Non skinny drapey trousers from Jigsaw which can be dressed up or down....

As I think I may have mentioned a couple of days ago, I've been checking out the sales recently. Most of the stores have had their final markdowns so I have recently paid Jigsaw, Whistles and Reiss a visit.

I generally stock up on well thought out wardrobe basics in the sale - things that need updating or replacing or more modern shapes which I am confident will be around for seasons to come.  Most of them won't see the light of day until the winter but today it's the turn of the Jigsaw tencel chinos (reduced from £75 to £52).

I have a reasonable selection of jeans, utility trousers and printed trousers in my wardrobe but there was definitely a gap for a looser, slightly smarter style of trouser which I could dress up or down. From trainers to heels, or flats to flip flops, these should do the job on lots of levels. Having tried these Jigsaw trousers on earlier in the season, I knew what they were all about.

Because I wanted that extra bit of slouch and comfort (I'm thinking long car journeys to Cornwall) I went up to a size 10, which gave them a completely different look to the size 8. The image below probably gives a slightly better idea of how they look!

As to the rest of my outfit, I went for a bit of colour clash on the accessories with a grey and yellow belt and a coral necklace, plus printed shoes.

 

Although I have had instagram for a while now, I intend to start using it a way of putting flesh on the bones of Style Guile. I will bring you closer shots of my outfits, show you my accessories, shopping trips and daily life. If you would like to come along for the journey, you can find me here

 

I also have a Pinterest board entitled "Outfit of the Day" which is a gallery of my daily outfits. Take a look for ideas and inspiration or alternatively use it as a tool to decide what NOT to wear! Either way I'm easy!

More summery outfits - Jigsaw wide leg trousers and a GAP tank...

 

 

In fairness to these somewhat creased Jigsaw (£89) trousers, I did demand quite a lot of them today. I went to see my Mum and her sister so they sat for a couple of hours in the car (the trousers that is, not my Mum and her sister) and I do seem to recall having done a little lounging in my Mum's conservatory. Tuesday is also the mother of all school runs! On the plus side, the creases do drop out relatively quickly. These trousers do come up quite large and also quite long, so that's something to bear in mind but they are really nice to wear for a change from skinnies - which clearly these are not!

 

Previously I have worn these trousers with a cream jumper but today I wore a marl coral vest top which I bought from the GAP last week for £4, although I can't now see it on the site.

 

M&S has a fine selection of wide trousers, a pair of which my Mum produced today (she's a trendy young thing). I will give you a style warning though - the shots on the site are pretty dire but don't let that put you off. The prices are good, they come in different leg lengths and so for a first foray into a wide leg trouser, M&S is as good a place as any to start.

 

There are a couple of styles which have a navy background with spots or flowers on them, some batik ones and some plain ones. One of my favourite pairs is the M&S floral wide leg trouser (£28)

 

 

For those interested in taking a further look, I've also included a link to all of the M&S  wide leg trousers. This style is great for hiding a multitude of sins and with a block heel or wedge, they are great for adding height in a way which still feels quite elegant without feeling as though you are teetering - if you know what I mean!

 

Tops of the bohemian, vintage, hippy, happy, peasant variety...

I started writing this post last night but then abandoned it when the photographs looked like they had been taken when the photographer was half cut (shame on you Monsoon - or me for being rubbish with technology). Also I couldn't find many examples of what I was after but the post was obviously meant to be because today, exactly the sort of thing I had in mind, kept coming at me out of nowhere.

I'm not a hippy chick at heart, nor a boho one but with my attention turning to packing for our summer holiday, I like the idea of wearing tops which give a nod to that particular vibe. I'm not a huge fan of t-shirts and only have two that I wear. Breton tops are lovely but samey, denim shirts I try and keep for the winter and strappy vests are just too chilly for me on all but the very warmest of days. 

Anything with the word neon in it is bound to attract my attention and the colours of this Monsoon neon tunic (£34.99) instantly appealed to me. With the detailing being placed where it is, all attention will be drawn up towards the face. The fit of this top will allow what's underneath it to have a little party all of its own without anyone else knowing. I currently have one of these to try in an XS so I will report back once I've tried it on.

The Accessorise lace insert tunic (£20) has a similar feel about it, although it's more toned down. "Subtle" might be the word that some would use!

I wasn't looking at Boden specifically for these style tops as, having looked under their "kaftan and tunic" section last night, I didn't think that they really had what I was after. However, it transpired that they did, albeit in a different section.

This Boden Cotswold top is a lovely shape, although sizes are sadly limited. Had it been available in my size, it would now be on its way to me! I love the coverage that these tops give, whilst at the same time being that little bit Ibiza rather than that little bit Ingoldmells*.

There's also this Boden Lola top (£29.50) which has quite a strong peasant/hippy theme going on. I'm not quite sure how it ended up in my basket but it did. I think that I was having a bit of a mad sale "in for a penny, in for a pound" moment. I'm thinking denim shorts, flip flops - anyway, we'll see.

The Boden Francesca top (priced variously £41.40 to £62.10) comes in several colour ways, as do most of the Boden tops. I like the neckline of all of these tops as they are unfussy and flattering. Classically style shirt collars can serve to shorten the neck, whereas this style top has the opposite effect.

The Boden Sicily top is really pretty. With the detail placed towards the centre of the top, it will draw the eye inwards, letting our possibly slightly lumpy, bumpy, silhouette pale into insignificance. In fact it too can join the party of what's going on underneath the top in the tummy area, leaving us feeling serene and stylish.

Now black isn't really a colour that I wear much at any time of the year but I saw this Jigsaw cotton embroidery shirt (£20) online and tried it on in the store today. It was really quite different for me but in a kind of "ooh, I haven't tried one of these before" type ways, so it gave me a little thrill and I bought it. I love Sophie in the Jigsaw in Birmingham. She's been there since about 2006 and we often have a little chat. She found this particular top uncomfortable on the waist and a bit too stiff, which made it unflattering over the bust area so you know, it's not going to work for everyone but then things rarely do. And for those with a defined waist it will emphasise it nicely.

So this whole "in for a penny in for a pound" sale thing that I had going on today turned into a bit of shopping session. But as we all know, it doesn't count until you decide to keep it, so that's fine. No, really it is. It's not a problem. Not at all. (Wipes sweat from forehead whilst having palpitations.)

*I haven't actually been to Ingoldmells since about 1978 so please, anyone who lives there, don't take offence to my comment. I'm sure it's lovely.

An easy summer outfit of chambray and stars from Topshop and GAP

Remember a couple of days ago I talked about how in the summer it is sometimes prudent for the hemline on a skirt to go down rather than up? Well this Topshop embroidered skirt (£38) has a good length to it so there's no danger of bending over and flashing your undies.

I realise that this length skirt is harder to wear and that, in an ideal world, shorter may be better but there's just something that comes with the passage of time that makes me want a little more length to my skirts and dresses. They can be quite tricky to find but Topshop has a whole section devoted to mid skirts, so that's quite handy.

I'm also wearing this red star tank from GAP (£14.95) which just really appealed to me. Along with spots and stripes, stars are fresh and fun without being too girly. I know that a lot of people aren't too fond of floral prints so this is a good alternative.

There's much more that I could say but we're off camping this weekend and so far all I have packed is some bunting, some jam jars with candles in and a huge chocolate Lindt bunny. I think that I had better dash as clearly a little more work is required!

Using colour as a HUGE distraction from what is going on elsewhere!

There's scraping the bottom of the barrel and then there's this little number but I know there are at least a few of you out there who wait to see my daily outfit - so here's one from which you can quickly move on!

Let me explain: Most of the day was spent in running things. Then there was a lot of dashing around to do which culminated in a visit to watch a play that our eldest was in. I thought (wrongly as it transpired) that my role was to sit in the dark drama studio, after which I could sneak off quietly. But no, other plans were a foot which involved doing a tour of the school to meet the teachers. Oh heck.

I don't really count leggings as proper clothing - in fact I pretty much hate them with a passion and although these Next trousers don't quite fall into that category, they are very much kicking around the house trousers. However, some delightful little insect has decided to nibble the back of my leg and it's swollen and sore (lovely) so dresses/skirts/tight trousers are out, which didn't leave much left to wear.

Looking on the bright side however, there's always something that we can take away from an outfit and in this case it is this: a bright t-shirt, a huge bright scarf and a bright bag serve as a great distraction from what it is going on elsewhere.

The Whistles Jersey Tube Skirt....don't be put off by the fact it's like a big bandage...

 

Today I combined three of my favourite elements in one outfit - navy, leopard print and lace. For the first time I wore my jersey tube skirt by Whistles (£55). I bought it with the Grazia discount offer way back at the start of the spring but held on to it until now.

When the weather gets warmer, sometimes its prudent for the hem line to get a little longer, rather than a little shorter (although this skirt does also come in a shorter length). It is really thick and supportive, rather like a big bandage I suppose but it's nice to wear and it does keep everything in place. There's no wobble when wearing this little number!

I have seen alternatives in other stores and people have mentioned the Topshop one to me but I would be reluctant to recommend any others without having tried them, due to issues of VPL, quality, thickness and such like. However believe me, wriggling into one is enough so for now I'll hand this one over and I'll let others make the recommendations.

Next time I wear this skirt I promise to accessorise in the Whistles way. Many apologies for forgetting my white sunglasses. Please forgive me (see below).

And just to illustrate the point that the skirt is like a huge bandage, I've included an image of it. See, no zips, buttons or anything else. A bit like those maternity bump support things really, only longer. I'm making it sound such an attractive option aren't I?! But no seriously it is comfortable and despite being fitted in nature, it's one that could be dressed down with skater trainers or converse - or indeed up, with heels and sparkles for the evening.

As we all know, tummies have a mind of their own during the day going from flat(ish) in the morning to looking 4 months pregnant by the evening (or even after breakfast) so a top which has a little length to disguise that particular issue, whilst still showing your hips/bottom is always an option.

Oh, and following on from yesterday, when my eyes were scanning the kitchen this morning I decided that the goldfish just have to go. They simply don't match the new yellow colour scheme. They're just too...well...gold. And the family are fine to eat as much fruit as they like, provided its lemons, melons or bananas. Other than that they're out of luck.

A zesty yellow and white outfit combination....

 

Although I work every day, I don't work with clients every day. Some days are spent planning and shopping for events, returning clothes, writing, responding to new enquiries and liaising with brands and companies. When those days arrive I don't need to dress in the same way that I do when working with clients, so that opens up a whole new wardrobe to me of dress down items.

Clearly today was one of those days and I looked to my favourite battered (not in the fish & chip sense) jeans, Topshop yellow T-shirt and white Zara jacket. I love a white and yellow combo as it's so fresh. In fact I'm such a fan of yellow at the moment that I'm trying to work a little more of it into our kitchen.  On raiding the cupboards I found a couple of storage tins from Selfridges which have the requisite yellow lids but other than that all I have come up with are a rubber duck and a tube of tennis balls. I don't think that I'm quite there yet.

Bringing you the perfect lace top (and part of a fancy dress outfit!)

Whilst I think that it's fair to say that I probably wouldn't have bought these Karen Millen animal print trousers had it not been for the fact that we were going to an "Out of Africa" party, I really enjoyed wearing them today. I think that it was as much to do with the fit as anything else. They have a relatively high waist, are long enough in the body not to cut me in half, narrow enough in the leg to be fitted but wide enough for them not to catch on my calf.

I decided to stick with the monochrome scheme with a black GAP blazer, cream lace Warehouse top and nude sandals.  Here's an image of the Warehouse top, which is £30.

 For anyone on the hunt for a lace top, there's a lovely one in the Reiss sale which comes in black (£69) or off white (£79). It's a perfect going out for dinner/going to the pub type top when something more than a t-shirt is needed but nothing so fancy as your Dame Edna Everage sparkles.

I don't actually think that the model does the top justice. A little more in the boobage department definitely works well with this top, which is great as flattering tops for ladies with anything more than a little in the bust department can be hard to find.

So the moral of today's outfit?  Don't ignore those gems that you bought for a fancy dress party - you never know when they may come in handy. (Oh golly, the mind boggles. Abba outfit/80's outfit/70's outfit anyone?)

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!