H&M workout gear - stylish, fun and functional

Before I start, you may notice that I've had a bit of a blog tidy up. As a result there may be a few glitches along the way - no-one's fault, it's just technology. However if that is the case, just let me know and I'll do my best to sort them out (like the spacing and links for example!) And thank you for bearing with me!

Our eldest came to me the other morning. "Mum" she said "I had this horrible dream last night. I dreamt that you bought me 14 of the same workout tops and you told me that I had one for every day of the week. When I told you that there were only seven days in a week you said that I was working on a two week cycle." Lucky her - 14 new tops!

Which got me to thinking about workout tops (not about the psychological damage I've clearly done to our 16 year old, which is what I probably should have been doing).

As I'm doing quite a bit of training for the London, Marathon, I'm washing a lot of workout gear and to be honest, a lot of my tops are looking a bit tired. Many of them are from Primark and they've served their time, so I thought that it was time for an update.

Which led me to H&M. One of our Birmingham stores has quite a good selection of fitness wear which I love rifling through when I have a minute. There doesn't seem to be a link to the above sports bra which I love  (although I see it more as a cropped top to be worn over a sports bra) but I have linked to the selection of sports bras available. But to be honest it didn't love me at all. It just wasn't substantial enough to cover my less than insubstantial sports bra. Ho hum. I also picked up this 3 pack of hairbands for £1.99 because I loved the colours and my hair is irritating me right now as it's at that yucky in between stage.

I really liked this top in the shop but the thing that I didn't really like about it when I put it on the is that it looks all sweaty around the neckline (see below). Not a good look. Also, although it was £12.99 it didn't seem any better than my usual £3.99 Primark cropped tops. So that will be a return then.

But I did like the vest, below and I've worn it already. Again, it's not on the website but I've linked to the vests that are available. Everyone has really personal taste when it comes to vests but I prefer everything quite fitted, rather than flapping around.

For anyone who hasn't checked out H&M active wear before, it's great for something stylish, fun and functional. Plus there's a great selection of bottoms, jackets and accessories too - so definitely worth a peek.

Grey felt - one of my favourite fabrics of the season. From hats, to coats and shoes, I have it covered.

There's something about felt, particularly grey felt, which I find really appealing in a winter fabric. Not only is it heavy and warm but it feels luxurious and smart whatever its price tag - plus it doesn't crease. Now clearly I'm not wearing grey felt above but I am wearing a sort of camel felt, by virtue of this sleeveless coat from Warehouse (£69).

But anyway, back to grey felt. As you can see from the Pinterest images below, virtually every piece of clothing imaginable comes in grey felt - from hats (Fedoras are still a huge trend this season)...

....to coats and trousers...thanks Olivia, you're a beauty in your felt!

...to shoes...

And whilst out and about on my travels recently, I've come across these grey felt pieces.

First off, Next has this amazing grey brushed wrap skirt (£40) which is fabulous. Tapping into that whole wrap skirt look, which is having a massive revival this season, it feels much more expensive than its £40 price tag. That's one thing that I really do like about Next. Each season they have  a few pieces which are just so perfect that they look as if they have walked into the shop from somewhere else and jumped on a rack waiting to be found. (Sorry Next but you know what I mean!) With boots or Mary Janes it's a really versatile skirt. Wear it with a chunky roll neck or a finer fitted jumper and biker jacket and it's a really wardrobe work horse.

Zara has these wide leg trousers (£39.99) which I've had my eye on for a while. Whether they would quite work for me as trousers I'm not sure but I'm very tempted to buy them and have them made into midi length culottes as so far, I haven't managed to find any grey felt culottes that I like. Both Whistles and Cos have some but they're not quite right. These however, I can imagine working.

Completely impractical I will admit, but I've loved these Whistles felt sandals (£165) since I first saw them a few weeks ago. Worn with thick black tights, they would do a great job of giving some pieces in your wardrobe a kick up the butt - dragging them kicking and screaming into this season and all for the price of £165. Convinced? No, me neither. Maybe if they were £40 I would be.

And this is my latest find - a Primark bag (£18) within Selfridges which just makes the shopping experience a whole lot more pleasant. This bag is grey felt with black mock croc on it AND it's a back pack which is great for our Monday morning scooter rides to school when we have the following to carry: Rucksack, PE kit bag, swimming bag, flute. Yep, I often arrive in a hot and sweaty state having carried most of the bags whilst running alongside the scooter and this could help with that. How I'm not quite sure but in the interests of research, I'm prepared to give it a go.

Are you sharing the grey felt love or steering clear of it?  If you find any grey felt pieces on your travels, please do share them with me. I'm always on the look out for more!

Oh and before I forget, I've published a new vlog which you can watch here. So many women are wearing the wrong bra size and in this vlog I show you what to look for when fitting a bra yourself. It's not so much about the measurements (we all know how brands vary!) but more about how it should look, where it should sit and so on. I'll expand on it a little more tomorrow (if you'll excuse the pun!) x

It's a good job that I didn't give up swearing for lent.....

Remember that I said learning to ski was made easier by the fact that I don't really have much choice in the matter? Scrap that. It's a load of twaddle.

All I can say is that it's a good job that I didn't give up swearing for lent. Or chocolate. If I had, I would have been one big fat failure about an hour into the day. This is a picture that I took yesterday whilst sitting outside a cafe after refusing, point blank, to ski any further. There was no discussion about the matter. By that stage the skiis were off and there was no way that they were going back on until I decided that I was ready to move (I should make it clear that this didn't hamper anyone else. I was very happy to be left alone and quite frankly I'm pretty sure that they were happy to leave me alone!)

The refusal had been preceded by a pretty spectacular fall down a slope which caused a less than dignified rant at myself, the slope concerned, the skis and anything else really. Mr SG might argue that it was also directed at him, although I think that I managed to communicate through the swearing that it wasn't. Anyway, today was another day and all that but it did take a few hours, a swim and some fizz  (plus the coke and mars bar above) to convince me that I really did want to give it another go. Grrrrrrrr.

Just to reassure you, I didn't go out wearing this Sweaty Betty headband but I did promise that I would share some looks and this definitely goes down as my Olivia Newton John "Let's get physical" impersonation from the 80's - well either that or Margot Leadbetter from the "Good Life."

Aside from that I'm wearing a Primark running jacket, Adidas half zip top which is slightly thicker and a GAP running top underneath. But today it was much colder so it only just about did the trick. Back to the sweatshirt tomorrow.

Now when it comes to the Apres ski look I have kept it very understated. There was a risk that I could have brought a whole load of clothes that were completely wrong so, knowing how I prefer to dress after a long day of exercise (albeit not skiing), I just stuck to comfort. I have seen many a pair of leather trousers, a leather mini, lots of pretty tops and nice dresses with heels but that's not for me this week. Instead I'm wearing Next harem leggings, the chunky roll neck jumper from Boden, Stan Smith trainers and my favourite star purse from GAP.

And whilst no-one would covet my Apres ski look, or my Nevica (throw back to the 90's from Sports Direct skiing gear), one of our party has admitted to having fanny pack envy - oh yes the 80's are still going strong in my wardrobe. It won't be long before the funk belt, the fingerless gloves and the frosted lipstick are making an appearance.

Layering up against the cold in Boden, Oasis, Primark and All Saints

Oasis leather jacket, Primark fur gilet, Boden chunky jumper, Boden coated skinnies, All Saints bag, Whistles boots

You all know what a fan I am of layering. Lots of people like to layer because it means that they can take a layer off when they get too warm. Well that never happens to me but I think that several layers can make a look more interesting (and warmer) than one or two heavy layers. 

Here I'm wearing the toasty roll neck jumper from Boden (still available in the sale for £48) plus my cream Oasis leather jacket and a Primark gilet which cost me £14 about three years ago now. This All Saints bag was bought in an outlet store a couple of summers ago now and it just kind of pulled the black and cream look together - plus it's good for carrying a small child in.

I'm delighted to report that my shopping mojo is well and truly back. Recently I have been shopping for a style party that I'm doing next week, plus the most diverse range of styling projects that I've ever undertaken in one week. Hopefully I will get a chance to share some of my favourite buys with you towards the end of the week. 

Now, on a completely unrelated note, I think that it's important to let everyone know that Wagon Wheels are totally tasteless. I've just tried a bit of one and not only that but they are now tiny! Does anyone else remember when they were so huge that it took a week to eat one? I can't work out whether it's for economic reasons or health reasons that they've made them smaller but if I was so inclined that I need more, I would just eat two. Nanny state. Pah!

A printed Primark dress for £13

The next time that this dress appears on here it may well be as a top! It's a Primark dress which I bought for £13 from Selfridges many weeks ago now. I loved the print but when I got it home I decided that it was too short. I then made several unsuccessful attempt to return it, so finally decided that I would cut it down to a top. However, when the sun shone yesterday, I thought that I would try it on - and there it stayed. Well, for a few hours at least!

Dressed down with Jigsaw plimsolls (Now £29 instead of £59) and this bag from Oushka in silver ((£155) I can just about get away with it - but it's a close call! However being the hottest day of the year does allow a certain amount of leeway on these things, I think.

On Monday we're off to Watergate Bay in Cornwall, where I will celebrate my birthday. This will be followed by a week in Guernsey. With five of us, two destinations, temperatures potentially ranging quite a lot, you can only imagine the fun that's going on with the packing. I have images of the scene in Notting Hill applying to me - the one where Rhys Ifans is wearing a wetsuit complete with flippers and snorkel inside in the middle of the day because it's the only thing he can find that's clean. Watch this space!

 

A little bit of Primark, Jigsaw and Kate Spade

There wasn't time to blog last night and with the weather being as beautiful as it is, I'm desperate to get to the shops to buy a picnic so that we can all go out. My Mum is coming today and I'm thinking of taking her to the Botanical Gardens and sticking her on one of the mobility scooters so that she can do her best impression of Gangsta Granny. That is until she has her new knees at which point she'll be doing the ironman.

Yesterday it was pretty warm but not boiling, so I took the opportunity to wear the type of outfit that most people can wear when it's 15 degrees but for me it needs to be 20 degrees! Primark coated trousers, Mango sandals, Jigsaw jumper and Kate Spade bag.

I can't wait to decide on today's outfit. It won't be anything glam but maybe, just for one day only, I'll drop below four layers!!!! Enjoy the sun.

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!

How to wear a fur gilet for a trip to the pub!

 

With two of the family in Italy and one in Greece, the youngest and I are having a little party for two of our own this week. So far we've done a whistle stop tour of friends and family and we have some other exciting things lined up - to include seeing the film "Frozen". It won't be just any old version though - oh no, we're talking the all singing, all dancing, "sing along" version. How jealous are you all now huh?!  Who needs Italy and Greece when you've got sing along Frozen in Birmingham?

So last night, I had a sneaky trip to my old local, where I also once worked. The youngest can't quite grasp taking photos on my new phone - it's all a bit big for her little hand and my Mum would probably try to turn the TV on with it or something, hence me looking like a plonky head in front of the mirror again.

I wore a Cos oversized top, Whistles bag, Faith shoes, New Look jeans and fur Primark gilet. I quickly glanced at an article in the Sunday Times Style Mag yesterday about gilets but I need to have a closer look to see what inner secrets I have revealed about myself by wearing one. Maybe it reveals that....I get quite cold. Or perhaps that's just a cover for something else more sinister.

This is a closer shot minus the fur gilet. I'm also wearing an Atterley Road bracelet bought as a Christmas present by a friend. I love it and wear it all the time. It's the right shade of blue to add a bit of a kick to an outfit. I did cop a couple of stares from the locals at my leopard print shoes. I guess they were a bit OTT for a night out in my local - but then I don't get out that much!

 

Valentine's Day Jumper!

 

In the end I went ahead and bought the "Love" jumper from New Look (which is now £14.99 in the sale rather than the £19.99 that I paid for it. Not that I am bitter or anything!)

Given that today is Valentine's Day, I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to give it its first outing. I had two meetings today but as I didn't need to be overly smart I wore Primark coated jeans, New Look denim shirt and Zara boots. Later on in the day when I was cold, I wore my Primark furry gilet over it.

I have to say that I'm also quite liking this love heart Valentine's sweater from New Look, also £14.99. I think that the heart is a little bit sparkly too, which makes it even more attractive. Heavens knows what would happen if you put an iron near to it - it would probably curl up and die. So really it's just a good excuse not to iron it.

Just in case....

Just for info, the jumper I am wearing is a size 8 and has plenty of room, so no need to size up and for those with long arms (like me) there's plenty of length in the sleeves. And despite the fact that it is 100% acrylic, it really feels quite nice.

Big Valentine Kisses! xx

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!

 

 

 

 

 

Swapping skinnies jeans for a flared pair...

 

Today just felt like the kind of day for a flared jean and some heels. I bought the jeans from Jaeger Boutique in the sale a couple of summers ago. They are high waisted and very supportive - in fact I used not to be able to wear them as they made me feel faint, which wasn't really very good at all. They are OK now though and having done a long run today, I felt the need for clothing which would hold me upright and which would prevent me from collapsing like a jelly on the floor. They did the trick up until 7.45pm and then I gave up on clothes in favour of my Onesie.

Being of the chilly persuasion, I also wore a Cos chunky roll neck and my Primark fur gilet which is great for the school run and nipping in and out of the car. I find that if my torso is warm, I can cope without wearing sleeves and the lack of fuss and flapping of a longer coat is always welcome!

These red patent Kurt Geiger shoes, which were also a sale purchase a while ago now, made a nice change to boots and their chunky heel works with a flared jean, more so than a thinner, more delicate heel - especially in the day time.

As much as skinny jeans have a big role to play in my life, some days only a flared jean will do and there's no denying that their shape definitely makes you feel more elegant and elongated. I suspect that over the next few seasons we're going to see more of them making an appearance so get ready for them....the bootcuts will be back!

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 12 - The animal flouro print shift dress and pom poms!

Rather than wearing this Warehouse printed shift dress with a jacket (a bit too smart) or a cardi (a bit too casual), today I wore it with my furry Primark gilet, which was very toasty and comfortable. When we went out I also wore Jigsaw shoe boots and this bright blue bag from Kausar (which is no longer available online but there is an email address for Kausar on her site, so she can always be contacted that way.) I like the size and shape of this bag, just because it's a little bit different.

I don't usually include pictures of the house but this scene made me smile. I was sitting down, my sister-in-law was reading mags and the boys were taking charge in the kitchen. I hasten to add that it was only a snap shot of the day and we did contribute significantly in other ways. For a start we ate the lunch!

The Christmas tree was decorated by the eldest, complete with tinsel and fake snow and she did such a good job. The first time that we did it, it was all a bit random - so one evening she took everything off, including the lights, and started again. Her individual efforts were so much better than our joint ones!

 This was a pressie to my husband last year. Ah, bless him.

It's pom-poms galore in our house this Christmas. They are so pretty that I would like to keep them up all year round. Selfridges in London had a whole floor devoted to them. I have no idea how many people they must have had to fluff them all up and how long it must have taken - but it must have been weeks. They are tricky little beggars - but the White Company "open the packet, unfold them and clip them round the back" ones are much easier - although not quite so much fun.

Hope that you are all still having a great Christmas. I'm starting to feel a little full....

The 12 outfits of Christmas - I wish that there was more by way of silk/heels/sequins but tomorrow is always another day!

 

The plan was, having travelled home from Wales first thing this morning, that I would change into something a little more Christmas like - maybe a dress, maybe with some accessories, maybe even some heels - so as to avoid posting another picture of jeans and a jumper (Primark jeans, All Saints jumper, Jack Wills shirt, Ash wedge trainers). Clearly that plan didn't work.  I did however notice that on Coronation Street tonight, Sally Webster was wearing a nice blue blouse and a black pencil skirt and Leanne Platt had a top with pretty sequinned sleeves - so that might be a good place for Christmas outfit ideas.

Tomorrow will be a different story - I will change 55 times and wear dresses, skirts, sequins, silk, leather and prints; possibly all at the same time. In fact my first outfit will be truly impressive and will include a red flashing nose and an elf hat with a bell on it, in addition to running gear. There will be five of us running the streets of Birmingham so do give us a wave if you see us - assuming that we haven't been carted off by then.

As to today's gift, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a pair of sparkly or metallic shoes so if there's one thing to add to your last minute Christmas purchases tomorrow, they should be it. Dune is a good "go to" store for sparkly shoes and I like this pair which are now priced at £34. An ankle strap may not be for everyone but it looks as though this strap can be removed and I'm sure that everyone will be too busy partying to notice the little loop! Hope that you all have a fantastic Christmas Eve!

The 12 outfits of Christmas - Day 7 - A biker jacket and wedge trainers

 

We're heading home tomorrow and so for an early dinner out with the family I kept it casual and comfortable with Ash wedge trainers, Primark skinny coated jeans, the Topshop crystal jumper and the Whistles Annabel biker style jacket, which is now in the sale for £95.

For anyone who is contemplating wedge trainers, these La Redoute ones (which now have 40% off and cost £41.40) come highly recommended from the girls I was working with at the Clothes Show. I really like the style of these as they're not too full on in terms of styling. They also come in black, caramel and...

this two tone gold colour, which have 50% and are now £34.50. Both of these colours are really versatile and a nice alternative to black ones, which may start to look a little too stark come the spring.

This picture was taken by our eldest whilst we were on our beach walk today. The sky was beautiful and it was a lovely walk but we decided that being on a beach wasn't really her natural habitat, particularly at such an early hour. Luckily we found somewhere for a drink and a rest and what with that coupled with the stops to take photos, pull up her socks, eat her prawns (sweets) and have a go on a play area I'm not sure that we covered that much ground - but it was very entertaining.

So, on to today's gift. I thought that it would be nice to include something that would see you through into next season. Blazers and biker style jackets have pretty much earned their wardrobe stripes and although bomber style jackets have been around for a while, they are here to stay for a while at least.

I recently came across this Harlow Varsity Bomber from Whistles (£295) and, not surprisingly, I fell in love with its pink colour. When I first saw leather sleeves on coats and jackets I really wasn't that sure but as is often the case with the passage of time and exposure to a trend, it somehow weedles its way into acceptance and then even favour. For now I would wear it with black skinnies and Chelsea boots, moving onto a midi-length skirt and heels for the spring.

    

This Topshop lurex bomber jacket (£42) is made of the same fabric as my Topshop lurex skirt which I featured earlier in the week. There's no way that I would go matchy matchy but I do like the fabric and at £42 it's a much more reasonable option price wise.

It would be easy to write a bomber style jacket off as a trend not worth embracing but an up to date style of jacket is a great way of lifting other pieces in your wardrobe and giving them a completely fresh look - so it's definitely worth giving them a bit of thought (even if you subsequently confine them to the room 101 of fashion no-nos!)

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.

Christmas Jumpers - I wasn't going to but I have succumbed...

"Mum, could you please get me a Christmas jumper as I need one to wear at school next week. Oh, I also need a fake moustache too." This was the message that I received from our son whilst I was in London on Saturday. So this was the result - at least on the jumper front - with the photo being superbly photo bombed by his sister. Good old Primark. And for anyone who happens to be in need of a stick on moustache, WH Smith has a pack of 6.

I wasn't planning on writing a post on Christmas jumpers and then there was a discussion about them on the Radio today so I thought that I would chuck in my two-penneth worth.

A couple of years ago I wrote a post about trying to find a Christmas jumper for our eldest. I hunted high and flippin' low, finally finding one in Internacionale, which was probably about my 10th store. And now? They are everywhere! Christmas jumpers must be a multi-million pound industry in their own right. New Look even has its own page specifically devoted to  Christmas jumpers from novelty, to Fair Isle, to even quite tasteful. I have had friends order flashing ones from Asda, Primark has a huge selection and Marcus Lupfer has some which cost a few hundred pounds. Yeah, OK, maybe not.

So here are my favourite three - and very predictable they are too!

The pale blue/duck egg blue one

It was in New Look that I found one of my favourite Christmas jumpers, this pale blue Christmas pudding jumper (£27.99). I looked at it a few times, even going back to it as I recall but I don't know - £27.99 for a jumper with a Christmas pudding on it? I'm pretty sure that on Christmas day I'll regret not buying it though. 

 

The sparkly one

 

My friend and I, we like Robin. Actually even her teenage son likes Robin and he was initially most scathing about him. I'm hoping that she might let me borrow him one day to feature on here... 

 

Robin jumper (£69) from French Connection. In real life his red breast is a really lovely pink colour - much more so than this photo would suggest.

 

 

The Fair Isle Jumper

 

I like this Ted Baker Fair Isle jumper (£99) and have had my eye on it for a while. It has a little more longevity than the Christmas Pudding one, which really does have quite a short life span each year - unless you decide to be ironic and wear it on a boiling hot beach in the summer.

 

 

Will you, won't you and if not for you, will your husband be wearing one at work one day sometime soon? Mine did under duress and I have the photo evidence to prove it but it would just be too mean to put it on here. Wouldn't it?

 

For the next five days I will be working at the Clothes Show giving Style Presentations and running Style Clinics. Whether I manage to blog each evening I am not sure. In fact I have no idea what state I will be in each evening. I'm wondering whether I will be able to take the excitement of seeing Peter Andre, Union J and all of those reality TV stars. I fear that it may be more than I can take!