The Whistles Jersey Tube Skirt....don't be put off by the fact it's like a big bandage...

 

Today I combined three of my favourite elements in one outfit - navy, leopard print and lace. For the first time I wore my jersey tube skirt by Whistles (£55). I bought it with the Grazia discount offer way back at the start of the spring but held on to it until now.

When the weather gets warmer, sometimes its prudent for the hem line to get a little longer, rather than a little shorter (although this skirt does also come in a shorter length). It is really thick and supportive, rather like a big bandage I suppose but it's nice to wear and it does keep everything in place. There's no wobble when wearing this little number!

I have seen alternatives in other stores and people have mentioned the Topshop one to me but I would be reluctant to recommend any others without having tried them, due to issues of VPL, quality, thickness and such like. However believe me, wriggling into one is enough so for now I'll hand this one over and I'll let others make the recommendations.

Next time I wear this skirt I promise to accessorise in the Whistles way. Many apologies for forgetting my white sunglasses. Please forgive me (see below).

And just to illustrate the point that the skirt is like a huge bandage, I've included an image of it. See, no zips, buttons or anything else. A bit like those maternity bump support things really, only longer. I'm making it sound such an attractive option aren't I?! But no seriously it is comfortable and despite being fitted in nature, it's one that could be dressed down with skater trainers or converse - or indeed up, with heels and sparkles for the evening.

As we all know, tummies have a mind of their own during the day going from flat(ish) in the morning to looking 4 months pregnant by the evening (or even after breakfast) so a top which has a little length to disguise that particular issue, whilst still showing your hips/bottom is always an option.

Oh, and following on from yesterday, when my eyes were scanning the kitchen this morning I decided that the goldfish just have to go. They simply don't match the new yellow colour scheme. They're just too...well...gold. And the family are fine to eat as much fruit as they like, provided its lemons, melons or bananas. Other than that they're out of luck.

A versatile summer dress from M&S Autograph (which is great if you also happen to be pregnant!)

I'm working with M&S over the next couple of days at their charge card holder event and as part of that, I have to choose an outfit to wear. It's always a bit tricky - largely because I leave it until the last minute and also because of the considerations involved in terms of the demographic of the ladies I'm presenting to, price point, comfort, practicality and the fact that I need somewhere for the microphone pack to go.

Today I wore this snake skin print dress from Autograph (£65) together with these leather cage sandals, also by Autograph (£55) which are currently out of stock online (sorry, I didn't know that until I just checked).

I really liked this dress as it's a good length, it's lined and it feels lovely but you know what? It would make a fantastically, brilliant, maternity dress for a wedding. I was going to take a photo to demonstrate the point but I'm not sure that it would have done anyone any favours. Please someone buy it and wear it to a wedding (you don't have to be pregnant but for anyone who is, it could save a lot of dress hunting).

The shoes are really comfortable too - but given that they are out of stock online I'm not sure that it would be fair to talk about how much I like them....

Sorry about the photograph - there were too many people in the store for me to get one there so I went and hid in a changing room!

The bare necessities of life - a beach dress and new PJs!

 

There are definitely some things in my wardrobe which get updated less frequently than others, which is why when it came to thinking about what I might need for our trip away, a pool/beach dress was up there along with the more obvious items of shorts and t-shirts. With time short, this one from H&M did the job in terms of price (£7.99), plus I liked the print and the fact that it is slightly scooped down at the back.

I'm really sharing this little number with you more because it's cheap and cheerful and it will do a good job of taking you to the beach and back, rather than because it's super stylish. The good thing is that it won't matter if it gets covered in sun-tan lotion and salt water. I love the idea of some of the more expensive beautiful beachwear but I must admit that I really don't see the point. In all probability I would just leave something like that at home for fear of ruining it, which kind of defeats the object.

I decided that my pjs also needed a bit of an update. They are quite often another thing that also get neglected.  More a fan of shorts and a vest, I found the set on the left at M&S. The shorts on the right came from GAP and because I wasn't too fussed about the vests there, I bought the white one from H&M.

I still can't quite get over the terrible book that I read on the flight on the way out. And because it was so terrible I'm going to share it with you all. I had to go back and re-read bits just to check that it was as bad as I thought and to make sure that I hadn't missed something. But no! So here goes...

The book contained the clichéd mothers - one stay at home mum who grew her own veg and made her own clothes from old curtains, one full on career mum who loved her job and her child but felt more competent at work, one mum who worked part time, had a nanny and missed her kids and one single, unhappy mum, who was after a rich husband to support her extravagant lifestyle. Bad in so many ways! Not only that but there was talk of the unfriendly London mums with kids who were scheduled up to the hilt with activities. Anyway the husband of the main couple was being stalked by his children's nanny who was convinced that he would run off with her because he had told her how much he liked her lasagne and wait for it....her ironing! Anyone else had the pleasure of that particular book?!

A couple of days spent in one of my favourite places - M&S!

For the last couple of days I have been working as a stylist with M&S at their loyalty event. It started on Thursday night with me pulling all the product I wanted to talk about. I love that part - walking around the store choosing the pieces that I think do a good job style wise and which will have hanger appeal to the people watching.

 

When I arrived on Friday morning, KJ the technician was hard at working setting everything up. It always amazes me how much goes on behind the scenes at these things.

Having hung everything up, it was time to get my basket of goodies so that I could start dressing the stand. As we were based in the home ware department it allowed me a chance to have a good look around there too, selecting flowers and candles - and the cot quilts were great for stuffing the bags so that they didn't fall over.

I'm never quite sure whether it's the goodies on offer that attracts the customers or the presentation itself. Everyone is always very welcoming though and the gents always make me laugh, so we have a good time whatever the reason!

The top that I am wearing is Limited Collection £25. I'm wearing a size 10 which was a bit roomy  but OK. I've just checked and there are only 10 and 12s left online. The shoes are M&S Collection (£25). They have the insolia padding in them and having worn them for two days solid, through 18 presentations, I can confirm that they are actually pretty comfortable. As for the trousers, they are the cotton rich ankle grazer trousers from Per Una (£35). They were great to wear and they also come in white. The fabric is quite thick and supportive so for a white trouser option, they are one of the best that I have seen this season.

Closer shot of the shoes!

 

 

In this shot the top looks as though it has a panel down the front of it but it's just the way that it's folded.

 

So, my days with M&S are over for a short while. I love seeing the regulars come back time and again. For some of them it's a real day out and they stay in the store for hours. Chatting to them can be a bit like chatting to my Mum! 

 

 

Stripes, florals and a sandal for summer....

 

The husband of one of my friends came up to me this morning and said "I like your shoes and I like the coat with them. It's a nice juxtaposition. You're making a statement." I'm not sure that I managed a response - that was quite full on and fashiony for me 8.20am, particularly as I was thinking about how our eldest had gone into her exams wearing a Sponge Bob plaster, designed so that he could act as her spiritual guru if her mind went blank. That's more of the level we operate on in this family. Apparently Sponge Bob was a big fat fail because he fell off.

You've probably all seen what I am wearing many times before: Jigsaw boyfriend jeans, Boden cashmere jumper, M&S shoes, Zara parka and Kate Spade bag.  I quite liked the jumper and the shoes together - the colours were the same but the prints were different and because there wasn't too much of either, and because they weren't too close together, they didn't fight with one another.

I came across these sandals from Red Herring (£31.60) whilst on my travels yesterday and thought that I would share them with you. It has to be said that they look better in the flesh but they are really attention grabbing when you walk past them. It's partly the colour and partly the slightly retro feel about them - they reminded me of something that Orla Kiely would design - although I should add that these aren't leather, which for some will be a good thing. The block heel is really cute and they would do a great job of brightening up darker coloured trousers or jeans. Anyway, just another idea!

 

 

Primark printed dress - the one that got away - plus some other printed pieces and a round up of what's in the shops

Today I was back in the shops, checking out the new stock. The stores are at a lovely stage now with lots of bright colours and prints, on clothing that we can actually imagine ourselves wearing, unlike when it all first started to arrive back in February. Because there aren't any sales on, the shops are neat, tidy and a pleasant place to be. Which was lucky as I was there for a few hours, starting with Cos before moving on to Karen Millen, Reiss, Zara, Next, Mango, Warehouse, Oasis, Topshop and finally Selfridges.

One of the good things about Selfridges is that they have a decent amount of floor space devoted to Primark - all of which is stocked with the Selfridges' customer in mind. Had this printed shift dress been 3 inches longer it would definitely be staying at the house with the pink front door. As it is, it took one look at itself on me in the mirror and legged it out of the door as quick as it could. However, for anyone who is on the petite side (and who likes the print - all v. personal I know) it's a great buy. It's 100% cotton, lovely quality and costs £13. Primark also has a selection of shell style tops in about 4 prints - not this one sadly so far - and they are £8.

Having decided to write about the printed Primark dress, I thought that it would be nice to include a few other printed pieces - although I must admit that I left M&S for another day, so I haven't actually seen these in the flesh - but I do like the look of these high block heeled shoes from the  M&S Limited Collection (£35). Personally I would have to keep everything else in the outfit really plain.

The Ellie print top from Reiss (£89) was something else that I spent quite a lot of time looking at. It's just a really pretty and versatile top, great for work or for a trip to the pub too.

And these Olivia trousers from Reiss (£95) also caught my eye. Predictably because of the grey and yellowy/green combination I would imagine. Again they are easy to wear with a simple white top, a grey marl jumper (crew or slouchy V-neck) or sweatshirt style top.

Cos wasn't so hot on  prints but was good on colour. Oasis was full of printed pieces and Warehouse was close behind with Karen Millen having a couple of nice sweatshirt tops with neon detailing. Some of the other things that I really liked were pretty lace tops (Reiss and Karen Millen), printed jersey trousers and the huge amount of denim that there is around at the moment. A girl can dream!

A few lovely bits and bobs available in the shops ...and an invitation!

Up until now, despite my promise, I haven't managed to get around to bringing you the photos of some of the pieces that I took along to an event last Saturday. So today, I'm going to whizz through them. There's no time for links I am afraid but they are all still available in store - although of course sizes will be limited. Some pieces are actually new season so they should be in plentiful supply.

 

This top from French Connection is one of their new season prints. There will be a lot of pastels around for s/s '14 but the addition of black to the mint green will, I think, make it more appealing to those who don't like the idea of a top which is entirely made up of pastel colours.

 

Another new season print, this time from Whistles. As is quite often the way with Whistles, they also do the print in a scarf, which is a good way of wearing it in a way which is less expensive. It also means that you can wear it more often. There's a good length to this dress and the black panelling down the sides is really flattering - so definitely one worth investigating.

For a sunny yellow colour, this new season jacket from French Connection adds a nice touch to black, navy or grey pieces. I have a feeling that there will be a lot of yellow/green pieces around in the shops soon.

 

This coral dress from Coast is now in the sale, reduced massively to something like £35. It's a really flattering cut - not too fitted but not too voluminous either plus the sleeves are an added bonus for many.

Both the fabric and the colour of this Ted Baker jacket are lovely. It's a stretchy supportive fabric and again, nice to wear with darker pieces and also the yellows that I mentioned. This is currently somewhere in the region of £62.

This pretty pink blouse from Coast has been around for a while now and it too is hugely reduced in in the sale. The pretty collar detail is lovely and the vibrant pink certainly makes you look twice!

This is a current season top from French Connection which I chose because of its shape. A lot of spring/summer tops are either really clingy or hugely voluminous, whereas this one falls right in the middle. It has enough movement in it for it not to cling but equally it won't swap either. The vertical pleats are also flattering. It would be perfect with the trousers below...

You may recognise these from Ted Baker as they put the print on about 32 different pieces. However, given time I think that the slight "print overkill" will fade from people's memories! They would look great in the summer with a plain t-shirt and flat sandals. These have been reduced from (something like) £129 to £59.

 

Ah, I love this jumper which I featured a long time ago now. It has been reduced from £99 to £50. Great colours for a dark winter's day and then on into the spring.

These cotton animal print trousers are currently in the sale at French Connection. These too would be great come the slightly warmer weather, with something hot pink, turquoise, bright yellow or coral (see below) on the top half.

This coral jumper from M&S is their new season stock. It's around the £65 mark which is good for cashmere. The necklace is in the sale at Coast for £19.

Closer pic of the Coast necklace, which is lovely but just check that the stones are all secure.

This is a current season M&S striped jumper. It's more oversized than the one above - so not for everyone - but I was totally taken in, not only by the stripes but also by the hint of pink (so predictable) which of course you can't actually see when it's on. Doh!

Here I added a statement necklace from Topshop, which just gives the jumper a slightly different feel. More of a "jumper with a necklace" feel than "a jumper without a necklace" feel. Radical huh?!

Here's the rail of clothes in its entirety - which was actually quite bright for a post Christmas event!

Now, on to the next event! For anyone not on my email list/twitter/fb and who lives close enough to come, it would be fantastic to see you there. I am really looking forward to it - specifically to see what everyone else there (nutritionist, make-up artist, personal trainer, skincare specialist) has to say! Sorry for the fact that it's slightly oversized - no time to faff!

Rugby matches and style. A contradiction in terms I wonder?!

Whether this outfit was a hit or miss was besides the point as its sole purpose was to keep me warm when I went to watch our son play rugby today. [I strongly recommend that you skip the next paragraph if you don't want to read my "Rugby Rant" - but better to do it here than to bore my friends - and at least you don't have to pretend to be interested!]

 

And as for this rugby business? Now I like a bit of competitiveness along with the rest of them but really? You bring your children up to share and play nicely but once they're on a rugby pitch, all bets are off. Your son has the ball and someone on the other team wants it? Well that's just fine - why don't you go right ahead and knock him to the floor and if you want to knee him in the face whilst he's lying there, that's just fine too.  And then at the end let's all shake hands and pretend what jolly good fun that was. And to continue with my rant.....snowball fights are banned on the grounds of Health and Safety, playing with conkers is banned on the grounds of Health and Safety but let's just let them kick the whatsit out of one another all in the name of sport. If that kind of behaviour occurred anywhere else it would be an assault, or a riot, or a breach of the peace. Rant over. I know I'm missing the point....

 

Anyway, as to the outfit - I wore Gap jeans, a Warehouse cable knit jumper, a French Connection scarf, a Primark fur gilet, the warmest overcoat that I own and which is from All Saints, M&S leather gloves and Cos (now very muddy) Chelsea boots, which our eldest held up this morning and said "I like these, they remind me of Harry Styles."  For once I didn't quite know what to say!

 

 

 

 

 

Pink coats, pink coats and more pink coats.....

Pink coats have been dancing on the fashion periphery for a while now.  It started last winter with Jil Sander's oversized pink coat (see below) but it has taken until this winter for them to filter down on to the High Street - and for A/W '13, the pink coat is where it's at!

I don't suppose that anyone will be surprised to learn that over the years I have had several pink coats. It started with a pink Oasis trench about 9 years ago and was soon followed by a pink Boden coat and after that a Benetton one. I tell you this only because, sadly, I clearly don't have a reason to buy a pink coat this winter, which I consider to be a shame.

The deal on pink coats is this: they should be the softest palest of pink, worn oversized with rounded shoulders and clean lines, or perhaps military style, but they should be devoid of frills, peplums, or anything that makes them look too girly. So, I've done a quick whizz around to see what's on offer at the moment. Not all of them fit the "deal" above but that's good, because not everyone will want to walk around in a pale pink, oversized, coat this winter.

French Connection (£175) has this lovely pink coat. Being double breasted and with a collar, it is probably more suited to women who don't have lots of curves. I like the swing shape of this coat, which gives it a bit of a 60's feel.

The Hobbs Lacey coat in orchid pink (£239) is a favourite of mine. I like this particular shade of pink as it has a depth about it which suits paler skins in the winter (that would be me then). The oversized shape lends itself well to the whole androgynous look which is so big for A/W '13 and it will work well with trousers and brogues, or boots, as well as dresses. Grazia quite often has a Hobbs discount voucher at the start of each season so if you're tempted, it may be an idea to keep your eyes open for that.

J Crew has this pretty, very ladylike, coat which also comes in petite and tall and costs £312.15 - or slightly more if you need the tall one, which seems grossly unfair to me. It also comes in a colour similar to the Hobbs one above, but is only available in a petite and in a size 0 - so it's probably not one for the masses but someone may do really well out of it as it's in the sale for around £185. (Kylie, if you're reading this, you know where to go for your winter coat).

This is the only picture of the coat that I am dying to see, which is from Topshop and as yet not available (unless someone tells me otherwise).  Again, it's a pretty pale pink with clean lines so it's definitely one to watch.

This pretty pink Marks and Spencer (£99) military style coat is from their plus range and comes in sizes 20 to 28. I like the shaping on this coat - simple and flattering with a revere collar, angled pockets at the waist and it is also single breasted.

Zara (£179) has this masculine style overcoat. It's not dis-similar to the above style but it has less movement in the skirt part of it. There's something about black buttons on a pink coat which always stand out. Personally I prefer buttons the same colour as the coat - but not enough to change the ones on my own coat. Cheery looking soul isn't she?!

For those who prefer something less than a full length coat, Zara has this woollen overcoat for £79.99. It's great for those who perhaps travel a lot sitting down and don't want their coat to get creased, or for those who have fantastic pins. I'm a big fan of playing to your strengths so if great legs are your strength, show them off at every opportunity, cold or not!

Boden (£149) has this Mia coat which is very chic, in a classic Audrey Hepburn type of way. This bubblegum pink is a great colour and I can see it working really well at the weekend with jeans, Chelsea boots and a chunky roll neck jumper.

For a paler than pale pink coat, Reiss (£225) has this blush jacket with a waist tie.  It's a lovely design with clever detailing in the panels. Whilst a waist tie isn't for everyone, it's definitely worth a try.

 

Being cream, this Jigsaw (£265) coat doesn't really belong in this post but I fell in love with the colour, texture and shape of it, together with the fur collar. As I have mentioned before, all things fluffy, soft and furry are going to be huge this winter (a post on this particular trend will follow) and for me this coat embraces the trend in a very classic 1940's way but with a modern twist, as opposed to a less sophisticated (OK, chavtastic) kind of way. This coat would look amazing at a winter wedding - I just need one to go to now.

  

 

If a pink coat isn't your thing at all, there will be many other options available.  Zara has these pink trousers for £29.99 which are great but as ever with Zara, it's a good idea to start with the XL size and work backwards to avoid being utterly demoralised when the medium ones don't even go over your calves.

 

 

 

Warehouse (£28) has this lovely box bag in a pretty pale pink colour. I like the silver frame and the structured shape of this particular bag and it is well priced. Again, a great wedding option (hint, hint friends).

 

 

So, that's where we are on the pink coats - will you or won't you?  Perhaps you wouldn't have before reading this but now you might be tempted to.  Or like me you perhaps would love to but don't have  a reason to. Oh well, if that's the case, that's the great thing about this time of year, there's always something else just around the corner.....

 

Mum on the Run - A Whistles sparkle knit at a bargain price at Atterley Road and lots of nude shoes!

Recently I had reason to have lots of nude mid height court shoes in my possession, so I thought that I would share them with you. It's amazing how much the colours differ between them all and it becomes even more noticeable so when they are all lined up like this. 

 

Nude courts aren't for everyone, and the assistant in M&S who I know quite well, certainly made her views known on them when they were being returned! However, there's no denying that they have fantastic leg lengthening properties and they are incredibly versatile too.

 

 

From left to right there's the:

 

Mid heel patent court shoes M&S £15 - worn by many and sworn to be both comfortable and a great fit, not to mention a great price. The trade off obviously is that they're not leather but for some that's ot a trade off at all, in fact it can make them much more attractive.

 

Stiletto heel platform court shoes Limited Collection M&S £19.50 ditto above I would imagine, although I haven't checked but I want to get this published due to the great bargain below...

 

Leather almond toe court shoe Autograph M&S £49.50 (blush)

 

Sabira leather patent leather court shoe LK Bennett (£155 down to £95) in light taupe and they also come in latte.

 

LK Bennett is also known for its:

 

Sledge platform court (£195), which is the highest of their nude shoes and has a platform. I have a pair in taupe which I much prefer to the light taupe colour in the Sabira style above;

 

Shilo shoe (£170) lower than the Sledge and minus the platform;

 

Sybila leather platform court (£170) lower than the Sledge and with a platform - so a mini sledge really;

 

Florete point toe leather platform court (£170) lower than the sledge minus a platform but with a pointed toe.

 

Whilst in House of Fraser today I also came across another brand - whose name escapes me now but I will be back in there tomorrow so will take another look - and they do a great mid height court with a very slight platform. They come in a couple of nude colours, navy and red and cost £95. Although they're not cheap, for anyone who relies on a good mid heel court as a wardrobe staple, these could be a good option and they are less expensive than the LK Bennett ones.

 

Whilst in the process of acquiring nude courts, I looked to Hobbs but that's as far as it went as they aren't such a good colour this season.

 

Out of all of them, my favourites were the M&S Autograph ones at £49.50. The slightly pinky tone was really flattering but I remain a fan of the taupe Sledge too, despite the criticism levelled at those who wear them! 

 

If you're a size 10, tonight could be your night because I'm bringing you a Brucie Bonus! This Nell all over sequin jumper by Whistles is reduced from £110 to £65 at Atterley Road, whilst currently still full price in the stores. I have one and I love it so if you're tempted, I'd nip on over quick before they all go.

 

 

 

I was planning on posting some outfits today but for some reason I can't. When I try and add an image to the post, a banner with Shane Warne pops up, advertising some casino or another. I think that bloke is a twonky head at the best of times but now he's really starting to irritate me. It's those perfectly tweezered eye brows and that too smooth complexion. It's just not right, especially for an Aussie cricketer.  Blimey, next we'll be seeing him in a sparkly jumper like the one above. That Elizabeth Hurley has a lot to answer for.