Mum on the Run - Sharing the love... and this week's article for Easy Living Online

When I came across this raspberry yesterday I thought that it deserved to be shared with the world - so here it is! I wondered whether heart shaped raspberries were, in fact, a common occurence but on checking the rest of the punnet, it seemed to be a one off. I just thought that it was so cute.

From my own experience, and from styling many others too, I know how difficult day time skirts can be. Not only are they, at the very minimum, a two piece outfit (as opposed to a dress which can be a one piece outfit) but there's the whole issue of the right shoes, how to accessorise and so on.

So, this week's article for Easy Living online looks at  five different styles of skirts which can be worn in the daytime, together with style tips on how to wear them. Obviously not every style will suit every shape but there should be something for everyone and hopefully you may be inspired to try something which you may not have done so otherwise.

An image of a true bell shaped skirt was hard to find, so you may need to imagine it in another colour - but it is a shape definitely worth giving some consideration to.

I hope that you enjoy the article and that you find it useful. Thanks for reading!

Mum on the Run - Could these be the perfect Smoking Slippers?

An opportunity presented itself to me last week to have a quick whizz around the stores and of course Zara beckoned - and loudly too!

 

Many of you may remember that I have done a complete volte face on the smoking slipper front and having gone from loathing them to quite liking them, it was just a question of finding a pair that did the trick.

 

I have tried on many pairs over the last few months from Primark (sparkles), to Topshop (metallic lace), to River Island (tapestry), to Clarks (leopard print), to Steve Madden (studded), to Jimmy Choo (sparkles) and Jeffrey Campbell (studded) - but none of them have quite hit the mark. 

 

However there was something about these Shiny Slippers (£39.99) from Zara which made my heart skip a beat.

 

First, I loved the simplicity of them - black with a touch of sparkle, they are both chic and versatile.  Whilst probably not the most hard of wearing shoes, I have boots for the more challenging weather.  

 

 

            

Secondly, when wearing them it felt as though I was wearing a shoe, rather than a slipper, which is how many of the other styles felt. The sole was substantial enough and with a separate heel, albeit slight, I didn't feel as dumpy in them as some other styles. The fact that the fit was good also helped. Being a size 5.5, a 5 is often too small and a 6 gapes too much - which is a really bad look.

I also really like these Zara studded pony skin slipper (£49.99). In fact, like many other brands, Zara has a whole array of different styles so if you are thinking along the smoking slipper lines, I would strongly suggest checking Zara out.

Here's a link to the Zara page so that you can take a look to see if there's anything that you like. Hope that you do!

Mum on the Run - On the beach with a little bit of Seasalt thrown in...

 

I was really disappointed not to be able to attend the Seasalt press day for their S/S '13 collection and wasn't entirely sure how I was going to be able to post about it given that winter was approaching.

 

However, the perfect opportunity arose today. Not only were we in Wales and about to hit the beach but it was also sunny - not just a little bit sunny either - but proper sunny, which didn't make writing about summer clothes seem quite so inappropriate.

 

So, here I am sporting my new Seasalt bag in preparation for our trip to the beach, which was kindly sent to me after the press day (and no, there was no way those boots were going near the beach. It's just that Mr SG forbids wellies in the car.)

 

 

This was the view that greeted us on arrival at the beach. Pure unadulterated sunshine - bliss. This is Newborough beach on Anglesey - one of our favourites.

The inspiration for Seasalt's S/S '13 collection came from the Scilly Isles, which hold a special place in my heart as I had a holiday there in my late teens.

Sophie Chadwick, who is the textile designer for Seasalt, has family who orignate from the islands and the collection reflects the colours, flowers and prints of the five inhabited isles of the Scilly Isles. The collection includes stripes to reflect the maritime history of the islands and floral inspiration is reflected in the chambray fabric in "Poppy". 

The bag that I was sent is great - reversible with a gingham print on the inside, it has a zipped pocket for things that you don't want to get sandy - (ie eldest's ipod which she has just managed to unlock, having locked it for 42 years (no kidding))!

I was also kindly sent a lip balm and scarf, neither of which I have used yet. However I have heard from many SG readers who like Seasalt and even my sister has mentioned it to me, which is a great accolade for any brand because she is as dis-interested in clothes at is possible to be, short of not bothering to wear any at all.

Here are some of the looks from the S/S '13 collection...

...together with a few more which are inspired by the artistic heritage of St Ives, Cornwall.

Here are a few things that you may not know about Seasalt and which I think are quite interesting:

• Seasalt are the former winners of "Best organic retailer", the first time ever for a non food company;
• Seasalt contributes towards maintaining and promoting local traditions and skills by selling a range of locally make products such as smocks and canvas sailing bags. They also sponsor various projects, such as a sea shanty choir and they work with schools on creative projects. They have also raised significant sums for charity in the last three years;
• The Seasalt team comprises fashion designers, fine artists, illustrators and creative writers.

Thank you to Seasalt for my press pack and information about the new collection, which I can't wait to see in the stores which will probably in the Guernsey stores when I am next over there - such a lovely place too!

Here is a pic of the kind of things we get up to when on holiday. Mr SG found a magnifying glass which I had taken to the beach and he reverted to type by trying to light a fire with it - which he did with great success. I was never quite so inventive as a child - rather we pinched matches to light the fires in our dens! I doubt that would ever happen these days.

Mum on the Run - A Modern Military outfit

Military is a look which comes around every winter, so how it is ever billed as a new trend I am not quite sure - but there you go!

 

This is my take on "modern military". I'm not really a fan of a full on military look - like most looks worn head to toe, they just look too contrived - but a good old nod to a trend never goes a miss and the colour and style of this skirt do just that.

 

I bought this Jigsaw Trench Tie Skirt, now reduced to £45 (sizes 8 and 10 only) at the end of the summer and fortunately it's substantial enough to wear even though it is now a little chillier.

I put the skirt with this sparkly Warehouse jumper - I think that sparkles are a nice contrast to what is essentially quite a harsh trend - it just softens it a little.

I also added in black tights, black heeled loafers, my Oasis cream leather jacket and Marc Jacobs bag. The silver detailing on the loafers also nods quite nicely to the military trend but that is more by luck than design.

I hope that you all have a great weekend. I can't believe that we've reached half term already, I've only just got to grips with the new routine. When the children go back I will have fallen into fire fighting mode again, as opposed to controlled calm (which I think sounds like a good name for a new trend.)

Style Guile Smile - Beautiful digitally printed silk scarves by new brand Red Brick - there's definitely room in my wardobe for one of these beauties!

Sometimes I come across something which makes me sit up and take notice.  When I followed the link in an email sent to me by Karen (a graduate of the Royal College of Art) of Red Brick I was totally bowled over. The vibrant colours and designs of her scarves are amazing, as is her jewellery.  

 

I thought that it would be nice to share not only Karen's designs with you but also more about Karen herself and her design ideas and inspiration, so over to you Karen....

 

"I did my first degree in jewellery at Edinburgh College of Art, and then went to the Royal College of Art in London and studied a Masters in Jewellery Design. During my time there, I worked on jewellery designs for various fashion brands, ranging from River Island to Margaret Howell. I also worked as a design assistant to the accessories designer and prop stylist, Fred Butler. 

 

 

 

[Robbery in a sweet shop]

  

I decided to launch my own line on the premise that great design should be accessible to everyone. I used to get really frustrated that I couldn't afford the unusual and individual designer pieces that I really loved, but there didn't seem to be an alternative apart from high street copies. I try keep my prices as affordable as possible, whilst maintaining a high quality of product. I think people are very careful about what they buy at the moment, and I think my pieces cater to this. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Running design - included for those of you taking part in the Birmingham half this weekend. Good luck! x]

 

I absolutely love the sense of humour in high fashion brands like Moschino, Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs, but I try not to look too closely at other designer's work when generating ideas as I like to come up with something completely different. Instead, I look at printmaking and graphic design, and I love British artists like Peter Blake and David Hockney. I also love car boots sales for picking up old scraps of fabric or old interiors magazines!

 

 

 

[Coney Island Funfair] 

 

I use digital fabric printing on 100% pure silk to make my scarves. I make each colour separation by hand to try and retain some of the pencil marks and give the digital print a richer quality. I always give my friends samples of the prototypes to try out and listen to their feedback on their wearability, the colour choices, etc. It's really important to me that the pieces are comfortable and practical to wear."

[Boat design]

[Navajo celebration]

 

I can see these bright scarves really adding something to a simple weekend outfit of jeans and a jumper, or to a dark winter coat. Personally I think they offer something slightly different that is quirky, individual and made by someone with incredible talent.

 

Just so that you know, I haven't been paid to write this post - either in scarves or anything else!

Mum on the Run - a new shaped dress to try???

Occasionally a new style of dress comes along which slowly starts to gather pace and over time, becomes more and more popular.

This season the drop waist dress is creeping into our consciousness - bear with me on this one - I am going to give you a few different options!

This hot pink and black dress by Victoria Beckham was one of the first dresses that I can recall in this style (well, since the 1980's at least, when I definitely had one or two that I used to wear to our school disco!)

Clearly this style dress isn't going to be for everyone - I get that - but if you can get over the mental image of wearing one whilst dancing to "Come on Eileen" or "Hey Mickey" then it might be worth trying one.

I think that it's nice when something fresh comes on the scene and given that wrap dresses, lovely as they are, plus prom style dresses, shift dresses and so on have been with us for so long, it's good to have a new kid on the block. So, here are some options:

Jaeger Boutique has several dresses in this style and they seem to have adopted it as a mainstay this season.

First of all there's this Emma Drop Waist dress (£120). It's simple, understated and doesn't scream "look at me". I would keep the outfit simple, maybe adding a necklace or chunky cuff and heels - perhaps shoe boots - and for me that would be that.

For someone with giraffe like legs, I would love to see this paired with some amazing open toe shoe boots which come slightly higher up the leg - not a look I could pull off.

For a more casual take on the look, also by Jaeger Boutique, there's this Jessie check wool blend dress (£120). This gives a nod towards the heritage trend. It would need to be styled with edgy and sophisticated shoes or boots and accessories or else there could be slight cowgirl connotations. I wouldn't attempt this dress, preferring the above one instead - but I have no doubt that others could pull it off.

The third dress by Jaeger Boutique is this Cindy Jacquard Spot Dress (£160). Clearly here it is styled in a really youthful way (which I must admit to finding slightly disturbing) but if the ankle socks and pink shoes were lost and again replaced by something altogether more edgy and sophisticated, it could take on a whole different look.

For a more grown up take on the trend, you could look to thisRockefeller dress merlot (£275) by the Fold, London. Slightly longer in length, and with the addition of sleeves, this may be a more appealing option to some.

Below is a picture of Victoria from Feathers and Frills wearing the above dress, which looks fantastic on her - really elegant and just a little different. What glossy locks too!

Finally, again from Jaeger Boutique, there's this Jersey swing hem dress (£180). It's not a drop waist dress but is of a similar silhouette to the above styles and could be styled in exactly the same way, enabling you to reference the look, without taking it on head on.

Are any of you tempted by a drop waist dress? I have one in a bag right by me waiting to be tried. I'm not going to promise to share the looks with you - but I will report back in due course.

Mum on the Run - In a skirt that I like but which I have no hope of walking in!

Sometimes you just have to laugh. To cut a long story short, I got into the back of the car with the youngest this morning to brush her hair. Forgetting that the childlock was on in the back, I had to find another way of getting into the front to open the door. There was only one option - and that was to climb.

 

Now this skirt is possibly the most ridiculous item of clothing ever designed because you can't actually move in it. Add heels into the equation and it was more a case of launching myself into the front. Somehow I managed to twist around at the same time, which left me sitting on the horn. Oh well, I suppose that laughing is a great way to start a day.

 

As to the outfit, I bought this navy velvet skirt from Topshop last year. Way ahead of its time, it has a (p)leather waist band. Long and straight, it is a nightmare to walk in but I like the line and feel of it. 

I put it with a white shirt and pink Mulberry, which I turned into an oversized clutch by putting the strap inside. I wore it with a warm Reiss biker style jacket when out and about together with heeled ankle boots from Clarks.

Note to self: Tomorrow I must wear something I can move in with ease - just in case I make the same mistake with the whole back of the car/childlock situation!

Easy Living Article - Six knits every woman needs

Today I am pointing you in the direction of the article that I have written this week for Easy Living online

Since having become involved with Easy Living, I have discovered what a great place Easy Living online is to visit for articles on Beauty, Fashion, Homes, Recipes and Culture. With their regular "We like her Style" feature, "Top 30 coats", "A-list hair" and "20 minute recipes" it's a nice place to escape to for the odd ten minutes here and there during a busy day. Anyway, I thought that I would share that with you just in case you haven't dropped by before now for a browse.

This week I have written about the six knits every woman needs together with how to wear them and style tips for each one.

If you are looking to work some knitwear in to your wardrobe this season, I hope that it provides some inspiration and ideas on what might work for you. Enjoy!

Mum on the Run - Am I wrong to love this?

 

Please excuse the poor quality shot of this bomber jacket from Whistles but I can't find it online.

 

Anyway, the point about it is that this little number has somehow crept its way into my consciousness and I really like it. I am not sure how it has happened. It's a bit like having a male friend for years - they are always around and about - and then waking up one day and realising that you like them a bit more than a friend. (Just to make it clear, I should qualify this by saying that this hasn't happened since Mr SG and I met in 1997).

 

I have never owned such a jacket, never desired to own such a jacket and have therefore never even thought about buying such a jacket but there's something about it that I like.

Maybe its appeal lies in the fact that it is similar to the sorts of jacket that I like (ie short/navy) but also slightly different, without being too radical.

Maybe it's the addition of the leather sleeves which I now really like, having not been too sure about them when they first came on the scene.

Maybe it's because it's from Whistles - but I don't think so because I'm not (quite) that shallow.

Or maybe I have just developed a thing for American High School inspired clothing (or Mark Fowler from East Enders). Whatever next: Cheerleading outfits and pom poms? For everyone's sake, including mine, I hope not.

Mum on the Run - 5 pairs of lovely shoes!

You may remember me showing you these fabulous shoes by Stuart Weitzman for Russell & Bromley. I thought that they were amazing when I saw them in Grazia and even more so when I tried them on in the store on a recent trip to London - but alas the £395 price tag prevents them from being mine.

 

 

It's the shape of these shoes at the front that I like as much as anything. For me they are a more modern take on a court shoe and would look great with slim leg black trousers, a black fitted jumper and a pea coat.  With the seed having been sewn, the hunt for a similar, but more reasonably priced, pair began.

  

Failing miserably to start of with, I came across these amazing shoes from Dries Van Noten (£420) at Browns. Again they have the same shape at the front and a good sturdy heel! I like the two tone combination of black and brown and the tortoiseshell (or horn as it is described) is really stylish. They also have a padded inner sole - even better. Alas the price is not.

 

Moving swiftly on, this Hobbs Iris Court (£199) is also a very stylish shoe. The combination of suede and leather/patent is very chic. They also come in a burgundy colour (as well as fern, below) and with a concealed platform, aren't as high as they first look. These would be great with high waisted wide leg trousers, for that boy meets girl look.

 

 

 

Possibly one of my favourites, due to their price, detailing and colour combination, are these Court shoes with suede vamp from Massimo dutti  (£89.95).  Zara's grown up sister, Massimo Dutti is a treasure chest of hidden gems and well worth investigating if you haven't done so previously. These shoes are probably slightly more work orientated than some of the other styles but are a modern alternative to a classic style court shoe.

 

Finally, the Blue heel moccasin, also £89.95 and from Massimo Dutti, make a nice change from black. Great with berry colours, grey and navy, they are no less versatile than black. Fabulous both at work and for the weekend with wide or skinny trousers or an A-line knee length skirt in a heavy fabric, they could be a really hard working piece. Chunky heels also slim down thicker ankles and shapely calves - as well as being easier to walk in. Always a bonus with smalls in tow!

 

Style Guile - Where I get my Style Inspiration

Apologies to the 12 of you who saw this post earlier when it was in its draft form and when, for some reason, it decided to publish itself.

Anyway, I don't know whether this the post will be helpful or not - I hope so. If not, please feel free to move on!

People often ask me where I get my style inspiration from, so I thought that I would show you a photo to illustrate how I go about creating new outfits. I am sure that this is nothing mind blowing to many of you, or indeed any of you - but it may just help some.

I saw this picture in Grazia this week. I can't make it any bigger but the issue is still current and you can see it on page 63. The photo is of the American DJ and model Leigh Lezark at Paris Fashion week.

This outfit is simple but really effective. All black with pink highlights - in the lipstick and shoes. It would be easy to re-create to suit different situations and tweaked to suit different body shapes and personal preferences.

The fuller skirt and fitted top are perfect for pear shaped ladies, as is the belt, but someone with a curvier bust may opt for a v neck top, and someone with slender hips may opt for more of a pencil style skirt.

Adding in a pink lipstick (with pink shoes) would be easy enough - or a red lipstick (with red shoes) if that's what you prefer. They need not be expensive.  If I was going to them wear for an evening out, or somewhere that I wasn't walking too far, I would probably look to New Look/Primark/H&M first.

Obviously these shoes are very OTT but you get the idea. This look could also work with black ankle length trousers instead of a skirt, or for someone who doesn't like bright shoes, a bright belt or bag could be substituted for them instead. For those who shy away from bright lips, opt for bright pink nails (I like Rimmel 60 seconds drying nailvarnish). It's the formula of outfits that often makes them work - it's just a case of working out how to adapt them to suit your shape, your budget and your lifestyle.

A lot of what is in magazines is just too much for everyday life - most often due to expense, but that can normally be worked around, or impracticality or just general outrageousness. Outfits that work for Paris Fashion Week, or on London fashionistas, would look ridiculous in another City, in a supermarket or on the school run. So, it's a case of taking the images that you like and re-working them - tweaking the length of the skirt, toning down the shimmer, finding more subtle prints, adding in tights, lowering the height of the heels and so on until it works for you.

Have a great Friday night!

Mum on the Run - A couple of coats to try (along with some alternatives)

I took a couple of coats along to last week's style event so thought that I would show them to you, together with a couple of alternatives.

 

I am a big fan of a Crombie coat. Simple, single breasted and with clean lines, they don't date, are incredibly chic and suit most shapes.  They can be worn with both smart dresses and heels for work and skinny jeans and boots at the weekend. 

 

This Next Coat (£60) is a fantastic price and actually feels OK.  Tapping into this season's trend for leather - or in this case pleather - (arguably that part of it may date slightly) it's a really great piece.

 

 

This is what the coat looks like on a body!

As an alternative, this Boden velvet trim coat £199 is beautiful. It also comes in camel and is quite generous in size, so it may be worth sizing down.

For a more casual coat, you can't beat a parka. They are everywhere at the moment. Some are more fashion orientated - great for those of us city dwellers - and come  with detatchable linings and hoods. On the other hand, brands who make clothes for the "proper" outdoors, such as Berghaus and Merrell, design parkas possibly more suited to those who live in very wet/windy/cold climates, where more demands are placed on the coats.

This is the NW3 Birch Parka £179, which has a lovely fleece inside and a hood with a fur trim - which isn't at all mangy!

 Again, this is what it looks like on a real body. With a draw string waist to add shape, plenty of useful pockets and snug cuffs, it's pretty near perfect.

Next comes the Next Luxury Navy Parka £85 - I must admit that I haven't seen this one in the flesh but again it has good sized pockets, a hood and it looks as if it draws in at the waist.

I really like the finish on this Oasis Wax quilted lined parka (£86). It's not quite as shiny as in the picture but, given that it is waxed, it does have a sheen about it. Having tried it on, I can tell you that it's definitely worth investigating.

For anyone who would like their parka to add a pop of colour to their wardrobe, this
GAP fur twill parka (£99.95) is a great option. It also comes in a pinky/coral colour, as well as the more sedate navy and khaki colours. In previous years the GAP parkas have sold out nationwide and a few weeks ago they were alarmed. What is the world coming to?!

Two basic styles of coats but with a few options for each. Oh, and one final one that I couldn't miss out - this very on trend number from Warehouse....the Warehouse colour block parka (£95)

I was given the heads up today that the Pavilions campaign in which I featured is on the front page of the new Shopping in Birmingham website - which has just replaced the Style Birmingham site. That aside, for anyone planning a day out shopping in Birmingham, it's a great place to look for information.