An outfit of navy and burgundy with a J Crew jumper thrown in for good measure...

[Whistles jeans, Ash trainers, Reiss bag, Boden scarf, Zara coat, Cos jumper]

When it's cold, and when it's a weekend - with all that entails between myself and Mr SG in the battle of the thermostat - there's only one jumper for me to wear, a thick navy one from Cos, who are definitely one of the best brands for warm knitwear. With a vest and two long sleeved tops underneath plus a scarf, all was good on the chilly front. The scarf, bag and Ash wedge trainers delivered the little bit of burgundy that I was after to go with the navy, for my trip to.....the shoe shop for school shoes. So glam! When I've got so many layers on and my torso is warm, I can get away with my sleeveless Zara coat which is sort of liberating on the arm front. I know, fancy that, a sleeveless coat in the middle of winter. Living life on the edge again.

Speaking of thick jumpers, I have been after a cable knit/fisherman's jumper for a couple of winters now and then when I was on the J Crew site the other evening, I came across this Aran sweater (£60) which was just what I was after but which kind of flummoxed me because I couldn't work out why it was £60, given that it was made of merino wool and given that it was on the J Crew site. Anyway, I finally bought it on Saturday morning but I remained intrigued as to its cost so I dug a bit further and realised that it must be to do with the fact that it was made by Aran Crafts (TM) who, it transpires have their own site where they stock.....

...the very same (I think) Aran Crafts sweater for £57.11. (Really sorry about the pic, I can't get a better one but if you go to the site you can have a closer look.)

So given that J. Crew have practically sold out, it might be possible to get one direct from Aran Crafts instead, which would be a good thing on many levels. It's great that J. Crew are stocking the sweaters and it's good to see that there isn't a huge mark up compared to the Aran Crafts site but sometimes it feels right to buy direct from the company who makes them (and who has been since 1856, apparently). I'll report back when mine has arrived....

Cobalt and black - a favourite colour combination of mine plus now could be the time to embrace the pleather pleated skirt...

I love a bit of cobalt blue and black together but cobalt can be hard to find in the winter. In fact any brighter colour can be hard to find in the winter, although Boden, J. Crew and GAP (particularly in the sale) are always a good bet for a splash of something other than grey or navy in the jumper department.

The Zara pleather skirt that I bought a while ago is turning out to be a bit of a favourite of mine after all. I wasn't so sure when I first bought it, which is why I headed to Zara rather than Whistles where you can now buy their version for £40 instead of £135. Sizes are limited but not so limited that it's not worth telling you about! If I didn't already have the Zara one I would buy the Whistles one too...

....or this one which is currently on sale in Jigsaw for £42 rather than its full price of £139. They're not available on line but the Birmingham store had some very similar to this when I was in there the other day. Give them a call and I'm sure that they will be very happy to help....

I suppose that it might be helpful to explain what it is that I find quite handy about them. First, the volume in the skirt means that it's not restrictive, which is good if, like me, you don't like to be slowed down by your clothing. Secondly you can pile thermal tights and long johns underneath and no-one will be any the wiser. Thirdly the style and fabric are a bit dressy without being too over the top so it's one step up from jeans without being either work like or too evening like. Anyway, that's where I'm coming from, so maybe it's something to ponder.

Casting aside those trousers in favour of a dress - nothing too drastic and not for too long but it's a start....

There, I did it. Hardly a great achievement is it, waking up in the morning and deciding to wear a dress, especially of the jersey variety, but habits can be hard to break and I have definitely been in trouser mode of late.

Easing myself back into this dress malarky I wore this Jersey striped dress from Jigsaw (£63 but only available in M and L although there's this alternative striped tunic dress from Per Una which is £39.50) with a white shirt layered underneath and a black Reiss jacket. The white shirt just softens the dark colour of the dress against my "winter skin" plus of course it also adds a layer of warmth. Thick black tights and Whistles pony hair loafers meant that I was totter free zone.

So has anyone else ventured into dress territory of late? The smattering of snow that greeted us this morning meant that it was back to trousers today but I live in hope of a little spring sun sometime soon.

A lot of navy and a little bit of sparkle. And tomorrow? Tomorrow it's time to wear a dress....

I had a little bit of a navy thing going on today - not too hard give the amount of navy that I wear. It was throwing it down when it came to pick up but I couldn't be faffed with a brolly so I wore this navy metallic beanie from Topshop that that my Mum gave me for Christmas and which I keep in the car for such emergencies. OK so my jacket was less than a wise choice given the rain but the rain sort of appeared out of nowhere.

The rest of the navy ensemble was made up of Cos cotton trousers, a white GAP shirt, a sparkly navy GAP jumper, a Boden jacket and Adidas trainers. I could quite happily wear this kind of thing every day - not jeans but not far from it with lots of navy and a bit of sparkle. Tomorrow I fear it may be a dress kind of day. I can't quite remember when I last wore a dress - New Year's Eve I think, so it's time to be brave and get those legs out. Anyone fancy joining me??? Please say yes!

An outfit cheat - wear some bling, chuck on a fancy top, throw in some colour and sneak your favourite jeans in via the back door...

A few days ago now we were celebrating the birthday of our youngest, who is now a very grown up 7. In keeping with a family tradition, we all piled in to Pizza Express. Obviously my finest glad rags were not required but I thought that the age old cheat of wearing some bling, putting on a bit of a fancy top and chucking in some colour would do - hence the double rose gold necklace from Livto (£27.99) - currently sold out but I'm pretty sure that there will be some back in stock soon - a leather top which was a birthday present and a yellow Kate Spade bag. Luckily a little effort on the top half meant that I could get away with my super stretchy Whistles jeans so there was plenty of room for pizza (and for breathing). Always handy.

Losing my shopping mojo - it can't be far away can it?

I've got to be honest, I'm not feeling the love for the shops, or clothes, at the moment which is so unheard of for me that it must mean that I've been taken over by an alien.  I've trawled my usual favourite sites and I'm feeling distinctly uninspired. In fact I even resorted to reading the "Runner's World" website and an article on tapering before a big race. That's how bad things are.

The majority of the new season's stock looks exactly the same as that from the last two seasons - a bit drab, a bit loose, very comfortable (not that I'm knocking that) but nothing that makes me sit up and go "Yes, I will happily do whatever it takes to get my cheeky little mitts on one of those."  The joy can come just from thinking about such things as much as owning them. And I miss it!

Now in some ways this is good because it makes it easier to stick to my policy of wearing what I own already. On the other hand I feel bereft. Like a part of my soul is missing. I've always said that I would hate to win the lottery. Where's the fun in life in being able to buy every thing that you want? Nope, a little retail lust goes a long way - even a little £5 retail lust can go a long way. And I'm hoping that one day very soon - Tuesday would do - it will return.

Until then I am going to share this outfit with you - a Jesire (anyone remember them? I really liked them until they went under) leopard print grey jumper, Cos grey jeans, Zara boots and a Miss Selfridge fur scarf. Cosy, comfy and arguably a bit drab and a bit loose. Oooops! But at least there's nothing better to tempt me. Well, not for now anyway.....

Wearing what I own already - a novel concept that I'm sure a few of us could adopt.

When I was in a particularly hallucinatory tonsillitis induced state the other day, I dreamt that Martin Lewis, the money man, was talking to me. He was trying to hypnotise me into thinking that the Adirondack II Ugg boots that I have my eye on would be better off left on the shelf.

He told me that I should imagine looking down at them on my feet and that I should think how much happier I would be if they weren't there, that the money would be better off in the bank and that I could manage with some old boots that I have. He then asked me what I thought of what he had said to which I replied "Don't be such a flippin (actually it was a ruder version of that word) idiot" and I walked off. I used to quite like listening to what he had to say. Not any more.

I think that all of this came on the back of plan - not a resolution because they're a bit looserish - to wear everything that I own in my wardrobe before adding to it any further. There will be exceptions - new boots possibly being one of them - and no-one likes to live by a strict set of rules but I figure that there are probably one or two new outfits that I could make out of what I own already.

So taking things to the extreme, the coat that I am wearing above is 10 years old. I bought it when our eldest was in year 1 and  in two weeks she will be 16. Argghhh. The Jaeger scarf is a couple of years old and I'm wearing a Whistles tube skirt,  Zara boots and a Marc Jacobs bag because I realised that if I didn't get out of sloppy stuff sometime soon, not only would I have my own TV series about never leaving the house, I would also have a parallel one about always wearing the same outfit.

And I thought that on such a dull day, it would be nice to share with you all a bunch of flowers. Hope that you like them!

Pretty prints and clashing colours for a pretty miserable January day....

I like to think of myself as a sunny(ish) kind of soul but today oh flip me, the sun was not shining. All three children were back at school and I missed them. The house was quiet, I still felt pretty rubbish and with a tax return to face, all was distinctly not well with the world.  However, when the new Boden catalogue arrived things started to look up. Not only because it meant that I could procrastinate even longer before starting the tax return but because it gave me a major injection of spring and summer - something that was sorely needed.

I'm more than prepared to accept that in months to come I may well look back and wonder quite what I was suffering from when I decided that I liked these things. However for now, I'm happy to live in a bright, striped, spotty and printed state of oblivion.

Marti dress (£79) - Now obviously I wouldn't wear all of these things together at the same time. One of them would be more than an  enough in an outfit but I love the colours in this dress and its Marni type feel. Its sleeves and looser shape make it more wearable than a more fitted shape.

Alice high heel - These shoes definitely have a touch of Sophia Webster about them. At 8.5 cm the heel isn't too high and the colours would do a fab job of livening up a fairly plain wardrobe.

There are spotty versions too - pink or blue. The obvious way to wear them is as part of an "outfit" - perhaps a wedding type affair - but I prefer the idea of them with boyfriend jeans and a fairly plain T-shirt.

Eliza top (£69) - This top also comes in a few different colour ways and it's a great top to wear layered now, with a cardi or jacket over the top or, wait until the weather warms up and show it off in all its glory.

Great timing by Boden to cash in on our January blues. Repeat after me: "I will not fall for it. I will not fall for it." OK, I'll just take a tiny peek then....

Happy New Year! - I know it's a little late but there's a good reason for it......

[Outfit: Hush dress, Seven Boot Lane boots, Reiss jacket, Hobbs necklace]

I wrote the following post on New Year's Eve, the Eve before I was cruelly struck down with tonsillitis. I haven't even managed to leave the house so far this year. Soon I'll be appearing on my own TV show "the woman who woke up one day and never left the house again." Actually I lie, I've been out once to go to see the Doctor and can you believe that the first money I spent in 2015 was on anti-biotics? Lucky I didn't have a no spending ban in operation. 

I could have passed this post over but I haven't written anything else, or worn anything that anyone would want to see, ever, so here goes. Hope that you are all keeping well and Happy New Year. Thank you for being such a lovely bunch of readers! 

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I should know myself by now. I should know that when ever there's a big event coming up - a birthday, the day before Christmas, the day before we go on holiday, the day before the NEW YEAR that I get this sudden urge to clean. "Oh" I think to myself, "wouldn't it be lovely to go to bed in clean bedding, to wake up to a newly cleaned kitchen and fresh bathrooms, to have cupboards that are neat and tidy and full of folded clothes." I should know that the tidal wave of needing to clean is on its way but I never anticipate it until WHAM, it arrives and then it's too late. I just have to get on with it.

Which is why I found myself doing all of those jobs this afternoon. I scrubbed the kitchen island to within an inch of its life. I even turned the toaster upside down and shook it over the sink (unwise unless you want a blocked sink), plus I emptied out the crumb trays, cleaned behind the bread maker, took all of the rubbish out, polished the kettle, washed the tea pot and wiped out the fruit bowl, all the while thinking that I needed to be ringing friends and family to wish them a Happy New Year.

We went over to some friends for the New Year and as we were walking there and as it was cold, flimsy glamour was not the order of the day - or night. I've only worn this Hush dress once but it's really warm and with a jacket over the top it gave me the warmth that I needed. OK so the boots are more practical than glam but the pavements were hideously slippery.

I should have pre-programmed a twitter message to go out and I should have written something on facebook to wish you all a Happy and healthy New Year but I didn't get around to it, so I apologise to you, as I do to all of my friends and family for not getting in touch but I'm sorry I was cleaning....

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 12 - one to keep the cold at bay!

Given the cold and frosty weather of late, I thought it fitting to finish my 12 outfits of Christmas feature with something warm and toasty - and a ridiculous grin too but then again it was spectacularly cold!

In a post many moons ago, I referred to Cameron Diaz's outfits in "The Holiday" a film which we watched (again) on Christmas Eve. For one who was supposedly unfamiliar with UK winters, she cracked the casual/cashmere/stylish/ look with aplomb. I noticed her beautiful cable knit jumper when watching the film on Christmas Eve and then, on Christmas morning, I opened a present from Mr SG which contained this great cable knit hat - the starting point for my skiing wardrobe which is going to be a whole new area - quite possibly a disaster one at that, although I have good friends to advise me on the way. Left to my own devices I would quite happily wear a 1970's style all in one with a zip up the front but apparently that's not the done thing these days.

So on to the outfit, this is what was going on underneath, let's count the layers:
M&S vest,
M&S long sleeved top,
Warehouse lace top,
Boden Barcelona cardigan - I'm hoping that the navy one will be reduced even further in the sale soon,
2 pairs of socks - one Pringle and the outer ones are from White Company,
Whistles grey furry gloves (no longer on the site so I can't link - sorry)
North Face hat (it would be wrong to link to this given it was a pressie!)

And this is just what I wear inside! To anyone with snow, I hope that you're having a huge amount of fun in it - wish we had some. x

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 11 - The printed dress and flat shoes

A pair of comfortable and smart(ish) flats are a weapon in your arsenal of essential wardrobe items. Getting the right pair can be tricky as flats aren't always the most flattering of styles. For those blessed with slim ankles they can look just fine but for those with cankles or heavier calves - which probably accounts for about 90% of us - they can be more of a challenge. A small block heel is quite often the best fix but a pointed toe or a kitten heel can work wonders in balancing proportions or adding just a weeny bit of height. Toning them in with the colour of your tights elongates your legs and a shorter hem length can have the same effect, hopefully avoiding that Miss Marple look.

I wore this Warehouse dress yesterday when we largely spent the day at home. I bought the dress last winter and it's great because although it's a neat fit over the shoulders, it's fairly straight up and down so it's an easy style to wear. No clinging, no tight waistbands - perfect for this time of year plus the print keeps the eye on the move so whatever lumps and bumps may lie beneath, no one would ever know.

For a similar style, the Boden printed Beaufort dress is a very nice little number. A friend of mine has one and it looks fantastic, it's a real winner and definitely worth a shot in the sale. It's £69.30 and there's a blue print which is also in the sale, for £49.50.

I'll be back tomorrow with my last outfit of my 12 outfits for Christmas. They have been a little sporadic and I've not always managed to include a gift but I hope that you have enjoyed them. x

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 10 - Boxing Day, the Christmas jumper and a pink Boden coat....

With ten of us for Boxing Day yesterday, I thought that it would be a great idea to encourage everyone to wear their Christmas jumpers. Oh and how the family loved me, joining in with great enthusiasm.

I was given this fantastic Christmas Tree jumper (Topshop) by a friend as a Christmas present a few weeks ago now but I wanted to save it for a truly festive occasion, which presented itself perfectly on Boxing Day. Although it's now out of stock (that girl has great taste!) I've linked to it for anyone who may want the details for future reference.

For our walk after lunch, I wore the Claudia coat from Boden in jelly bean (it also comes in grey and navy), which I bought in the sale.  I love a pink coat and the one that I have from Benetton is many years old now so it's looking a little worn and it's a little on the large side so I always feel a bit scruffy when I wear it. This is a lovely coat and when Mr SG saw it he commented how he liked it and how I should keep it. Not one to argue with the fashion guru, I obediently hung it up in the wardrobe. Actually I hung it up in his wardrobe to be precise. Mine is a little full. A bit like me after Christmas really....

The 12 days of Christmas, day 9 - Christmas Day!

Happy Christmas to everyone! Hope that you have had a fantastic day. I thought that I would do a quick outfit post today as deciding what to wear on Christmas Day can be a tricky one I think. On the one hand there's a feeling of wanting to look slightly more dressed up than usual but on the other hand, tottering around at home whilst dressed up to the nines just doesn't feel right.

I think that I finally decided what to wear today just before I went to sleep last night. Clearly I was pondering the important issues on Christmas Eve!

So here I'm wearing a sequin heart sweater from Whistles (£70 down from £125) which I bought in the sale last week. I'm also wearing some luxe joggers from Topshop (these are similar and are in the sale for £20). Don't tell anyone but I have some Uniqlo thermals layered underneath them. I'm also wearing a grey shimmer crew t-shirt from GAP (£11.99) and silver Zara shoes which are just on the right side of high.

I have to admit that the shoes have now been swapped for woolly grey socks with silver spots on them and the luxe joggers for my comfortable fleecy ones. But I haven't been separated from my sparkles!

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 8 - An easy to wear day dress (with sleeves and which doesn't flash your pants) from &Other Stories

Yesterday we went to see my Mum for a Christmas visit. In a very generous and giving type fashion I took our recycling to put in her (relatively empty, or it was) bin, pinched a "Snowman" kitchen roll and loo roll, scoffed her choccies and mince pies and left. I know, such Christmas spirit!

 I wore this & Other Stories pleated dress now £33, which I bought when we were down in London a couple of weeks ago now. It's a man made fabric but it's quite silky and also fairly thick which is good for me. With its three quarter sleeves, just above knee length and nipped in waist, it's an easy to wear day dress.

And as for a couple of other outfits - this is my favourite New Look "Love" jumper, with just a white shirt layered underneath to break it up a little.

And this is a chunky Jaeger scarf that I've had for a couple of years now, with an M&S coat that I bought new this winter. A great cover up for when whatever lies beneath needs a little work!

 As for the present of the day. How about something in one of these boxes???!!

Wishing you all a really, really, happy, stylish (but comfortable) Christmas. Thank you so much for reading. Oh and speaking of which, I have gained myself a new reader. Mr SG has now subscribed to the blog. To be honest, I didn't think that he would ever be techy enough to manage it but he has so, from now on (if it's all right with all of you) everything is at least 5 years old and if I did buy it new, it was no more than £40. OK? xx

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 7 - a pretty much go anywhere look...

So when I agreed to a party for 35, fifteen and sixteen year olds tonight, I didn't realise that not only would my phone be confiscated as it was needed to play music through but also that there would be so many people trying to use the wifi that the internet would crash. The rest of the family and I have been confined to our bedroom whilst the house shakes around us.

I'm hoping that I can load several more outfits as this post was going to be about outfits that I have worn casually recently. Nothing particularly special, just a few different outfits which may offer some ideas. I'm not sure that it's going to work though....the internet is still not happy (and nor, it has to be said, is Mr SG who is complaining, at 19.36 I have to add, that he has to go to work tomorrow, that everything will be broken, that there will be lots of clearing up to do and that no more parties will be allowed. Party flippin pooper.)

Now you've all seen this Whistles dress many times over but it's a favourite of mine and here I'm ringing the changes slightly (I know, how many ways can you wear one dress but I need to get the cost per wear down) with red Kurt Geiger shoes and a coral H&M necklace.

Sadly the rest of the photos won't load - in fact I don't know whether this post will even publish but I'll have a go and bring you the other photos once calm has been restored.

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 6 - One from Zara and & Other Stories for the rounds of Christmas jobs and chores.

"Are those jeans new?" Mr SG asked me a couple of days ago. To which I replied "Yes."
"What you bought them with those holes in? Please tell me you're joking."
"Yes I did and no, I'm not." The poor man was at a loss for words - incredulous and utterly confused by the whole thing but I think that it's fair to say that, on occasion, I suffer at the hands of his sense of humour so I didn't feel too bad.

As we all know, a new pair of jeans can work wonders at breathing life into your wardrobe. I saw these jeans in a magazine a couple of weeks ago so went to try them out in Zara (£29.99) earlier this week. They're a low rise but not ridiculously low and they're actually very comfortable plus I liked the frayed hem. I haven't bought any trousers or jeans from Zara for a few years now, since a pair I bought ripped right where you wouldn't want them to but I thought that they deserved another chance.

With this new blouse from & Other Stories (£45) which I bought in London last week, I was sorted for a day of Christmas jobs. As an aside, the fit of this blouse is lovely - not too tight and I also managed to get a long sleeved cotton T underneath as an extra layer.

More of a decoration than a gift, I'm currently loving Eric, our stag head from Cox & Cox (£25). He's probably the most decorated (and camp looking) stag that there is, adorned as he is with Monsoon Christmas glasses and decorations from Selfridges and John Lewis. When you have to relinquish control of the the tree to the children, you need a little bit of something to call your own - and on reflection, if this is what I do to Eric, it's probably just as well that I'm not in charge of the tree.

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 5 - sparkly sweatshirt dress

[Outfit: La Redoute dress, Damart gilet, Jigsaw shoes, Whistles bag]

I love this dress because you can eat shed loads without worrying whether anyone is going to ask when the baby is due. And it's sparkly! Also I can layer a long sleeved top underneath it which adds warmth....

...and I can put a fur gilet over the top which makes it even toastier, which can be great on these chilly nights.

A relaxed shape such as this sweatshirt style dress but with some sparkles or a print is a good way of being slightly glam but in a comfortable way. Looser shift style dresses and dropped waist dresses are also a great way of achieving this. What they lack in a fitted shape you can make up for by adding in some heels.

See you tomorrow! x

The 12 outfits of Christmas, outfit 4 - one for travelling in....

I've got to be quick tonight because Mr SG and I are off to the cinema. We're going to see "Gone Girl" which I've read and which I thought was great but I'm slightly concerned because it's an 18 and I don't do 18's. The write up says something about strong language and bloody scenes and I don't do either of those. I can just about manage a 15 on a good day, otherwise I'm a U, a PG or a 12A all the way.

Right, having rambled on about that, I've now left myself 10 minutes for the rest of the post. So, here goes.....I wore this outfit when Mr SG and I went away for the weekend. It was great for travelling in as there was plenty of room in the skirt. Layered underneath it was a grey jumper (always bearing warmth in mind) and a Whistles jacket from last year which is really soft. I love the colours in this ChloBo necklace that was gifted to me by Marianna Boutique in the summer and it seemed a shame to keep it hidden away until the sun shone again, so it came along with me. Whilst chatting over a drink, Mr SG asked me whether my skirt was leather. "No" I replied, it's not, it's sort of fake leather. "Oh just like the Mercedes leather he replied. Not quite real leather." "Exactly". I replied,  "Just like Mercedes non real leather." Eh?

Now I've left myself two mins to chat about a gift. Well, you know me. Bracelets, friendship bracelets - I love the lot. Pile them high, layer them with a watch or up to your elbow and they're a great way of finishing an outfit. I love this one from Topshop which costs £5. They come in a huge array of colours - the one I am currently wearing is navy with a pink dangly bit - rather like the bracelet version of my necklace above really.

Right, really must dash. We're about to go and I'm still here in my tracksuit bottoms - the less than glamourous 5th outfit of Christmas perhaps!

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 3 - from day to evening....

This is one of those outfits that can take you from the day to the evening quite easily. During the day, it's a simple outfit of a pale grey cashmere jumper and dark grey skinny trousers. For the evening I added a silver/grey jacket, a grey statement necklace, boots with a bit of sparkle on the back and a clutch bag. I wore this to the ballet and whilst heels would have made it slightly dressier, there was a risk that I was going to have to carry our 6 year old from the theatre to the car, which would have been a disaster in heels.

One way to take your outfit into the evening is to add a darker lipstick. For today's gift I'm showing you the Bobbi Brown art stick in electric pink (£19.50). I bought one of these a couple of weeks ago and for me it's a real winner. It comes in eight shades and being like a big, fat crayon, it's easy to apply. It's also easy to increase the depth of colour by layering it up. Equally, I use it in the day time but I apply a layer of gloss first as that makes it slightly lighter, more sheer and less heavy than otherwise.

Anyone hit the sales yet? They're everywhere with some more biggies starting soon, so keep your eyes open!

The 12 outfits of Christmas day 2 - Girls' night out

[Outfit: H&M skirt, Whistles jumper, Liberty bag, LK Bennett shoes, Whistles cuff]

So today's outfit is one that I wore a couple of weeks ago now. It's just as well that I had one or two outfits up my sleeve as I twisted my ankle last night whilst running and I'm a heel free zone for now!

For anyone interested, these were my thoughts when putting this outfit together, although before we get there I think that it's worth noting that I'm generally happiest in about 55 layers, flat shoes or trainers and trousers - but I accept that's not a good look all the time. Even when I up my game during the daytime I still need warm tights and not too high shoes so for a night out it's good for me to see what else I can get away with. 

So back to my thoughts, this was the process which meant that I ended up where I did: Yep, heels are good as I won't be walking too far. As I'll be inside all evening it will be fairly warm which means I can go without tights, which also means that I can wear open toed shoes but if I lose any more clothes I'll a) be cold b) most probably asked to leave so I'll wear a lightweight knit. Equally if I wear anything short with the no tights/open toed shoes I'll look like a bit slutty/muttony so I'll wear a midi length skirt, which, being fairly demure, means that I can get away with a slightly less demure shoe. 

So that's how it came to be that the H&M skirt and the LK Bennett shoes got an outing. I had bought the cropped sparkly turtleneck from Whistles (£75 although I bought it with a 30% discount) a few days before as I've got a few things that needed a shorter knit to go with them.

Moving on to today's gift, I've looked over this Cath Kidston  purse trio (£20) on more than one occasion and I think that it/they are lovely. They're brighter in real life and just so handy to have. They're big enough to use as a bag (well that is unless you're still in that nappy stage) rather than just a purse. I have several that I take on holiday in the summer and they're nice to have when going down to dinner, or just by the pool when not too much is required. Failing that, they're easy to find at the bottom of a dark handbag!

Warehouse has this flat wrist clutch (£8) which is in a beautiful colour - great against black, grey or navy and good for those people who (if any of them do exist) perhaps don't like sparkle - perish the thought.  

Hope that everyone's Christmas preparations are going to plan. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 1, casual glamour (Clamour)

[Outfit: Seven boot lane boots, Cos jeans, Jaeger boutique jumper, Miss Selfridge scarf]

So today I've decided to start my 12 outfits of Christmas feature. It's the third year that I've done this now (I think) but I'm sure that by day 4 I will have run out of ideas and I will be asking you all to contribute - which of course you are all more than welcome to do anyway. Maybe my Mum will even let me have a photo of herself in her New Look Christmas jumper. She's just had her hair permed so I'm sure that she's feeling on top of the world right now. 

My aim is to include outfits for lots of different occasions so whilst the outfits may not all be "live"  hopefully they may give some ideas - whether they be ideas of what to wear or what NOT to wear. As with last year, I'm hoping to include a gift idea each day too. I won't lie, they will be girlie all the way! 

OK so clearly I'm not up to anything overly glamourous today but even on those days when you're doing lots of jobs and ferrying children around for their MOTs (dentists/opticians etc) there's no reason not to include a little something special. So I've come up with the term (or maybe I haven't at all but I've not heard it anywhere before) of Clamour - casual glamour - which is really your scruffs but with a bit of bling, fur, sparkle or whatever takes your fancy.

I've added this fur scarf from Miss Selfridge (reduced from £25 to £12.50) to my outfit, which I'm also using as my gift idea for the day. They come in several colours - pale pink, mint green, black and mine is the grey one. I'd been after a fur scarf for a while but all the ones that I had come across were pretty pricey. Then I saw this one and thought "that will do nicely thank you very much" and I haven't taken it off since. Although it isn't furry on the back, it has a nice satin lining so it still looks nice and it's also slightly gathered at the bottom which makes it sit well. I reckon that receiving something like this on Christmas morning could make that enforced after lunch walk a whole more appealing, especially when all you really want to do is to sit on your bum watching telly and eating chocolate. 

So anyway, onwards and upwards. Here's looking forward to Day 2.....

Meet my latest accessory, which also serve the purpose of the being able to see variety....

[Outfit: Whistles trousers, All Saints jumper, Adidas trainers, Cocinelle cuff, shirt from boutique]

I know that you wouldn't think it just by looking at it but this outfit actually took a while to pull together. First, I had to iron my shirt (not a pleasant activity for a Sunday morning).  Secondly, I had to stitch the cuff of my jumper which had come undone and if that wasn't enough....well it was actually so after that it was just a case of getting dressed. But the thing was that today I went to pick up my new (and first pair of) glasses so I wanted everything to be plain and safe. And you can't really get much plainer or safer than navy trousers, navy jumper, white shirt and white trainers can you?

My prescription isn't strong but I think that for the cinema and also for night time, or early morning, texting my glasses will make a difference. Mr SG is slightly freaked out about them. He thinks that it's rather like having a new wife. Interesting. I'm just wondering whether this new wife might possibly be in need of a whole new wardrobe???

ps sorry about the blog looking different. In getting my computer fixed, the settings have been mucked about with and I'm not sure how to re-set them. Everything is so tiny. Great timing on the glasses front really!

Camo, leather, fur, patent and embellishment - sounds a lot for one outfit!

 

 

[Oufit: Topshop skirt and jumper, Oasis leather jacket, Damart gilet, Dune shoes and no, I've no idea what I'm doing in this photo either!]

 

Oh crikey so much to say, so little time to say it, so I'm not going to regale you with tales of how I really want a t-shirt with the slogan on "I'm just trying to get the house tidy for Christmas" which I can point to each time one of the children leaves a wet towel on the floor, or school books in our bedroom, or shoes piled in places that shoes shouldn't be piled - all of which happens frequently. 

 

Nor am I going to tell you about how I'm trying to be a Domestic Goddess, using every spare second to bake cakes, make stews or whizz up desserts, all of which I can freeze before Christmas so that a beautiful meal can be produced with minimal effort. Sadly I'm lacking some of the assets of the real Domestic Goddess (namely huge boobs, big red lips and a silky negligee) but you know, a onesie will do.

 

That aside, yesterday I resurrected one of my favourite skirts from last winter. I bought it in Topshop in Belfast, along with the grey embellished jumper, whilst I was over there speaking at a lunch last year. I have such fond memories of that trip - everyone was so friendly.

 

To keep out the chill I've layered it with my old (and on its last legs) cream Oasis leather jacket and a fur gilet from Damart (£39) which they kindly sent to me to review. Having worn a few fur gilets I have to say that this is a lovely one. It's not too bulky which is great as the idea of fur can be good but the reality can be a little honey monster at times. It also has hidden hook and eye fastenings plus as it's collarless it has a nice simple line about it. I really like layering fur gilets over a leather jacket for a layered look - plus the added warmth of course. This one is a good price too so if you've not ventured down that particular road before but are considering doing so, this is a great place to start.

 

Must dash - time to go and order myself a silk negligee so that I can come down and eat the Christmas leftovers from the fridge in the middle of the night in true Nigella style.

When all else fails with ideas for a post, just take a photo and write! (Wearing Zara, Whistles, &Other Stories)

[Outfit: Whistles jeans, Zara boots, & Other Stories jumper, Oasis necklace]

Each day after an outfit photo has been taken, I try and think of an angle to take on it when writing the post. Whether it's something to do with the colour of an outfit, a particular trend, a styling trick, divulging a great find or pairing the old with the new, I usually (hopefully) come up with something.

However today I've come up with a big, fat zilch. My initial reaction was that I needed to get my hair cut (that's already booked) and that I look as if I could do with eating a pie or two - but honestly that's just the angle.

I thought about going down the route of how Style Guile was always meant to be very much feet on the ground fashion, which it is, but that would be copping out. Then I was going to talk about how I'm preparing for my 12 outfits of Christmas posts, which gives me leeway to look like a scruffy bum before the sparkles start. That's not so much of an excuse but it's not really a good enough angle. And then I was going to write about how I was just flipping freezing and that I wanted to be warm, which is true but then again it always is, so that's hardly new. Then I was going to link to my lovely necklace (a bargain at £6 from Oasis) but it's no longer online so that angle failed too. So in the end I decided to write about how all my angles for writing a post had failed and in doing so I seem to have written a post. Hope that's OK with you all for tonight!

One thing that I did do though and which I hope may be of some use, was to visit the & Other Stories site, just to see if I could find a similar jumper. In terms of shape (a bit short and a bit boxy) this Wool pearl detail sweater (£79) is pretty similar (although in terms of anything else it's not even remotely similar) and it's also just, well, pretty really. Possibly rather nice for Christmas day I thought.....

 

 

The best jeans in the business, from a lady who knows....

Tonight I'm doing what I see as my civic duty and bringing you a pair of jeans which I have been told, on very good authority by my friend Sal, are fantastic. They are the skinny high rise Levi's  and they are £90.

I've been given clearance by Sal to divulge why they are good because you know none of us likes what we've said to a friend being shared to the world, especially when it involves one's tummy, but as she said "they're great because you can tuck everything in and they hold it all in place."  Sounds good to me.

By way of extra info, but hopefully not too much info, Sal is a very slim size 10 apple shape which as many of you will know means that her tum, in proportion to her long slim legs and narrow hips, can be harder to dress. She looks stunning in jeans  and whilst she's not fussed by the label on her bum (or anywhere else for that matter) for her it's worth spending a little more on jeans to get them just right. Often the rise is too low for her to be comfortable, or the leg length too short. Previously she has worn Seven for all Mankind but after wearing these Levi's, which in turn were recommended by a friend at work, they seemed really uncomfortable. These jeans come in 9 colours and she loved them so much that she's going back for a second pair.

So for anyone who finds buying jeans a nightmare - you know the scenario, you get them to fit around the waist but then they swing around the hips, or when you bend over they show your bum - these could be your saving grace and just in time for Christmas too.

The composition of these jeans is good too - they're 72% cotton, 26% polyester and 2% elastane. Any more elastane and they can become more like leggings than jeans and although traditionally we perhaps turned our noses up slightly at anything containing polyester, I prefer jeans to have some in. They just feel softer and more comfortable to wear.

I love sharing what people love and swear by so if you've come across anything that works well for you, do please let me know at style@bethgoodrham.com