Continuing with my shopping trip - now over to Jack Wills for a try on...

Having finally got my head around the idea of whipping my clothes off at the drop of a hat on my shopping trip yesterday, there was no stopping me! After Jigsaw I headed to Jack Wills to take a closer look at their collection of clothes made in Liberty Art Fabrics. First off I tried on the bomber jacket and whilst it's lovely arguably the blue print, when put with jeans, was just a little all to blue - even for me, the queen of blue.

I did try on and subsequently purchased, the Jack Wills Liberty Dress (£75) although it was in a smaller size than the one that I'm wearing here, which for info is a size 10. There's currently a 25% offer with Tatler magazine, making it slightly more palatable cost wise. No comments on white legs etc necessary - I'm prepared to sacrifice my dignity for the sake of the greater good of showing you the length and fit of this dress.  The picture below is probably a better example of how it's supposed to look but you know we can't all be 5ft 10" and have legs up to our armpits now can we? On the other hand I don't think that you can ever be too old, or too young, for liberty prints. They just transcend the generations.

We're going to Cornwall and Guernsey for our summer holidays this year. In both places the weather can change so quickly (usually from good to bad!) so this dress gives me the practicality that I need in terms of warmth but I really like the print and relaxed style. I can wear it with converse, sandals, slip on trainers or birkenstocks and I can also carry in my bag some leggings (not my clothing of choice but I can see their benefit on occasions) for when it gets too cold to be bare legged.

For anyone who was reading Style Guile last summer will recall, when I'm off with the children I like to be ready to do anything at a moment's notice and I'm quite happy to keep rotating just three or four (OK, one or two) outfits, so this is another one to add to my very short list!

Last year on our way to Cornwall I bought from the men's section at Asda a raffia hat similar to this one from Zara (£17.99). I'm almost certain that one that I saw yesterday had a spotted trim, so that may be working its way into my summer wardrobe too.

Of course the Jigsaw slip on trainers that I featured yesterday would also work really well with this dress - not that I'm creating a case for buying them or anything like that.

An invitation to come on my shopping trip with me - first off Primark and Jigsaw

Apparently it's going to be warm this weekend, which I'm delighted about because I went shopping today!

Lots of people ask me when, how and where I shop and I never really know the answer, which sounds a bit bizarre really. Obviously I spend a lot of time in the shops but I'm usually working and concentrating on whoever I'm styling. Then, when I do have some spare time, going back into the shops isn't always top of my agenda. But occasionally, I really enjoy spending some time just looking at things that I like. Today there were things that I wanted to look at in Primark, Zara, Jigaw, Whistles, Jack Wills, Topshop and Warehouse. If you want to come along, I'll take you on the first part of my shopping trip with me.....

Primark was slightly freaky I felt - far too many My Little Pony, Barbie, Mr Men and Marvel t-shirts for my liking. There were one or two things that I saw but then I thought to myself "Really? Can I be bothered to take my clothes off to try these things on?" As I found myself leaving the store, I knew the answer. Having said that, for anyone on the lookout for a printed short/skort suit there are two amazing floral ones which are made of a lovely fabric.

Jigsaw was a much more pleasant experience. The girls were unpacking a new delivery and there were lots of things that I loved and a couple of things that I bought. This is what I found:

Silk front sweater (£89) - the back is plain and it's just one of those easy, pretty, tops for when something more than a t-shirt is needed but full on bling isn't required.

If you can, I think that you'll have to try and look past the styling of these Tencel trousers (£79) because they are actually really lovely. I didn't buy this chambray pair as, already having boyfriend jeans, I didn't feel that they added that much to my wardrobe but I did buy a pair in navy. They would be brilliant for anyone who gets really hot in the summer and who wants a lighter weight, non-linen, trouser. They won't necessarily work for everyone but it's worth being open minded about them and giving them a go. They also come in charcoal and I put them with....

......the Jane Suede Court Shoe (£139) which are top of my list for a (rather generous) Mother's Day present. I've seen them a few times but given that I was in Jigsaw for a while today, I had a chance to put them through their paces. Despite their heel, they don't feel too high, the suede makes them really soft and they have padding in them too. I like the lighter coloured heel as it makes them less work like and more spring like and the pointed toe makes them feel really fresh.

You can't go wrong with a good Breton top and Jigsaw does them each season. This Amelie top (£35) also comes in a navy stripe and a pink stripe. It's horses for courses when it comes to Breton tops but I have always got on well with the Jigsaw ones.

This is one of the items that did make its way into a bag and out of the store with me. The Jigsaw striped dress (£75) is quite close fitting but it's pretty thick and supportive with it. It's one that I could wear now but I'll probably try and hang on to it for when it's slightly warmer.

Sophie is the Manager of Jigsaw in Birmingham and has been for ever (by her own admission!) Today she was wearing this Double layer jersey dress (£49) which had arrived in the new delivery.  It looked great on her in as much as it was fitted but really flattering even though she's not straight up and down (she wouldn't mind me saying that!) Even if you don't normally wear fitted clothing it's worth trying something different from time to time as styles vary and it is possible to hit on an item which, when on, looks amazing, even though you might not have though that it was for you.

If I had a wedding to go to this Spring, or Autumn, or probably any time other than July or August, this Audrey Coat (£179) would be part of my outfit. It's lovely - stylish and simple - and also comes in navy.

When I saw one of the girls in Jigsaw earlier in the week she said to me "Hey, look Beth, Jigsaw's getting trendy, we have bomber jackets!" I really like this Quilted Jersey Jacket (£69) but it's so similar to a grey quilted sweatshirt that I have that it wouldn't have added much. Jigsaw are also going to do a silk one in about four or five colours - the white version is shown with the tencel trousers above.

I know I've featured these Slip on plimsolls (£59) before but today I got to try them properly and they are so comfortable that they are definitely on my list. They gave a different look to the striped dress and also the tencel trousers. I'll wear them in exactly the same way as converse.

I also tried the Zipped sweater (£89) which comes in five different colours. It's described as cropped but it's not really - it's just not long and oversized. It's neat and fitted and a really good all rounder.

There were so many things that I could have written about. They had a great emerald coloured sweatshirt which isn't online (at least I don't think it is) and which also comes in orange. There's a good selection of basic T's and long sleeved tops too. Over the last couple of seasons the new design team has (apparently) been drip feeding the odd slightly non-Jigsaw type piece into the collection, which explains the brighter colours and more on trend shapes and styles. Although I have always loved Jigsaw, I'm starting to see it a whole new different light. Some time soon I'll show you what else I bought....

Who wouldn't want a free Magazine for the weekend? Diet Coke makes it possible!

A few weeks ago now I received an email to tell me that Diet Coke had a gift for me. I was very intrigued as to what it may be - but the obvious sprang to mind. Of course, a gorgeous hunk as per the adverts. What else could it be? Well, as it transpired, it was something much better than a gorgeous hunk. For a start there was a Jo Malone candle, a red Nails Inc nail varnish, 6 cans of diet coke, 2 magazines and a handbag. Well really, there was just no contest was there - what more could a girl want?

For those of you who may not know already, Diet Coke have teamed up with "Look" and "Now" to offer a free  magazine with every purchase of a promotional pack of Diet Coke (the packaging has hearts on it) between 17th February and 30th March.

To redeem free copies of Look or Now, all readers have to do is purchase a special promotional pack of Diet Coke, visit diet coke, enter the unique code from the pack, choose their preferred magazine, print the voucher and take it in-store to redeem. What are we waiting for? (No, the hunk isn't about to come knocking, so let's just get on with buying the coke and getting the free magazine.)

Disclaimer: All that Diet Coke asked me to do was to let as many people as possible know that they could get a free copy of Look or Now magazine. And for those who know me well, no-one will doubt me when I say that I LOVE diet coke!

PS Did you know that over 7 billion people have enjoyed 336 billion litres of Diet Coke globally over the past three decades? I think that I probably consumed 335 billion litres of it myself.

My favourite printed dresses on the High Street - and what they can do for you...

 

I realise that you've seen this dress several times before but I still like wearing it and I wanted to do a run down of some nice printed dresses that I have seen recently.

Printed dresses are good on several levels. They keep the eye on the move and give a cleaner silhouette (Oh OK, let's be honest, they hide lumps and bumps) they can add colour and interest to your wardrobe and a dress in a print of the season can look so much more up to date than its plain counterpart.

This Riviera shirt dress Boden (£69) - otherwise christened "my Kirsty Allsop" dress by a lady I was working with today, is a great dress for hourglass figures. It's beautifully fitted over the bust, without any gaping, nips in at the waist and then flares gently over the hips. With nude wedges it's a really simple, elegant look.  My only advice would be to tie the belt to one side (rather than over the tummy as above) just where you have those little "dips". Also try to make the belt as flat as possible, rather than tying it in a bow which can add bulk.

The Atlanta dress from Coast (£75) has a great big bloomin' print (literally) over the upper torso, which can serve to either attract, or distract, attention from a particular area. So if that's where you want to draw attention - either because of a shapely bust or a flat stomach - or if you want to use it as a diversion away from curvier hips - or just because you like it - this is the dress for you. The colours in the print are quite unusual and I really like the pale pink which I would pick out in accessories.

 

This abstract floral print dress Warehouse (£46) is the current version of the dress that I am wearing. The model wearing the dress on the website is 5ft 10" so don't be put off by how short it looks on her. I like the grey, lilac and yellow in this dress, which would look good with a jacket such as this one from Zara (£59.99). It's a great style with a lovely pleat at the back.

This Forget me knot midi dress Great Plains (£65) is a simple shape in a stretch cotton fabric which offers support. A dress with a sleeve and a good length such as this can be hard to come by so this is a particular favourite of mine. It also comes in a different colour way.

Here's a little collage of the dresses, which I then decided wasn't as good as the individual images but it took me so long to do, that I've decided to leave it in anyway - plus the links may be quite handy!

 

Clockwise from top left:

 

Riviera shirt dress Boden (£69)

 

Forget me knot midi dress Great Plains (£65)

 

Abstract floral print dress Warehouse (£46)

 

Atlanta dress from Coast (£75)

Eco and organic clothing for a birthday present - happy birthday sis!

Today it's my sister's birthday and for her present she asked for a t-shirt or long-sleeved top, which was fair trade/organic. I have to say it's been one of my toughest missions to date and despite extensive searching, I've only just managed to find what I am after.

Just to put things into context, when it comes to clothes, my sis and I are very different. When we were children, for Christmas I would get a new ballet leotard and she would get a Liverpool football kit. I would bet good money that she doesn't own a skirt or dress and she definitely doesn't own a pair of heels. I think that she secretly despairs at my fashion mags! She's more of a walk along the beach, or in the hills, kind of girl and loves a pint in her local. And she could probably give Richard Attenborough a run for his money when it comes to nature and the living world. So really it's not surprising that she likes her clothes to be made in an environmentally sound way - and to be honest we could probably all do with taking a leaf out of her book. 

I did find this sausage dog tee from People tree (£32) which I couldn't resist sharing. It also comes in a red and white stripe and it's just so sweet. I think that I may get away with this as she likes dogs, although probably not the shape of the t-shirt.

But in general, the clothes that I found fell into two categories. Either they were quite trendy - such as most of the range from People Tree - which is lovely, and to be fair I have featured quite a lot of it, but not what she was after - or ASOS Africa - equally not her. Alternatively they were very slogan led items, expounding various environmental causes - which again isn't really her, at least not in that very vocal way.

Now I know that this post isn't about me and what I like BUT I did find this range by Orla Kiely for People Tree, which may appeal to others. (Sorry to have snuck that in there sis.)

People Tree did have this slub t-shirt in grey (£28) - which was right in terms of the shape and it is a good basic piece but not overly inspiring - particularly for a birthday present.

They also do the slub t-shirt in white (£28). Again very handy but not very "wow"!

But then I came across the Eco Star Organic Clothing Company which is based in Wales and has very much an Innocent Smoothie approach to their business. They seem to spend their time divided between surfing and working, they treat their staff well and use organic cotton for their t-shirts which are embellished with stars made from clothes which would have otherwise gone to landfill. With simple styles, bright colours and just a little embellishment - and without a slogan, or flash in the pan trendy detail in sight, I finally felt that I was heading along the right lines.

I really like this organic cotton tee in yellow (£9) and as yellow is her son's favourite colour, he might find himself with one too.

There's also this organic cotton tee in green (£9)

And this organic cotton tee in pink (£9) - which may be slightly on the bright side but she has been known to wear some pink brogues once, so it may be a winner.

Of course she's allowed more than one £9 T-shirt for her birthday but it's a start. And as an aside, my sis has worn Birkenstocks for many, many years now, so when I told her that they were uber cool this season she just said "See, if you wear something for long enough it comes back into fashion again" before giving me a look as if to say "you numpty". Cheers sis, happy birthday!

Please feel free to let me know if you know of any other brands that might also fit the bill, especially if they are up and coming newbies.

How to pull together a bit of this and a bit of that to make a new outfit (plus the 25% discount code for Whistles)

Today dawned vaguely sunny so I decided to wear a dress - which I then wore as a skirt, which kind of defeated the object but never mind.  Anyway, because it's so versatile I wore my Pia jersey dress from All Saints (no longer available but the Marilla dress by All Saints (£88) is pretty close) with a striped GAP top, cobalt blue GAP jumper, Kausar cobalt blue bag (sadly no longer available), Whistles scarf and M&S leopard shoes.

With a very fitted bottom half, I wanted a looser and more relaxed look on the top half, so this jumper fitted the bill and the cobalt blue in the scarf and bag tied the outfit together - but hopefully not in a too matchy-matchy kind of way. I like it when a variety of random items comes together to make a new outfit - it's a bit like conjuring up a new recipe for dinner -sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but I was happy enough with this ensemble.

Forgive me for bleating and tweeting about Whistles again but I just wanted to let you know that the Grazia offer has finally arrived and there's currently 25% off. If you're buying online, just quote the code WH25SS14. If you're buying in store, you will need the voucher from the magazine. If what you're after is showing as sold out, don't panic. Whistles has the most fabulous customer service department. Just email them at enquiries@whistles.co.uk with your query and they will let you know which store has the item you are after. You can then call that store and purchase over the telephone. A friend of mine has already used the service today with great success.

So far I've heard of people buying sweatshirts, tops and bags. What bargains (in the loosest sense of the word of course) have you bagged? I'm off to take a look now.....

Kin by John Lewis - Good basics at a good price - one for your radar maybe?!

I've had my eye on Kin, the clothing range by John Lewis, for a while now and it is getting stronger each season. It offers clothing which is "affordable, well designed, contemporary but timeless". The range offers pared down basics with simple, clean lines, which (to me at least) take inspiration from the Scandinavian brands such as Other Stories and Cos, with a bit of GAP thrown in as well.

I've chosen a few of my favourite pieces to show you but you can see the whole range for men, women and children here. Whilst the pieces are slightly different from a typical JL brand, I like the comfort of knowing that it will be good quality, good value and with a sensible returns policy too.

For anyone tempted by a bomber jacket this quilted bomber jacket (£59), which also comes in grey, would be a good place to start. It's a beautiful soft colour for the spring - arguably a little more "out there" than a black or navy one but it's less heavily styled than some of the varsity style ones.

This linen blended jumper (£45) is a fairly typical Boden/Gap style piece but I like the fitted sleeves, scooped hem and boat neckline. It could be layered over a camisole in a contrasting colour and worn with a long pendant necklace, just to jazz it up a little. Or throw it on with shorts and converse in the summer months.

I know that a lot of you struggle with work wear. You may be pleased to know that culottes (£69) are firmly on the fashion radar this season. If I still worked in an office environment I would definitely try a pair of these - just because they are a little different to the norm, without being too challenging. I'm not sure that the photo does them justice and they do require high heels to make the proportions work properly, and for the shape to look right, but they could open up a whole new host of wardrobe ideas.

A navy blazer (£49) is always a great addition to a busy woman's wardrobe and this one is 100% cotton which makes it great for those who either prefer, or need to wear, natural fibres.

This tan tote (£89) is a fabulous wardrobe staple and big enough for essential baby items or papers/ipad etc for work (or many cases, both - altogether and all at the same time.)

And I love this ankle boot (£120) which also comes in pistachio (see below) white and brown. The navy and pistachio are particularly nice for this time of year when we're starting - very slowly - to think about heading towards warmer weather and lighter colours.

For anyone on the look out for a relatively inexpensive brands, with some good basics that not everyone else will be wearing, Kin could be worth a peek around.

Essential summer shopping from Jack Wills (and Liberty) with some Whistles and Jigsaw thrown in!

 

Show me clothes that are covered in sequins, leopard print or stripes, or clothes that are pink, navy or flouro and I'm there - throw in some Liberty print too and I can't resist! 

When I saw these pieces in  Jack Wills  on Monday I was virtually beside myself with glee. Jack Wills have raided the Liberty fabric archives and chosen one print, which they have used in two colour ways, in a whole range of pieces. I love, love, love the bomber jacket, partly because it makes what is quite a trendy style - and one which could easily look quite dodgy - very wearable.

 

Just off the top of my head, I'm seeing the jersey dress used as a bikini cover up with white converse and tanned legs (someone else's not mine), I'm seeing the hoody with cut off denim shorts and flip flops, the bomber can go into slightly more trendy territory, perhaps with a pencil skirt of some description and heeled sandals and the crew neck short sleeved top could be layered over a white shirt and worn with cigarette style trousers for a smart(ish) work look. There's also a top with a Peter Pan collar, another dress style and the fab trousers below. All pieces come in both colour ways and the link above will take you through to the page with all of them on.

Yesterday I mentioned that I had seen a couple of pairs of skater trainers/slip on trainers/deck shoes - call them what you will - that I liked. I wasn't expecting to find these in Whistles (£135) but I really like the texture on them and of course being navy, as opposed to the full on printed ones that I featured yesterday, they are very wearable.  They are pretty pricey though and there are much cheaper versions out there but if they are going to be your one new true love this summer, they may be worth holding out for (along with a 25% Grazia offer which must be due out anytime now.)

On the other hand, for less than half the price, these Jigsaw slip on plimsolls (£59) are a less spendy option. The upper is 100% leather, unlike the Whistles ones which are made of cotton, jute and raffia. On reflection I just have visions of the Whistles ones fraying and unravelling, to the point that all is left is the sole. Hmm, not a good look.

Anybody tempted? I fear that I may be paying Jack Wills another visit sometime soon and there's a 10% discount with Jigsaw today which you can take advantage of by entering SPRINGEVENT  at the checkout.

My Peter Pilotto for Target order has appeared at last!

I'm sure that Net a Porter have very good reasons for instructing their couriers not to deliver on Saturdays, for refusing to let them leave a parcel with a neighbour, for not allowing a parcel to be re-directed to a work address and for insisting on a signature - but it doesn't half make life hard! I think that this parcel finally reached me on Thursday - which was 11 days after I ordered it and because life has been so busy, I didn't even open it until today.

 

Now I agree that it's vaguely ridiculous to show a picture of a black box - although arguably not quite as ridiculous as showing clothes which aren't even available any more - but I was trying to be positive after the whole delivery debacle. I have to admit that the Net a Porter black boxes are lovely and in this case, they probably cost more than the clothes in them. However they're so lovely that that if you're not careful you could end up being seduced into thinking that the contents are more desirable than they really are (if you're thinking what I think you're thinking, hold it right there!)   

 

This is what I ordered - from left to right, a printed sweatshirt and a printed long sleeved top...

...plus trainers in the same print as the top.

 

Dealing first with the quality, I felt that it was really good. Although available through Net a Porter, the Peter Pilotto range was a collaboration with the US store Target, which is probably equates more to our Primarni than anything else. The sweatshirt is thick though and has a slight fleecy lining which I always find welcome.

 

I love the bold, graphic print and the colours in it and with a white shirt layered underneath, this sweatshirt might just find itself getting a trip out on Friday night. 

 

 

The long sleeved top is also really good quality and I was surprised at how much I liked the print in real life.

 

It's slightly longer than the sweatshirt and perhaps a bit roomy on the torso so I'm going to have another play before I decide which way to jump with this one.  However it's substantial enough to be layered over a denim shirt so that's possibly an option and at times, a little bit of room can be a good thing.

Just imagine what you could achieve in life if you had four feet - and double of everything else too! I added the printed trainers to my order at the last minute, just for the hell of it really, to see what they were like.

And whilst I most probably wouldn't wear them with the top in real life, I didn't look at them and think urrrgh, hideous, they have to go back. They do have to go back (or go on ebay for some vastly inflated price but that goes against my principles somewhat) because they're a bit big for me - but I'm really pleased to have tried them and I will definitely be giving some more a go - which is handy because already I've spotted two pairs that I like elsewhere.

I find that tops, rather than dresses and trousers, are more successful as online purchases where things can't be felt or tried on and I know that others have had difficulties with the fit of dresses. I suppose in simple terms there's more to go wrong!  If PP and Target get another little thing going in the future, I wouldn't hesitate in seeing what was on offer - if only for the Net a Porter black box.

An outfit for a day of shopping - trainers, knitted hat - bit of a bag lady look really!

 

Yesterday I spent many hours shopping, looking at all the lovely new spring collections and taking masses of photos of my favourite things.

Although it wasn't that cold, it was wet and there's no room for an umbrella when I'm dodging from store to store with arms full of bags, hence the GAP hat. As I'm also carrying a slight knee injury (which I'm trying to ignore) and knowing that I would be covering a lot of ground, I opted for trainers. The snood is less hassle than a scarf which can get caught in my headphones when I'm listening to my cool music (or would that really be Woman's Hour?) A cross body bag is so much easier than a shoulder bag and the hearts on my New Look jumper add a splash of clashing colour to my trainers.

So that was that - it was warm and comfortable and it gave a slight nod to that well known, and much coveted, "bag lady trend" I think.

There are some lovely things in the stores right now.....