One to ponder - orthopaedic looking sandals - will you or won't you?

It started with the return of Birkenstocks last summer and since then things have gone from bad to worse. I think that there's a conspiracy in the fashion world. Their aim is to see how many suckers can be persuaded to wear their hideously ugly sandals, whilst thinking that they're stylish.

Well I, for one, am prepared to hold myself out as one such sucker because I really like (some of) them - although I'm not quite sure how it has happened. I'm always a fan of a comfortable shoe and somehow, the gentle exposure to them, the systematic de-sensitisation of ugly shoes in the same way that it is used as therapy to combat someone's fear of spiders, has worked.

Dresses that I previously though I was going to part with are now taking on a new lease of life (in my head at least) with the addition of a pair of sandals such as these. A tan and pedicure are mandatory I think to pull these off. Non hairy legs would help too. Urrgh. Now I'm coming back to thoughts of hairy spiders. Yuk.  So a quick whizz through what is out there reveals these beauties...

The topshop humidity sandal (£26) is a relatively inexpensive option for anyone first dipping their (perfectly pedicured) toe into this style of sandal.

The Holly velcro sandal Whistles (£140) is not an inexpensive option but I think that I may try them for research purposes only...

The New Look embellished ankle strap sandal (£15.99) comes in three different colours and is heading towards a flat form sandal - a style that has been trying for several years to take off in a major way but which hasn't quite managed yet. A bit like tofu really.

Whilst the top three styles are different to this silver Birkenstock (£44.95) these are really where it all began. Right now I've run out of things to say. It happens sometimes - not often - but these have left me speechless.

Good old Clarks have jumped on the comfy, ugly shoe, bandwagon with the Clarks moon sandal (£50) - which sounds like it should be worn around a camp fire whilst wearing cheese cloth - not that I'm dissing that. Sounds like fun to me, especially if marshmallows are involved.

The Clarks slider (£52) are slightly more fashion forward - really they are the Clarks take on the Birkenstock.

In all honesty I'm not sure where that leaves me. What do you all think? I like to be open minded because otherwise we get stuck in that big old fashion rut of "I can't, I won't, I did it before so I can't do it again, I'm too old, it's just not me" etc and before we know it we wear the same things year after year. On the other hand not every trend should be followed slavishly. Then again, comfortable shoes should never be sniffed at. So on balance I'm coming down in favour of the first three styles. As to the last three - maybe not. Until I go and buy some tomorrow of course....

How to wear a slightly more challenging trouser shape....and EVERYONE should have one of these....

[Carvela shoes, Baukjen trousers, Topshop jumper, Reiss leather jacket, Paul Costelloe bag, necklace from friend]

When you're used to skinnies, getting away from them can be really difficult, especially when it's to a trouser shape that is more relaxed, printed and with a little width around the ankle. Flares? Not a problem as they're still fitted around the hips and thighs and with heels, they're a flattering style in their own right. Wide legged trousers? Again not a problem as they are classic and if the cut is good, they can be very flattering. But as for a bit of a half way house style like these? Well they are more challenging and here's why....

• They have an elasticated waist and a less sexy waistband I cannot imagine, other than maybe the ones with buttons inside like kids trousers but then no-one tends to know about those. On the plus side, when you're off out to dinner with a friend who makes the best brownies ever, an elasticated waistband is quite handy;
• The length - not ankle length but not full length either (selling them well aren't I?!)
• From the side I can look hideous in this style trouser and I should know because I've tried lots of them. Short and dumpy would be a good description;
• Quite often the fabric can be very thin, allowing for every wibble, wobble and dimple to be shown to the world. 

However, when I tried the Felsted print trousers from Baukjen (£59 reduced from £99 and which I must have had for about 5 weeks now) I quite liked them. The fabric was of a good quality and they fell well. Then I cut the label off them, meaning that I could no longer return them, at which point (of course) I became unsure whether I liked them or not. So anyway I just decided to wear them.  And having worn them, these are my conclusions/solutions:

• Cover the elasticated waistband (obviously) and no-one will be any the wiser;
• Heels will avoid the dumpy feeling - and I should know because I tried them with trainers and they looked hideous;
• Choose a quality and/or printed fabric, all of which will help with lumps/bumps/and spare bottom cheeks which seem to appear at a certain age;
• When I have time I might play with the length by rolling them up a little but the fabric is quite slippery so they would probably just do their own thing anyway.  And in the summer I am going to try a chunky birkenstock type sandal which will either work really well, or make me look well dodgy.

Personally I think that a coloured shoe would work with these trousers (wardrobe gap alert!) and having come across the Milly suede shoe at Jigsaw (£149, although the lipstick shade are £74 and I'm also sure that I saw purple ones yesterday) I think that they could work for lots of us for lots of occasions. Of course there are loads of other styles too - much trendier and New Look/Primark would be my shop of choice for those styles - but for a good staple, these are pretty impressive and the leather that Jigsaw uses is always really, really soft.

After all my hours of wardrobe construction, I thought that I would share my favourite one with you. It has some of my bags, most of my jewellery, scarves and going out shoes in it and sometimes I just go and look at it because I love it so much. When the world around me is a little chaotic, my cupboard is calm and serene. Which makes me very happy but equally a complete saddo too (but I don't care!) 

Lots of my bracelets/bangles and cuffs were from friends of mine so I take great pleasure in looking at them and thinking of my lovely friends too. I think that we could probably all do with one  of these cupboards in our lives - even if it's only a weeny one.

A little casual sparkle (from Victoria's Secrets) for a day of DIY!

This is the type of outfit that you wear when you've spent hours putting Ikea wardrobes together, only to realise that it's time that you should be at school and that you don't have time to change. So what to do? Ah-ha! That's where a black blazer and a big scarf comes in handy - and as luck would have it, a trend for joggers and trainers. Oh how I love these times of dressing down - imagine that in the 1940's!

I bought these black joggers from Victoria's Secret just before Christmas. They have a slight sparkle to them and they needed a good wearing in, which they certainly had today.  Last Friday I went to Ikea and bought 3 wardrobes and whilst I was working on Saturday, Mr SG duly took delivery of 32 boxes/packets.  Mind you, he had the last laugh because I have spent more than a few hours turning said 32 boxes into three wardrobes. Oh yes, I'm now so au fait with the construction of PAX wardrobes that I can put them together without looking at the instructions.

Tomorrow everything should come together beautifully (famous last words) as that is when all the doors will go on and the internal fittings will be finalised. And then? And then I will have about 15 bags of rubbish to take to the dump. Oh the glamour!

Seeing stars in jumpers, tees and jewellery....

Is it just me or does anyone else ever have the desire to hire a skip and just chuck everything in it? I can imagine sitting around the dinner table and someone asking where one of the children is, only to hear a muffled yell from the drive as it transpires that I've inadvertently thrown a small child in there too. Today I found an organisation that comes and collects unwanted furniture and I must admit that I'm tempted to let them come in and have free rein, taking whatever they fancy. That would give Mr SG a shock when he came home.

Anyway, on to today's post - STARS! Who doesn't love a star or two? To my way of thinking they fall in the same category as stripes. They're a little more sophisticated than some prints - such as floral or hearts - and  they're a little less girlie, which can be preferable.  They are fairly subtle and not too overwhelming on smaller frames, whilst at the same time having that slight cool/insouciant feel about them. Not too try hard. Just there.

It was whilst I was flicking through the new Hush catalogue that I was struck by their great collection of star items. I had a grey jumper from there last year and I have to say that there are several other items that could quite easily tempt me....

This star gazer jumper (£69.50) is one of my favourites - probably because it combines two of my current favourite colours. Love it with this fab denim skirt which isn't for my legs but is definitely for someone else's!

There's also this style of star jumper (£69.50) that comes in four different colourways...

There's also a star gazer tee (£30) which would look great with denim and tan accessories - or indeed just a tan!

This tee also comes in a blue colourway (£30) and I really like it with these relaxed trousers (£45) although I think being super tall, super slim and rather beautiful helps to make them look as good as they do here!

One of my favourite accessories that I have seen so far this season is this tassel necklace (£39.50) which comes in turquoise, neon coral and neon pink. I had one similar last summer and I loved wearing it. It's light, bright, a little bit boho and does a great job of giving a bit of life to a plain tee and blazer.

But keeping with the star theme, there's star stud earrings (£34.95)...

Anyone else tempted?!! This time of year is very dangerous. We can just start to see a glimpse of spring and with it a whole new wardrobe...

Using accessories and a blazer to jazz up your "boring old jeans"

Being in the middle of no-where can be a good thing...unless you don't know where the middle of no-where happens to be, in which case you're just lost.

It is for this reason that I (finally) find myself sitting in a pub blogging, whilst my son is at a party at a leisure centre somewhere not too far away (although I don't really know where that is either). After dropping him off, I looked for a supermarket, thinking that I could spend my time productively by doing the food shopping, except that I couldn't find one which is quite unheard of because there are Tescos everywhere (and an app no doubt to tell me, but without any signal that wasn't going to happen).  And then I ended up down various unlit country lanes which just doesn't happen 2 miles from a City Centre, which is where we live. Everywhere there is in the middle of somewhere - even if it's a slightly dodgy, somewhere.

Anyway, on to the clothes. For some reason, I don't tend to wear my boyfriend jeans during the winter but yesterday I made an exception. I quite like the wash on these Hampton boyfriend jeans from Jigsaw (£79) - they look worn in but without any of the effort and of course they are much roomier than skinny ones, which is nice. They do come up huge though. I'm wearing the 24" and even they are roomy.

I bought my striped sweatshirt, also from Jigsaw for £14 in the sale a few weeks ago (that's one purchase that I did allow myself) together with a necklace from a friend, GAP belt, Zara boots, Boden blazer and Kate Spade bag.  All of these are well worn favourites but I know from experience that wearing a blazer plus a few of my favourite accessories can make all the difference to an outfit, even if it is just made up of boring old jeans.

Doing the dosey doe in my dungarees! Do drop by for a laugh!

Tuesday can be a tricky day of the week. It's a bit of a no-man's land type of day. It's far enough away from the last weekend to have forgotten how good the weekend may have been and not close enough to the next weekend to look forward to. So, I feel that it is my duty to provide a little bit of Tuesday hilarity and the way I've done this is by dressing up as a four year old.

I came to have these H&M (£29.99) super stretch dungarees in my possession as I picked them up for a friend and I thought that I would give you all a laugh in the process.

These "ultra slim leg" style dungarees are a size 10 and they really do need to be super stretch because I can safely say that the super stretch is nearly at breaking point! I love dungarees and have had several pairs - albeit between the ages of about 4 and 22. But given that I am now double the age when I last wore them, I'm thinking that they are probably best left last seen in my University photos.

Having said that I'm not knocking dungarees as a trend. Anything that's denim and comfortable gets my vote and I've seen some great ones in Next (£35). This style from New Look are currently out of stock, which may be testament to how great they are....

For those who are about to tell me that I look a complete plonky head believe me, that is something that I know already!!!

An outfit for every occasion you're likely to come across this spring/summer....

Before I went away, I had lots on with style parties, speaking to a group of soon to be 6th formers and styling individual clients, as a result of which I had lots of clothes in the house. So here are a few shots of some outfit ideas that I put together in a quick 15 minutes that I had spare. 

I have covered a few of the trends for the season and given some ideas and tips as to when you might wear them.  There are also some more classic looks, some print and some colour. If I'd had the time I would have taken lots more photos as there are some great things starting to appear in the shops...

Outfit 1 - Heading for the office

GAP real straight trousers/ Boden jacket (£38.70 instead of £129) / Limited Collection M&S bucket style bag (not on the site at the moment)/ Primark shoes (OK so maybe a little high for work but maybe not).

Style tip: I love these GAP real straight trousers, they suit lots of women, are machine washable, have some stretch in them and are a lot cheaper than their Joseph counterparts. As to the bag, bucket bags are a huge trend this season and the lovely bright colour does wonders for livening up a darker outfit. The shoes, which I've shown before, are a great Sophia Webster copy.

Outfit 2 - Smart but trendy

Warehouse crepe jogger (£30)/ M&S Autograph shoes (£45)/H&M patterned blouse £12.99)/ H&M longline shirt (£14.99), H&M necklace.

Style tip: Blue shoes seem to be having a moment right now. There are another pair in Limited Collection at M&S and New Look have some too. I love different shades of blue and the blouse layered over the longline shirt, which is 100% cotton, is a modern take on a layering combination. The shirt reminds me of the Me & Em one, which costs a lot more.

Outfit 3 - Classy culottes!

Cashmere striped jumper M&S (£79)/ Shoes as before (not a perfect fit for the outfit but you get the idea)/ Warehouse faux leather culottes (£42)

Style tip: Culottes are also having a moment right now. Don't worry if you've worn them before, they can be done again. Topshop has some great cream pleather ones and Primark have some that look much more expensive than they are - great if you're not sure and don't want to commit too much money to them. I would happily wear these to a wedding with a Chanel inspired jacket but equally they can be dressed down with this cashmere M&S jumper, which is lovely and soft.

Outfit 4 - Saturday morning out and about

Sequin heart jumper H&M (£14.99) again not online at the moment but it should be in stores/ Dune lace up ballerina shoes (£85)/ GAP high rise skinny jeans (reduced to £16.99 from £44.95)/ H&M bracelets £3.99

Style tip: High rise jeans can be harder to find but GAP have some at the moment, as do M&S Limited Collection and H&M. These grey ones have a lovely finish. The lace up ballerinas were first around last season and these are a lovely pair. New Look has some for around £20 so again, a good place to start if you're not sure. Sequins are of course an all time favourite - as are hearts - so this jumper is a winner in my book.

Outfit 4 - Gorgeous geometrics

H&M textured weave coat (£29.99)/ Shoes as before/ Warehouse lace panel top (£32)/ Warehouse crepe jogger (£30)

Style tip: For those who like prints but aren't big into florals, a geometric print is a good alternative and this coat is a brilliant price, looking much more expensive than it is. There are various "rules" when it comes to wearing prints, especially when it comes to their scale, but if you like it, try it and don't worry too much about said rules! The crepe joggers (Next also have some) are a comfortable, relaxed fit. A lace top is a really useful addition to your wardrobe - the weekend alternative to a white shirt - it goes with everything and looks more feminine. Contrasted with denim or leather, it makes a great look.

Outfit 5 - Laid back chic

GAP marled joggers (£32.95)/ GAP fluid relaxed t-shirt £14.95/ M&S Limited Edition sling back mule (£35)

Style tip: These joggers are even more laid back than the crepe pants above but I like them with these M&S heels, as well as the obvious trainer option. The shoes, which are fairly utilitarian in their design, are like a summer version of a boot. They also come in a stone colour. I like the yellow in this outfit which peps it up and also. I styled them with a grey biker jacket, which too was from GAP.

Outfit 6 - Kiddies' birthday party

GAP high rise jeans and Dune lace up ballerinas as before, with H&M bird print patterned blouse (£19.99)

Style tip: The colours in this blouse are just that little bit different. As to it's shape, it is slightly A-line with an inverted pleat in the back which again makes it look much more expensive than its price tag would suggest.

Outfit 7 - Off to a "do"!

Warehouse paint print waisted dress (£45)/ M&S shoes as before/ Boden Westminster bag (£110)

Style tip: I've seen this dress on a few people and it's really lovely - great print, fab shape, good price - a real box ticker! Personally I like the mismatched blue of the shoes and bag but it would be easy to ring the changes with other colours.

Outfit 8 -A day at the beach

Boden blackberry dress (£49) with a selection of shoes from Primark to include bright yellow pool slides. silver Birkenstock type sandals and floral deck shoes.

Style tip: This dress is a really lovely summer option from Boden. All of these shoes are fairly casual but the dress could be dressed up with a navy blazer and accessories in coral/red/yellow/silver/gold to make it more work appropriate. It has a good length to it, which is preferable to some (me included!)

Hope that helps with some ideas. Let me know what you think. x

It's a good job that I didn't give up swearing for lent.....

Remember that I said learning to ski was made easier by the fact that I don't really have much choice in the matter? Scrap that. It's a load of twaddle.

All I can say is that it's a good job that I didn't give up swearing for lent. Or chocolate. If I had, I would have been one big fat failure about an hour into the day. This is a picture that I took yesterday whilst sitting outside a cafe after refusing, point blank, to ski any further. There was no discussion about the matter. By that stage the skiis were off and there was no way that they were going back on until I decided that I was ready to move (I should make it clear that this didn't hamper anyone else. I was very happy to be left alone and quite frankly I'm pretty sure that they were happy to leave me alone!)

The refusal had been preceded by a pretty spectacular fall down a slope which caused a less than dignified rant at myself, the slope concerned, the skis and anything else really. Mr SG might argue that it was also directed at him, although I think that I managed to communicate through the swearing that it wasn't. Anyway, today was another day and all that but it did take a few hours, a swim and some fizz  (plus the coke and mars bar above) to convince me that I really did want to give it another go. Grrrrrrrr.

Just to reassure you, I didn't go out wearing this Sweaty Betty headband but I did promise that I would share some looks and this definitely goes down as my Olivia Newton John "Let's get physical" impersonation from the 80's - well either that or Margot Leadbetter from the "Good Life."

Aside from that I'm wearing a Primark running jacket, Adidas half zip top which is slightly thicker and a GAP running top underneath. But today it was much colder so it only just about did the trick. Back to the sweatshirt tomorrow.

Now when it comes to the Apres ski look I have kept it very understated. There was a risk that I could have brought a whole load of clothes that were completely wrong so, knowing how I prefer to dress after a long day of exercise (albeit not skiing), I just stuck to comfort. I have seen many a pair of leather trousers, a leather mini, lots of pretty tops and nice dresses with heels but that's not for me this week. Instead I'm wearing Next harem leggings, the chunky roll neck jumper from Boden, Stan Smith trainers and my favourite star purse from GAP.

And whilst no-one would covet my Apres ski look, or my Nevica (throw back to the 90's from Sports Direct skiing gear), one of our party has admitted to having fanny pack envy - oh yes the 80's are still going strong in my wardrobe. It won't be long before the funk belt, the fingerless gloves and the frosted lipstick are making an appearance.

What not to wear on a skiing holiday - rocking Simon Cowell and socks with flip flops!

“Mum, you look like you’re sitting on the toilet, slowly” came the words of encouragement from the 7 year old at the end of day two of our skiing holiday. “You need to work on your speed.”  And there I was, thinking that I was doing OK. Apparently not.  

There have been a few tense moments, a little bit of swearing, times when I would far rather have been at home, or anywhere else frankly but as I’ve said before, I have no choice, which in some ways makes the whole learning to ski thing easier.

Now I know that a huge amount of you will be seasoned skiers and that there is very little that I can offer in terms of suggestions for clothing, things to take and so on but for those who are just embarking on a skiing journey of their own, there may be one or two things that I can offer.  I did quite a bit of research before setting off  (ie speaking to knowledgeable friends) and this is what I’ve concluded so far….

My waist bag, which due to being known as a “fanny pack” in the US has caused considerable hilarity, is hugely useful. I bought it at H&M (£7.99) and I use it to hold the key for the locker in the boot room, a lippy, some money, chewing gum, our key card and some tissues.

I tend to start quite early to get some practice in before the lesson starts (well, for the 2 days that we have been here!) do my ski lesson, have lunch and then ski all afternoon, which means that I get fewer breaks than the experienced skiers who have hot chocolate stops along the way in the morning. So I’ve started to carry peanut M&Ms with me. Good for a sugar hit together with some protein and they don’t melt in my pocket.

I’ve rocked some pretty good looks so far too, I think you will agree…

Simon Cowell – look at the high waist band on those trousers. In the above photo I'm wearing an H&M  sports top (£14.99), which is made from wicking fabric which comes in handy when you're sweating due to being permanently petrified. I've also linked to the H&M women's sportswear, which is definitely having a moment. There are some fab tops and jackets, together with printed bottoms and some great accessories. 

And as for another look...

Flip flops and socks – the ultimate fashion faux pas but handy for wearing to the boot room.

As you can see I'm sort of, but not totally, convinced by this skiing business but I do like my new Warehouse hat which I can't link to because the wi-fi is more unreliable (and even slower) than my skiing - but it's now £5 in the sale. 

These were handy so I may as well have worn them.....and a dilemma of the very biggest order

I wasn't actually looking for these trousers when I came across them yesterday morning. Instead I was looking for some navy biker style jeans that I have but I just couldn't find them. However these came to my attention and having not worn them for a while, I thought that it was about time that I did. I appreciate, however, that others may think that was not such a good idea and that they would have been best left on the shelf - but I figured that it they were better than being "bottomless".

Anyway, I have a dilemma. In the early hours of the morning we are off skiing and my dilemma is whether I take my lap top and blog, or not. On the one hand, I am pretty sure that I will be able to come up with some great looks (!) next week. My skiing gear is by Nevica, who sponsored the GB team in the Winter Olympics in the 90's - so I can do some great 90's throwback looks.  I also have a Sweaty Betty headband which makes me look like a mixture between Hamble (from Playschool) and Olivia Newton John from her "Let's Get Physical" video. I also think that there's the potential for some good stories. Let's just say that my ability, or rather inability, may result in several embarrassing mis-haps, which it would be good to share. On the other hand I'm not sure that I can face lugging my ageing and therefore, heavy, laptop with me. One way or another, I think that that next few days will reveal my decision. If it doesn't come with me, I shall post a selection of my very best outfits on instagram. See you on the other side!

Three wardrobe basics at a high(ish) price and three alternatives at a low(er) price...

[Whistles jeans, jacket and boots, Jigsaw sweatshirt, H&M necklace, Kate Spade bag]

When I'm out and about in the shops I come across a lot of things, some of which are cheaper alternatives to other things I may have come across elsewhere. A number of pieces like this have come my way recently, so I thought that I would share them with you....

First of all, there's this long line layering shirt from Me & Em (£98) which I have looked at, and lusted after, many times over the last few seasons. The white one is currently out of stock but it looks as though it is due back in sometime soon. However at £98 for a shirt, it's not something that I can square off in my mind. 

However, this H&M longline shirt (£14.99), which also comes in white, is 100% cotton and it will do the same job. I'm liking the saving of £83.01!

For many years, I've been a fan of trousers with a side zip. Although I don't own any myself right now, they are fantastic for ladies who wear tunics as a jeans button can quite often show through them. For ladies with a bit of a tum they are a great option because this style tends to be pretty high waisted, which gives a smoother line. They also tend to be pretty slim in the leg so there's none of that "if they fit around the waist they're like sails around the hips and legs" business going on.

Anyway, J. Crew have just released their Martie pant (£89.50), which are skinny with a side zip....

....now you will have to bear with me on this one BUT M&S  do a style which is pretty similar - these high waisted skinny tube jeggings for £29.50. I asked you to bear with me on this one because any brand that calls an item a "skinny tube jegging" deserves to have them sitting on the shelves until they go into the sale. A less enticing name for a piece of clothing I cannot imagine. My stomach just clenches and then swells at the thought of them. However, the style is great and I bought them for the style party that I was doing the other night and they looked amazing on. So don't write them off either as a result of the name, or the totally awful picture. And for anyone who buys them, rather than the J Crew ones, that's £60 saved.

Phase Eight always stock a side zipped style and they have their Amina jegging (£49) in at the moment. The only thing that I would say about the M&S and Phase Eight styles are that they don't have a back pocket (unlike the J, Crew ones) which can be slightly less flattering but in any event side zipped trousers can, due to their lack of pockets at the front, create a little hint of the camel toe so from that perspective a slightly longer top is better in any event, whether there are pockets on the bottom or not.

Now this style of shoe first seemed to come on the scene later on last summer. Laura over at WIT featured this style from Isabel Marant (£315) on her blog today. Lovely as they are - and she mentioned how soft they were, which is something to bear in mind....

...there's a pretty similar style in Dune for £89, which still isn't a bargain basement price but for anyone unsure as to whether it's a style they will get a lot of wear out of, it's worth investing in a less expensive option first....

...which is where this style from New Look (£22.99) comes in. I've tried both this style and the ones from Dune and both seem pretty comfortable to me. So that's another £226, or £292.01 saved.

So, that's a little bit of cash saved to buy yourself some other sneaky purchases instead.

An outfit for any event or occasion - something we could all do with having a few more of.

[Boden waxed skinnies, Whistles boots, Kate Spade bag, & Other Stories top, Reiss jacket, Damart gilet] 

It's always the way isn't it? When I want to blog the most, I have the least time to actually do it, which is a shame as there are so many new clothes out there that I want to share with you. I've started putting a post together with some outfit ideas so hopefully I might get it out tomorrow.

This week I have been shopping for three events and the house looks like a small department store/tip!

In the conservatory I have 30 outfits for the "Camping, Caravan and Motorhome Show" which is on next week. I've always wanted to go to it as I love bijou spaces and seeing what you can get in them. I was asked to style and present the fashion/style element which is new this year but as we're away I couldn't, however I got to do the styling and shopping for it so it wasn't all bad. Shopping for 10 people (2 families of four plus two extras) has been great fun and a pretty mammoth task. I think that my longer than average arms are now even longer after all the bags I've been carrying.

At the same time I was shopping for a Style Party for seven, so that has seen me giving the shops a good going over. And at the same time as that, I was shopping for suits/work wear to take along to a talk that I gave to a group of soon to be sixth formers at a local school. The upstairs of the house is full of skiing gear as we're heading off on holiday fairly soon so although people are always welcome at our house, there isn't actually anywhere to sit.

Today has seen me undertaking various jobs from talking at the school this morning, to sorting and packing the outfits for the camping show, to preparing the notes for the presenter, doing several school runs and going to a parent's evening. I needed a "one size fits all" outfit and this one did it for me - although I must admit to swapping the trousers for Topshop tracksuit bottoms when doing the sorting, packing, crawling around on the floor and labelling all the outfits in preparation for next week.

The trick now is to find a few more "one size fits all" outfits. The boxes that it has to tick are quite long - comfortable shoes, easy to move in bottoms, warm layers but an outfit which isn't a Onesie and a pair of trainers. I think that I may have to give it some further thought.

Re-working a "not quite right" jacket...and a moral dilemma of the Primark thong variety

Whistles boots, Cos jeans, All Saints cashmere jumper, Oasis necklace, Hobbs jacket, Jigsaw bag, Tori Burch cuff, Kate Spade watch 

Oh crikey me, I feel like such a criminal. I never knew that there was such a moral dilemma to be had on returning home, only to find that you've got something in your bag that you didn't pay for - especially when the item in question was clearly put there by someone else.

Today I was shopping for an event that's coming up at the NEC in Birmingham - or whatever it's called these days. As part of that I bought a pair of wellies from Primark, only to find out when I got them home that they had stuffed, right at the bottom of them, a pink thong. Now that caused me distress on many levels. Not only, by virtue of it being a thong, did it look horribly uncomfortable but the fabric was questionable as well. So what to do? Well admittedly if I kept it it wouldn't quite be on the scale of what HSBC have been up recently but a) I don't want it and b) it's not my size. On the other hand trying to return it could prove a tricky one to explain.

Anyway, I thought that you might like to see a pic of some shoes that I came across when in Primark. Sophia Webster inspired shoes for £16. Not bad!

Loving these sandals too. I'm hoping that the shelves will be re-stocked with them very soon as they had all but sold out.

Hmmm, so there are quite a lot of things that I want to talk about in this post, which hopefully will help. First, the boots. These are the Whistles boots that I bought about two weeks ago now and which I have featured on every single post since. I could swap them boots for another pair before the photos are taken and pretend that I haven't worn them but I think that it's good to bond with new purchases without shame!

Secondly, this bag is a Jigsaw bag which is at least 10 years old and which I had fixed by the Handbag clinic. I wrote about the Handbag clinic at the time but thought that re-cap might be useful. They can fix anything, literally anything (unless anyone tells me otherwise). One friend had her Mulberry fixed by them, having been told by Mulberry themselves that it wasn't possible. So if you have a much loved bag that's seen better days, or has been completely trashed and is unable to be used but you can't bring yourself to part with it, it may be worth giving them a call.

Thirdly - the jacket. It's a kind of tweedy jacket from Hobbs which could very easily morph into a hunting/shooting/fishing type number if I wasn't careful. And a country rah type I am not! So I thought that if I paired it with more modern bits and bobs, such as a statement necklace, a chunky cuff and skinny jeans and boots, people wouldn't ask me where my horse was when I walked down the street. Try it. It can work pretty well with things that sometimes seem to be taking you down a road you don't want to go down.

Fourthly, most of us have a pair of "scale jeans" and these are mine. If I can wear them for an entire day without wriggling, feeling uncomfortable and needing to take them off, then all is well with the world. When they're too tight, that's when action needs to be taken. I try to wear them once a week. Much healthier than getting on the scales.

Fifthly, I know that I look like I'm wearing a tea cosy but it was cold and for some bizarre reason I like this hat - but not as much one Davina was wearing on "the Jump" the other night and which is now out of stock. Shame. Though not for the bank balance.

Layering up against the cold in Boden, Oasis, Primark and All Saints

Oasis leather jacket, Primark fur gilet, Boden chunky jumper, Boden coated skinnies, All Saints bag, Whistles boots

You all know what a fan I am of layering. Lots of people like to layer because it means that they can take a layer off when they get too warm. Well that never happens to me but I think that several layers can make a look more interesting (and warmer) than one or two heavy layers. 

Here I'm wearing the toasty roll neck jumper from Boden (still available in the sale for £48) plus my cream Oasis leather jacket and a Primark gilet which cost me £14 about three years ago now. This All Saints bag was bought in an outlet store a couple of summers ago now and it just kind of pulled the black and cream look together - plus it's good for carrying a small child in.

I'm delighted to report that my shopping mojo is well and truly back. Recently I have been shopping for a style party that I'm doing next week, plus the most diverse range of styling projects that I've ever undertaken in one week. Hopefully I will get a chance to share some of my favourite buys with you towards the end of the week. 

Now, on a completely unrelated note, I think that it's important to let everyone know that Wagon Wheels are totally tasteless. I've just tried a bit of one and not only that but they are now tiny! Does anyone else remember when they were so huge that it took a week to eat one? I can't work out whether it's for economic reasons or health reasons that they've made them smaller but if I was so inclined that I need more, I would just eat two. Nanny state. Pah!