For the love of the Me & Em lace trim slouchy jogger

A few weeks ago the lovely team at Me & Em invited me to choose a few pieces from their current collection to style. As you all know by now, I really love pieces that are both pretty, and comfortable, so it was inevitable that the the lace trim slouchy jogger would feature among my choices.

Whilst in years gone by joggers were confined to being worn only at home, now they can be seen on even the reddest of carpets and at the glitziest of parties and with versatility also being so important to me, this really sealed the deal for me.

First things first - I started off with the size 8 but as they are so generous I had to go down to a size 6, which is just something worth bearing in mind. And then although the 6 were a little snug to start off with on the calves, after a few hours of wearing them, they warmed up and gave so that now they are the perfect fit. The great thing about them is that they are pretty substantial so I don't wander around feeling self conscious and fearing VPL or wobbly bum syndrome!  They also come in black or navy,  which should keep most of us happy.

These joggers are such a great option for a Saturday at home with a breton striped top and sneaker boots, or for a long car journey with ankle boots and a coatigan, or as I've styled them here with glitzy shoes and a lacy top. My next plan is to wear them with a lacy cami, a tuxedo jacket and heels. And come about 4pm on Christmas Day, when it's time to cast the dress aside, these will come into their own big style! Already the list of possibilities of when I might wear them is heading towards endless because they will also take me right through to the summer too.

For those who haven't wandered down the jogger route yet, other than for the purposes of jogging, or chilling at home, these are definitely worth a full and extensive investigation! I've had several pairs of joggers over the years from lighter weight ones (long jumpers only - let's not do the VPL thing) to heavier fleecy ones (extremely sexy - not) to silky ones which I love for a night out but perhaps not for everyday. And, let's really go full circle now, I love the lace. It's subtle but I know it's there!

The (gorgeous) pussybow ruched sleeve shirt by Me & Em

There's a simple formula for a smart/casual outfit that's an absolute fail safe every time. We've all used it over and over again and it's this:

Fancy top + battered jeans + sparkly shoes

The fancy top that I'm wearing in these pics is the Me & Em pussybow blouse (£119) and it's an absolute gem of a top for a night out with the girls. Equally with leather leggings it's super stylish or with more tailored trousers it's the perfect work outfit, with a lovely modern relaxed silhouette.

I'm a sucker for a bow, or a frill, or for something pretty and this top is just gorgeous, having both the pussy bow at the neck and a frill at the sleeve. The frilly sleeves are perfect for peeping out from under a coat with three quarter length sleeves, or for wearing with a long line gilet - but they're not so wide and loose that you can't go about your everyday business without trapping them in the dishwasher or dangling them in the cooking.

The "swing" in the top is fabulous too. It's not so full that it feels maternity like in nature but it has enough shape so that it doesn't cling. Plus the movement and slight "swish" to it makes it feel really elegant.

I love the length too. It hits at just the right point to keep it modern and given its wider hem, it has a slimming effect on the hips.

Plus - and it was only a matter of time before I came to this, there's room to layer plenty underneath, which is one of the reasons that I chose this top. I have a vest and one of my trusty short sleeve cropped tops underneath so it was perfect for a daytime outing too. Obviously in the evening I might even lose a layer. I know, how daring!

I like it when a new shape arrives in my wardrobe and I can see myself wearing this top in all sorts of different scenarios. When a top ticks the navy/pretty/versatile/can be layered up, boxes - I'm there every time.

Now obviously if I'd thought about it, I would have taken a couple of shots before I had tied the bow not after, by which time I had made it slightly crinkly. But it's lovely undone and arguably better for those ladies with a curvier bust who prefer more of a v-shaped neckline.

Now that's what you call a bow! So gorgeous!

Whilst this top was gifted to me by Me & Em, all the words and thoughts are my own and I can honestly say that this is a truly lovely top!

Possibly the only dress you will ever need

I first saw this dress whilst working yesterday and given that I was still thinking about it when I woke up this morning, I knew that I had to go and investigate further. The investigation soon turned into a purchase. Let me tell you more....

The Selma jersey dress from Whistles (£125 but there's still currently 25% off with Grazia) is all that I look for in a day dress - and more. It does have the slightly off putting word "body-con" in its title, which always strikes fear into my heart but whilst it's fitted, it's not one that cuts your circulation off, makes you turn blue and fall over.

I realise that I have written about Whistles a lot recently and whilst it's really strong this season I am objective about brands. When I was working last week we rejected a Whistles dress on the basis that it wasn't lined and was see through - come on Whistles, £145 for a see through dress? I don't think so.

So, where to start with this dress? It's machine washable at 30 degrees and has a wool content of 50% (so that's the warm box ticked). It has long sleeves, a good length (apart from the maxi dresses it is by far the longest length dress on the Whistles site.) It is also fully lined with a supportive under layer which not only holds you in but also gives a smooth line - and adds warmth, so that's a double tick on the warmth front.

This dress could be accessorised endlessly, and no doubt will be over the next few months, but for this post I wanted to show it to you in its "naked" state so that you can decide.

From this side shot it's possible to see the ruching at the waist, which is always a flattering detail, particularly as so many styles are hugely wide and loose this season - which is fine if it's a jumper and you can counteract it with a fitted skirt, or vice versa, or if you are very tall and can wear heels all day. Otherwise that shape isn't always so good.

 

Whilst I know it looks as though I'm doing a "push the boobs out" shot, it's just for the purpose of showing the exposed side zip, which I also really like as a detail.

Posting a photo of one's bottom is always a risky manoeuvre, and I must admit to forgetting the VB trick of bum clenching but there we go, it was the best I could manage whilst half way through cooking the dinner so please be gentle with me!

 

As an alternative, there's this Topshop dress at £35. It still has the ruching over the front and whilst it's flatter at the back, a client I was working with yesterday was telling me about the M&S slips she wears which are like a long vest, very fitted and give a smooth line - so one of those may sort out any bra strap/pant line issues.

Topshop also has it in this colour, which may hold more appeal to some. Lovely with bright yellow, hot pink, orange or black, it's another staple piece.

Me & Em has this double layered twist front jersey dress for £98, which I have included for those who have a curvier bust and who may appreciate the V-neck on this dress.

This Jigsaw dress £69 may appeal to more apple shaped ladies who don't necessarily want the ruching over the tummy (although don't discount it, it can work really well) and who instead prefer a looser fit - something which skims rather than clings but which nips back in at the hem to provide a nice silhouette.

The Whistles dress also comes in black - although I haven't seen it. I can't wait to play with this dress and to wear it for work, at the weekend and for evenings out - with heels, flats, boots, biker jackets, bright coats, pea coats, statement necklaces, printed scarves and sparkly scarves.  In fact I fear that this may be the end of Style Guile as from now on I will be wearing the same dress all winter. It may also be the end of my friendships as I will whiff a little too.