Can I persuade you to jump into a jumpsuit?

Not so long ago, I could never have imagined wearing a jumpsuit but I guess that's partly because I hadn't found the right one. A very short, very tight, Ted Baker style one (lovely as they are) worn with heels for a night out would have just caused looks of consternation wherever I went. It's a bit like the off-the-shoulder top that I tried on the other day. What looked like a 19 year old's top next to the face of a 44 year old. Not so much.

However just after Christmas I took the plunge and ordered the Baukjen playsuit that I'm wearing above. I didn't expect to like it but I was pleasantly surprised not only by its comfort and quality but also because of its laid back style. Whilst I couldn't deal with a jumpsuit in a dressed up environment I can get my head around it in a more relaxed setting, with flats and a stack of friendship bracelets. The drawstring waist means that I can alter the length of the shorts, the addition of a sleeve means that I feel less exposed and the neckline is one that I like. As with my denim Topshop jumpsuit that I've worn so much, an all in one outfit just takes the hassle out of dressing.

This Baukjen playsuit (£71) is a good alternative, although sizes are limited. 

And M&S Limited Edition has this playsuit (£45) which I love for its denim look, although the reviews about its fit aren't great - but obviously one size doesn't fit all and I would personally still give it a try. In fact M&S has quite a good selection of jumpsuits, both printed and plain so it's worth taking a look there as a starting point.

GAP has this tencel playsuit (24.99) which would be perfect for those who might prefer a little less coverage, possibly because they're going somewhere other than wet Wales or rainy Guernsey for their hols!

I know that some of us may be over 40 and that some of us will soon be teetering on the brink of being nearer to 50 than 40 - but that doesn't mean that we have to resign ourselves to wearing mid calf, wide leg, flippy, flappy linen trousers in the summer.

Diamonds in the (white) soles of her shoes...

Outfit: Jigsaw boyfriend jeans and Next mono point shoe, both current (although I can't find a link to the Next shoes right now), Mango jacket, LK Bennett bag, Whistles jumper (not so current)! 

I can't promise you diamonds in the soles of your shoes but I can promise you white soled shoes.

Each season there are the main trends and then there are the sub-trends and within those trends, the micro-trends. This season white soled shoes are everywhere. I've not read anything about them - not that I can recall anyway - so in that sense they're not a main trend but in the same way that a few seasons ago all dresses suddenly seemed to have exposed zips, many styles of shoes also come with white soles. I love them for their fresh, modern look.

If they haven't already, no doubt white soled shoes will now jump out at you wherever you are but for now, here are just a few examples of what's around at the moment...

Brogues

I love a good brogue and the addition of a white sole has given them the update that they needed. Whistles has the Fayley shoe (£150) and there is a similar style at Dune (£69) which are peppered with holes - lovely and spring like!

Loafers

Clarks has the Griffin Milly (£45) which comes in a few different colour ways. There are similar at Dune which come in a lovely shade of yellow. Again, a loafer is a very classic style and the white sole makes all the difference, making them fresher and lighter.

Skater trainers

Clarks have this Coll Beach shoe in pale yellow (£55). I tried them on earlier today (see below) and whilst they came up quite wide on me, they have the potential to be very comfortable. A real "go to" spring shoe if you're more of a casual, laid back, trouser kind of girl.

Sandals

There's the Draedia from Aldo (£50), which I have and which I'm quite fond of but sadly the weather hasn't facilitated in the wearing of these. The style has been around for ages but more in a "buy them from a rack hanging on the beach front" type of way, rather than a silver, sparkly type of way. The great thing about Aldo is that they do a 4.5 and 5.5, which is handy.

Another example is the Dina sandal from Miss KG (£55) - again more white soles but this time mixed with a lovely bright pink.

Slides

Kurt Geiger has the Krypton style (£110) and I've seen others in Dune, Primark and Carvela.

So, there we go. Not a terribly obvious trend but something that seems to have slowly crept up on us. It's something that's very accessible to us all and a quick wardrobe update, plus a whole load of sensible looking shoes have suddenly started to look a whole lot more attractive and that's never a bad thing.

Smartening up the pink front door and two practical, but lovely, sandal options reflecting the orthopaedic trend...

I've had to abandon today's planned post because technology is not playing ball as it should. However instead, I'm bringing you this photo of the pink front door having its annual tart up. Each year I canvas opinion from the family as to whether we should change the colour and each year I receive the same answer. A resounding "No", even from the boys. So pink it will remain, as it has done so for the past 11 years.

Instead of any outfit shots, I thought that I would bring you two things which I'm currently coveting and which reflect the colours on the front door.

The two brands that I've featured below are favourites of mine due to their good price and fab styles and if you haven't done so already, I would recommend taking a closer look at them.

Miss KG pink sandals (£55) - chunky and slightly orthopaedic but still with that element of pretty/girlie which I can't help but be attracted to.

Aldo Draedia sandals (£50) - again chunky and orthopaedic but this time in silver (OK so we don't have a silver front door but the postbox and lock are silver(ish)) which, predictably, appeals to the girlie/magpie in me. The good thing about Aldo shoes is that the 4's and 5's - and maybe a few others, also come in half sizes.

I'm liking the thought of these sandals on a number of levels - comfort and price included but also because they will give some much loved items that I already own a bit of a facelift. And we could probably all do with one of those from time to time!