One white Cos skirt worn two different ways...

Finding the right skirt for summer can be tricky but when I spied this one across the shop floor, it was love at first sight. Thick, white, cotton with a good length, pockets and a paper bag waist, I knew that this was the one for me.

Admittedly not all tops work with this skirt - they need to be the right length but that can be achieved either by tucking in, or tucking under, or just by getting one that sits on the waistband.

I don't think that I would look out of place at a jubilee party here - bring on the red, white and blue!

And here is the Cos tie waist skirt (£59)...

The other good thing about this skirt is that I can take big, proper, strides in it without it appearing too voluminous. I'm not good with skirts that restrict my movement. I take too big a stride, they pull me back, I fall over, the the skirt and I fall out and off to the charity shop it goes.

In this outfit I wore a cropped French Connection tencel shirt, M&S platform sandals and a pink Mulberry bag. Providing that I don't wreck it by chucking things down it - although it seems pretty hardy so it could probably take chemicals and a good scrub - it should serve me well over the next few months with breton t-shirts, vest tops, brighter bits and bobs or black for a monochrome look. I think that the thing now is just to wear it - lots.

I'm away for the next couple of days working with M&S so if I'm silent for a while, that's why - but I look forward to being back soon. In the meantime, have a lovely week all of you. x

The different approaches to getting dressed and how to take the stress out deciding what to wear each day...

Outfit: Whistles jeans and jacket, M&S shoes, French Connection jumper, Zara scarf, Oushka bag

I've concluded that there are different methods of getting dressed and these are some of them:

• Wearing what you wore the day before but with the necessary underwear changes - this is the quickest and easiest way of getting dressed, short of staying in your PJs;
• Getting ready for a fancy pants do, where you know what you're going to wear but it just takes a while to get ready, what with all the make-up faffing and stuff;
• Having something new to wear - again you know what you're going to wear but it may take a minute or so to get it right, depending on how you're styling it;
• Getting dressed for a particular activity - yoga/swimming/running/surfing etc where specific clothing is required which makes it easy;
• Every other day of the year where you (OK, I) sort of know what I'm going to wear, decide it's boring/it was done not that long ago, try something else, decide that's not right (too cold, too warm, too long, too short, legs not brown enough) and then revert to plan A - having wasted 10 minutes in the process.

Last week I read about a woman who decided that men had it easy at work because, effectively, they could wear the same thing every day. To make her life simpler, she decided to do the same as the men and wore the same thing to work for a year. 

So to cut out the middle man, that's what I'm doing this week. I'm not wearing the same thing but I am wearing a simple combination of jeans (or trousers) OK I lie it's mostly jeans, a jumper (so no blouses or fancy tops etc) and a jacket. And that's it. Job done - apart from the striped scarf but that's not going too far off plan. I'm on day 3 and so far it's fine. I suppose it's a little like Jennifer Aniston eating the same lunch for 10 years when she was filming Friends. Except that I'm not Jennifer Aniston. Or a salad. 

My arsenal of weapons against the April chill...

"Are you cold Beth?" came the shout across the pub when I walked in yesterday to book a table for Mr SGs b'day today. The shout came from my friend's very witty husband, which was followed by a quick retort from my friend that he knew nothing about fashion. But in fairness he was right - I was cold and I was dressed for it. In fact having got dressed once, I nipped outside to test the temperature and returned inside muttering the words to myself "I refuse to spend all weekend pretending that I'm warm when I'm not," so off came the new Boden top and on went a pale grey La Redoute cashmere jumper, GAP boyfriend jeans, a Jigsaw pom pom scarf and Zara boots. I suspect it was the scarf that elicited the comment from Gok - its scale does mean that it makes its presence known!

I must admit that, along with a cream leather jacket, lighter coloured cashmere jumpers and some big cotton scarves (all of which are a little more spring like than their darker/heavier winter counterparts) a pair of pale ankle boots is a necessity in my arsenal of weapons against the spring chill. In all honesty mine could do with replacing and these are pretty strong contenders...

Mint Velvet mole zip ankle boots (£139). I like the low cut on these because a little bit of ankle flash is nice when it's spring, however they still offer some protection against the chill.

Ditto the Mint Velvet leather Eva ankle boot (£139) - I do like a more neutral coloured heel rather than the darker heel on mine but when I bought mine they were a bit of an experiment and they were definitely worth their £30 Zara price tag.

The Mint Velvet Stella ankle boot (£149) have an elegant shape to them and some detail with the buckles. Again they are a great colour but I don't think that a bit of protector spray would go a miss on any of these.

Sorry that there are only 3 choices and that they are all MV but for what it's worth I think that they have the best selection at the moment and I'm sure that anyone who likes the idea enough will do a bit of surfing and come up with some fab options of their own. Here's hoping for a slightly warmer week...

A sparkly skirt, shiny shoes and a silver bag for a day in the shops...

Boden jacket, Warehouse jumper, Topshop skirt, Dune shoes, Oushka bag, H&M necklace

 

When a friend and I were out running last night we were talking about clothes. I know. Shock horror, can you imagine that?  Amongst many topics we discussed, we were talking about how re-working older pieces with newer bits and bobs can make all the difference.  

 

Today I was working with a lovely lady for a third time. Knowing what a fan she is of all things sparkly, I wore this navy sparkly skirt which I bought from Topshop last year. It's not old but not new either, so it sits somewhere in the middle. However I have had the navy Boden jacket for about four years now and the Warehouse navy jumper with sparkly shoulders, for even longer. The Dune shoes are new this winter as is the (much used) silver bag - so it really was a case of mixing something old with something new and a few bits in between. 

I knew that it wouldn't be long and at last the Christmas jumpers have started to arrive in the stores. The Primark ones have been around for a while and I love the one in the men's section with the built in Santa belly. However luckily it's just been pipped to the post on my list of "Desirable Christmas Jumpers" by this Warehouse sequin Robin jumper (£42). I know that there are Christmas jumper detractors but I LOVE them and anyone who doesn't is, and I know I'm going out on a limb here, is a misery pants.

When I was getting dressed this morning for some reason my printed scarves from the last few years just didn't appeal to me. I'm not sure what it was and no doubt they will again but I think that it's because secretly I'm harbouring a desire for a fur scarf. The trouble is that most of the ones that I have seen in magazines have been hugely expensive but then I came across this one in  Next (£20) and somehow everything just fell into place. So that's one for the Christmas list then.

I'm back in the shops again tomorrow and for the rest of the week so I'll keep my eyes open for some other gems.

From double denim to double fur - from Zara and Whistles

 

Today seemed to be the perfect temperature to wear this Zara fur (sleeveless) coat that I bought last year. I've been holding off from wearing anything that was too wintry but the temperature suddenly dropped this morning.

Keeping in tone with the navy/black colour combo I wore it with a Cos roll neck jumper, navy Cos trousers and some furry (actually I think the technical term is pony skin) loafers from Whistles which I bought with the 25% Grazia discount a few weeks ago - although they don't seem to be online anymore.  It was great until I actually got into the shops, at which point I was baking.

A lovely friend of mine bought these flowers for me a couple of days ago and I just thought that they would be nice to share with everyone on these darker, colder days. Hope that you all enjoy them....

Did anyone else hear India Knight on Woman's Hour this morning? I had a client coming down from Durham today so I was heading towards the shops slightly later than usual. India was talking about her new book which is all about with growing older.

 

One of her tips was not to be too thin as it makes people look Simian like. Wondering to myself whether I looked slightly monkey like (short hair and no longer with the chubby cheeks I sported as a child/teenager, although fortunately without the ears that my Dad has) and what with my furry number too, I decided that it was a distinct possibility. And then as I went down the ramp into the car park a huge monkey appeared on the screen in front of me. And you know what, I decided that it was like looking in a mirror, which made me laugh - a lot. I'm surprised that I wasn't whisked away....to the zoo.

Jumpers of the striped, and Christmas, variety!

I'm writing this in the sun, sitting outside a café waiting for someone and I can't see the screen at all, so I have absolutely no idea what I'm typing - which probably means that it will make way more sense than usual.

I think that there are a lot of us out there who have a bit of a thing for stripes.  Well that is unless you're my sister. Wide stripes give her migraines so if you're wearing them, she can't look at you which is all a bit disconcerting - especially if you happen to be her boss.

I first wore this jumper when on holiday in Guernsey but it's been too warm to wear it since. Actually it was really hot when we were in Guernsey so why I was wearing it there I have no idea - but what's new?  I bought it from Reiss in the sale, at a point in time when I felt that it was a reasonable amount to pay and since then I've pretty much stashed it away. Here I'm wearing it with Zara boots and Jigsaw jeans, together with my Clover Oushka silver handbag which is now on sale, with 50% off, making it £77.50. I love a metallic handbag as it goes with just about anything. It's the same with metallic shoes too. Quick and easy styling is definitely what it's all about.

For anyone after a metallic handbag there's also this lovely one from Boden. It comes in bright coral too and as someone on the hunt for a bright bag, this is definitely a contender. But we all know what I'm like with my lists of things that I could do with, and things that I actually end up buying. Knowing me I'll probably end up with the metallic one.

One thing that was on my list and which I didn't go off piste on, were some navy ankle boots. Given that practically everything that I own I have in navy, I'm not sure why I didn't have any navy ankle boots but it was a glaring gap (OK, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration - maybe it was more of an amoeba sized gap) which I filled firstly with the Boho boot from Boden

but which I replaced with the Petra style of boot from Dune (£89). These also come in  black, natural and tan for anyone who likes the style but not so much the colour. Our eldest looked at them and said "Oooh I like those, they're the kind of boots that Harry (Styles) wears. " Now given that he's a 20 year old bloke and I'm a 40 plus female, I couldn't work out whether that was a case for keeping them or not. But I like them, so I am.

I'm not one for embracing Christmas earlier than is absolutely necessary - and certainly not before bonfire night but today I did make one Christmas purchase. Last year I felt bad that our youngest missed out on the Christmas jumpers and ended up with a Primark one from the boys' section. It wasn't the Primark bit that bothered me, more the boys bit. So this year, and for once slightly ahead of the game, I've been and bought her jumper (also from Primark). And here it is.....

I may also have bought her a "Frozen" t-shirt because who needs to be stylish when you're 6? Or at any age for that matter. And if you should ever hear that I was seen standing in Primark holding a Frozen t-shirt up against myself to see if it would fit, it was a lie.

You know how you can go orange from eating too many carrots? Well do you think that the same is true of Wotsits? I think that I may have over-dosed on them. Tomorrow's photos could prove interesting.

When there's a hair disaster there's only one thing for it.....a hat!

 

Outfit: Whistles Ella jacket, Hush jumper, New Look jeans, Aldo shoes (I'm sure I'll write Aldi one of these days!) Oushka bag

I think that "disaster" is probably too strong a word to describe my super short hairstyle but whenever I look in the mirror I do think to myself "Ouch, that's short." And then to top it off I decided to colour it but to pass the time quickly I blogged at the same time, leaving it on for much longer than I should have done - so not only is it slightly shorter than I would have liked but it's slightly darker too. Having said that, I did ask for it to be cut shorter partly because I seem to have to get it cut so often and also because I'm running/swimming a lot at the moment so it's constantly being washed or getting wet.

So, when it came to the blog I had two choices. First, to disappear for a few weeks until it had grown and lightened OR to share it with everyone and just get over it. I decided on the latter a) because I like blogging and b) because....actually I don't think that there is a b).

Anyway, I decided that now is probably a good time to have a hair disaster - well a couple of months time might be even better - because there are so many lovely hats around this season. From the Reiss Ava and Hattie (is that a great name for a hat or what?) (£69) to the Fedoras at Topshop, which at £28 are a good place to start for anyone heading (get it??) for the first time into trilby/fedora territory, to the Zara wide brimmed felt hat (£19.99) or the trilby (£25.99).

The Jigsaw bridget fedora (£39) is also a great choice...

as is the Jigsaw Isabella trilby (£39) which comes in a variety of different colours.

Hats really are just one of those things that you have to try on and just because one brand doesn't work, it doesn't mean that another brand won't. Often it comes down to the colour, the width of the brim, the height of the hat - and confidence too.

I saw this "Love You" beanie in Zara (£12.99) today and I think that it would look great with my New Look jumper which has "love" written across the front. It would take matchy matchy to a  whole new level.

The Hush star jumper (£75) that I am wearing is from the summer collection but they have done this winter version, for anyone who fancies having a star plastered across their chest.

I am also wearing the Ella Ponte jersey jacket from Whistles which is £45 or £95 depending on the colour. If you're tempted, do have a hunt around the site for a bargain. For anyone unsure, they do tend to come up quite large so if only the size below yours is available, don't be put off. It's a jacket that I find hugely useful and easy to wear, largely because it is made of jersey.

 

So, although it's only early I'm off to bed - I think that hair grows more quickly when you're asleep!

Now these Boden waxed jeans are a pair of jeans that I am very happy to wear again...

 

Outfit: Boden waxed jeans, Whistles jumper, La Redoute jacket, Oushka bag, Mango shoes

Subsequent to deciding that there was no way that I was ever going to wear my Primark coated skinnies again, I needed to find an alternative. I like coated jeans as a change from blue denim and being black, the coating adds that little bit of texture which stops them from being too "flat".

Yesterday the super skinny waxed jeans that I ordered from Boden arrived and today I tried them out. I've concluded that wrinkles in coated jeans are unavoidable but I've also concluded that there are more important things in life to worry about! So, moving to the jeans themselves, they are generous in the leg length and the rise on them is also good which means that they don't fall down (that's the Primark problem solved then!) I like the addition of the ankle zips and zipped pockets on my Primark ones but you know, sometimes you have to sacrifice a bit of zippage for comfort.

The reviews about this style of jean on the Boden site are really good and I have to say, so far so good. Of course the problem with jeans is that they don't always reveal their true selves until after you've spent a bit of time with them (a bit like boyfriends really - from recollection at least) by which time they can't be popped back on the shelf unless they are faulty (unlike boyfriends, which can quite easily be popped back on the shelf from which they've fallen).

I can't vouch for the other finishes in this style but for anyone who struggles with getting skinny jeans to fit, I would definitely consider giving them a go.  

Casual in Hobbs heels and New Look jeans

 

This morning I nearly relented. I very nearly relented. Well in fact I did relent because you wouldn't normally find me in a soft play area on a Tuesday morning but no, the thing I nearly relented over was wearing winter boots - albeit pale ones. I found them, was about to put them on and then I thought to myself "you've got all winter to wear these and people will get sick of seeing them, so wear something different." That's the good thing about writing a blog you see, it makes you think about what you're wearing - well that is until some idiot goes and sells it all and then all you're left with is a few pairs of jeans and not much else.

Wearing heels to soft play is good though. It's a bit like wearing them to parent's evening, or the dentist or the doctors. You see you don't have to walk far in them but it gives them a chance to make an appearance and for you to feel that you live a slightly glamourous existence, when nothing could be further from the truth. Of course I don't go in the soft play anymore you understand. Those days are well and truly over. No, instead I act as a PA to our eldest two children, making phone calls to book tickets, get t-shirts for the charity run they're doing delivered, order new school uniform (not strictly within the PA job description, more the "Mother" description really but I'll let it sneak in there for now) fill in forms for school trips etc. But it beats the soft play. ANYTHING beats the soft play!

What I'm wearing:  New Look jeans (still some of my favourites, good rise, good price, like the colour, look a bit wrinkly but that's probably me); GAP t-shirt, Jigsaw jersey jacket (they do these every year and they are fab for this time of year  - now £39 in the sale instead of £49), Hobbs NW3 shoes, ChloBo necklace (thank you Marianna Boutique) and Oushka handbag.

A birthday outfit and a very "boy-like" comment...

 

Whilst we were in Cornwall, I celebrated my birthday. For some reason, I keep thinking that I am a year older than I am, so when I was asked how I felt about being 44 my response was that I felt great, because I keep thinking that I'm 45. Next year bodes quite well too because then I will only have reached the age that I already think I am, so really it's all shaping up quite well on the age front. Until I'm 46 that is.

 

The cupcakes were ordered by my husband from the restaurant but he was so eager that I should also have a dessert that they weren't brought out until after dessert had arrived - hence both the cheesecake and the 12 cupcakes. Sugar rush! (I think that it's still going on.)

This is the outfit that I wore when we went out - it's a Hush dress, Oushka clutch and Zara heels, although I must admit that I ditched the heels before I even put them on and wore flop flops instead.

There was some great improvising on the wrapping paper front. What could be better than having your pressies wrapped in pages from Grazia - and the current copy no less?!

 

I was treated to this lovely Kate Spade watch and wore it with a stack of friendship bracelets from Accessorise. Predictably, I immediately fell in love with the pink detailing on it.

 

And for once the sun shone, and shone and shone!

I wore this dress on our last evening and also for our journey to Guernsey. I wrote about it fairly recently as it being a favourite that I have had for many years.

Mr SG very rarely comments on what I am wearing (although I am sure that he has plenty of thoughts!) but he did say how much he liked this dress and how well it fitted me and how (wait for this) it was less "tent like" than the one that I wore the evening before ie the Hush one. I gently reminded him that the term he was actually after was "more fitted" rather than "less tent like". Boys!

Heavenly days on sunny beaches in shorts (again)!

 

There's nothing rad about shorts, that I do know. But it's hot and what's more, what was left of my spray tan has now adhered itself to the inside of my wetsuit so I need to try and get a little colour on my legs. I seem to have done it pretty well on my nose, with Mr SG asking whether I was matching my lipgloss to the colour of my nose tonight. He needs to watch it or he might find his beloved crocs being sold on eBay.

This combo was just some GAP printed shorts, a GAP hat bought in the sale on Saturday, a plain white H&M vest, Jack Wills flip flops, La Mandarine sarong and a silver Oushka clutch.

I've recently mentioned some new goggles that I bought. My old ones were terrible and I had to stop every five lengths or so to de-mist them and empty them of water. They also left deep welts under my eyes, which is also the reason that Sharron Davies doesn't swim much anymore (apparently). Anyway, for any swimmers out there, I can't recommend the Aquasphere goggles highly enough. This morning I did my entire swim without having to stop once. Attractive they are not but they do a good job.

Tomorrow it's my birthday so I may take a little blogging holiday, depending on how it all turns out! However I am sure that I will be posting the odd pic of the birthday proceedings on Instagram. I think that I may have had wind of one of two things that might appeal to some of you out there...

Ooh, and yesterday's post was my 1000th post. I think that I worked out that if each post took on average one hour, that's about 42 days, or seven weeks of my life that I have devoted to blogging. I'm not quite sure what to make of that.  

Holidaying in Cornwall - and a footwear (attempted) theft already!

So these next few posts were nearly the posts that weren't - if that makes sense! I thought that I had left my laptop charger at home which would have been a disaster for some and a relief for many. As it was the charger appeared this morning so I'm raring to go.....having said that, the photos are slow to load and there won't be any proof reading, so please forgive me. I'm just going to be hitting the button - and quite possibly regretting it!

Yesterday we left nice and early for our trip to Cornwall. We made great progress. In the first hour we had travelled 12 miles. Ho hum.

I was wearing comfortable jersey trousers and a lace top for the long journey and I was soothed by my lovely new sarong that I had with me (there are always temperature wars in the car between myself and Mr SG) which was a gift from Rachel at La Mandarine more of which I will tell you about in a day or so.

So far a lot of what we have been up to I have been posting on instagram (there's a button at the top left of the page if you would like to follow me there) but the blog is where you can read the story behind the pictures such as.....

How when I took this swimming costume out of the case, I noticed that the padding was missing. Having had three children and having spent approximately 4.5 years of my life breast feeding them, there was no way that I was appearing in this without a little "assistance". Luckily my running stuff (for some bizarre reason) had some extra padding in so one "boob padding" transplant later, and I was good to go.

Instagram also doesn't explain that whilst these goggles may be the best in the universe, they leave marks like no others, so that for the rest of the day I have to wear sunglasses.

Nor does it explain how I waited until 2 members of the family were sleeping and 2 were surfing until I ordered this. Yesterday it was attacked by everyone else. Not so much today!

Nor does it let on how I told Mr SG that this parcel, which arrived an hour after we arrived, was an early birthday present from the people at Boden. I so could have got that past him but I confessed that it was actually a skirt that wouldn't have reached me in time, had I ordered it to our home address.

But the funniest thing of all - and this will appeal to those who know Mr SG - someone tried to nick his crocs on the beach today. They are the flip flop style ones, at least 750,000 years old and he spotted their red (inner) soles on someone else's feet as he walked off in them. Mr SG gave chase, the bloke kicked them off and he was duly thanked for keeping them warm. Out of all the things to try to pinch eh? The crocs. Brilliant.

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!

 

The silver Oushka bag - ooooh golly it's lovely!

 

"I'd love to write about your bags" I wrote to Oushka after they started to follow me on twitter. Luckily they didn't think that it was such a bad idea and, having fallen in love with the metallic totes, I chose to write about the Clover handbag in silver (£155). It also comes in Rose Gold and Gold as well as Ginger and all are equally beautiful.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm a huge fan of a metallic bag, especially in the summer months and this one will go with everything from my favourite navy pieces through to pastels, neons and whites.

The bag is soft, unstructured, roomy and smells lovely - just like a leather bag should. No doubt that it will be perfect for those who carry a sleek ipad, a phone, a make-up bag of Chanel make up and some beautifully organised files - but it will work just as well for those of us who are more likely to be carrying a spare of flat shoes, a Boots lip gloss and some bashed up oat cakes.

It also comes with a detachable clutch bag, which could be used as an evening bag - or as a handy place to store keys/phone etc to stop them from dropping to the bottom of this beautifully tardis like bag.

See what I mean about its size? It can also be used to disguise your entire legs. I can imagine walking around the supermarket making strategic dance type moves with it to shield my legs from the unsuspecting public!

You can follow Oushka on twitter and facebook. For anyone on the look out for a gorgeous bag their Dover bag is definitely worth taking a look at.