Days of summer

Odd, my feelings about summer. I suppose I look on it rather like one of those not-so-successful relationships - unpleasant to be endured but to be reminisced on with aspects of fondness.

Now that summer is dying, I look back through a kind of rose-tinted haze and think 'it wasn't so bad' and 'what a shame' and 'how nice it will be when summer is here again'. (Remind me of that come next July when I am perspiring madly and longing for autumn!)

I do love autumn though. It is my absolute favourite time of year. In my eyes you get all the pros of summer - bright, balmy, sunny days (we hope!) without any of the cons (sweaty, stuffy, humid, silly).

And added to that lot, it's the best time of years clothes wise. You can (a) pile on the layers - more clothes - what's not to like - AND (b) crack open the accessories. Bring on snoods, boots, capes.... I'm practically salivating with the possibilities.

First on my wish-list, continuing my love affair (or maybe obsession?) with stripes, is this top from Mint Velvet. Spied during my recent London visit with small child in tow. Hence sadly only fondled, not tried on. It is lovely and I think the ruching at the sides and on the sleeves would be very flattering and comfortable:

Mint velvet top - midnight and grey stripes. I love the gathers. £39

And how fantastic is this sleeveless knitted tunic which I also saw in the shop - it would look great styled over any of my growing collection of bretons to take them through into autumn / winter.  They describe it as a 'Lurex Tabard' - (urgh - how to turn anyone off with one easy description?) It didn't appear to have any lurex when I saw it:

Mint Velvet 'Ink Lurex Tabard' - £69

Anyway, to reign myself in a bit, here I am still working my 10 15 or so item wardrobe, in a 'last day of summer' outfit. If you can actually make out  what I am wearing, that is. I have a strange light effect in this spot - maybe the house is haunted?!  There is always a weird glow/ aura emanating from the glass over the door, and it's not a camera flash, I didn't use one...

Skirt - Whistles Jersey Tube Skirt

Top - short sleeved breton H&M

Shirt - Toast

Shoes - Russell & Bromley tan loafers (similar in black)

A hole in my wardrobe

I mean - how CAN it have happened?

After all my purchasing and browsing and fiddling over the years, it took a radical wardrobe 'declutter' to discover that one of my absolute essentials is a black skirt. Not just any black skirt mind you: I have some too short, some too long, some too large (although none too small, oddly?!), some too buttoned, some too bunchy...I won't bore you, the list goes on.

No - what I needed was something really minimal, simple, stretchy and 'flat'.  I have plenty going on around the waistline already thank you very much - I don't need bulging zips and sticky outy button tabs adding to my woes.

Now I may have said it many times before - but I'll say it again - this blog is a learning curve for me. Don't come here expecting any answers - or, if you do, be prepared to wait a long time while I muddle through stuff and the penny eventually drops!

However....if you also have come to the conclusion that a simple black skirt is what you need to fill your wardrobe hole (a kind of 'skirt shaped alternative to black trousers' I guess) then you may have come to the right place. I give you this:

Whistles Jersey skirt - £45 (John Lewis)
More sizes available here - Whistles online

It's a jersey skirt from Whistles - called the 'tube skirt'. It simply slips on, no zips or buttons. It is just above knee length on me - although they do a longer version, which the jury is still out on... (for me, but could be practical come the colder weather) - see below:

Longer version of Whistles skirt (£55) at John Lewis

or Whistles online

The short version (which I bought) is £45, which naturally equals a saving of £80 rather than any actual expenditure as such - as by buying this I avoided the pleated offering from Jigsaw (post the other day) which rang in at £125. Simples :-)

Here I am yesterday in London at the top of the 'View from the Shard'. Our school is not back yet so we had a final 'day out' day. Boy - what a day it was. I do not intend to repeat rush hour tube travel and small child combo anytime soon.  (By the way, note how even at the top of the Shard my photos - or rather the helpful assistant's photos - are still dismal. It is clearly a case of blaming the tools and my phone is not up to the job.)

Jacket - navy jersey 'biker' style from The White Company

Top - short sleeved breton - H&M

Skirt - navy pencil skirt - Tesco (similar here)

Shoes - tan TODS-a-likes from Russell & Bromley (old)

Bag - Longchamp - available from Selfridges

Necklace - SchoolGateStyle shop

The torture of having to pass by the majority of shops just begging me to go in! The shoes - oh the shoes - that had to be ignored.  And the lego that had to be played with. Oh yes: Selfridges have a very nice little lego play station. Which, oddly enough, I somehow wasn't aware of until yesterday. If it came with fully paid up and vetted Norland nannies I may have been sorely tempted to leave in situ... but it didn't and I am not THAT bad a mother.... (I think! But the temptation was strong.)

The Shard was amazing - and I would highly recommend it. It was so well run and (shock horror...I am so cynical and old with low expectations) had such friendly and efficient staff.  

Loved the 'open-ness' - wow!

Simply amazing views.... and so peaceful - the noises are so far away.

Stripes and No 19

A couple of therapeutic purchases.

One was 'considered':  I'd tested Chanel no 19 Poudre a few months ago and kept coming back to it.

I love Chanel no 19 anyway, and this I think this version is even better than the original, in the Eau de Parfum concentration anyway.

Since I had a £5 off voucher and a double points voucher from Boots, now seemed the perfect time for a purchase.

The other buy was an impulse one! While wandering around John Lewis, I had a browse through the dregs of the clearance rail, and immediately spotted this little striped Jigsaw top in amidst a sea of nondescript florals.  I've been wearing a lot of stripes recently and feel good in them, so although an impulse buy, a good one I hope...!

Chanel No 19 Poudre - get it here from Boots - plus Advantage points!

Yippee - an outside picture!  Excuse the heavy little person cropping outage.

Top: Jigsaw (sale) - buy here - now reduced FURTHER to £18 at John Lewis

Skirt: Tesco (last year)

Shoes: Converse (available from John Lewis)

Gold overlapping leaves necklace: SchoolGateStyle shop

Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta from TK Maxx

**********

Oh, and by the way, I tried on the Jigsaw pleated skirt from my last post.

It was £125.
It was 100% polyester.
It was vile.

Problem solved :-)

**********

Short story

Or Shorts Story actually, that was the name.

Mentally filed away for later use.

If (like many a time I suspect) you wonder what on earth this woman is wittering on about - it's this:

OPI Shorts Story - available here from John Lewis 

(click on the 5th colour swatch, 2nd row!)

Pink - yes.
Sickly - possibly.
On my wish list - (for some unfathomable reason) - yes.

Pink suits me, I do believe. In the light of 2 x pink lipsticks and a Bobbi Brown 'pale pink' blusher, I'm hoping so anyway!


Other items on my wish list:

Jigsaw pleated skirt

Jigsaw red pom pom scarf

Whistles 'ovoid spot' scarf

Pure collection V neck boyfriend sweater 

I also have in my sights:

• Pink tweed Jigsaw skirt (there I was I hoping Jigsaw were 'finding their way' again... but no picture on website!)
• Orla Kiely pink(see the worrying trend?) and blue scarf - no picture anywhere - but it's in John  Lewis. Helpful (not).

The White Company autumn catalogue had arrived; nothing immediately grabbed me. There was nothing offensive, but just a rehash of last winter (most of which already seem to have bought!)

Having said that, I may make an exception for this maxi skirt:

White Company Jersey Maxi Skirt

A couple of recent outfit pictures below. Excuse the general carnage which surrounds me. I've momentarily lost the wherewithal and time to do anything about it.

Still surviving on a 10 (ok maybe 15) item wardrobe. (Not including accessories!)

Breton shrt sleeved top - H&M

Black capri trousers - Sainsbury's

White jersey 'biker' style cardigan - Florence & Fred (Tesco) <-- thanks to Sue at Susie So So for that tip :-)

Bag - Mulberry Bayswater

Shoes - Russell and Bromley (old)

Shirt - Musto (don't ask) (How did it survive the cull..? Double don't ask!)

Jumper - Joules (similar here)

Trousers - Sainsbury's as above

Bag & Shoes - Mulberry & Russell & Bromley as above

Armed with a credit note, into the breach I go

And my spoils: this rather attractive little bracelet from New Look (coming in at £3.99)...

New Look Gold Spike Gem Stretch bracelet....all of £3.99

Incidentally why is it, that when you have 'free' money (well a credit note, same thing) that it is so hard to find anything you actually want to spend it on?!  I still have £5.02 credit for Pete's sake....!

My new Zara coat got its first airing today.

Sorry about the appalling lighting on the photo below - see earlier post here for a better colour.

Zara down filled coat (not on website) but was in store today - £89.99

I decided to keep the 'greige' - despite returning to try on the slightly different navy style again.

Just to give you a flavour of the mental dilemma I go through when trying to choose between two coats... I will expound my reasons why I thought the navy (the version not bought, you understand) was so good.

Well yes, it is great, except that:
(a) I have so much navy already, my base layers are usually darker colours, and with a navy down jacket on top, I risk merging into one undulating navy blob; and 
(b) I am not sure I want a hood on show at all times

The greige has a hood concealed in the collar, but as I am no longer in 'walking in all weather with a pushchair' territory, I don't feel the need for a hood to be on hand at all times.  If you are in this territory however, then I would recommend the navy coat. The thing I did like with the navy was that the zip from the front simply continues up and around the hood - meaning that you can zip the front of the coat as high as you desire. (You could, in theory, zip the coat right up to the top, encasing your whole head in the hood: but unless you want to be a blind, undulating navy blob, it's probably best not to go for this look - unlike me who did in Zara just to amuse OH. Disclaimer: I am a loon!)

In all seriousness though, those of us who have braved all winds and weathers with hands otherwise engaged with pushchair / shopping / little hands etc - and who never have a hand free to yank up hood which the whistling head wind is determined to push back off of your head - the navy coat would be a godsend. You could zip up over the nose and just leave a hands-free spy-hole. Anyway, that's enough about zips and that particular navy coat which I didn't buy but can see so many reasons TO buy. (In another life.)

I also wore my new Topshop Millicent (partially) studded boots today.

(They seem to have mysteriously disappeared from the TS website but may be available in store. I got them about 10 days ago - £40.... bargain?!)

Probably not the best weather to debut a suede item... but they held up pretty well.

I see that Topshop are also now stocking a fully studded version (called Adios2) with a slightly higher block heel, but - as OH (my reluctant, uninvited style guru) advised me - these are 'too OTT'.  (Well he would say that, wouldn't he!)

Topshop 'Adios2' - £70

Underneath the greige jacket, was a Tesco navy skirt (not cord but soft cotton, will do for now) and a white swingy a-line style Jigsaw t-shirt. Mucho flattering.

Tesco soft navy pencil skirt - £14

The necklace is another Primark bargain (currently in store) and is rather good I think, ticking several autumnal, jewel-like, opulent boxes.

Primark - £4

Shoes in my pantry

Well where else would you expect to find a bargainous shoe purchase from Tesco? Now I know I've found some good buys there of late, but it's taking things a bit too far to stock my pantry with my non food bargains, I have to admit! It did make me smile, nay laugh, when I found them.

I unpacked these with the shopping, meaning to take them upstairs later, and forgot. Cue a nice little surprise amongst the groceries!

I love these - they are very Tory Burch - esque, except the decimal point has moved along a bit and the Tesco version are only £12.50.

New shoes - in situ (just to prove how mad I am!)...

And a clearer photo...

And the inspiration behind the bargain:  Tory Burch 'Caroline' flats (£190) ...

The follies of impatience

Turns out the Primark wedges are not quite as expected once tried on...what disappointment :-(

The problem is mainly that the sole seems very thick / obtrusive / clumpy - especially on the tan version for some reason, which may be an optical illusion. 

The sole, being a lighter colour than the shoe was always a concern I had, as I prefer a matching sole, and on the black version the soles are black. 

The tan pair will I think have to be returned as for some reason they don't seem to work at all on me, though they look better off than on. The burgundy pair could work but, unexpectedly, they seem to work better with opaques and a skirt, rather than with jeans. I think maybe these wedges are at odds with a skinny style trouser, at least, as they are quite a heavy shoe.

Have not mentioned these thoughts yet to poor OH who did me such a favour to get them yesterday on his day off!  Will have to sneak them back on Monday. Why oh why didn't I wait until Monday?  (I am so impatient!)  However, as with so many things you never really know until you get something home and try with different items.

Pictures below:

Burgundy wedges (sorry for appalling dark picture, they ARE burgundy!) - better with a skirt

Tan pair. Wrong somehow... :-(

Burgundy version, slightly better, or is it my imagination?

And what I actually wore before the wedge trying episode:

Made in Heaven Vienna jeans

Jigsaw mole coloured t shirt

Jigsaw roll neck poncho

Aquitalia ankle boots

Brown Mulberry Bayswater

By the way, I saw a nice jacket and jumper in Tesco earlier today, neither bought or even tried on as wasn't in the mood and didn't have time or 'head-space' - but I will be returning to investigate:

Jacket - £28 - on Tesco website here

Burgundy jumper £14...to match the wedges maybe?  Website link here

A touch of pink

I decided to wear a fairly old Joules pink top today.

An odd decision in some respects, as it's as clingy as you like and only serves to underline my current need for radishes (then again, that's no bad thing!) - but peeking out from underneath the navy it brightened everything up a bit.

Scarf - Primark
Cardigan - Zara
T shirt - Joules
Navy cords - Tesco
Black patent flats - Autograph M&S

In other news, I have decided some wedge shoe -boots would be a useful addition. I was considering these from Boden.

However, following Kat's post the other day on 'Does my bum look 40 in this?' - I'm now planning to try the Primark version (Good old Primark!) - at least £100 cheaper, can't go wrong really. Well - I say that - but there is a potential sting in the tail.... I am working tomorrow (boo), husband is not (double boo). Hence he has been assigned the task to go to a Primark and buy them. A curious mixture of danger and comedy I feel!

Watch this space for a report back on what he actually comes home with :-D

Coral bird print dress

Today I was allowed out for good behaviour - a visit to Ikea followed by a mooch around John Lewis. Husband was in attendance (he was needed for the Ikea part as general labourer/carrier etc) - but was something of a hindrance on the John Lewis leg of the outing it must be said!

First day back to school today so this outfit also doubled as a school run starter for 10 - must remember to email it to Avril for the SchoolGateStyle blog school run competition.

My bird print Tesco dress from Wick has its first outing today. I toyed with taking my orange Longchamp bag but in the end took the Orla Kiely again. (On reflection - and viewing of the photos - the orange Longchamp looks better though I think. The O/K is too much of a print clash... You live and learn!)

I paired the dress, as planned, with a black cropped Brora cashmere cardigan, black opaques, and black suede wedge KG shoes.

If anyone is interested, I have a feeling that the dress is still around in Tesco and is now marked down - it was on a rail the other day which had that look about it. I didn't investigate too closely as it would ruin things for me to see it going for a song!

Ooh, ooh - by the way - the M&S snake print scarf in neutral / blush, khaki - I picked it up today in M&S for £5  - and I would have been happy to pay full price (£19.50) for it. I thought it was full price - the label didn't indicate any reduction - what a fantastic bargain. Love it when you get to the till and that happens :-)

Autumn - happy days!

A wee dress from Wick

I'm back in 'civilisation' and I'm not sure I like it :-/

After a blissful week of being on the north coast of Scotland about 50 miles from anything or anyone, and where a Spar and a Post Office felt like a metropolis,  it's a tad depressing to come home to car alarms and foul mouthed youths... You see, this is why it's ironic that one such as me should attempt a fashion blog. Really I could survive very happily far from anywhere in a tattered shirt and jeans - maybe one day I'll make it a reality, but in the meantime there is a living to be had and schooling to be done...and I grant you shops to be shopped. There have to be some compensations to living in a man made jungle. (And I don't even live in a particularly busy town. I could never be a city girl, that's for sure.)

Anyhow, apart from enjoying the majestic isolation and the beauty of the mountains and the sea, I did manage one small concession to my homebound hobby.  A journey through Wick revealed a surprisingly large Tesco, with a clothing department. The purpose of the visit to said Tesco was NOT to buy clothes, but somehow... as you do....I bought a cute coral pink bird print dress.

Tesco Florence and Fred Bird Print 'flutter hem' dress - £16

Completely unwearable for the holiday but sweet and I think I'll wear it into autumn layered over a T- shirt and with my cropped Brora cashmere cardigan. And in case anyone's wondering, Brora (the place) bears no relation to Brora the cashmere company - there is no trace of a factory shop or the like!

However, I like the idea of wearing the namesake cardigan with it's north-coast neighbour dress from Wick... it will cheer me up until my next visit to the far north!

And no doubt it's also available in Wigan, Warrington and Wolverhampton Tesco...  but to me it will always be my wee bird print dress from Wick :-)