy throw it on piece. Great with a big scarf or statement necklace or even under a sleeveless coat.

Again, you can see here how it looks when on a real life person - much better!

The multi-coloured short cardi Hush (£120) is another example of a jacket style cardi. It's quite short in the body, fuss free and with an interesting neckline. Please do check the sites for up to date prices as they may have changed in between this post being written, and read.

I loved this cotton knit jacket Jigsaw (£110) when I spotted it a few months ago. Sadly it looked pretty terrible on me but on others it would look great. I didn't fill its shape and with my long arms the sleeve length was all wrong but I still think that it's a cracking piece - on the right person.

And lastly the hand crochet jacket Boden (£59.40 down from £99) which I am wearing above. I knew that the forecast for Leeds was chilly - and it wasn't wrong! This suited me down to the ground though. It has a good thickness to it and whilst the reviews are accurate in that it is snug on the arms, that's just the closeness of the knit, rather than anything else. Anyway, it can't be that tight as I managed to get a long sleeved top and a sweatshirt underneath it too!

 

 

For anyone who hasn't yet included something like this in their wardrobe, I think that they are an under-rated wardrobe hero and definitely worth investing in. With shorts, jeans, chinos, printed trousers, over dresses and with skirts they can just add that little something extra - or take the sharpness away. Take your pick!

 

In the above photo I am also wearing printed M&S shoes, Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and the Clover handbag by Oushka which was kindly gifted to me by them. It was the first time that I have used it and it was brilliant. The bag comes with a detachable clutch which is on quite a long strap. This means that you have easy access to your purse/cards/phone etc all just by pulling the clutch out of  your bag with the strap, rather than having to take the bag off your shoulder and delve about in the bottom for everything that has dropped down there. Sometimes the simplest things in life can make all the difference. (Like click and collect from Waitrose for John Lewis cushions......) 

A white broderie anglaise sweatshirt and musings of a financial nature...

The problem with spending so much time in the shops is that you see so many nice things to buy. And who can resist a broderie anglaise white sweatshirt? Well clearly not me. This one is available at  GAP and costs £34.95 (for anyone interested, it's 100% cotton). I'm trying not to buy anything else for the summer and once I hit my birthday at the end of July, that definitely signifies the end of summer spending. Well in theory at least.

After last night's heels I'm back to trainers for the school run plus black Primark coated skinnies which I don't usually wear in the summer but I fancied doing so for a change. My Kate Spade bag can carry just enough of the essentials without weighing me down and the clashing yellow bag and purple trainers shouldn't really work but the monochrome background means that I can get away with it - sort of!

When it comes to my wardrobe, I've realised that my trouble is that I tire of clothes quite easily and I like to keep changing them, which means that I prefer not to spend too much on any one item. But the problem with that is that in buying a few less expensive items on a fairly regular basis, it is actually easy to spend quite a lot without really realising it.

I'd like to be one of those people who has fewer amazing pieces but first, I would get bored and secondly, anything more than £75, top whack and more likely £40, or £20, for a pair of jeans and £15 for a t-shirt and I would feel guilty. On the other hand, one could quite easily spend a sum equivalent to a Mulberry handbag (well, the sum at which they used sell before some bright spark took over and decided to inflate the prices by 100% with no apparent reason. Hmm, wonder why they're not doing so well these day. Doh!) and not really appreciate having done so until one sits down and thinks about it.  I'm not sure where that's taken me but perhaps I'll give it some further thought, although only after I've had my day out in Leeds with my lovely friend tomorrow. To do so otherwise would be premature (if you get my drift).

How to style a very full midi skirt...

 

This evening I was working at an event with the accountants PWC. I took these photos at home before I headed out into the big wide world. I'm wearing a flared skirt from H&M (£34.99) with a GAP shirt and Dune sparkly heels. It's a great skirt but it has a big silhouette to it and the combination of that, plus its midi length, means that it needs a fitted top and fairly high heels to make the proportions work. Well it does on me at least!  It's a great price for a statement piece and could work so well for a summer wedding or a ball.

At the event we had the requisite cupcakes...

Goody bags....

Fizz...

 



Flowers...

 



And with my rail of clothes and accessories, we were good to go on our fun filled evening of  style and fashion.

Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome and for being such a great audience. We had one man in the audience - a Partner from PWC, whose opinion was very much valued and who was very good natured when it came to the cheap laughs at his expense (of which I fear there were several!)

From creased chic to un-tucked chic in a blue silk shirt and jeans...

Yesterday the look of the day was creased chic whereas today it's all about letting it all hang out. The weather was warm enough for me to wear one of my favourite silk shirts but without the hassle of choosing knitwear to go over the top, or a jacket. Just the shirt on its own - nice and simple - just how I like it.  Occasionally when I looked down it had come half un-tucked, or it had slightly slipped off one shoulder but that's the deal with silk. Obviously I chose to wear mine with jeans but a shirt like this works with so many things from a pencil skirt to wide, skinny or ankle length smarter trousers. The conditions just need to be right, that's all!

For something similar, there's this lovely blue silk shirt from Whistles which is currently in the sale and is reduced from £120 to £80. For anyone with blue or green eyes, it's a winner! If you can't find it in your size online, don't forget to email Whistles customer services (enquiries@whistles.com) they are amazing at tracking things down.

Creased chic - it's about time that it came into fashion!

Repeat after me: "My name is Beth and I am addicted to buying cushions."

"There is help for you out there Mother, you just need to admit to your problem first."

Wise words indeed from the 15 year old as I revealed that the large Santa type sack that I had just collected contained cushions. However in my defence I only buy cushions when the sun is shining, so it's clearly not really that often at all. And anyway, I haven't decided whether I'm keeping them yet.

Anyway, cushions aside, sometimes it's just nice to throw on an oversized shirt, some fitted trousers (both from GAP), a pendant necklace (Jigsaw) and be done with it for the day. I realise that by this time in the day I look slightly crumpled but hey, what's a few creases between friends? It's about time that "creased chic" became a look anyway. It would save a fortune both in time and money when it comes to ironing. Speaking of which, I also received a parcel containing a new ironing board cover and the happiness that it brought me was ridiculous. I clearly need to get out more.

Shorts and flip-flops weren't quite what I had in mind for the day...

Is it only me or does anyone else have an irresistible urge to order a skip as soon as the sun comes out? Well that, along with ordering new cushions from John Lewis. I think that having a skip on the drive would somehow make everything feel more ordered, in the same way as possessing a stack of shiny new cookbooks makes you feel like Nigella/Jamie even if  in reality you still turn out the same five predictable meals every week night.

So today's plans to shop in preparation for an event on Thursday night were somewhat scuppered by not only one, but two, children being unwell. Therefore my outfit of GAP shorts and a denim GAP top was very much designed with running up and down the stairs in mind, to take drinks/snacks/provide entertainment and so on. Crikey, I'd forgotten what hard work it is having two poorly ones at home.

I had a brief interlude to nip out to buy provisions of the Calpol and tissue variety. Plus I always sneak some treats in the basket on the basis that if they are refused by the invalids, I know that they are truly ill. Those packets of fruit pastilles and Cadbury's desserts? Hmmm, oddly they have all have disappeared. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be at home with them tomorrow, at least my brief trip out will be to Waitrose where I have some "click and collect" items being delivered of the cushion shaped variety.

An old favourite dress because today I'm feeling slightly delicate....

It's always good to have an old favourite in your wardrobe, a tried and tested dress made of natural fibres, that will withstand whatever you throw at it and, which once on, can be forgotten about. For me this French Connection linen dress does the trick. It may not be the height of fashion (a stack of friendship bracelets and my new flip flops helped slightly) but the length is good enough so that I don't have to worry too much about what I'm doing in it and given it's age, I'm not at all precious about it even though it is cream - which is good because, having just looked down at it, I've got a beetroot stain on it. I mean seriously, who in their right mind prepares beetroot in a cream dress? Haven't I read Victoria Beckham's book about never going near beetroot?

In all honesty I'm also feeling a little delicate today, which was another reason for needing the comfort of an old faithful. I'm not delicate in the way that you might imagine, given that last night was a Saturday night - but rather because a friend and I decided that it would be a good idea to go for a summer solstice run. We ended up running 22.5 miles which was slightly longer than we had planned but it was brilliant fun and arriving by the University clock as it struck midnight is something I will always remember.

The weirdest thing both before, and after, a long run is how much you need to take on board food wise to stop everything from coming to a grinding halt and how suddenly everything becomes so much less appetising.  Chicken and rice at 12.30am was not what I fancied but was what I needed. And whilst normally I would love oatcakes and goats' cheese, it really didn't seem that appealing. And as for jelly babies and drumstick sweets - right now I could quite happily never see either again. Well that is until next time....

Today's shoes - What I wore, what I saw and what I bought....

 

Today, shoes featured quite heavily in my day. I had two meetings at opposite ends of town so predictably I had a pair of trainers with me just in case but these M&S block heeled leopard print shoes are so comfortable that I didn't have to change - which is a rarity for me when walking a distance. And it's really odd but whenever I wear these shoes, people always ask me where I got them from. They are always shocked by the response!

Clearly I only have one dress. This is the same Pia dress that I featured only a couple of days ago but I was on the 'phone whilst trying to get dressed so I had to go for something easy/stretchy and which wouldn't end up in me doing myself an injury. It was then easy just to thrown on the shoes and jacket before heading out of the door.  I think that here I am wearing the dress slightly longer than at other times of the day but that's what I like about it - it can be worn longer or shorter and I've even been known to put it on upside down - but that was in error.

On the way back across town there were four shops that were directly in my path, so they each got the once over. Jigsaw was first and although I tried on a couple of dresses, there was nothing that I loved enough (or more importantly which loved me enough) to justify buying it. Then, having felt a little bad about my comment about White Stuff yesterday, that too got a visit, just in case it had the perfect summer dress - but it didn't. It did have plenty of skirts though...

Then it was the turn of Coast, where I looked lovingly at the Ariel shoe (Coast £65 down to £30) but I concluded that, much as I liked them. I really didn't need these shoes in my life. Although looking at them again maybe I was wrong about that. I don't know about you but I always feel that it is important to acknowledge when one is wrong about something and to try to do something to fix it....

And these are what I bought today - wait for it - the Jack Wills Castley flip flop (£14.50) - I know, hardly a purchase of designer shoe magnitude. I've had a pair of Cath Kidston flip flops for a couple of years now but they are looking a little tired and given that they haven't included any in their collection this year, I have had to look elsewhere. For some reason I like a print on the base of the flip flop and the top part is my perfect shade of pink.

So that's my round up of the shoes I wore, the shoes I saw and the shoes I bought - for today at least!

Time for a change: Wearing a skirt plus one of my favourite sale buys....

 

Although the day started with heels yesterday, they didn't last for long and in no time at all I had swapped them for cream brogues. When I looked at my shopping brief for the day, together with the fact that the sales had started, I knew that there would be a lot of ground to cover.

I haven't worn this Jigsaw trench style skirt for a while but I always like doing so. Skirts can be tricky blighters, both in terms of their design (most tend to fall into a very clear category of smart work type skirts, or really casual ones - or White Stuff skirts, which have a whole category of their own - not that I don't think that they have a place, it's just that they can be spotted from 50m) and also in terms of the tops needed to go with them. A skirt and top outfit has an additional dimension that you just don't have when wearing a dress.

When it comes to tops to go with skirts, there are a couple of tricks that I think work and which avoid the risk of the outfit becoming too fussy and cluttered, which it can quite easily:

•  Wear a jacket or cardi in the same colour as the top underneath it, so that you have more of a block coloured type effect on the top half (as I have done above but with neutrals);
• If your top is a different colour to the skirt and you don't want to wear cardi/jacket in the same colour as the top, wear a jacket or cardi in the same colour as the skirt;
• Most skirts work with a sharp white shirt, a chambray or denim shirt, or a Breton striped top.

The sales were amazing and if there was one thing that I would be very happy to wake up and find in my wardrobe, this is it - the Jenn leather jacket from Reiss reduced from £375 to £255. It practically has my name on it -  OK so maybe it's my sister's but that's good enough isn't it? I'd let her borrow it. Now and then.....

Current classics....jeans, converse and a grey sweater of the Hush variety

 

As you may have noticed, I've changed the settings on the blog so that the pictures are larger, which frankly, I find rather horrific. I've always quite liked the fact that I can hide behind slightly blurry/small/distant photos but a change is always good - as is a change back, which I think may be happening fairly smartish! I suppose that I could always do what some other bloggers do, which is to take photos minus their heads - but that may be even more horrific.

Anyway, size of photos and lack of heads aside, I really liked wearing this star jumper from Hush (£69.50). I promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more grey jumpers but then I somehow forgot. This jumper also comes with a bright green star, or a navy star. It's very soft and easy to wear. Here I've just put mine with a white long sleeved T from H&M, Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and white converse.

When it comes to white converse, I've recently observed that they are the one item of footwear that cross both the generations and the sexes. I have seen them worn by both men and women, aged anywhere between 10 and 75 (at least) - and I'm wondering how it happened. I'm not really aware of any huge marketing campaigns and white canvas shoes aren't particularly practical so I'm wondering whether the fashion goblins have somehow got to us all! 

Tips for getting dressed in a hurry!

 

This was one of those outfits that was put together in a humungous rush. It was Saturday morning and I was due at M&S at 10am to work with them for the day. Thinking that I had lots of time to spare - after all 10am is not exactly an early start - I thought that I would do some household chores first, strip some beds, put the washing on and go for a run and then, before I knew it, it was time to go and I still wasn't ready. Anyone else know that feeling?!

In one sense it didn't really matter what I wore because I had to change when I arrived in store. However I did want to wear some flat shoes so that in between presentations I could lose the heels, hence the Clarks sandals

Heading for a tried and tested favourite is always a good plan in these type of situations so I wore my All Saints Pia dress BUT the vest that I had decided to wear (M&S had located me in a lovely part of the store but it was right next to the food hall, complete with millions of fridges belting out lots of cold air. It could only happen to me - and on one of the hottest days of the year) peeped through the slash neck of the dress - hence the huge Zara striped scarf to cover up a look that couldn't ever be passed off as anything other than bad planning. I think that the scarf and bright yellow Kate Spade bag just about rescued the situation.

The All Saints dress is no longer available but for something similar, the textured dress from Hush (£60) may be a good option. A dress like this is such a good back drop for so many other accent colours for bags and shoes, such as bright yellow, hot pink and turquoise and when it comes to scarves and statement necklaces, the world is your oyster. Just watch your vest straps!!!

The School Gate Style Scarf Shop - just lovely!

 

If you know me, many of you will also know Avril over at School Gate Style. In blogging terms, Avril and I go back a long way. We appeared in the same article in the Daily Mail and shared both the good (and the bad) from that! We weathered the comments of the Mumsnet fashionistas at the same time, as well as featuring on the same style page in Essentials Magazine. So, when Avril asked whether I might like to have and, if I felt like it, feature one of her scarves from her shop I was only too happy to oblige. Hopefully she won't be too cross with me for taking so long to getting around to writing about it.

As many of you will know, the paint box/art attack trend is a huge trend this season and this splash scarf in poppy (£10) is a great way to tap into the trend in a really accessible way because let's face it, it can be a tricky trend to pull off. This scarf is a great way of pepping up a plain outfit, as I've done in with the outfit above which is, let's face it, looking pretty blue!

And so to some of my other current favourites that Avril has in her shop....

navy and neon scarf (£12) - there are only three of these left though. Race you.... I love the colours in this scarf together with the print, which would suit those who aren't too fond of flowery prints. It also feels very summery and appropriate for a trip abroad.

Pink zig zag scarf (£10) - again, there are only three left. Predictably I love, love, love the pink in it.

Leopard print scarf in grey and sky blue (£15). This one I like for its subtle print and colours. I think that it would be great with a grey or navy suit for work.

Oooh, believe me, there are too many lovely choices to mention. And how is it that how many scarves you have, there's always just room for one (or two, or three) more in your wardrobe?

A versatile summer dress from M&S Autograph (which is great if you also happen to be pregnant!)

I'm working with M&S over the next couple of days at their charge card holder event and as part of that, I have to choose an outfit to wear. It's always a bit tricky - largely because I leave it until the last minute and also because of the considerations involved in terms of the demographic of the ladies I'm presenting to, price point, comfort, practicality and the fact that I need somewhere for the microphone pack to go.

Today I wore this snake skin print dress from Autograph (£65) together with these leather cage sandals, also by Autograph (£55) which are currently out of stock online (sorry, I didn't know that until I just checked).

I really liked this dress as it's a good length, it's lined and it feels lovely but you know what? It would make a fantastically, brilliant, maternity dress for a wedding. I was going to take a photo to demonstrate the point but I'm not sure that it would have done anyone any favours. Please someone buy it and wear it to a wedding (you don't have to be pregnant but for anyone who is, it could save a lot of dress hunting).

The shoes are really comfortable too - but given that they are out of stock online I'm not sure that it would be fair to talk about how much I like them....

Sorry about the photograph - there were too many people in the store for me to get one there so I went and hid in a changing room!

If you love something enough and keep it for long enough, eventually you'll find a way to wear it!

I think that this Hobbs shirt that I am wearing is testament to the fact that if you love something enough, eventually you'll find a way to wear it. I must have had it for three years or so and I never really found a way that I was happy to wear it - but that was before boyfriend jeans came along - the saviour of many an outfit!  With a white Zara blazer which picked up the white in the shirt, it all came together OK and I enjoyed wearing it. I also think that a white blazer is a good way of "lifting" lots of pieces which could otherwise look a little dark/wintry for this time of the year - what with the amazing summer we are having and all that.

My aim is to get to bed by 10pm because, if I'm totally honest, I have been a little grumpy with certain members of the family this evening (not Mr SG I hasten to add - he's out). Chocolate has assisted somewhat but there's no substitute for sleep so that's why I'm keeping this brief and without links - please forgive me.

The jeans are the Hampton slim boyfriend from Jigsaw and similar shoes are available at Clarks and Dune (I particularly like the cornflower blue ones.)

Sorry, better dash - I'm going to turn into a pumpkin. Or the hulk.

Jack Wills Liberty Print Sweatshirt Dress (and red shoes)

With a partly sunny but partly rainy day forecast, I thought that it would be a good idea to wear this Liberty sweatshirt dress from Jack Wills. It took me weeks to get the right dress in the right size during which time it had been reduced pretty heavily and although it was all a bit of a faff, it all turned out OK in the end.

Interestingly of the assistants in Jacques Vert in House of Fraser commented on how much she liked my shoes and how although she wouldn't have thought of putting them with this particular dress, they actually worked OK and wasn't it funny how sometimes things that didn't really go at all could look quite good together. I must admit that I wasn't quite sure whether to take it as a complement or an insult but it did make me smile.

I think that fairly casual sandals, skater trainers, converse, flip flops and birkenstocks work well with the style of this dress but hey, what do I know? (Don't answer that!) I'm hoping to get plenty of wear out of it during our Cornwall/Guernsey holiday in the summer.

Hope that everyone's week is going well so far - I know it's early days but it feels like it's been going on for a while already....

[BTW I would just like to say to the lady from Cardiff who emailed me several weeks ago now, my responses keep getting returned, so if you would like to email me again with your telephone number, I will happily call you.]

Way behind the times in Zara skorts and crossing the line....

 

Golly, it's been a while since I've blogged, largely because I have spent two days out of the last seven at 1D concerts, 1 day with a stinking migraine and the other days in the shops and washing.

Now, anyone who was anyone when it came to fashion was wearing Zara skorts last year, so I am way behind the times. When they were everywhere I felt far too intimidated to wear them but a year later I seem to care a little less (if anyone thinks that I should care more that's fine!) Then when I saw these in Zara (£19.99) last week thought to myself "Oooh, I'll take them home and give them a whirl and see what I think." The fact that they are denim also makes them seem somehow more accessible.

The sun was out this morning and so as I departed on a trip to see my Mum, I chucked them on without really taking a second look. Clearly I didn't take a look before this photo was taken either, or else I may have tried to have done something about the creases.

Stripes and brogues are always a good bet for me when I'm testing something new and I need the comfort blanket of some reliable staples, just to rein it all in a little.  For info, I am wearing a size 8 and they're really roomy - most unlike Zara.

The pale pink brogues I bought from Topshop a few summers ago now and for something in a similar colour, these loafers from Topshop (£58) are a good bet. The French Connection jumper was bought in a sale a few years ago now too - but you don't need me to direct you towards striped jumpers - they are everywhere!

For anyone interested, this is my thought for the day. When it comes to 1D, there's a fine line between being an interested Mum who sort of learns some of the words so that she sort of knows what's going on at the concerts rather than standing there like a dis-interested muppet - and being a fan.

My fear is that I'm edging really, really close towards that fine line and it's not because I wear the face paint (wrong on so many levels) or have the tattoos (ditto) or know ALL of the words (ditto) but as one friend said "it's your enthusiasm." And she's not far wrong. I love going, I even enjoy standing for hours - everyone is so happy, the atmosphere is great, the evenings are warm and balmy and the music is OK. Sadly the fifteen year olds that I accompanied (OK, they were my cover) won't need me to accompany them next time 1D tour - but I've already recruited some friends to accompany me next time - at which point I think that the line will have been well and truly crossed.

Allium B - the Hannah Liberty print sundress

When I was asked by Mary and Clare, the sisters who run Allium B, to wear their Hannah dress (£95) on Style Guile I was only too happy to agree.  The dress is made in a lovely Liberty print and it is 100% cotton, so great for the summer. I'm a big fan of Allium B dresses and am lucky enough to have three of them, to include the Eliza (£95) which I love for its retro styling and the Audrey (£110) which I adore for its simplicity, pretty neckline and the addition of a sleeve.

Mary and Clare put a huge amount of thought into their into designs, making sure that the straps are wide enough on their dresses to accommodate a bra strap and that the length is long enough to protect our modesty! They design a limited range of dresses which can be updated season by season by tweaking them with the latest accessories. 

I really like the scoop at the back of this dress. As time moves on there's probably less and less of ourselves that we want to reveal - but a bit of back is still OK!

 

For anyone who likes the idea of an Allium B dress, a 20% discount from the full price can be obtained by entering STYLE at the checkout.

 

 

And here's a shot of the pretty as a picture model who is wearing the dress on the Allium B site.

 

A white shirt - the ultimate weapon against the sun's rays!

 

Another piece of weaponry in my armour against the sun's rays, along with a hat and sunglasses (not that I mind this particular battle) is a white cotton shirt. I brought several away with me and the one that I am wearing here is from White Stuff. I've had it for a few years but it's one of those things that I often gravitate towards on the hottest of days, for its crisp coolness. I know that some prefer a sun top or a vest style top but for me, this is one of those occasions when the ironing involved is definitely worth it!

By rights I should now be back in the UK, so this is the last but one post of holiday outfits. Hopefully the weather at home should allow me to continue with some summer wear. I'm keeping my fingers, and everything else, crossed.

Good stuff is all well and good but sometimes old favourites are where it's at!

 

Many of you will remember this Boden tunic from years gone by. I've had it for longer than I can remember but I still like it and it comes with me whenever I go anywhere that's vaguely warm.

Although (as you may have gathered) I love being warm, I'm not a sun worshipper so it's nice to have something which keeps me covered up when it's really hot. As it's linen, it has a really nice feel to it, which also helps. Boden have re-released this best seller this year in several colour ways and it costs £69. There are 128 reviews so people obviously have something to say about it but I must admit that I don't know which side of the fence they have come down on!

My £7 ASDA hat from the menswear department has done me well but after a short swim in the pool, it's not quite what it was. There are plenty of similar ones around this year though in the likes of Zara and GAP. Sadly, Cath Kidston has had a year off from flip flops, which is a shame as I really like hers and the ones that I am wearing are on their last legs. As for the Habitat bag, that's really old and also a bit tatty but I get very fond of things and don't like to part with them just because they have seen better days. I would hate to think of anything (or anyone) being traded in just because it/they are a little bit tired around the edges!!!

Having finally (it's only taken 7 years) got Mr SG to the sun, we've realised that with GCSEs approaching for one, followed by AS levels and then A-levels, it will be at least another 4 years before we can get away at May half term, by which time exams will have started for child number 2. I'm tempted to see if I can get someone to "adopt" the eldest for the next few years at this time of year so that the rest of us can go on holiday. Wouldn't it make a great subject for the Jeremy Kyle show?!

A style staple for the warmer weather - a white sun dress

Oooh, I do love a good white dress! Not that I get to wear one much at home but for a trip away to a warmer climate, or even when the weather at home is warm enough so that you don't feel completely out of place wearing one, a white dress is hard to beat. The one that I am wearing was from Mango several years ago now and they don't currently have anything similar but Hobbs has come up trumps on the white dress front, so here's my pick...

Iona dress from Hobbs (£110) - this is similar in style to the one that I am wearing in so far as it is sleeveless. The buttons can also be undone to create more of a v-neck which is good for those who prefer one/find one more flattering. It can also be nipped in at the waist with a belt.

As it's 100% cotton, not only will it be cool but the fabric can also take more of a battering than more delicate/man made fabrics. So, if anything is spilled down it (always a concern with a white dress) it will respond better to washing/vanish/washing up liquid and if all else fails, bleach - than some other fabrics. But please don't hold me to my bleach assertion!

Evie dress by Hobbs (£134.25) - this dress is also 100% cotton so much better for those who prefer a natural fibre. This one has a pretty hemline to it, similar to the one that I am wearing. Again, it can be nipped in at the waist with a belt to create a more fitted silhouette. The great thing about a white dress is that it acts as a back drop to lots of other colours in terms of accessories/shoes. So, once you get over that initial hurdle of committing pennies to one, it's actually really versatile. I particularly like them with metallics for a really summery look but they also work well with neons, pastels, primary colours and black too.

Hay dress by Hobbs (£82.50) - this one is 100% linen and has a lovely shape, especially for anyone who carries their weight around the hip/thigh area but who has a tiny waist. The way that the pleats sit are really flattering too. As you might expect from Hobbs, you can rely on them for a good length to their dresses.

OK, so now the Frozen songs have been replaced by 1D songs going round, and round, and round again in my head - just for good measure. Oh, and has anyone ever tried to describe what a minion from Despicable Me looks like to someone who doesn't speak the same language? The reason for this? Well they would be what are on the case of our son's phone, which he left on a bus. I think that I am going slowly mad....

Time for a wardrobe update, with some wide legged trousers....

Given that they have been absent from my wardrobe for many years, I decided that it was time for a pair of wide legged trousers to make an appearance.  I love skinny jeans, utility trousers and printed tailored trousers but these wide legged trousers just felt really fresh and different - and perfect for the warm weather.

When I bought the trousers from Jigsaw (£89), the assistant and I had a little bet as to whether Mr SG would ask me whether I was wearing my pyjamas. And guess what? He didn't disappoint. "Nice 'jamas love" he said when he saw them for the first time but then, when I wore them last night, he said that he really liked them.

Now, this is quite an unusual thing for him to say (clothes aren't really his thing) so I've concluded either that he's trying to make up for his previous (and admittedly very minor) misdemeanour OR he really does like them. I'm going for the latter option, only because he wouldn't have seen his first comment as anything other than hugely witty, funny and amusing, so there would have been no need to make up for it.

The width of the trousers meant that they need a fitted top and I'm wearing a cream cotton jumper, also from Jigsaw (£69). For info purposes, the trousers are quite generous in size - I'm wearing an 8 and they can be hand washed. Jigsaw also have another couple of pairs of wide legged trousers - one in linen and one in navy viscose. I've tried the navy ones and loved them but as they are dry clean only they weren't for me however they are rather lovely and would be great for work, or for a summer event with a pretty top. Just saying!

Now, what I would like to know from the other Mum who is accompanying me (plus our respective daughters) to the 1D concert in Manchester on Sunday, is whether she too has been doing her 1D homework and listening to their latest album? I'm throwing this one out there - does anyone know from which song the lyrics "So your friend's been telling me, you've been sleeping with my.... sweater" comes? I must admit to having to go back so that I could listen to the lyrics again to see what the girl had been sleeping with - partly because I couldn't have imagined 1D singing anything vaguely raunchy but also because I couldn't quite believe that it was a sweater she had been sleeping with either. Bring on Sunday!

ps Mr SG has just come up behind me to see what I'm writing about and his exact words were "nice trousers, what are you writing about - nightwear?" See what I have to put up with.

Having fun in the sun in flowery shorts and a sequinned vest

 

Another wardrobe must have for the hot weather is a huge scarf. I find that scarves can be used for a multitude of functions - both wardrobe, and non-wardrobe, related and I picked up this striped scarf from GAP (£19.95) a week or so before we came away. I knew that the colours of it would work with lots of things that I had already and it just had that slight "holiday" feel about it that I was after.

I am also wearing the sunkissed printed shorts from GAP (£24.95) in a UK 6. As you might expect with  GAP the sizing is generous, added to which they are 55% linen so they get even bigger with wear. Going down a size or two is not a bad idea. The fit is good though and they're not tight on the thighs, unlike some styles. I really rate GAP for lots of things but in particular their shorts. Their styles, colours and prints are pretty much unrivalled on the High Street and there are always offers on, so the prices are good. I'm also wearing a blue sequin front vest from Next (£16), which comes in a total of five colours. 

Here's a closer pic of the GAP shorts which come in a variety of different finishes. I'm not going to attempt a closer pic of the Next vest - the wifi is just too unreliable for that.

It's only been a few days and amazing as it is being away, we're missing home (and particularly all the episodes of Coronation Street that are on this week.) Oh dear, what an admission - how sad!

The bare necessities of life - a beach dress and new PJs!

 

There are definitely some things in my wardrobe which get updated less frequently than others, which is why when it came to thinking about what I might need for our trip away, a pool/beach dress was up there along with the more obvious items of shorts and t-shirts. With time short, this one from H&M did the job in terms of price (£7.99), plus I liked the print and the fact that it is slightly scooped down at the back.

I'm really sharing this little number with you more because it's cheap and cheerful and it will do a good job of taking you to the beach and back, rather than because it's super stylish. The good thing is that it won't matter if it gets covered in sun-tan lotion and salt water. I love the idea of some of the more expensive beautiful beachwear but I must admit that I really don't see the point. In all probability I would just leave something like that at home for fear of ruining it, which kind of defeats the object.

I decided that my pjs also needed a bit of an update. They are quite often another thing that also get neglected.  More a fan of shorts and a vest, I found the set on the left at M&S. The shorts on the right came from GAP and because I wasn't too fussed about the vests there, I bought the white one from H&M.

I still can't quite get over the terrible book that I read on the flight on the way out. And because it was so terrible I'm going to share it with you all. I had to go back and re-read bits just to check that it was as bad as I thought and to make sure that I hadn't missed something. But no! So here goes...

The book contained the clichéd mothers - one stay at home mum who grew her own veg and made her own clothes from old curtains, one full on career mum who loved her job and her child but felt more competent at work, one mum who worked part time, had a nanny and missed her kids and one single, unhappy mum, who was after a rich husband to support her extravagant lifestyle. Bad in so many ways! Not only that but there was talk of the unfriendly London mums with kids who were scheduled up to the hilt with activities. Anyway the husband of the main couple was being stalked by his children's nanny who was convinced that he would run off with her because he had told her how much he liked her lasagne and wait for it....her ironing! Anyone else had the pleasure of that particular book?!

Time for a new Hush frock!

 

I was quite excited about wearing my new Lisa dress from Hush (£60) which I had ordered especially for our holiday. It was partly because wearing a new frock is always exciting and partly because it was a little bit different for me. I wouldn't normally choose an empire line (something to do with having had three children/wearing maternity dresses) but because the fabric beneath the empire line wasn't too voluminous it didn't create a bump, or make it look as though I was trying to hide/accommodate one. Well at least I don't think that it did!

For me the dress worked because it is slightly longer at the back, which for some reason always makes me feel a little bit safer. For info purposes, the one that I am wearing is an xs. One thing that I should say though is that the dress is utterly and totally see through - which I hadn't appreciated when trying it on.  A really long vest underneath it gave me the extra coverage required.

I'm still really fond of the bright red shoes that I bought from Topshop last year, so it was nice to wear them again, together with my Marc Jacobs clutch. 

One of the many things that I like about the hot weather is planning an outfit the night before - albeit a simple one of shorts and a t-shirt and knowing that's what I'll be wearing the next day. No last minute changes of plan due to rain/fog/hail or snow! We currently have a good game going on here which involves Mr SG putting the air conditioning on full pelt and me switching it right down. It's a bit like the game that we play all winter with the heating, only in reverse. Never let it be said that our household isn't full-time fun and games!