Happy Christmas - The Seven Outfits of Christmas

 Skirt from Hush (£65), Boots Jones (now £120) sequin top & Other Stories (£49 - almost sold out) Earrings Kaaren Buchanan (£68 - gift)

I had such great plans for the blog this week but as you can tell from my absence - none of them came to fruition. However I didn't want Christmas to come and go without wishing you all a very "Happy Christmas." I also wanted to say a huge big "Thank You" for reading and for your support along the way. Style Guile will be going into its 8th year next year and I know that some of you have been with me from the start. Without you all it wouldn't be here - so thank you! Hopefully next year I will be able to make time to blog more (famous last words) so I should get to chat to you all a little more regularly. 

I love Christmas Eve - it's probably my favourite day of the year. But I'm really conscious that for many, Christmas can be a difficult time. A "first" Christmas after anything sad has happened must be upsetting, so I want to let you know that amongst the merriment tomorrow, I shall be taking a moment to reflect and to send out virtual hugs to those who need them.  

As I haven't managed to blog much - OK, at all - I thought that I would do a quick round up of outfits from the week, together with a couple of other shots. After all, Christmas is about friends and family as much as the outfits.

This week, I've managed to get out early most mornings with my running friends. Those times are so precious to us all and we love getting some fresh air, some exercise and having a chat. It really sets us up for the day. This shot was taken on top of a railway bridge near to my home, just as the sun was rising. It was such a beautiful sight and just stopping (phew) and taking a moment to think about the run that I had just had with my wonderful friends was a really special time. 

Last Sunday we went to see my Mum and her sister and that too was such fun. This is a photo of her sideboard, which she had set up for Christmas. I felt that it captured the essence of Christmas when I was young, perfectly. So many people liked this post on Instagram that I have wondered about handing my account over to my Mum. Forget the fashion - it's all about the mince pies, the cake frill and the Quality Street. Nostalgia is a powerful emotion and so many people commented and identified with this post. The cake frill in particular had lots of love!

And this was my Mum's coffee table, complete with my Aunt's slippers in shot. You can tell that the children had been at the Pringles.

I seem to have been on my feet a lot this week so it was pretty much flats all the way. Dungarees and a new blouse from one of my favourite brands, Mercy Delta (which they kindly gifted to me) was a really comfortable outfit for a full day of Christmas shopping on Monday.

Our eldest daughter is working in John Lewis at the moment and we spent hours in there, taking every single item to her till just so that we could see her briefly. We also took her for lunch and although she was working, it was a really special day for us all. She loved having us so close. Sometimes people can be horrible to shop staff at Christmas (and some can be lovely) so it broke up her day and although I always chat to shop staff, it acted as a reminder to be super nice to them.

I took our youngest to see Alice in Wonderland earlier on Tuesday and I wore this outfit from Great Plains which I wrote about in my last post. This time however I wore it with trainers from Air & Grace together with a huge scarf from Jaeger which I've had for several years now. It just gave a slightly different twist to things. And I'm still quite traditional when it comes down to what to wear to the theatre/ballet/carol service. It would be wrong to pretend that I had made a huge effort but something other than jeans feels right on those occasions.

On Wednesday I was again in jeans and trainers, which were from Air & Grace. The weather has been so mild that the issue of socks (or lack of them) really hasn't arisen. This coat from Linea at House of Fraser is also perfect for this weather and it adds sharpness to an otherwise very casual and "un-tailored" outfit. Note to self - I must wear some more skirts and dresses.

More sparkles - this time from & Other Stories. And surprise surprise, I'm in (old, Gap) jeans (hence the lack of link) and Adidas trainers -again! On Thursday I had some friends come round for brunch and it was lovely to just sit and chat - particularly as they were my running friends and most of our conversations are interspersed with "Can't talk now, I can talk at the top" or "Ooh this really hurts today" or, as in the case of this morning "I thought that somehow running on Christmas Eve would be easy." Why? Who in their right mind would actually think that, let alone voice it?! (Well apart from me.)

And on Friday I was in....yup, jeans and trainers! These jeans were from Whistles a while ago now and are generally on the tight side, so the fact that I managed to get them on and keep them on all day was a result. I don't know why I decided to do double denim but I like this shirt from Zara and I haven't worn it for a while - so it kind of seemed like a good idea at the time.

We had 9 for dinner that night so there was lots of running around to do, hence the trainers. As we're going away on Boxing Day we had to start our Christmas food celebrations early, so as not to have any left overs. So, our Christmas pudding has already been eaten and the trifle already made and eaten too. I should have photographed it - the cut glass trifle bowl is from my Mum and it's a beauty. I figured that the trifle didn't quite look the same after the first portion had been served.

And look! I'm not wearing trainers! Although I am wearing jeans (Mango from nearly a year ago) and a sparkly top (again) - this time the Great Plains Suraya top (again limited in size). This is clearly not a place to come for outfit inspiration - unless you like jeans, a sparkly top and a splash of colour in accessories.

And then here we are at today and I'm wearing the first outfit. To set the scene, the children and their friends are watching Harry Potter and the Snowman will be on soon, which I love. The tree lights are on, the table is almost set for tomorrow and shortly we're off to Pizza Express before coming home when I will read "The night before Christmas" to the "children". On Boxing Day we're heading for some sun so next time I appear on here, it may well be in a bikini. And if that's not an incentive to keep off the mince pies then I don't know what is. Well, apart from turning a blind eye and breathing in, which is what I will probably do in reality.

I hope that you all have a truly special Christmas. Do come over and follow me on Instagram if you would like to see what I am up to - you can find me here And if anyone is feeling a little blue or in need of a chat, please do just drop me a line anytime. See you on the other side!

How to create a fail safe outfit for an evening out....could I ask a favour please?

On Saturday night I was out at the Edward's Trust Ball. Edward's Trust is a fantastic charity which provides a wide range of support services to bereaved families and children. They don't receive any government funding despite the NHS referring children, so they really rely on charitable donations.

I've previously been to the Edward's Trust Garden Party where I saw an exhibition of the artwork done by children who had lost a parent. There were pictures painted both prior to, and having received, the support of Edward's Trust and there was no better way to demonstrate the impact that the work of ET has. Even thinking about those pictures makes me want to cry. But being a snivelling wreck doesn't help anyone does it? However running a half marathon for Edward's Trust hopefully will. So on Sunday 18th October, that is what I shall be doing - running the Birmingham half marathon for Edward's Trust.

Last year I asked if anyone would be happy to donate to my Just Giving page and I was overwhelmed with the kindness of people who supported me. So despite it making me feel slightly uncomfortable, I'm going to ask again - because sometimes doing what feels wrong, is actually the right thing to do. I hope that no-one ever needs to use the services of ET or a similar organisation but knowing that it exists offers comfort. So anyway, here's my just giving page. Just in case anyone would like to give - even just a little. (Thank you, I'll try not to let anyone down.)

As with most events these days, I prefer a slightly more dressed up/dressed down look - mostly because I find it warmer and more comfortable. So this is the look that I opted for on Saturday night and how I went about creating it.

1. Take one pair of black trousers....

I love my silky track pants from Topshop and Boden has a great pair this season, which you can see here (£69 but currently in the sale for £60.03). The reviews are actually very, very positive for Bodenites and I am tempted with the navy. Because of course we all need about 10 pairs of navy trousers in our wardrobes don't we?

For anyone looking for a slightly different style of trousers, joggers - ignore the term, it conjures up images of 1980's style shell suits and headbands - are a great place to start. They are versatile and flattering both with flats and heels, blazers, biker jackets and long coats. And not many trousers can make that claim!

2. Take one top with enough coverage to keep warm (yes there was a vest underneath, albeit silky and black) but which has enough about it so as not to look like a t-shirt or a work top!

I also wore a brocade top from Miss Selfridge which I bought last winter, just before Christmas. I've checked and I can't see anything similar at the moment but leave it with me and I'll see what I can come up with. In the meantime, Jigsaw has this cropped top (£79) which (I think) would be the perfect length with these trousers. It's not really cropped in the sense that we think of cropped, rather just waist length as opposed to hip length or below. It sold out in ivory in the summer so it's good to see it back in stock. It would be great with a big statement necklace to make it slightly dressier and it would also work with anything which has a slightly higher waistband, such as a pleated skirt.

3. Add a pair of heels- go a high as you can!

As for shoes, I ordered these from the Karen Millen sale after Christmas for £40 instead of £140. It was the first time that I wore them and they were really comfortable. High, but comfortable! They are currently on the site for £90. I would be tempted to ring Bicester!

4. Stick on a pair of chandelier ear-rings from Stella & Dot (£40) - and Bob's your uncle.

The only problem is, I don't have a gold watch. So that's my Christmas pressie sorted, which Mr SG is pretty happy about.

I have to apologise for the photo. My photographer thinks that every other photo should be of her so she flips the screen without me knowing to take a photo of herself. This leaves me with half of the photos that I would normally get. And believe me, I need more than two to choose from.

Denim, denim, denim....what is it all about? Well I (may) have the answer.

So, you may ask yourself, how can it be that denim is a trend this season? As we all know, denim is always all over the high street, so it's difficult to see how it can be new, fresh, or updated in anyway. Well it can and here I've done a whizz through how you might wear it slightly differently than you have done before.

When it comes to jeans, we've gone from bootleg, to skinnies, to boyfriend and mom and now (back) to flares but wide leg jeans haven't really had a moment of their own. However Whistles (£95) has this pair which are a lovely change from our usual suspects - and they are surprisingly flattering. Don't forget the 25% Grazia discount at Whistles until the 15th. Boden also has a pair too.

These GAP denim joggers (£34.95) are a nice soft, lightweight fabric for the summer and the shape is a refreshing change too. I love them with heels but they will look equally good with flats - either pointy, or lace-up ballerinas, maybe deck shoes, espadrilles or the nerdy sandals I wrote about the other day. Lots of options so have a play!

There are lots of dungarees around and with many brands sold out, people may want to take a look at these Whistles slim dungarees (£120). I like how they've styled them here - much more sophisticated than some takes on them (my own included!!)

I've been in two minds about denim jackets for many years now but I really like this Whistles frayed edge denim jacket (£95). I think that it's because it doesn't have a collar, which makes it look more up to date. Lovely with a white cotton dress and silver shoes in the spring.

Then there's the GAP bomber jacket (£44.95) - again a more modern shape than the traditional very boxy shape of the 90's. There's 40% off at GAP at the moment too (if you sign up for their emails) which makes their clothing a really good price.

I've been waiting for these Warehouse denim culottes (£42) to come into the stores for ages. They have just appeared on line. That length could be tricky, very tricky and most mere mortals may need heels to pull them off but I shall investigate further and let you all know!

OK so this isn't so much out there as a wardrobe staple. It's the Miss Selfridge shirt dress (£42) which seems to be in limited supply at the moment - probably for good reason. I like a shirt dress for the summer. It's great for lots of shapes and don't be put off by the pockets, even if you do have a curvier bust. Kirsty was wearing a shirt dress on Location only moments ago and it looked great on her and she's not lacking in the boobage department.

When it comes to a shirt or blouse, this French Connection denim shirt from John Lewis (£50) is a refreshing change from a more traditional style. Because it's quite short, it should work well with a higher waisted full style skirt as hopefully it won't cover the waistband - again I'll report back once I've tried it.

I felt that I needed to update my own home made denim cut offs and yesterday I bought these GAP boyfriend shorts (£29.95). I liked the colour, the slightly slouchy fit, the length and the price. I wasn't so sure about me in them and I found the ribbed marks around my legs from my socks slightly off putting but you can't have everything.

And finally for shoes, GAP have these denim sneakers (£29.95), which are an easy denim addition to make to your wardrobe.

There is so much denim out there at the moment and this is only the tip of the denim ice-berg but hopefully it will offer a flavour of what is available. There's also a great boiler suit/jumpsuit in GAP but I can't see it on line. Has anyone tried it? Would love to hear about it if so!

Not quite 50 shades of grey but not far off - toning prints and textures

I've had this M&S Limited Collection dress - which you can't actually really see at all, so that's helpful - for a good few years now. I don't really remember wearing it last year so it's nice to resurrect it this year with the addition of this Whistles jacket/cardi type number, which I like because I wear it when I go out and then I leave it on when I come back in - because that's the kind of lazy dressing that I like! Somehow the addition of the scarf makes the jacket feel much warmer. I have no idea why this is but no doubt there's some weird and wonderful reason for it.

Most of my wardrobe is made up with pieces that I hope to own for many years without them dating - or that's the plan anyway. Then from season to season I just update them by putting them with new bits and bobs that I've bought - well again, that's the plan. Now that Mr SG reads this on a daily basis, it's time to well and truly put my plan to the test. Yes, it's time to dig deep. I'm hoping that he's going to tire from reading this flippin' blog sometime very soon.

Losing my shopping mojo - it can't be far away can it?

I've got to be honest, I'm not feeling the love for the shops, or clothes, at the moment which is so unheard of for me that it must mean that I've been taken over by an alien.  I've trawled my usual favourite sites and I'm feeling distinctly uninspired. In fact I even resorted to reading the "Runner's World" website and an article on tapering before a big race. That's how bad things are.

The majority of the new season's stock looks exactly the same as that from the last two seasons - a bit drab, a bit loose, very comfortable (not that I'm knocking that) but nothing that makes me sit up and go "Yes, I will happily do whatever it takes to get my cheeky little mitts on one of those."  The joy can come just from thinking about such things as much as owning them. And I miss it!

Now in some ways this is good because it makes it easier to stick to my policy of wearing what I own already. On the other hand I feel bereft. Like a part of my soul is missing. I've always said that I would hate to win the lottery. Where's the fun in life in being able to buy every thing that you want? Nope, a little retail lust goes a long way - even a little £5 retail lust can go a long way. And I'm hoping that one day very soon - Tuesday would do - it will return.

Until then I am going to share this outfit with you - a Jesire (anyone remember them? I really liked them until they went under) leopard print grey jumper, Cos grey jeans, Zara boots and a Miss Selfridge fur scarf. Cosy, comfy and arguably a bit drab and a bit loose. Oooops! But at least there's nothing better to tempt me. Well, not for now anyway.....

The 12 outfits of Christmas, day 6 - One from Zara and & Other Stories for the rounds of Christmas jobs and chores.

"Are those jeans new?" Mr SG asked me a couple of days ago. To which I replied "Yes."
"What you bought them with those holes in? Please tell me you're joking."
"Yes I did and no, I'm not." The poor man was at a loss for words - incredulous and utterly confused by the whole thing but I think that it's fair to say that, on occasion, I suffer at the hands of his sense of humour so I didn't feel too bad.

As we all know, a new pair of jeans can work wonders at breathing life into your wardrobe. I saw these jeans in a magazine a couple of weeks ago so went to try them out in Zara (£29.99) earlier this week. They're a low rise but not ridiculously low and they're actually very comfortable plus I liked the frayed hem. I haven't bought any trousers or jeans from Zara for a few years now, since a pair I bought ripped right where you wouldn't want them to but I thought that they deserved another chance.

With this new blouse from & Other Stories (£45) which I bought in London last week, I was sorted for a day of Christmas jobs. As an aside, the fit of this blouse is lovely - not too tight and I also managed to get a long sleeved cotton T underneath as an extra layer.

More of a decoration than a gift, I'm currently loving Eric, our stag head from Cox & Cox (£25). He's probably the most decorated (and camp looking) stag that there is, adorned as he is with Monsoon Christmas glasses and decorations from Selfridges and John Lewis. When you have to relinquish control of the the tree to the children, you need a little bit of something to call your own - and on reflection, if this is what I do to Eric, it's probably just as well that I'm not in charge of the tree.

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 1, casual glamour (Clamour)

[Outfit: Seven boot lane boots, Cos jeans, Jaeger boutique jumper, Miss Selfridge scarf]

So today I've decided to start my 12 outfits of Christmas feature. It's the third year that I've done this now (I think) but I'm sure that by day 4 I will have run out of ideas and I will be asking you all to contribute - which of course you are all more than welcome to do anyway. Maybe my Mum will even let me have a photo of herself in her New Look Christmas jumper. She's just had her hair permed so I'm sure that she's feeling on top of the world right now. 

My aim is to include outfits for lots of different occasions so whilst the outfits may not all be "live"  hopefully they may give some ideas - whether they be ideas of what to wear or what NOT to wear. As with last year, I'm hoping to include a gift idea each day too. I won't lie, they will be girlie all the way! 

OK so clearly I'm not up to anything overly glamourous today but even on those days when you're doing lots of jobs and ferrying children around for their MOTs (dentists/opticians etc) there's no reason not to include a little something special. So I've come up with the term (or maybe I haven't at all but I've not heard it anywhere before) of Clamour - casual glamour - which is really your scruffs but with a bit of bling, fur, sparkle or whatever takes your fancy.

I've added this fur scarf from Miss Selfridge (reduced from £25 to £12.50) to my outfit, which I'm also using as my gift idea for the day. They come in several colours - pale pink, mint green, black and mine is the grey one. I'd been after a fur scarf for a while but all the ones that I had come across were pretty pricey. Then I saw this one and thought "that will do nicely thank you very much" and I haven't taken it off since. Although it isn't furry on the back, it has a nice satin lining so it still looks nice and it's also slightly gathered at the bottom which makes it sit well. I reckon that receiving something like this on Christmas morning could make that enforced after lunch walk a whole more appealing, especially when all you really want to do is to sit on your bum watching telly and eating chocolate. 

So anyway, onwards and upwards. Here's looking forward to Day 2.....

A (not too) sparkly outfit for a night out...or for a night in, if you fancy it...

 

OK so I accept that this is not the closest shot of the outfit that I am wearing but it gives an idea of its silhouette at least. It's a two piece; a high waisted A-line midi skirt and a short top, which looks short enough on the hanger to reveal a little too much mid-riff but in fact it doesn't reveal any (luckily).

A two piece can work really well as an alternative to a dress particularly for those ladies who wear a different top size to skirt size - and a high waisted skirt fits neatly, avoiding the gaping that can come with a skirt which sits lower on the hips. So do give one a try, even if it looks as though the top will finish somewhere up near your arm pits - they are really nice for a change.

I wore this Jacquard top from Miss Selfridge (£24.50),

together with this jacquard skirt from Miss Selfridge (£31.50) and a pair of very high sparkly Dune shoes just because if you can't wear sparkle when its Christmas, when can you? It looked and felt far more expensive than its reasonable price tag. If someone had stuck me in it and said it was from Reiss or Whistles, I wouldn't have argued with them.

I spotted another double trouble outfit in Warehouse today, which isn't online but if you're passing and if you're after a two piece outfit, it's definitely worth a closer look. From memory it was black, sparkly (there's a surprise) again with a skirt - possibly pencil - and a short sleeved top combination.

And I'm including this just because I love it and one might just be on its way to be sometime soon.....a sequin skirt from Miss Selfridge (£38.50). Now we're starting to verge on the ridiculous. Is there such a thing as excessive sequinnage? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 1: The floral jacquard top

 

Today I'm starting with the first of my "12 days of Christmas" posts. It's fair to say that so far it's not going too well.  I had to abandon today's outfit (just to be sure, this isn't it) as the photos were so blurred. Having said that the outfit was pretty terrible anyway so it's not entirely the fault of the five year old and in a way she saved me. 

You will probably recognise the top from my last post. It's the floral jacquard top from Miss Selfridge and I decided to test out its versatility during a trip to visit our family. The top is fairly short so I layered another top underneath it, in a similar colour to my trousers, just for continuity of colour. I wore it with my favourite "wipe down" Primark coated trousers which turned out to be quite a good move as I managed to chuck flour down myself when rolling out pastry to put on a pie. I also wore a Next long cardi, Zara boots and a Mulberry bag.

I'm also going to include a gift idea in each post - for us, naturally! It will be something that you may like to put on your Christmas list, or buy for yourself to pep up some plainer pieces in your wardrobe or just to have as a back up as an emergency present for an unexpected guest. Naturally if said unexpected guest doesn't happen to be female, or share the same taste, they may just have to be satisfied with a box of spare chocs and you will have to keep the gift instead. Such a shame.

This is one of my current favourites and I have had my eye on it for a while - it's the Coast Kingston necklace and costs £40. This would sit really well against grey, black or navy - so it's a winner in my book.

In need of a new top? This floral jacquard top from Miss Selfridge may just work....

I am so disappointed that all the Christmas decorations available to us locally are so tasteful. Yesterday I went in search of big, sparkly, bright and if I'm honest slightly kitsch (OK, totally tacky) baubles to brighten up the tree. However all that I could find were white or silver, totally tasteful, wooden shaker style decorations with meaningful quotes on them. What's that all about and where's Woolworths when you need it?

I did manage to find tinsel though - albeit white and silver - so that was a small start at least. I'm now on the hunt for some of that cobweb spray stuff that we used to have on the tree when I was a child. How cool would that be? I can wreck the ozone layer and our lungs all at the same time.

Speaking of slightly gaudy sparkly things, I went out with some friends last night - not that they are gaudy - but this top that I was wearing from Miss Selfridge (£35) most definitely was. I didn't get a photo of the whole ensemble but thought that I would tell you about the top anyway because quite often at this time of the year we can be on the hunt for a new top to pep up jeans/black trousers etc.

 

This top is part of Miss Selfridge's Floral Jacquard collection, which contains trousers, bustier style tops and shorts. The colours in the pieces are really lovely and if you hover over the images on the site you can see them much more closely. This top has nude, pink, teal, gold and pale blue in it and it's nice to pick up on one of those colours elsewhere in your outfit. There's a zip from top to bottom at the back and the top is lined. The fabric is quite stiff - although not in an uncomfortable way - so if you're after a floaty number this isn't it but it does feel quite substantial and therefore, warm (big plus!)

I also wore these Luxe shine joggers from Topshop (now reduced to £30) which were really like wearing my PJ's but hopefully they looked a bit smarter...

 

...and these Lacey courts from Carvela now £45 instead of £85. Oddly as the night went on these shoes got progressively more comfortable but I fear that says more about my state, rather than the shoes themselves. I have to admit to feeling slightly delicate today and it's safe to say that there won't be any photos of me appearing for a while yet - although my husband kindly offered to take one for the blog this morning, which I politely declined.

 

 

Hope that you are all having a good weekend and good luck tomorrow to all you Bristol ladies who are running a10k race for charity.

Pink coats part 2 - let's see what's still left out there!

 

For anyone still on the look out for a pink coat (I know that there are some of you out there!) here's  a round up of some styles that should still be in the stores. With Boden, Jigsaw, Warehouse and M&S having sold out, stocks are quickly drying up.

First off, there's this fluffy swing boyfriend coat by Topshop (£85), which is a deeper pink, similar to the exceptionally old Benetton one that I am wearing above.

Then there's the Coast Maeve coat (£195) which comes up pretty short, so it's good for anyone on the petite side.

Moving on to paler pink coats, there's the Ted Baker Vivaine peplum hem coat (£299), which is a dressier option.  I saw this in the Ted Baker store today and I suspect that it was a web return as it was a one off. It's very pretty, with lovely buttons but probably not for everyday.

There's also the pale pink version of the Topshop coat above (£85). If I'm honest, I'm not entirely sure about the quality of the Topshop coats - the fabric and the lining both feel a bit "nylon" - but don't let me put you off. They are worth a look just to see.

Now this pink coat by Betty Jackson black at Debenhams (£111.75 reduced from £149) is a cashmere mix and it's definitely one that has come up on the inside - or is it the outside? Anyway, you know what I mean.

The web isn't showing a great range of sizes but there are lots in our local store, which had a replen last night. All sizes were available today. It's a great boyfriend style coat - straight lines, concealed buttons - very simple - definitely a winner.

Finally there's the pink wool boyfriend coat from Miss Selfridge (£85). It's slightly shorter and more fitted than the Topshop one but I think that it's a better quality and is 50% wool, so the price point is good.

 

I fear that time may  be running out on the pink coat front, so if you're still tempted, I'd hurry whilst stocks last (I've always wanted to say that. It sounds very television like!)