A winter wardrobe essential - the chunky of chunkiest cardigans, a lovely boho dress and a vlog so that you can see it all in the flesh!

With its slightly chillier mornings, September is the perfect time of year to wear a chunky cardigan - rather than a coat. This is one that I picked up in Zara last week (£39.99) which isn't on line quite yet. However fear not, it features in this new vlog post where you can get a closer look at it, plus ideas on where to find other similar cardigans together with ideas on how to style them.

Boho dresses are a huge trend this season. There's a Monsoon one which is currently getting a lot of coverage but for something which is nodding towards the boho trend without being too full on, there's this Zara printed dress (£39.99) which also features on the vlog along with the cardigan.

I really hope that you like this vlog. I've tried to include a couple of good styling tips as well as showing the clothes (on me....eeeek!) so do let me know what you think!

Lace Skirts - for now, for the winter, and forever!

I love a bit of lace. Top or bottom, it can just make you feel just a little bit more special than an "every day" type of fabric such as denim.

I bought this lace skirt from Jigsaw way back at the start of the summer and it's now in the sale for £79, with pretty good availability too, being available in sizes 8/10/14.

Although technically it's a summer skirt, it is substantial enough for me to keep in my wardrobe for a few more weeks yet and perhaps right through the winter.

From what I've seen out and about, there will still be plenty of lace skirts in the shops over the winter. Firstly, I came across this one in Zara (£49.99), which I love styled here with the (almost) mid calf length ankle boots

Secondly I spotted this lace pencil skirt, also from Zara (£39.99), which is in THE colour of the season....burgundy. It's great that is has a top to go with it, making a whole outfit should the need arise.

Marks and Spencer has this lace skirt in Autograph for £55. It's a little bit less "fashiony" than the Zara ones and arguably slightly easier to style mostly because of its knee length which is, as a general rule, more flattering and easier to wear than midi-length skirts - particularly with flats.

There's also this gorgeous fluorescent lace pencil skirt from Topshop (£65) which is lovely and vibrant for the winter months plus the taupe background makes a nice change from the usual suspects of black/navy/grey/burgundy.

And for the petite ladies amongst you, M&S has kindly obliged and designed this lovely Rose Lace Pencil skirt, which is £39.50.

Please someone put me out of my misery and tell me that I'm not going mad when I say that I'm sure that I saw a navy blue lace skirt very similar to mine in Whistles yesterday. I'm convinced that I did. Didn't I?

I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has watched the YouTube vlogs. Thank you for your views, for subscribing and for your comments. Also a big thanks to Helen for the lovely comment on the blog yesterday with pointers on things to cover. All I can say is, don't go out and buy a sleeveless coat before watching the next vlog!

Zara stripes for the autumn, a new layering find from Topshop and a short vlog looking at both of them...

For the life of me I cannot find this top anywhere on the Zara website (despite about 250 searches) but I only bought it yesterday so it should be there somewhere.

I know that lots of us love a good stripe and I like how this top is half way between a long sleeved cotton top and a jumper, making it perfect for this time of year.

Here I just photographed it quickly with a pair of old jeans (and not much make-up!) but I'm looking forward to wearing it with wide-legged navy Jigsaw trousers plus trainers, or with a navy skirt and heeled ankle boots (and a bit more make-up!)

This was my other fab find of the day, a long sleeved cropped top from Topshop for £12.

If you would like to find out more about both of these items and find out why the Topshop top is my new best friend, you can nip over to my new vlog here for more info.

Whilst talking about the vlog, I would love to hear your views. Please let me know what you would like to see, the perfect length vlog for you and what I could cover to make your lives easier when it comes to your wardrobe! I have a few ideas of my own but I'm far more interested in yours. Thank you! Beth x

I will not surrender....layering up an & Other Stories dress into September...

It may be starting to get slightly chillier out there but that's no reason to reach for the knee high boots and roll necks just yet. Nope, there are plenty of ways that we can extend the life of our summer clothes.

I thought that I would have a little play around and here I'm wearing my & Other Stories  midi length summer dress which I first wore way back in sunny June, with my current favourite Zara jumper and Jigsaw ankle boots.

I think that the longevity of this outfit is limited perhaps to the end of the month but the winter can be long! Last year I just remember being sick to death of jeans and jumpers so I'm happy to avoid going there for as long as I possibly can. One tip for this type of outfit is to get the right length jumper. Something that finishes just on, or above, the waist seems to be about right so as to keep the lines right and also to keep everything in proportion.

Do you have any ideas for stretching out those summer clothes? I would love to here them. Layering either over or under things, switching footwear, sneaky thermals in September? I'm open to suggestions!

Oooh and whilst I remember, I've published another vlog on my YouTube channel here. It's a quick pulling together of the first two vlogs with some new additions too - so I hope that you like it. Have a fab week. Beth x

Neutrals and how to wear them if, as a rule, they don't really like you that much!

Today's post is just a quick OOTD. Generally I don't wear too many outfits made up entirely of neutrals. Many neutrals just seem to wash me out and I'm better with colours which have some depth to them, just as you might expect given my dark colouring. However I really like this Boden cardi/jacket that I bought in the sale last year (similar here) and it seems to work OK with this & Other Stories printed blouse (similar (ish) here (£45). It's all quite soft and muted but I think :) that I can just about get away with it. A bit of colour from the sun probably doesn't harm either.

I carried on the "light" theme with some white Whistles jeans and pale suede Jigsaw ankle boots (available here in a size 36) - but then stuck a navy Whistles bag with it all, in all probability just because it was handy.

On this particular day I needed a little warmth but I didn't want to head straight for the winter pile of clothing. Nope, for now I'm hanging on to those lighter shades for dear life.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday. I think that we have some sun due next week. Yipppeeee!  Beth x

They weren't a favourite and now they are. Fringed bags. Are you with me or not?!

When fringed handbags first came on the scene, I really didn't like them at all. They just didn't do it for me but as is sometimes the way with these things, they have steadily grown on me and now I'm on the look out for just the right one. Personally I prefer the softer shades of grey and camel - again I don't really know why that is but somehow I find them just a little less harsh than black ones.

This leather tassel hobo bag (£65) arrived in Topshop only this morning and the colour is gorgeous. The slight downside for me was that although the handle could be lengthened, it still wasn't long enough to be worn as a cross body bag. Also, whilst the fringing is 100% leather, the bag itself is made from nylon, which for its £65 price tag is not entirely surprising but I did feel a little bit conned when I rummaged under the tassels only to find grey nylon.

Now I've had my eye on this fringed suede bag from Mango (£69.99) for quite a few weeks. Today, whilst in Birmingham, I found it in our new Mango store. I gave it the good once over but decided to look a little further before making a final decision, namely at this one from....

....The White Company which is £129 (and which a friend expressly told me NOT to look at as I would fall in love with it. She may just be right.)  Although it's described as a clutch bag it also has a strap, so it can be worn as a cross body bag - and I do like having two hands free. It also comes in stone too, making it doubly lovely.

Mint Velvet has this gorgeous fringed cross body bag for £99 which is also a contender, although looking back over the photographs, I think that I prefer the ones with the flap over them.

And finally on my hit list, there's this equally gorgeous Jigsaw fringed cross body bag which is £98. I haven't yet seen this one in the flesh but I'm sure that it's only a matter of time.

So, I'll keep you posted. There are fringed bags anywhere and everywhere right now so do let me know if you spot a gem somewhere on your travels. Beth x

Can you wear a blanket poncho? Yes you can and here I show you how...

Outfit: Gap trousers, Jigsaw boots and poncho, Warehouse top, Oushka bag

So I have to admit that I was dubious about whether I could pull off a blanket poncho but then I bought one on impulse ("oooh, it's navy and white and I've never tried one of these before - let's give it a go) after which I missed the deadline to return it, meaning that I was forced to wear it.  And guess what? I really liked it. Luckily.

In fairness I did try it on before I bought it but it was a very quick try on. Then as the summer holidays approached a whole host of work came in and it sat, mildly neglected for a while. I wore it in Guernsey with shorts and then today, given that the temperature had dropped by about 10 degrees, an extra layer was needed. So out it came for its first official outing.

Having had a little play with it my conclusion is that, even if you're fairly petite it can work without swamping. Equally if you're slightly curvier it's great for skimming without clinging. I'm also going to belt it when I have a chance and see how that works too. As with anything with some volume to it, the rest of the outfit needs to be quite fitted so that it looks as though you're wearing an outfit plus a poncho, rather than....a tent. And, as in most cases, a slight heel does help. It just helps to lengthen those legs.

Here's the Jigsaw summer blanket poncho (£38 down from £129) in cream. It's no longer available in navy on line but I love this cream option too - and it's a great price now.

And these are the Jigsaw ankle boots that I'm wearing (reduced to £69 from £139). I've worn them so much already that they definitely qualify as a necessary purchase. Yep, most definitely.

Wishing you all a lovely (and dry) weekend - whether you're in a poncho. Or a tent. 

A very quick OOTD post - Hush dress, Jigsaw boots, Boden cardi - job done!

Having given my Jigsaw boots and playsuit a whirl the other day, today I tried the boots with a dress which I bought from Hush last summer. The cardi was from Boden last summer too. I hadn't worn them together - in fact I hadn't worn either of them that much at all - but I paired them up today and off we went (to Wales) but not, for now at least, in the rain!

Taking style inspiration from Kate Bosworth....

If there's one person who pulls off the shorts and ankle boots look a treat, it's Kate Bosworth. It's a tried and tested look that she wears over and over again. Obviously having very slim legs that go up to one's armpits helps. For the rest of us mere mortals - OK, me -  it's never going to be quite so successful however, we're all entitled to make our own way in the world!

I saw these Jigsaw Sally ankle boots (reduced from £139 to £69 in the sale) when I was shopping in Leeds a few weeks ago and I added them to my pre-winter stash of necessary items. They were designed to replace a similar coloured pair of Zara ankle boots which I bought a few years ago. Having found them so useful I knew that this pair would be a good investment and the slightly lower heel makes them more wearable every day.

Anyway, I thought that I would give the above look a whirl as it also gave me a chance to style my Baukjen playsuit in a slightly different way. Although it was warm today it wasn't hot and I'm really trying to embrace the opportunity the weather is affording me to wear some slightly different combinations that others might wear in April or late September, when I am head to toe in my thermals.

OK so it's not quite this.....

Image courtesy of Pinterest

But you know, if we never tried anything slightly different the world would be a very dull place. So, is there a combination that you're going to wear that you haven't done so before, or have you had any recent magnificent successes?

When confronted by lime green sandals, what's a girl to do?

First thing on Sunday morning I found myself in New Look, helping our eldest to find prom shoes. Whilst there, these New Look lime green sandals (£12.99), which just happened to be in my current favourite shade, caught my eye and I was compelled by some intergalactic force, to try them on. And then of course I liked them, which resulted in me buying them. What's a girl to do?! *

* Stop going to the shops may be a good idea. Or maybe just not trying things on when I get there. Simple really.

Spring time bits and bobs that it's good to have in your wardrobe...

When the weather gets slightly warmer, it's good to swap your jeans for something lighter in weight. Chinos, cargos and utility trousers are the obvious choices but they're not always that different in weight. However these Jigsaw cotton tencel chinos (£79) have are lovely and light and drapey. They are great on a long flight or car journey and unlike linen, which is the other obvious choice for summer trousers, you don't arrive looking like you need a good iron - well at least your trousers don't. (Tummy and face, in my case, are a different matter.)

This post wasn't intended to go down this route but now that I've looked at the trousers, I think I'll talk through the rest of the pieces that I'm wearing in this outfit.

There are a few pieces that can truly be worn pretty much any day of the year but a denim shirt really is one of those pieces. It too is made form tencel and this one is from New Look (£17.99). Next also has a good selection.

I'm still loving tassels in a big way and the bead and tassel necklace that I'm wearing is from Topshop (£12.50). Predictably I was attracted by the pink! I'm also wearing a longer one which was gifted to me last year by Marianna Boutique and it's by ChloBo.

Finally the sunglasses are by Jigsaw (£59). These glasses are quite a statement for me and not something that I would have worn years ago. But I guess that's the one good thing that comes with age - you gain a little more confidence about some things and worry a little less about others.

And then for shoes? Well espadrilles have taken off in a huge way over the last couple of summers and now they're available in sequins, such as these Kurt Geiger espadrilles (£95)

And in print, such as these Margarita espadrilles created in partnership with Liberty from Bibico (£49.99)

And in glitter, such as these New Look lace up espadrilles (£9.99) - which also come in stripes.

New Look has a great range of espadrilles - despite their photos not being up to much when it comes to writing a blog - which is irritating but not irritating enough to put me off going to take a closer look at these sparkly ones next week.

Don't dress for the season, dress for the weather....I'm trying, really I am.

"Don't dress for the season, dress for the weather" were the wise words imparted to me by the lady who works on the returns counter in our M&S. She's lovely and we have some great chats, all of which somehow seem to involve the size of her boobs - at her instigation, not mine. But in fairness they are noteworthy.

Anyway, I got to thinking how right she is. How cold, wet and windy will it have to get before I finally relent and put some socks and a winter coat on, like so many people that I saw today? The trouble is that somehow I just can't bring myself to take that step backwards, which could quite possibly explain how it came to be that today I bought a white sun dress.

So this morning, rather than return to a full on winter coat, I opted for my Jigsaw coatigan (a less stylish name for a piece of clothing I cannot imagine).

Worn with a Topshop blouse which I reclaimed from our eldest's wardrobe, GAP trousers and my Topshop shoes to which I appear to be surgically attached at the moment, I was sorted (other than in the playground at drop-off and pick-up when I was freezing). OK I'll admit - maybe I should just go back to a winter coat.

Featuring the perfect shirt dress - the Claudette dress by Allium B in a bespoke Liberty print...

Many of you will be familiar with the brand Allium B which is run by sisters, Mary and Clare, both of whom previously had successful careers in fashion.

After being convinced that there was a gap in the market for dresses aimed at those ladies who wanted that all important extra length and close attention to detail, in September 2011, Clare and Mary started developing the range. Allium B was launched in March 2012 and has gone from strength to strength in the intervening years.  Nearly three years ago now I interviewed Mary and Clare, asking them about the philosophy behind the brand and for anyone interested, you can read that interview here.

Over the past few summers I have featured Allium B dresses on Style Guile and I have loved wearing them all. I wrote about the Eliza (£95) dress here , the Hannah dress here and the Audrey dress here and when I was asked to feature the Claudette shirt dress (£125), one of Allium B's new styles, I didn't hesitate in saying yes.  A shirt dress is one of those wardrobe workhorses that will serve you well over the years in so many different ways.

The Claudette shirt dress is particularly special because Liberty commissioned a bespoke print especially for Clare and Mary, which has the Allium B flower in the design. And their dresses are now available for sale in the Liberty store, which must be hugely exciting for them.

The Claudette shirt dress comes with a fabric tie belt, three quarter sleeves and lends itself to being styled in a number of ways. Although I have opted for the more obvious dress route, it would work really well as a beach cover up, or as a tunic style top over skinny jeans - either undone or done up.

For anyone who would like to treat themselves to a lovely dress from Allium B, there's a 25% discount available to readers of Style Guile, using the code BESPOKE, which is valid until 20th June.

In the above photos I have styled the dress with a thin gold Reiss belt, Topshop shoes and a Jigsaw bag and sunglasses for quite a modern "City" look. Below I have swapped the bag to a Kausar one and the sparkly sandals are from Aldo, which gives the outfit more of a laid back summer look.

That Cos dress again - you've seen it styled up and now it's styled down plus a treat from & Other Stories...

It was only a few days ago that I featured this Cos dress styled up for a night out. But today looked like it had the potential to be warm and I'm just so desperate to wear a dress or skirt that I decided to brave the early morning cold in anticipation of the rays that were due later on in the day. I wanted to see whether the dress might work OK with flats. Being a longer length it can be tricky to pull flats off but I was prepared to sacrifice style for warmth and comfort.

At this point our eldest was sitting in the car looking at me and waiting for me to take her to her maths GCSE exam. You know when you have a smile on your face but inside your heart is breaking - just like when they go for their injections as babies and you would much rather go through it than putting them through it? Well that's how I felt. Not that I would have been that much use to her I hasten to add. Does anyone else find themselves cleaning the kitchen whilst waiting for the exams to finish? And don't ever let me go into town - I just buy random things that I don't need (although I do take them back!)

Anyway, here's another dress that may feature in the same category as the Cos one in that it has a good length to it, a little bit of a sleeve and it's nipped in at the waist - for those who like that style. You may have already come across it  but if not, this black pom pom dress from & Other Stories (£55), which has been re-styled slightly from last year, is worth taking a look at. It comes up a little on the small size so it may be necessary to size up.

So, has anyone got any gems up their sleeves on the summer dress front? I'm always on the look out for a go anywhere dress for these lovely sunny days that we seem to be having!!

A date for your diary with Jigsaw and me! (Thursday 4th June from 6.30pm)

After an event that I held with Jigsaw in Birmingham late last year, I am very excited to say that have been invited back to hold another event with the store. For anyone interested in coming along, I will be there chatting about the summer collection, identifying my top picks and offering style advice. It promises to be a great evening with drink, nibbles and gifts and most importantly lots of trying on of clothes, shoes and bags!

If you would like your name added to the guest list please either email me at mail@bethgoodrham.com or call the store on 0121 633 9475. Hope to see lots of you there!

And if anyone is interested in one of my top picks this season, it might just happen to be this pair of Jigsaw Monique City Sandals (£149) which as you have probably gathered, are getting a lot of wear by me this summer.

Look forward to seeing you there!