Mum on the Run day 13 - Time for Tea!

Today I am wearing a tea dress - appropriate really as my "afternoon tea" started at 8.45am with Cadbury's chocolate animals, soon to be followed by home made lemon cake and flapjack.  Not a particularly healthy start to the week - but that's the great thing about dressses; no waistbands!

I love dresses as they are such an easy outfit -and no wardrobe should be without a good day dress.  I layered a long sleeved top underneath for - yes, you guessed it - warmth and also a boyfriend cardigan over it, to keep it casual.  I love boyfriend cardigans but some can be hard to wear as they finish out your widest point.  Wearing one the same colour as the dress meant that the divide was less obvious than it had been with a pink one that I had had on previously.  I sometimes wear a shorter fitted cardi with this dress and put a skinny belt over the top, just to dress it up a bit.  The red shoes added a bit of height and colour but later on in the day I swapped them for my biker boots - which I was glad about as I had to run down the High Street to make it to ballet on time.

Outfit: Dress Topshop, Long sleeved top Topshop, Cardigan Oasis, Tights M&S, Shoes Kurt Geiger

Mum on the Run day 12 - A dress at last!

The day has finally arrived - I am out of my jeans and into a dress - one which I had actually forgotten that I owned and which I discovered this morning.  A definite bonus for a Sunday morning.

I had previously only worn this knitted purple dress over a pair of jeans - largely because it is a fine knit and therefore a little too see through for my liking - but a black slip taken from another dress soon solved that problem.  A stripey Gap top which I layered underneath the dress, plus thick tights, biker boots and a long pendant completed the look for me for today. 

I was warm and snuggly all day long and the addition of an apron when I was cooking kept the necklace under control and stopped the dress from being ruined.

Outfit: Sweater dress Gap, Striped top Gap, Necklace Jigsaw, Biker boots Hobbs.

Mum on the Run day 11 - Jeans and a dress

I really should stop wearing jeans now but...it is the weekend and as I can't wear jeans whilst with clients, I am enjoying wearing them whilst it's the school holidays - that's my excuse anyway!

In any event this outfit is a dress - with jeans underneath it, so the jeans only count as an accessory (sort of).  I like this way of wearing jeans but you just have to ensure that any dress that you are wearing is above the knee and that the shape of the dress and the shape of the jeans work together.

After the photo shoot this morning I had a quiet day at home just pottering so the demands on my outfit weren't huge but still, I wanted to feel as though I could nip out should the need arise without changing my outfit and still look OK.

Outfit: Jeans Gap, Jersey dress Jigsaw, Scarf, Leather Jacket and Boots all Oasis, Bag Miu Miu

Mum on the Run day 10 - spots and stripes

Today was the day that I was let off from wearing jeans so what did I do?  Wear jeans.  It was an early start as I was taking my Mum down to London to see her sister for the day.  I have a cold and couldn't face the whole dress/skirt/tights debacle so kept it simple with jeans, a long sleeved top, jumper and scarf.  The spots on the jumper and stripes in the scarf and top served to keep the look jolly - despite my thick head!

Wearing stripes as an accessory, or just peeking through as I have done above is a nice way to wear them - particularly if you feel that you are someone who can't wear stripes, despite liking them.

Outfit - Jeans Mango, Top Jigsaw, Jumper Cos, Scarf Zara, Desert boots New Look.

Mum on the Run day 9 - A little bit of everything

So here we are, day 7 and today I have entitled the post "a little bit of everything" because, apart from the bag, you have seen it all before.

My thinking went like this: the forecast was warm and so I wanted to avoid wearing a jacket for my first outing of the day, which was a quick trip to the Bullring to buy something for a photo shoot that I am doing on Saturday - hence the layers.  I needed to be "hands free" though as I had the little one in tow and I didn't want to put her in the pushchair,so that meant the cross body bag - added to which the colours in it pulled the outfit together.

Later on in the day we did Waitrose followed by a trip to feed the ducks and then on to the Botanical Gardens near to us.  I swapped my red shoes when I did the ducks and the Botanical Gardens trips as I wanted to be able to run properly, should the need arise.  So on went the sequin converse.  It was also getting chilly by then so on went the navy blue parka too.

I decided to roll the jeans up really just to give a different look to them.  For me, the outfit did the job -warm, practical and easy to adapt later on in the day.  OK so the shoe adaptation wasn't perfect but as a Mum on the Run, sometimes I have to make compromises - or spend the entire day changing outfits!

Outfit: Jeans Gap real straight, Long sleeved coral top French Connection, Denim shirt Gap, V neck jumper White Company, Bag Cath Kidston, Shoes Kurt Geiger.

Mum on the Run day 8 - Leopard and Lace

So, to day 6 of jeans only.  So far I have worn skinny jeans, straight jeans and bootcut jeans.  Today is the turn of a more flared style of jean.  On my top half I have gone for a fitted look as a contrast to the wider leg jeans.  I am wearing a cream lace top, a boyfriend cardigan and leopard print belt. The lace top and leopard print belt are subtle but make the outfit more interesting than it would otherwise be.

Without the cardigan and the belt I would definitely be headed towards a 1970's silhouette as the top is slightly A line, but I will have to wait for the warmer weather before I lose the cardigan.  The jeans are fairly long so I have had to go for a medium height heel - which was fine for my trip around the Sealife Centre! I have chosen my red patent shoes to add colour but also because they are comfortable.

Remember the brief trip to Bicester that I mentioned?  Well, the result of that trip is clasped in my left hand.  Can you believe that people were in the Mulberry shop buying three at a time?  I am planning a return visit soon  - not for me I hasten to add - but if you would like me to pick up a bag for you, please let me know.

Outfit: Jeans Mango, Lace top Monsoon Fusion, Cardigan Zara, Belt TopShop, Shoes Kurt Geiger, Bag Mulberry.

Mum on the Run day 7 - Scarves and Stripes

So, to day 5 of jeans only.  Today I teamed an animal print scarf with a striped top - maybe not an obvious combination but because the colours in the scarf and top tone together, it worked.  Mixing different prints, or different fabrics, is a good way of introducing interest into an outfit without the need to accessorise too much - which is what I am aiming to achieve this week - simple practical dressing that works with children.

Having considered my wardrobe recently, and having decided the one thing that I really didn't need was a navy jumper, I promptly went out and bought this one from the White Company.  It's fairly loose for me but I liked the v-neck, batwing sleeve and the fact that I could layer lots of different style tops and shirts underneath it. Again it is a casual look but I have kept the bottom half of the outfit more streamlined, which works better for me.

If straight or skinny jeans don't work for your body shape, this combination would work equally well with a boot cut or flared jean but you may want to swap the bat wing top for one which is slightly more fitted.

The outfit worked for the day in that it was comfortable and I liked the colour combinations.  Next time I will probably layer a thermal top underneath - but that's just me!

Outfit: Gap straight jeans, White Company jumper, Gap striped top, M&S scarf, Oasis boots.

Mum on the Run day 6 - Colour and Cashmere

Today was the day when I knew that there would be no holds barred running around - and I was right.  Talk about Mum on the Run! 

Not being a fan of jeans with running trainers, I went for the next best thing - converse style pumps. I read in a magazine that it was not the done thing to wear converse in January as it was too cold.  However I figured that February was fine and that it was more important that little one didn't get squashed whilst we were out walking.  In any event running after her kept my feet warm.

Given that it was also a cold grey day I wanted to brighten things up, which I did with a cashmere jumper with a long sleeved top in the same colour layered underneath.  I also added a statement necklace to lift the outfit, which was short enough not to hit the little one in the face when I bent down to her.  I am pleased to say that it all did what it was meant to for the day - unlike others I could mention.

Outfit - Gap jeans long and lean, French Connection long sleeved top, Jigsaw cashmere jumper, Jigsaw necklace, Marks and Spencer sequin pumps (children's).

Mum on the Run day 5 - Chunky Knits

So, day 3 of wearing just jeans.  As you know, I have been on a trip so I am doing a bit of catching up with the posts. 

This is my jeans with a chunky jumper look.  It was chilly where I was so I snuggled up in this oversized jumper, which I love.  The white on the print isn't quite as dominant in real life and the jumper also has sequins on it.  Blingtastic! Because the jumper is oversized, I needed to keep the jeans fitted and I added my comfortable, but high, boots to keep the look from being too casual.  I have worn the denim shirt underneath that I also wore on day 1 but this time, rather than being a main feature of the outfit, it served a functional layering purpose.  You might not be able to see too clearly but I am also wearing flouro pink nail varnish for a splash of colour - flamingo pink by Barry M. 

Later on in the day we went for a hideously muddy walk so the high boots were swapped for walking boots, a navy parka, animal print scarf and huge (and hugely warm) gloves.  You can see the pic below!

Outfit 1: Gap denim shirt, Gap straight jeans, Jesire jumper, Oasis boots

Outfit 2: Gap straight jeans, Oasis navy parka, Oasis animal print scarf, Miss Selfridge gloves

Mum on the Run day 4

Day 2 of wearing only jeans - OK well not literally, but you know what I mean!  Tomorrow (Sunday) I will be visiting my sister so I am doing the post a day in advance.  Today it was the turn of bootcut jeans and tomorrow it will be the turn of skinny jeans.

Anyway, I have gone for a kind of alternative rock chick look here - instead of wearing all black, I have gone for a cream/brown/navy combination, which I find a little softer.

A slight story here - the jumper, which I love, shrank in the wash.  The shop was unable to replace it for me as they had sold out so whenever I wear it, I layer a couple of longer tops underneath so I don't get that embarrassing flash of flesh and nor do I keep wriggling and trying to pull it down (well, only because I know that it doesn't work)!

The items are: jeans: Primark, long top: Jigsaw, jumper: Cos, jacket: Oasis, brown biker boots: Hobbs, navy bag: Zara

Mum on the Run day 3

So, my first of seven days of wearing jeans!  Today (Saturday) we were off to see family and we had a fairly early start of 8.30am, so not much time for faffing!   Our trip to see family was followed by a quick trip to Bicester Village.  It is amazing what you can accomplish in 20 minutes - but more about that another time!

My first outfit comprised Gap jeans plus a new striped top from H&M (which was a bargain at £9.99) - with a camisole layered underneath for warmth.  I love stripes and this top not only has stripes but broderie anglaise too - which I also love as it is so pretty.   I used my big blue canvas bag as I can chuck everything in it - handy with all three monsters in tow - and my red patent shoes for colour, comfort and a bit of leg lengthening!

For me it totally served the purpose for the day - warm, comfortable, practical with a bit of detail in the stripes and colour in the shoes.  The heels were high enough to make me feel smart but not so high that I couldn't run around (the shops) in them.

The items are: Gap jeans (long and lean), H&M top, Zara bag, Kurt Geiger shoes

Mum on the Run - Jean Genie

As it is half term next week I will be at home with our youngest, whilst our eldest two are off skiing.  Our youngest is still only three - and whilst naturally she is "a big girl" there is still a certain amount of nose wiping, sticky fingers, lifting in and out of car seats, sticking, painting, crawling on the floor and tripping over toys involved.

For the next 7 days I will wear nothing but jeans.  Each day I will show you how to style your jeans in a different way - and they will all be daytime looks.  Although you may not all be in the same position as me next week, I have no doubt that the majority of you will wear jeans at the weekends and so these looks may keep you going for a while.  Wearing jeans for 7 days will be a challenge for someone who likes her skirts and dresses but I am looking forward to it.

It has always been the intention that Mum on the Run posts should be honest and represent what I am actually wearing for the entire day - shoe swaps aside.  So forgive the possible lack of cocktail rings, necklaces and other accessories that I would normally wear when I am styling people.  In my experience long necklaces and three year olds can result in a black eye for the three year old and strangulation for me.  My philosophy is to style women according to their figure, their lifestyle and their budget.  For me, for next week at least, lifestyle will definitely be the dominant factor!

Oh, and a quick word about jeans.  I have found that most women don't need to spend a huge amount on jeans to achieve the perfect fit.  A combination of Gap, Hobbs, Oasis, TopShop and Karen Millen usually does the job.  Any queries, please just ask.

Mum on the Run Day 2

This outfit is designed to show you how to wear utility trousers in a more "dressed up" kind of way, rather than just with boots and a T.   I have put them with a white shirt, fine v neck jumper, necklace and heels.  Later on in the day the heels can be replaced with boots.  Utility trousers are a good alternative to jeans and there are many copies of the original J Brand Houlihans out there. 

The day that I wore this outfit I had a business meeting first thing, followed by a trip to Pizza Express for lunch with some friends.  The afternoon was spent doing the usual school and tennis run and it all worked fine.

The trousers are from the Gap, shirt from a boutique, jumper Hobbs NW3 sale, shoes Hobbs NW3 sale, necklace from Jigsaw.

Mum on the Run day 1

The day that this photograph was taken I went from a business meeting, to the shops for work, collected the children from school and then took them to tennis. 

The look that I have gone for is daytime sequins with an injection of colour in the shoes and the handbag.  I bought the skirt at Christmas time but hadn't made use of it so decided that it needed an outing. I have dressed the skirt down by putting it with a denim shirt - this idea works with most luxurious fabrics such as lace, tweed, leather - and I have layered a vest underneath the shirt for warmth.  I am also wearing thermal navy blue tights.   After leaving my meeting I swapped my high shoes for Hobbs biker boots, which I had in my car.

The shirt is from Gap, the skirt from Coast, the shoes Hobbs NW3 and the red Miu Miu bag was a bargain in the Harvey Nichols sale about 8 years ago. The tights are from M&S.

Mum On the Run

Mum on the Run is a new daily feature on my blog. Each day -well, that is the plan - I will post a picture of what I am wearing. 

As a "Mum on the Run" I face many of the challenges that lots of you face on a daily basis - too much to do, too little time.  Like you, in any one day I may go from a business meeting, to meeting a client in the shops or at home, to doing the school run, dashing home and doing dinner and homework before getting on with the evening chores.

I am lucky in that styling people is my job - so I ought to be able to do it for myself - but there are always hiccups along the way - right coloured tights, wrong place (the wash maybe), right heel height, wrong shoe.  Black outfit but only a blue coat to go with it, the various lengths of clothes not quite working.  Does it matter?  Together we can find out. 

There are lots of blogs - many of them fascinating - where women have done something not dis-similar.  At the Uniform Project, Sheen Matheiken wore the same dress for a year.  Others create as many different outfits with as few a pieces as possible.  I am not trying to do either  - first,  because they have already been done so well but secondly because I wanted this to be a little different.

There will be successes and failures but what I hope to be able to do is to give you some ideas on how to dress stylishly without breaking the bank, using pieces that you already have in your wardrobe.  Sometimes you may like the colour combinations, sometimes not.  Sometimes you may like the principles of the outfit but not the outfit itself.  My advice is to take on board the positives and leave the rest. If nothing else, I hope that it gives you a giggle.  Fashion is meant to be fun!

A word of warning - I fully expect some of the photographs to be less than perfect but that's fine by me. Whoever happens to me near me on a particular day may get the job of photographing me - so watch out - no mean feat because I hate having my photograph taken!

Why have I called the feature "Mum on the Run"?  Because it has many meanings.  In a literal sense you may be running around - from home, to school, to work, out to lunch, back to the office, back to school - the list goes on.  Or, you may be running from someone - yourself perhaps - or something - or to someone - or something.  Perhaps you are running on empty and need inspiration.  Whatever it may be, I hope that Mum on the Run becomes a pleasurable part of your day.

So, tomorrow is the day to get started.  Let's see how we get on...Gulp!

Pink Mulberry Bag

I am convinced that one day our nine year old son will make a fabulous husband.  The reason?  He is used to dealing with irrational women and doesn't even bat an eyelid.  No, not me. Well OK, may be occasionally - but more often than not his three year old sister.  Take this evening. The poor boy didn't even get in until 6.15pm, having been at school followed by tennis.  He had just sat down to his dinner when said three year old appeared with her Dora stool, pulled it up to the kitchen worksurface and swiped the last piece of flapjack. 

Given that she had already had some as part of her dinner- well actually if I'm being honest it WAS her dinner as she rejected her M&S kiddies' pizza  - (having said that I would have too.  I am not sure whether it was its lack of salt and sugar or the fact that it was a day past its sell by date - don't tell her - and perhaps had something green and furry growing on the bottom - but it wasn't terribly pleasant to eat) - and I really didn't want her to have any more. 

This resulted in me chasing her round the kitchen island trying to retrieve the bowl that she had in her mitts with the flapjack in it.  Having successfully retrieved it, she broke down in sobs and which point, our son said to her "Come on you, time for one of our chats" (they happen fairly often) - and off he carried her.  More about that later.....

So, the fashions for the coming season. What do we think?  I am quite liking the colour blocking, the pure white look, the pleats, the maxi dresses and the florals.  A nod to the 70's in the form of jeans and wedges I am also happy to embrace.  I am not so sure about the fringing and tassels, unless they are particularly tasteful but yes, the colour thing is definitely ticking lots of boxes during these grey days. 

As I walked through House of Fraser yesterday I spotted this lovely number by Mulberry which definitely taps into the bright colour trend.  Had I been on my own I would have stood and drooled but I was styling a client and I really didn't think that the drooling look would have gone down too well.

I can't even bring myself to tell you the price of it as it might spoil the enjoyment of looking at it but how gorgeous is it?  It would be ever so practical too - not only would it go with everything but it is spacious and most importantly - assuming that you loved it - it would make you smile and you can't put a price on that. (Yes, I like that line too - guilt free shopping at its best.)

Sometimes owning one beautiful accessory can really lift the rest of your wardrobe - and that is going to be my stance for this season.  OK, so you might not be able to afford any new clothes but I am sure that we all have a few white items in our wardrobes that, with a bit of glo-white will almost be as  good as new.  Failing that, just adopt the Victoria Beckham style of designing - wrap a bit of fabric (a white sheet will do) around you, secure in place and Bob's your uncle - a new dress is made.  Florals and wedges have been around for years and there are bound to be some lurking at the back of your wardrobe.  As for 70's jeans - I am sure that your Mum will have an old pair somewhere and the bold, bright, colours thing - Dylon is the answer.  Layering is all about finding as many clothes you can in a fairly neutral palette and putting them all on together - upside down, back to front, it doesn't matter as long as you are decent.  No doubt you have a maxi dress from last year  and as for all those camel and nude items which you bought in the winter but which drained you - dig them out and wear them in spring instead. Inspirational - a whole new wardrobe and not a penny spent.

So, to conclude the tale of the flapjack and the chat with the three year old.  A settlement appeared to have been reached and all was well.  The tears stopped, I stopped running around the kitchen island and son looked happy and went back to his dinner. 

Some time later I asked son how the chat had gone and what he had said to calm the little one down.  "Nothing" he said, with a shrug of his shoulders.  "She shouted at me and told me to go away."  And the thing is, he didn't even comment on it or complain.  A good future husband?  I rest my case.  Wonder if he will be able to calm me down as I run round the kitchen island crying because not only is there no flapjack left but because I can't have the pink bag either. Probably.  He has had plenty of training.

Why it's OK to shop on Boxing Day

Up until recently, very recently in fact, I thought that shopping on Boxing Day was bad.  I wondered why the people who were shopping didn't have anything better to do - an odd view, I know, from one who basically shops at every opportunity.  Although I could see the logic in waiting until Boxing Day to buy your loved one that perfect gift at a reduced price, it all seemed a bit, well, mean I suppose and what about Granny sitting at home alone?  No, I thought that it was very bad form.  Until now that is....

You see, I have come up with some very good reasons as to why we should go shopping on Boxing Day and here they are;

Laughing is good for us:  Now, we all know that laughing is good for us and laughing at other people fighting over their perfect purchase is funny.  I doubt that you will see two quite so famous (or handsome) people fighting in your local shopping centre - and they are probably more likely to be female - but you get my drift;

Men unite - Boxing Day shopping is a time when men can unite over the unfairness of it all.  Frankly I can see their point - being ripped from the heart of their home to go and watch their better half try on many an outfit must be soul destroying, which is why they can end up looking like a boxer dog on Boxing Day and that too is funny -  well, for us at least (see point above re laughing being good for you).

We've been saving hard and deserve a treat  -  With the amount of snow that we have had, we have largely been confined to barracks, which has meant no trips to the cinema, no bowling, no visits to stinky soft play areas (thank the Lord) no fun at all frankly.  The up side of this is that we have inadvertently been saving up and we all know that any extra that we have saved shouldn't be put towards life's essentials but rather it should be spent on treats!  So, here's my idea of a perfect treat:

This is one of Victoria Beckham's new bags - a snip at £1 700 and amazingly, still in stock at Net A Porter, unlike her crocodile skin bag for £8 000 which sold out in hours! I am not quite sure that the money saved on cinema trips etc this week quite amounts to £1 700 but I am sure that Primark will do a nice copy soon enough.

Exercise is good for us: After Christmas we could all do with putting a little less into our bodies and moving around a little more and so gentle exercise in the form of wandering around shops is perfect to get ourselves mobilised again after all that armchair sitting - and obviously a gentle stroll around the shops for a few hours will ensure that we will all end up looking like this -

Our immune systems benefit: All that staying indoors, cleaning our houses with anti-bac, cancelling plans with friends and family because of bad weather plays havoc with our immune systems.  We will be turning into a nation of wimps.  Time to mix with the general public, to expose ourselves to lots of bacteria and strenghten our immune systems.  Well, it's either than or go and work on a farm for a while - also good for the immune system - and I know which I prefer!

And finally, the most important reason of all!

I NEED TO GET OUT: I should say firstly that I know that I am lucky.  I am warm, dry and have plenty to eat.  However, I have made carrot cakes, lemon cakes and soup, I have done painting with the children and read endless Topsy and Tim stories, I have even had a couple of lie ins (bonus), done all the washing (even the stuff that I normally ignore for as long as possible) and tidied tidied tidied (although the place still looks a mess).  I have been lucky enough to drink plenty of mulled wine and fizz, I have eaten mince pies, watched Christmas films and eaten too many Quality Street.  Apart from opening presents I have done Christmas and now I JUST WANT TO GO SHOPPING.  Please someone, let me out, just for a while.

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year. x

The trials of finding the perfect outfit for Christmas Day

Let's say that I was being an outfit for the day - and then let's say that I had to choose a day when I would rather NOT be an outfit.  Which day would that day be?  Christmas Day. Without a shadow of a doubt, Christmas Day.  The demands placed on an outfit on Christmas Day far outweigh those demands placed on any other outfit - even an outfit for your wedding day.  With any luck, a wedding day is a one off - and a great day at that - so you can ignore the slightly too tight shoes, the slightly uncomfortable dress and the flippy flappy annoying thing that you have chosen to wear in your hair that day.

Christmas Day however - oh boy!  Does anyone ever feel that they have got it right?  Let's just think about what unreasonable demands we place on our outfit for that day.  We all wake up hoping that the Christmas fairy will have deposited in our wardrobes some amazing outfit that fits well, looks great, is warm and comfortable whilst being glamarous at the same time.  The reality?  The Christmas fairy hasn't been so we start the day feeling a bit miffed - never a good place to be when choosing an outfit.  The Christmas Day outfit has to be stylish yet practical, functional yet  beautiful, warm yet lacking in bulk, short enough and/or fitted enough to be the right side of Liz McDonald yet long enough and loose enough to play Twister.  It has to accommodate an expanding waist band, a change in body temperature as one warms up with alcohol and not crease when we finally collapse in a heap to watch TV.  So what's a girl to do?  My advice is go all out on the red lips and nails and as for the rest?  Comfort reigns supreme and PJ's are definitely where it is at this year.  If you are lucky the Christmas fairy will have come up trumps with some nice new ones, possibly with a bit of a cashmere number thrown in somewhere along the way but if not, well, just keep it in the family - no-one need know. Sssshhh!

Reindeer jumpers (again)!

On Tuesday 10th August this year, I wrote a post dedicated to knitwear with reindeers on it.  In particular, I said that I wasn't convinced that such a piece of clothing was for me.  Ha, if only you could imagine the amount of hours that I have spent searching, searching, searching for knitwear with reindeers on it - and all for our 11 year old daughter who has decided that Christmas won't be Christmas this year unless she has reindeers running across herself - not in a stamp your feet kind of way, I have to say.  She has just got this idea that a reindeer jumper would make Christmas complete -  and who am I to stand in the way of such a sweet, innocent wish?  OK so when I was 11 it was a selection box that made my Christmas complete - although I always hated the Bounty and the Opal Fruits really didn't earn their place in at all as far as I was concerned but there again, times change (don't even get me started on the change of name of Opal Fruits to Starburst).

I swear that I spent fewer hours styling a client of mine who got married today than I did looking for this jumper.  For a start, Birmingham came up trumps for the wedding outfit - but I had to go to Birmingham, Leamington, London and back to Birmingham again to find said reindeer jumper. 

The New Look ones had sold out.  The Primark ones looked as though they had been bought, shrunk in the wash and returned, there was such little stretch in them. There was a great one in Jesire reduced from £129 to £29 - which I was thrilled to find, until our daughter realised that she wouldn't be able to lift her arms any higher than her head without ripping the sleeves.  The funny bat wing thing going on really didn't cut it in the slightest.  The Fat Face ones were £70 and their sale doesn't start until boxing day and as for the the Johnnie B one, the one which started all this nonsense in the first place - that has sold out too.  Ironically, if she were a grown man, the choice would have been much greater.  Bizarre.  Or indeed if we wanted to stretch to £400 and buy a D&G one, that too would have been fine.

The elusive, headache inducing, "I will not give up until I find it" jumper was finally located in a shop called Internacionale in Birmingham (if you too wanted a reindeer jumper) and cost the bargain price of £10.  I am not convinced as to the quality but you know, I just don't care.  I sort of love it and loathe it in equal measure and I think that there might, there just might, be a tussle on Christmas Day as to who gets to wear it.  Equally however I think that there's a possibility that if I were parked in the corner with a selection box (minus the Bounty) I might just cave on that one.  It will be Christmas after all.

Simply Red

Golly, can you believe it?  December the 1st already; snow on the ground, advent calendars up and the re-appearance in our house of a little china baby in a crib who is most adamantly referred to by our two year old as "Baby Cheesus."  Mind you, I am not surprised that she thinks that she is right about "Baby Cheesus" and that I am wrong.  She must think that she is surrounded by idiots.  Having been allowed by her older siblings to have the chocolate from her advent calendar this morning, she then asked if she could have a KitKat for breakfast.  When I explained that no, that wasn't an option and that we didn't eat chocolate for breakfast, she gave me a look as if to say "What are you talking about you numbskull, what do you think I've just been eating?"

So, as to the title of this blog post, Simply Red.  I have discovered a new colour and yes, it's red! I have never really been a fan of red before.  I once had a red suit from Jigsaw which I loved, and some flat red patent shoes, but that's about it.  I bought the suit when I was training as a solicitor in London.  It was a sale purchase - too big to start with, then I shrank a bit and the skirt fell down around my ankles.  Not a good look, especially if you don't want to show your undies in public.  The other thing that I remember about that time in my life was sitting for weeks on end at the Land's Tribunal working on the most dull case in the history of mankind.  The hour after lunch was the worst and I used to have such trouble keeping my eyes open that it was torture.  One of the things that I used to do was to count how many Jigsaws I knew in London - surely a sign even at that stage that I was pursuing the wrong career path!

So far, I have made one red purchase and it is these patent Kurt Geiger shoes.  At £130 I thought that they were a little steep but with a 25% off voucher from Glamour Magazine and with a gift card of £59 to put towards them, I ended up paying just under £40 for them.  What I love is that the heel isn't too high so they should be comfortable whilst I am on my feet.  They are also really versatile as they can be teamed with skirts, dresses, trousers (wide or narrow) and jeans (skinny or flared).  The other thing that I really like is that they are cheerful.  I also like the fact that I have now totally convinced myself that they were a top purchase!

I am planning on wearing them with these grey tapered leg trousers from French Connection which I bought yesterday.  At £75 again, they were on the pricey side but I have discovered that there is 25% off at French Connection with Grazia tomorrow, so I will be returning them and re-buying them for a much more reasonable price.  I will probably opt for a black top with some detail on it and a snuggly fur gilet in black to keep out the cold.

I also have a pair of narrow cropped Boden wool trousers in navy (excuse the small picture) which I bought last winter in the sale.  They will work with the shoes, together with this sequin jumper from Warehouse, which is selling out quick! The jumper also comes in navy and cream. At full price it is £40 but I have bought several recently for style events and for clients and I don't think that I have ever paid more than £32 for it as there have been lots of 20% off days recently in places like Debenhams, House of Fraser and Warehouse itself.

One of the other things that I will wear the shoes with is this sparkly skirt from Coast - which is a current favourite of mine.  A sparkly skirt it is a really good alternative to a sparkly dress as it is so much more versatile. It can be dressed up for the evening or down for the day time, with a polo neck and flat boots.  When I wear the red shoes with this skirt, I will keep the rest of my outfit really plain as otherwise I am in danger of looking like something that ought to be hanging on the Christmas tree.  Again, this skirt is in the sale, down from £85 to £55 with another 20% off in most stores.

 So, my final item is a red coat.  My two favourite ones are in Zara (on the left) and Oasis.  Whilst I don't really go for the matchy matchy approach, the red shoes and red coat will work well.  The other trend this season is to "colour block" that is, wearing the same colour head to toe.  I am not sure that it would work with some brighter colours but it might just be possible to pull it off with red. 

 If you felt like being brave and opting for a red jean, New Look has a great pair - and here they are.  I am not sure that this picture does them justice but as a concept, it might be nice to wear them with a long jumper and tucked into boots - just showing a glimpse if you weren't feeling too brave.

 So ladies, there's plenty of red out there.  Don't forget a jumper or a red silk shirt as an alternative to any of the above, or just add a red lipstick to your make-up bag.  Just don't add white fluffy trimmings or you might end up looking like Mrs Santa Claus. Enjoy the snow!

It's show time

This week has been spent styling some of the models in preparation for my next style event on Friday 26th November. So far we have hit LK Bennett, Hobbs, Jigsaw, GAP, Monsoon, Fenn Wright Manson, M&S, Oasis and New Look (whose party range I have to say, I think, is great.)  Next week it is the turn of the remaining models and the rest of the shops that Birmingham has to offer -which is a lot. I want to make sure that not only do I have a range of models of differing ages, heights, shapes and sizes but that I also cover the spectrum of shops - from the more expensive to the less expensive. We have just had a new Forever 21 open here - the US version of TopShop - and I am dying to take a peek.  Hopefully there will be some amazing finds for the styling event. 

My new rails have also arrived - six pink clothes rails, so that each model can have her own rail of clothes.  The experience that I gained from doing the event at Harvey Nichols was invaluable in terms of finding out the best way to organise the clothes for each model.  Hopefully I can take some of that away with me and put it to good use.

I am dying to show you the pictures of the best finds that I have come across whilst out in the shops but I don't want to spoil it for those who come along to the event.  I will report back afterwards though to tell you about the most popular items, as there are always some things that go down better than others. 

I find that whether people like something or not can depend on how often they are exposed to it.  Obviously some pieces speak for themselves but in some cases, the more that the audience sees a piece, the more familiar it becomes to them and the more they like it. The psychology behind the way that individuals approach clothes can be so complicated that it is hard to predict who will like what and who won't.  The same is true for how they perceive their shape.  You would be amazed how many women have hang ups as a result of comments made to them, most commonly by an ex-boyfriend or their father - and how many of those hang ups are completely without foundation. I have also realised that we are all creatures of habit and that habits can be hard to break, especially when we don't realise that we have them or if we do, how to go about breaking them.  We can have very strong associations with things, particularly colours, which put people off - the classic being that a particular colour reminds them of their school uniform.   It can be the same with trends which re-appear further down the line.  I used to feel that if we did a trend the first time around we shouldn't do it again - and that is true of some things but not others.  A lot can depend on whether the trend is age appropriate - cropped tops for example, or whether it now suits a person's particular size.  In essence I think that the key is to remain open minded and more often than not, it is more about how an item is styled.  Anyway, with the help of my lovely models,  I will do my best to show people how to put different outfits together, how to style the different body shapes and show them what is on trend for the season. Hopefully there will be plenty of fun along the way and some satisfied, more confident, ladies at the end of it.  I will let you know how it all goes.

I blame Jeremy Clarkson

"It started out so well...." To quote the opening line of the Queen song "Save Me" (actually that's not strictly how the lyrics go, but they aren't far off.)  I am talking about yesterday, the day that I was meant to sit down and get together the figures for my tax return, which instead turned into the day that I .....went shopping.  Oh la la, now there's a surprise. 

Between 8am and 9am I was hugely productive.  I sat on the bed, surrounded by paperwork, whilst half listening to Daybreak - research purposes naturally, just to see if it is as bad as they say.  All that I can really remember is Adrian's pull-over, as my Grandma called them, and boy what a pull-over it was.  I reckon that someone had pulled something over his eyes when he made that choice of outfit for the day. Bless. If that is all that I can remember about the programme I'm not really sure what that says about it and whether, in fact, it says more about me but anyway, there we have it. 

So that hour was productive, despite the fact that it took me at least half an hour to realise that I was doing the figures for the wrong tax year but by then I was flying, so it didn't take long to catch up.  That first hour was followed by a run for an hour with friends so, in its own way that too was productive, despite the fact that at one point it felt as though my head was about to fall off.  When the going gets tough, one of my good running friends has this nasty habit of a) running faster and b) talking more.  She reckons that there is logic to this in that it gets it over with much quicker and it also acts as a distraction.  I just don't buy it personally but she's lovely so I'll let her off - and she does make me laugh. 

So, on arriving home at 10am, that gave me two hours to do the tax figures before picking up child number 3 and that's where it all started to go so very, very wrong.  Frankly there was only one person to blame.  Yes, you've got it - Jeremy Clarkson.  You see, my husband was going out yesterday to the Top Gear motor show at the NEC and for obvious reasons he didn't want to drive.  Rather, he wanted a lift to New Street station.  Well, for those of you who don't know Birmingham, let me tell you, if you are at New Street, you practically have one foot in the Bull Ring and I decided that it would be rude to be so close and not to pop in, just for a while at least.  I make it sound like a fluke that I was there but actually it was a finally orchestrated shopping expedition with several missions to be accomplished in a very short space of time and you know what, I completed nearly all of them.  The black boots that I was after, sorted.  The grey tweed peg trousers from Oasis, definitely not sorted - they looked like jodphurs on me.  The red Zara cropped jeans - sorted. The black GAP tux jacket sorted and with 30% off it was a top bargain too - and I was still there in time to pick up child number three on time.  It's amazing what you can achieve in 40 minutes.  Ah yes, but aren't I missing the point?  That wasn't what I was meant to achieve yesterday now was it?  No doubt my conscience will  remind me of that the day before the dastardly deadline for the tax return to be filed actually arrives. Pah, what conscience?  It was nothing to do with me.  It was all Jeremy Clarkson's  fault.  Honest.

Just as an aside, I have written a blog post entitled "how to style an apple shape" for the new online Boden community page. Further posts will follow on how to style the other body shapes too.  You can find the post at http://www.community.boden.co.uk/

One year on ....

So then, where to start?  I'm really not that sure. Could it be to do with the glass and a half of fizz that I have just had (lightweight - and two days after our wedding anniversary!) which means that I can't get my thoughts together, or is it just the fact that there is a lot going on? 

Well, I have to start somewhere, so here goes.  Helen at Fashion Felines has been lovely enough to pass on an award to me - the award of "Versatile Blogger".  Being new to the blogging game I am not quite sure how this award stands in the blogging community but I accept it graciously and with many thanks, on the basis that it is nice that someone out there likes my blog enough to read it and to give me an award.  On the other hand I am hoping that Helen is reading this so that she can get in touch and tell me what the flip to do next. There are certain rules that attach to the award, such as nominating other blogs etc and I don't want to offend blogging etiquette by getting it wrong and being ostricised before I even really get started. I can't work out for the life of me how to contact her through her blog so Helen, please get in touch and tell me what to do next!

I am pleased to report that the Harvey Nichols event was a real success - well I think it was - the Chief Executive and the Chairwoman of the Children's Hospital were very positive and no-one booed me, other than when I referred to one models as having shapely hips, but she had actually referred to herself as having a "big bum" beforehand so I was actually being sensitive.  The models were lovely and had their friends there to cheer them on, so the atmosphere was great.  They also played up to the crowds brilliantly so there was much hilarity. Although we had to do some outfit substitutions, on the whole most of the outfits that we had chosen were available and ironically it was the last minute subsitutions that were, in some cases, the biggest hits.  The only thing that I needed to select on the night were some further bags.  Being told by the Events Manager to "go and help yourself to whatever you like off the shelves" was lovely. I have to say that I love the "Loopy Leopard" Mulberry bags - if only for the name.  I am hoping that we will have raised lots of money for the Birmingham Children's Hospital. 

It is almost a year since I gave up my job reviewing miscarriages of justice and stepped into the murky world of styling.  I have to say that whilst at times it has been challenging and lonely - starting out on my own without anyone else doing the same thing as me locally - I wouldn't have missed it for the world.  So, what's next?  Well, I have lots of individual clients to style between now and my next event on November 26th so life is going to get even busier.  Will that mean an even larger pile of odd socks that need to be paired?  Almost certainly but hey, life's short and there's plenty of time for socks to be paired when I haven't got anything else to do with my time - that's what I figure anyway.  There's also the time that it takes to market the event and style the models. I am also looking to the future and to the first few months of 2011 and considering just how I am going to grow the business when no-one has any money and the thought of spring is just too far away to even contemplate.  Hmm, tricky but I have a few tricks up my sleeve.  Oh crikey - and then there's Christmas to sort out. Do you think that we could just delay that for six weeks or so?  Please?

The children continue to amuse me (and baffle me - how is it that an eleven year old can be so mature.  Aren't I meant to be the adult?!)  Our two year old proudly informed me today that she can now do a "toilet roll" (forward roll) so in her world at least, life is pretty exciting.  I like that, viewing the world upside down and with a slightly different way of expressing things - I must try it some time.

It's only rock and roll...

As lots of you will know, I run Style Events.  They are really busy in the lead up and I am left with little time to sort out my own clothes/hair/make-up etc.  What with also not sleeping too well (will people like the outfits or won't they, have I catered for all tastes, budgets and bodyshapes etc) and losing my appetite, I am generally a bit of a shambles. Whilst most of the models also have children, so are therefore rushing out of the house with little time to spare, at least their outfits have been thought about and they get their make-up done professionally. 

My Mum often comes to look after the children when I am doing those events and I swear that she thinks that I can only cook one meal.  "Oh," I say "don't worry about the children's meal.  I have cooked a macaroni cheese (again)."  The good thing about it is that I can prepare it weeks in advance and stick it in the freezer.  True, two have it with peas and one doesn't, one has it with vinegar and two don't, two like it crispy on top and one doesn't but you know, on the whole, it works pretty well.  At that stage in the game I am usually rummaging through my dodgy make-up bag searching for my one and only vaguely decent eye shadow which sort of falls down my face after a while but hey, it's silver and could almost pass for a highlighter - albeit in slightly the wrong place.  I am usually wearing an old dressing gown over my outfit at that stage just in case I am waved off with macaroni cheese fingers (or tears in the case of one, sometimes combined with yucky nose contents) and I have been known to open the front door and fling it back in, having left wearing it in error. Generally things come together on the night but sometimes I feel that it is all a bit precarious.  I wouldn't be surprised if I had one of those back of the dress in the knicker moments in front of lots of people but then I figure that, having had three children, I am devoid of any dignity in any event so I don't mind too much.  (I won't go into the story about how our last child was delivered by the Dad of one of the pupils at our children's school - I still can't look him in the eye.)

I am wondering whether tomorrow might just turn into one of those "it's not quite happening" sort of days.  I am back in to Harvey Nichols to get together the clothes for the models to wear on Thursday night.  The only problem is that when I selected the clothes over a week ago, HN couldn't guarantee that they would have everything in stock when I needed it.  Now, there are only so many items that you can take away from an outfit before the outfit is no longer an outfit but just a pair of shoes - and then that kind of event really isn't one that should be a fundraising event for a Children's Hospital now is it?  So, I wait with anticipation to see what tomorrow brings.  Depending on what stock HN has, Thursday could be a huge success or it could be an unmitigated disaster.  If I feel disaster looming I might just have to head to the cocktail bar, do my make-up like Alice Cooper then tuck the back of my dress in to my knickers to create a much needed distraction.   Personally I think it sounds quite rock and roll! I will let you know how I get on.

Holy (fake) Houlihans!

For those of you who have been dreaming of Houlihans but more realistically searching for a good copy, there's a new kid on the block and they do a pretty good job of imitating the real thing. The GAP skinny cargos are priced at £35 and come in three colourways. I have it on good authority that they are thinner than the real thing but given their price, I think that we can live with that. As an alternative to the GAP version, Whistles do a pair for £75 and Oasis for £45.

If any of the above come very skinny in the leg, they can be harder to wear, particularly if you tend to carry weight on your lower half. However adding some height with a heeled desert boot and adding longer layers which finish lower than your widest point will help balance your proportions. Adding detail on your top half, either in the form of jewellery or embellishment will draw the eye upwards. So, give the GAP ones a go and let me know how you get on.

Watermelons and Pumpkins

Style has well and truly escaped me this week. Take for instance the woolly socks with the jeans tucked in (very last of the summer wine) and the pink converse. Not v stylish at all but practical in many ways as I was going to go for a walk along the beach. The socks took up the extra space in the wellies, which, heaven forbid, were not allowed in the car in case I got sand in it; hence the converse. No, this week is all about kicking back, baking cakes, carving pumpkins and letting off fireworks. At the start of the week I tried to maintain some level of style with my sparkly vests, layering and animal print scarves but now I have thrown in the towel and instead am reading about those who would not be seen dead in anything but their latest finery, such as Anna Dello Rosso. I am not quite sure that I will ever feel comfortable sporting a watermelon on my head, as she did at LFW, but as for a carved pumpkin? Well, there are three gruesome looking ones staring at me as I sit outside on the verandah so you never know, I might just give them a whirl instead!

Stylish shoes and snowy bags

I have this list, a list in my head, of things that need doing.  It goes something like this: washing, ironing, collect parcel from post office, go to bank, get ribbons for daughter's ballet shoes, collect new tennis bag for son, do note for the cleaners, pack for the holiday, tidy up, empty the fridges and so on.  I really need to get our son's hair cut. He came home with his school photo the other day and I thought how much he resembled me at the same age.  Worrying on many levels but largely a) because he's a boy and b) it was in the 70's that I was the same age as him.  Poor chap.

Anyway, so what do I do?  None of the above jobs - they will all get done, somehow.  What I haven't done for a long time is create a new post on my blog -so here I am.  Children number 1 and 2 are playing on the Wii - a replacement for the one that was nicked in the summer when someone decided that it would be a good idea to enter our house in the middle of the night and relieve us of ours.  Child number 3 is having her nap but my minutes are limited so I should crack on.

I have had a fab but busy time recently.  Yesterday and the day before were spent in Harvey Nichols, styling models for an event that I am doing there on 4th November in aid of Birmingham Children's Hospital.  The models are all nurses from the hospital, which is great.  At one point I looked down and realised that I was surrounded by about £5 000 worth of shoes - Louboutins, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Miu Miu - and none of it seemed real.  The security guard was kind enough to let me in before the store opened, so that I could get rails of clothes together.  It was eerily peaceful - just me on my own in Harvey Nichols selecting beautiful clothes.  I keep meaning to check with the Manager whether he is happy for me to wear something other than one of his brands on the night.  I hope that he will say no.

As for today - that's a different matter.  The children have broken up from school so it's back to the jeans, jumpers and converse.  I have to say that I am loving my new find - chunky jumpers - largely for the reason that - wait for it -surprise, surprise, they keep me warm! I have made two new purchases from COS but unfortunately I can't show you any pictures as their things can't be bought on line.  One is verging on the quirky side of naff as it is a cardi with snowflakes on it but I like it and it will work well with my Whistles utility trousers and heeled desert boots.  The other one is blue and white with a funnel neck which is very toasty.

So anyway, we are off to the land of warm, wet westerly winds in winter (as we were taught in Geography) otherwise known as Wales and I am sure that the chunky jumpers will come in handy when crabbing from the pier in the freezing cold.  One thing that I won't be taking with me, as much as I love them, are these....

the LK Bennett sledge court shoe. They are a recent purchase of mine, having initially been lent to me by LK Bennett to show at a style event that I was running.  I love them because not only are they comfortable but they are really versatile -  a kind of one evening shoe fits all type of thing.  I had the beige ones in the summer and they did a great job too.  However, I doubt that they are really that comfortable when walking up Snowdon.  However I might be taking one of these...

the M&S Aspen bag - because it makes me smile and I can fit lots of snacks in it if I do make that climb.

For those of you with children, enjoy your half term break.  For those without, enjoy the peace on the roads and steer clear of the shops!

Chic Knits

You know you have those items in your wardrobe that really should be worn only either a)when you are indoors with loved ones or b) if you are going out but not liable to see anyone?  Well, I have one of those and it's not a pretty sight.

When I was on my Personal Styling course last year, I was told that I should always dress in a way that was either "inspirational, aspirational or both".  Ha!  The item to which I refer does not fill either of those criteria. The only "fill" that it deserves to be in is landfill.  This item is a navy blue boyfriend cardigan from Oasis.  Minus the bobbles it is actually quite nice and it is certainly warm - which is why I was wearing it when I was out yesterday evening.  It had been a cold and exceptionally wet day.  Against my better judgment I had run in the rain (again), despite knowing that I was likely to be in for a cold. This realisation hit me at 5am when seeing to our youngest and I noticed that my throat felt scratchy.  She was demanding her usual kiss and cuddle before going back to the land of nod for another couple of hours.  All right for some.  "Fabulous." I thought "Up at 5am, scratchy throat, unlikely to get back to sleep and about to go running with seasoned half marathon runners. Bring it on!"

Anyway, I became even more aware of the shortcomings of my cardigan from a style perspective when I got chatting to another Mum whilst out yesterday evening. Saying that I was out is really an exaggeration and makes my trip sound much more exotic than it was - all that I was doing was waiting for my son and his friend to finish their tennis lesson whilst simultaneously entertaining children numbered 1 and 3 at what is really a very tricky time on a Friday evening. 

So, there we were, chatting about the Style Event that I am doing this Thursday.  I was explaining how I would be assisted by 7 models, that I would be covering the trends for the season and doing sections on a capsule wardobe, new brands and so on.  I don't know what it was, and I may be wrong, but I felt that she was perhaps taking a glance at what I was wearing and frankly why not.  You can't hold yourself out as someone who knows about these things and not expect to be scrutinised from time to time.  After she had gone I too looked down and noticed the bobbles and not only were they bobbles but they were big bobbles.  I doubt that even John Lewis sells a comb big enough to deal with those babies!

So, reluctantly I came to the conclusion that I would have to buy some new knitwear.  I am sure that you can only imagine how distraught I was about that.  Fortuntately, having spent many hours in Kew this week for one reason and another, I had a pretty good idea what I wanted.  As an aside, I have to say that I think the knitwear in Kew this season is some of the best on the High Street.  So having established in my own mind that I needed three pieces, grey, navy and cream, this is what I came up with.

The grey cardigan costs £79, the navy one also costs £79 and the cream one costs  £86.  The cream one fastens with a pin, so it can be styled differently to how it is shown in the picture.  Now whilst they are not cheap, they should keep me warm.  Whilst I love layering and fine knit cashmere etc nothing beats something as thick as a blanket when it comes to warmth and these are stylish with it.

Of course during the course of my travels this week I have also come across these other items which I love.  I have to say that I have invested in the grey boots, which are from Dune and cost £155, simply because having put them on, they were far too comfortable to take off.  OK, well there was a bit more to it than that, but not much.  The top of the boot also folds down to reveal a sort of grey sheepskin look - so not only are they practical (check out the sole on those) they are also versatile. However I have also just spotted these lovely tan ones, also from Dune and also £155. It was really a pair of tan boots that I was after this season so now what do I do.  Maybe style someone else in them so that I get the pleasure from them vicariously?

 

The final items that I have my eye on are all from Reiss -  a navy pea coat (£225), a bracelet (£35) and a bag (£265).  The coat is the perfect fit for me - many are too large but this is neat and feels lovely and heavy.  The bracelet goes brilliantly with the seasons minimalistic look and the bag is just gorgeous.  I prefer the bag in black but it doesn't seem to be featured on the internet.  The bag  comes in two different sizes and the largest one is big enough to carry a baby and all of its equipment in so on the whole, good value really - if you have a baby.

So anyway, that's what I have been up to this week.  Hours in the shops styling my models for the event on Thursday and inevitably, spotting those things that I would also quite like for myself.  Can't complain really!

Have a good weekend

Beth

Fabulous finds of the week

My husband is away this weekend and you know the first thing that I did when he left? Switched the heating on.  Bliss, the house is warm and toasty and the towels are dry.  I received his text that he had arrived at the airport safely and was eating an almond croissant, just as I returned from an 8 mile run in the rain.  OK, so my discomfort was totally self inflicted but I thought that it would set the tone for the weekend - me home alone with three children - painful!   Actually it has been quite fun -(nothing to do with the fact that one of them was at a sleepover last night and at a party today for a few hours!)  We are really having quite a peaceful end to what has been a really hectic week. 

I am currently shopping for, and styling models, who will be assisting me at a style evening that I am doing at Edgbaston High School for Girls on 7th October.  I have 7 models and we will be covering all sorts of trends and talking about how to style the different body shapes.  I quite fancy putting all of the models in a red dress and have them come out to "Lady in Red".  How cheesy would that be?  I think that I might have to do it, just because, if nothing else, it will make me laugh.  I have appointments with two more of the models next week and have a day to buy the things for my "skinted and minted" section plus buying pieces from new brands to show to the audience and pulling together a capsule wardrobe.  There are then the remaining models to style, the planning for the order in which I will show the trends, finalising accessories, sorting the music and deciding what I am going to wear.  I don't really ever like that bit - largely because I tend to put the models in the best pieces that I find, leaving me the "not so best" pieces to choose from.  It's a hard life. I have to say that the girls in the stores in Birmingham have been great to me - particularly the ones who are lending the clothes to me for the models.  I know that they will get free advertising from it but it's a great help to me.  I suppose the fact that I have known a lot of them since I used to shop with my eldest, over ten years ago, also helps.  At that time I didn't really know anyone else with a baby and so I would head into town for a weekly peruse of what was out there.  Since many of the girls are now Managers,that time was, as it transpires, wisely spent!

The event at Edgbaston High School on 7 October is to be followed by an event at Harvey Nichols in Birmingham in early November.  It is a fund raising event and, unfortunately for me HN have insisted that I am only allowed to style the models in clothes and accessories from Harvey Nichols.  Such a crying shame!  I must say - I can't wait for that one either. I think that I might just be a little bit like a kid in a sweet shop.  The bags, the shoes, the...well everything really.  I wonder whether they will lend me anything to wear - don't suppose that it would hurt to ask.

The Harvey Nichols event will then be followed by an event of my own on 26th November, also to be held in Edgbaston, where again I will be styling models in the trends for A/W '10 but with a greater emphasis on  seasonal outfits.  I loved the event like that which I did in the summer.  It was full of my friends and clients and even my Mum modelled for me - bless her.  I think the guests appreciate that I am not all about showing size 6, very tall models, but rather using ladies with curves - and not always necessarily where they would want them!  Showing people how to make the best of themselves, disguising a tummy, slimming down their hips and putting them in outfits that they never would have chosen for themselves, only to see their faces light up, is a massive reward. 

So, here are a few of the items that I have found out and about on my travels this week and which I really like....

This sequin long line vest from the M&S Autograph range comes in 5 different colours.  At £12 it is really good value and has enough stretch in it to be quite supportive and give a smooth line.  The sequins look great peeping through a sheer top, v-neck top or wrap dress. So that's my piece of underwear for the week...

This dress is from LK Bennett and costs £195.  The picture doesn't do it justice but it is a great copy of the Prada print that they have used and it is in a fabulous 1950's shape.  The shoes that I have chosen to go with it are...

these Also from LK Bennett and costing £150.  The chunky heel will look great with the dress, to which I have also added a skinny belt and cropped cardigan.

As for knitwear, my favourite piece this week is this asymetric poncho from Jigsaw.  It can be worn in lots of different ways, even as a dress believe it or not and it's one of those pieces that is really quirky and difficult to work out how to put on.  I always love those pieces because it shows that they are not boring.

 These are my favourite boots of the moment.  Also from Jigsaw and costing £79 (that's a lie - I'm not going to put the true price in case my husband reads it) but they are a fabulous colour and great for those of you who have more shapely calves and can't fit into a standard size boot width.  They are very soft and can be pushed down for more of a slouched effect.  The heel isn't too hight and yes, I think that I might find it difficult to hand them back - hence the lie above...And for my final piece, well it had to be really didn't it?...

 A camel coat from Hobbs, costing £279.  I remained resolute that I wasn't going to fall in love with a camel coat and fortunately, the colour of this coat doesn't suit me but I have to say, it is beautiful. It has cashmere in it and is the kind of coat that, when you put it on, you won't want to take it off.  They are selling fast so my top tip is, if you think that you might quite like one, order it now whilst there is still 20% off at Hobbs and then if you change your mind well, you've lost nothing.

One other thing that I have done whilst my husband is away is to carry on with our  Saturday night ritual of opening a bottle of fizz.  Being the pathetic drinker that I am, I only managed one glass before giving up. It just didn't feel right a) drinking it from my own glass rather than nicking his and b) drinking it whilst sitting on a child's chair trying to get number 3 to eat her dinner by reading her Peppa Pig stories.  So I put it away, bubbles still fizzing and then wondered whether it would, even with our swanky bottle tops, still be fizzy on Monday when he returned.  I decided probably not and wondered whether it could be re-fizzed in a soda stream.  What do you reckon?