Orla Kiely for QVC - and fluffy jumpers!

Girlfriend twill stripe chino from GAP (£22.99) leather sneaker boots Zara (£39.99) boyfriend jacket Oasis (£45) Topshop blouse (previous season) Orla Kiely bag similar here (£115)

Yesterday the youngest and I hit the shops by 9am to buy her a few new bits and bobs now that the weather is getting chillier. She has a thing for fluffy jumpers and I've promised her that even when she's as old as I am, each winter I will take her shopping for a new fluffy jumper. I have visions of Bella Freud and Wyse jumpers appearing somewhere along the way. Anyway, for now, this is what she chose...

M&S "Hello" jumper £18.  And this one...

M&S heart jumper (£16). I figured that you can't really argue with logos, sequins, pink fluffy hearts and grey. Hmmm, can't imagine why she likes those things. Plus they go up to an age 14 so for anyone who is on the petite side....

I went a bit slouchy on the bottom half in girlfriend chinos from GAP, which have a lovely fit about them - best described as your favourite jeans on a loose day - and Zara sneaker boots which are so comfortable for walking around town in. But then on my top half I went smarter with a Topshop shirt and Oasis boyfriend blazer, just to off set the slouchier trousers and flats.

The Orla Kiely bag that I'm using ties in nicely with my up and coming QVC shows. I promised to let everyone know when I was on again and tomorrow (Monday) at mid-night I'm doing my first Orla Kiely show, Then at 9am on Tuesday I'm presenting the morning show followed by three further shows at 2pm, 4pm and 5pm. During the 4pm show I will be launching Orla Kiely homewear on QVC which is hugely exciting. The other shows will be featuring bags and wallets plus I will also be launching Orla's watches and new jewellery range. So, for anyone who would like to, please do tune in!

I'm not sure when I'll be back but hopefully it will be soon - and I'll keep posting instagram updates of my Orla outfits. Have a super week everyone!

Sorry about the grey jumper appearing again. I have a new laptop and odd things keep happening!

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.

How to style wide legged trousers - and what to do if all else fails....

Whistles jeans and Topshop shoes (current), Topshop jumper and Orla Kiely bag (not so much)

So, let's talk about wide legged trousers. As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman "slippery little suckers." OK so she was talking about snails but the concept is the same - both can be tricky to deal with.

So how to deal with the fact that wide legged trousers do what they say on the tin - namely make us look wider, and quite often shorter too? The shoes can be problematic, unless the trousers are really long, in which case heels solve a whole host of leg shortening problems.

If like this pair of jeans from Whistles (which are now apparently back in stock) they don't require a heel, then a flat with a pointed toe helps to create a nicer silhouette. I still haven't worked out why that is but it works, trust me.

Secondly, a top works better if it's fairly short and fairly fitted. The best ones are generally listed under the term "cropped" on various sites such as Topshop, M&S Limited, ASOS etc but don't be put off by that, not all of them will be designed to flash one's midriff. Failing that, tuck a top in and pull it out a little, or tuck a shirt under and knot it at the front, or even tie a vest or t-shirt at the back. All of those options will give the silhouette that you need.

Thirdly, carry a huge bag, just like this Orla Kiely one. The effect will be twofold - it's something to hide behind and its scale makes you look smaller.

Fourthly, if all else fails, chop the bottom of the trousers off and turn them into something like these Karen Millen culottes which a friend of mine has and which look amazing. Seriously though, that way you can still get a little lower leg on display which helps with the silhouette, it means that you can wear heels too and it's a good use of a piece of clothing that could otherwise sit at the back of the wardrobe. Job done!

Oh dear, now I've convinced myself that I need these too. Perhaps I need to phone a friend.

A new version of the Mango Martina Flares....some of my favourite flares...

The Martina flare in a style of jean that Mango have been stocking for a few years now. I have a denim pair but when I came across the same jeans but made from lyocell (£34.99) I was intrigued.

Apparently (so I've just read) Tencel is the brand name for lyocell, which makes me happy as I thought from their feel that they were tencel and that's what I had in mind that I was buying.

It's fair to say that when stationary they don't photograph that well - but they are much better on the move. I like that they are soft and draped and in the summer they will be much cooler than denim. The high waist is comfortable too and they hit the flared trend in an affordable way. I just don't understand the cost of jeans any more. I know that for some people a well priced pair of jeans is a good investment and truly worth it but it seems that all jeans that are featured in magazines at the moment are £180 plus - although the odd pair of Topshop ones are normally thrown in, just to keep people (like me) happy. I know, don't shout me down!!

Predictably with Mango jeans they come up really long, which is great if standard length jeans happen to be on the short side for you.

The jumper that I am wearing is new on but not new, having been sitting in the wardrobe for a while. I love a cream jumper in the summer and this one is an M&S Limited Edition one now - but it's no longer new enough to be on the site :(

An outfit of Whistles, Orla Kiely and announcing the Style Guile Super Sale!

Now that my patient is OK to be left, I have taken off my Nurse Gladys uniform and headed home for a couple of days.  Honestly, those knee ops are amazing. I thought that it would be weeks before Mum was up and walking but Usain, as she is now known, is whizzing around her bungalow like there's no tomorrow.

So today I was back to sorting the troops out at home. Trainers seemed to be appropriate footwear for the day, along with jeans, a bright green Jigsaw top, a Whistles blazer and an Orla Kiely bag. I love the colour of the Jigsaw top but it's quite thin and as it wasn't the warmest of days today, the extra layer of the blazer was much appreciated. I refuse to wear boots though. I just can't bring myself to do it - it would be like an admission that cooler weather was around the corner.

So, what's this rail all about then? Well, it's nearly time for the Style Guile Super Sale! I've cleared out the many wardrobes that my clothes inhabit in the house, sent some to the charity shop and those that I am happy to sell on, will be appearing here soon. It has taken me a long time to be brave enough to do it and I have spent the day washing and ironing - but I'm nearly ready to go. The clothes will be grouped according to their price which will (I think) be either £15, £10, £7.50 or £5 (plus postage). The clothes will be sold on a first come, first served basis and I will send the items out once the funds have cleared. Let's see where this takes us...

Mum on the Run - Wearing flared jeans and taking style inspiration from Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen

Yesterday evening my husband and I went to see Rod Stewart. Whilst I didn't wear this outfit, Rod was sporting a mighty fine white jacket just like mine - although I don't suppose that his cost £30 from Zara a couple of years ago.

 

Apparently the reviews described it as brilliant but camp and slightly cheesy (his performance that is, not the jacket), which is absolutely true and that's what made it fantastic. The best bit was when Rod, without realising it, was caught on a huge screen eyeing up one of his female musicians - of which, unsurprisingly, there were many. Classic!

 

 

I'm sure that some who have followed Style Guile for a while now will remember this outfit from last summer and possibly the one before. Really long, kick flared jeans with a wedge heel are great for giving the illusion of longer legs and additional height and fortunately a solid wedge heel makes it a fairly practical option. These jeans are also a nice change from skinny ones and there's no doubt that a flare on a jean does have the hip slimming effect that it claims. The jeans that I am wearing are from Mango and they come in a 34" leg as standard.

For a similar pair, Mango currently has these jeans for £16.99

To keep everything the right side of smart, I also wore a blue printed silk shirt from Gerard Darel at Bicester, Zara white jacket, Dune wedges and Orla Kiely bag.

As to his outfits, Rod had some great Kermit coloured green trousers, which I guess were a reference to his passion for Celtic. What with several changes of outfit comprising a white jacket, some leopard print, skinny black trousers and a yellow shirt, I think that he may become my new style inspiration. It's a good job that I'm not going to see Bruce Springsteen in concert tonight or it could be double denim and bandanas all the way. Wow, imagine that. On second thought, perhaps it's better not to.

Mum on the Run - Two days of outfits and planning our trip to One Direction!

See, not a wedge trainers in sight, although the boyfriend jeans seem to be getting a bit of a battering. I fear it's because they are a relaxed fit, which translates to roomy, which translates to comfortable, which translates to me being to eat more toblerone. Fantastic!

 

Spring has finally sprung here. Yesterday when we went out of the front door it was just like stepping off a plane in Benidorm, or somewhere equally exotic. It was a little windy and it rained for the rest of the day but hey, it was definitely warmer. Yipppee. It was the same today too. Two days in a row must mean that spring is here to stay.

 

It was so warm, I wore a short sleeved top yesterday - probably the first time since last September. This is a plain top from Hobbs NW3, which I bought in the sale last summer. It's slightly larger than I would normally have but I didn't want it to be too fitted. As with most simple pieces, it's really versatile in that I can wear it with jeans, under a smart blazer, with a pencil skirt, with a long sleeved striped top layered underneath or worn over a maxi dress. Here I wore it with Gap boyfriend jeans, All Saints shoes and H&M coral necklace, to brighten it up.

 

 

This is a closer shot of my "rocker" belt from Topshop. I had my eye on a Jigsaw one at the time but it was nearly £100 so I went to Topshop for a less expensive alternative. In truth it probably wasn't quite as nice as the Jigsaw one but it's such a long time ago now that I can't remember what the Jigsaw one was like, which I guess is one benefit of the passage of time!

Being a lazy whatsit, I wore the same jeans and shoes today but layered a couple of lighterweight jumpers under this cape, which I bought in the Zara sale at the end of last summer for £10. It hasn't been warm enough to wear until now but (as I keep on saying) today it was. What a great disguiser it is of all things that need disguising! I'm a bit of a fan of a polo neck and it has separate sleeves, which I like.

 

Later on in the day I swapped the shoes for eye wateringly bright trainers when I took the youngest out on her bike - minus stabilisers but which she can't yet ride on her own. Not that my back kills me or anything now.

The trainers were then swapped for wellies when we went in the garden to plant flowers. We now have about 500 000 poppies growing in 1 square cm of soil and when they were watered, they needed mouth to mouth and a life raft.

Along with two of her friends, I am taking the eldest to see One Direction on Wednesday. I've decided that the least cool thing ever is to sing along only to the cover versions they do, in this case "One way or another" and "Teenage kicks" because all that does is show your age.

 

No, the only thing to do is to either sing along to nothing, or everything. This means either a) listening to One Direction songs non-stop for the next two days, because it will take me that long to learn their deep and meaningful lyrics or b) standing there mutely.

 

I have a c) up my sleeve, which is to go and chuck my biggest Bridget Jones knickers at them instead. 

Mum on the Run - Swooning over (no, not George Clooney) but LK Bennett shoes and wearing a little Hobbs, Gap, Dune and French Connection

I keep seeing the lovely LK Bennett Aroa sandal wherever I look, so I thought that they deserved a little collage of their own. I'm a sucker for anything broderie anglaise and the fact that they are such pretty colours and a lovely design means that I am smitten. They're like French Fondant Fancies for feet!

Keeping it brief, the weather still hasn't been up to much of late. It was raining all day yesterday which meant that we stayed inside so with that in mind (and the fact that there were six children here) I decided to give my Dune brogues from last summer a trial run. With boyfriend jeans, a French Connection striped jumper and Gap bird print scarf I was good for the day and I only managed to get my scarf caught in the dishwasher about 350 times.

This morning we managed a shot outside. Hopefully you will all be good enough to notice the new door mat and freshly planted pots in preparation for outside shots, as opposed to the bag containing the children's too small school shoes which need to be re-cylced, and the rest of the re-cycling. It would be unfair to blame a five year old for including them.

I promised not to include the wedge trainers for a while but there's a reason for wearing them which goes like this. Yesterday I was asked whether I would like to interview a couple of celebs on Monday. Having agreed, I looked at the state of my eyebrows and decided that they needed some serious attention, hence an emergency 8.45am trip to the beautician at the end of the road.  As I keep telling everyone, the wedges are so comfortable that they were perfect for the fact that, predictably, I left slightly later than I should have done. Actually, I'm secretely quite pleased that the cost per wear of them has now gone down to, oh I don't know, at least £25.

We then went off to see my Mum for the day and so it was that a Monsoon lace top came to be worn together with the Hobbs blazer that I wore the other day - because now that the temperature is right I really want to get some wear out of it and it also goes better with creams and lighter blues than with darker winter colours - and a Lola Rose scarf. Fortunately Mum doesn't have a dishwasher so there were no near strangling incidents but I did manage to dangle it in the washing up bowl a few times.

Right, I will now go and join the rest of the family and watch Britain's Got Talent (unless I can find some washing/ironing that needs to be done instead). Hope that everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Mum on the Run - on a trip down to London via Liberty, Anthropologie and for a real life meeting with fashion bloggers I have met in a virtual world

Today I nipped down, whizzed around and scooted back from London all in less than ten hours. A group of blogging friends were meeting and a last minute change of plans on my part meant that I could join them.

 

With an hour to spare before meeting up with everyone I headed, predictably, to Liberty for a look at their flower display...

 

....at their hats which I was hanging my nose over last time I visited....

...and of course their clothes, via a wander through their bag department where, once again, I hung my nose (good job it wasn't runny) over the Sophie Hulme bags.

The appeal of Liberty to me, aside from the beautiful building and great layout, is the fact that rather than stocking designer brands at a few thousand pounds a pop, the brands that they stock, whilst out of my price range, could possibly come within it with a good sale, a fair wind and with a bit of capital injection for a Christmas or birthday present. It's a kind of aspirational/dreamy/in an ideal world expedition.

I have often spied Tucker in the Harvey Nichols 70% off sale. I love the colours and the prints of the pieces.

Carrying on from where I left off with the quilted jackets a couple of days ago, this one is by Isabel Marant, as are the two below.

I'm not quite so sure about the checked one - it looks a little like the acquascutum print, which although I like on some things, this isn't one of them.

I liked this Day Birger jacket though. As with all patterns, it's very subjective but I liked the colours and the geometrical aspect to it and I think that it would be a little more versatile in terms of what you could put it with, than the quilted ones.

I love the brand A.P.C. for its casual French style. With a mixture of stripes, prints and textures in relaxed styles, I could see myself wearing any of these pieces practically any day of the week (in my dreams).

After Liberty, I had a wander down Regent Street to Anthropologie. Lovely colours in the window! They were so spring like, despite the snow that was falling outside.

I have had my eye on a lace fronted sweatshirt for a while now. Topshop, Zara and this one from Anthropologie are all contenders. I like the idea of the practicality of a sweatshirt but the lace appeals to my liking for pretty things too.  Hmmm, I feel a blog post coming on!

I took this photo for my Mum, who loves garden birds. She hates collars on herself but loves birds, so there you go Mum, this one is for you - although I do like it too.

As to the meeting itself, I think that it's fair to say that we were all a little freaked out by meeting the actual, real, 3D people behind the blogs that we read. There's also that feeling of knowing people quite well, without really knowing them at all.  I think that it was most eloquently summed up by Avril from School Gate Style who said that it would all take a while to process.  It was so lovely though to get a chance to chat to everyone. Mostly we just chatted about our families - as is always the case when you get a group of Mums together. We went slightly off piste with a few other subjects too, once the wine had started flowing but some things are best left, for fear of causing embarrassment!

Due to the amount of chatting, eating and drinking that was going on, we didn't really take much by way of photographs but here's one of Natalie (left: Glam Rosie) and Avril (right: Schoolgate Style).

Here's Kat (left: Does my bum look 40 in this) and Fiona (right: Avenue 57)

Followed by Helen (left: The Flaky Fashionista) and Joanna (right: Poppy's Style) Sorry to Sue (Susie So So) and Marlene (Chocolate Cookies and Candies) for not getting photos.

With my attendance being a bit last minute, I had a quick flick through my wardobe last night to see what I could come up with. I had already decided on trousers, flats and of course layers and warmth were obligatory.

This is the print of the Zara blouse that I wore. I picked it up in the sale in the summer but hadn't worn it, so now seemed like the perfect time. It wasn't until I got it home that I realised that it had little gold skull buttons - but I quite like them.

With the photos being taken as we all piled into the car to take me to the station, they were a bit hurried. Actually I don't know why I put that as they always are - but I think that they just look it today!

 

So, here goes as to what I was wearing:

Shoes: All Saints, Trousers: Cos, Fur gilet: Primark (first outing), Leather jacket: Oasis (probably its 101 st outing!), Zara blouse; Orla Kiely bag; Gloves (present).

 

Some of the blogging ladies still won't be home yet. In fact three of them have to go home via aeroplane - two to Ireland and one to the US, so I  must admit to feeling very un-exotic, tucked up as I am back at home. Thanks for a great day out fellow fashion bloggers!

 

 

 

On the Run - Life Begins at 40 (Part 1)

I read a really interesting article at the weekend about the former tennis player, Annabel Croft.  It was about how her daughter, Amber, took control of her Wardrobe, which was stuck in the 1990's.

This is what Annabel said about her clothing:

"For a good 10 years, after I had three kids, I got used to throwing on a uniform....I suppose I went into a bit of a tunnel and a lot my friends did too.  It wasn't until my children started growing up that I discovered I was completely out of the loop with fashion.  I'd forgotten that it could be fun, and I lost faith in my own judgment."

Having worked with so many women who find themselves in this situation, I found her last comment really inciteful. A lot of women have a really good innate sense of style but having not devoted any time to themselves, have just lost confidence. Once we re-ignite that dwindling flame, there's no stopping them!

She also went on to say: "Looking back, I can see that my look had got locked in the 1990s, before I 'd had children. I'd had the same shoes for seven or eight years and wasn't updating them. So, thank God Amber spoke up, or I'd still be wearing my Dynasty suits now."

Once her daughter took control, she taught her Mum how to layer things and to mix high street and designer pieces.  She styles designer pieces with something clever from Topshop or Zara and looks to brands such as Elizabeth and James (designed by the Olsen twins), Acne, LK Bennett, J Brand, Issa (a favourite of Kate Middleton) and All Saints. 

Having the figure of a former tennis player and probably a relatively healthy clothing budget makes it easier for her to look amazing but nonethelss, the point remains the same.

So, where to start if you have reached that stage where you finally have a little bit of brain space, and time, to devote to yourself?

Without wanting to do a "capsule wardrobe post" these are the items that I would look to add to a Wardrobe first to give it a new lease of life:

A good pair of jeans - and by good I mean well fitting, not necessarily pricey. I like these high waisted flared jeans (below) by Jaeger which at £35 in the sale are a great buy. I would also look to Not Your Daughter's Jeans, Hobbs, J Brand at Shopbop or Levi's,  curve ID as all are cut for women's figures.

• A good trench coat. Why? Because it covers a multitude of sins beneath and whilst also looking stylish.  I like this one from Aubin and Wills which is reduced in the sale from £325 to £150.  Made in the UK, it's of great quality and will last for years. It also comes in navy. It isn't too long so will look equally good with jeans and trousers as well as with a dress or skirt.

                             
Shirts or blouses. Why? Because they are so much more forgiving and flattering than T-shirts or clingy tops. Shirts with darts are particularly flattering and ladies with curvier busts will know to avoid breast pockets. Zara always has a great selection. I particularly like this Loas print blouse from Monsoon which is now £22.50 in the sale. It's a blue and turquoise delicate animal print.

I also like this pink Esther shirt also from Monsoon, together with...

this Suzy colour block sandy shirt also from Monsoon.

                                                           

             

Add in a blazer to add a bit of structure such as this NW3 boyfriend jacket reduced from £179 to £89 (and likely to be reduced further).

Zara always has an excellent selection of blazers and if you already own a plain one, then an embellished or tweed blazer is a great option.

                                                     

     

Some wedge shoes such as these Kara 2 strap espadrille reduced from £119 to £59, which also come in navy would be comfortable yet stylish.

  

                                                           
  or these LK Bennett Star Sandals (£45 instead of £125 or Embassy Sandals (£65 instead of £125) Even though they may not be available on line, I have seen plenty in the stores.


                                           


An A-line day time skirt such as this one from Boden reduced from £45 to £33.80 (Cos has similar) would work wonders and is a flattering shape...

and a day time printed dress is always a useful addition to your wardrobe.  This dress, also from Boden will lend itself to being put with lots of different colours.

Everyone's needs and demands will be different, as will their budget and bodyshape. However, with the addition of a few other pieces, such as a couple of knits - I love this one from Orla Kiely reduced from £265 to £132.50 which also comes in navy.

 

a breton top such as this one from Boden...

some day time sparkles and perhaps a lace skirt you would be well on your way to kick starting your wardrobe.

Tomorrow I will look at those all important accessories which will complete your wardrobe, making sure that you are the glamourous 40 something you deserve to be.