Boden

I caved in and bought a midi skirt (in black) and also, for good measure, a fuschia pink cropped cashmere cardigan.

I like both, although as I am buying my usual size, rather than the (probably) size up I need, they are a smidge on the small side. I refuse to buy a larger size though. In my experience, you (I)  will always expand to fill the space you have, be it wardrobe, house or clothing. I need no encouragement, so breathe in I must while I lose the surplus pounds - and lose them I will :-)

Worn with my black suedette Primark wedge ankle boots and the New Look boucle bag from yesterday.

Spot the difference

Here's where blogging (from a reader's point of view) gets tricky. Where do you draw the line between inspiration and slavish buying?!

Exhibit 1:  Me

Has Toast denim shirt (which probably cost small fortune). Admittedly had forgotten about, but that's a separate problem...
Sees bargainous New Look denim shirt on the gorgeous Beth from Style Guile.
Prefers bargainous New Look shirt.
Buys bargainous New Look shirt.
Now has two very similar denim shirts.
Drat.

New Look (left); Toast (right)

There's nothing wrong with my Toast shirt, per se.

But the New Look version has some nice touches, like the curved side hem and pearlescent buttons (poppers). It also has a more fitted shape. 

As you can tell, the wardrobe edit is hardly going to plan. I'm meant to be weeding out duplicates and unnecessary items - not accumulating more!

Here they are on - sorry for poor photo quality, hope you get the idea:

Toast version

New Look version

In other news, I think I will have to return the Topshop star print jumper. Love it. Love the feel of it. However, it... I don't know.... it just doesn't seem to work with what I have - which as you may have detected is my new rationale for purchasing - and keeping - items.  

Actually, that's not strictly true. It did work a bit better (was less starry) when I added a gilet, but I was unsure whether or not that was necessarily a good sign. I'll leave you with the photos:

Sans Gilet

Avec Gilet (by Musto, should anyone care).

One further purchase to report today. A bag from the New Look sale.

'Bella boucle bag' - New Look

Was cheap. Looks it (I fear) - on close inspection anyway. 

I do like the boucle fabric and the big stud-like clasp (me... studs.... bags... hmm, a theme...?) 

Anyhow, the white piping around the edge detracts a bit. But overall it's OK. For £6.

I'm stuck with it anyway, as I discovered today that New Look do not refund on sale items. Although I suppose I could always get a credit note, maybe then I could buy another denim shirt - why stop at two...! :-)

More studs....

Heaven help me, I bought another studded tote from Primark. This one is, possibly, subtler and therefore may be more successful than the earlier experiment here (which ended up being returned).

Here's the latest one, in all its glory:

I'm still unsure why I keep being drawn to these bags, but I guess for £9 it's a risk worth taking, although normally my philosophy is not to buy something purely because it's cheap.

Now, as if a studded bag wasn't enough, I also picked up some studded boots in Topshop. These are unbelievably comfortable, and being a practical creature these days (most of the time!) this swayed my decision more than anything. OK, the fact that they have the seemingly inescapable studs, and hence look reasonably 'with it' helps a bit as well I guess!  

The style is called 'Millicent' and here's the Topshop website link (have just seen they have good reviews on there, so maybe a wise buy):

And finally... a coat. I bought this in Zara and it's very warm, soft, light and snuggly, all the things I look for in a coat. Stye, you note, not being on the list - oops!  

I'm torn between this one (which is not on the Zara website) and another which I also tried on and which I think looks much better in real life (see lower down).  

I ended up buying the 'greige' colour as I have so much else in navy... but I wonder if it was a wise decision. Navy suits me and it's more practical - I may decide to change it.

The coat I bought

The coat I didn't buy

Decisions...decisions.

Wardrobe edit options: 2 - Much Loved Favourites

I'm still trying to crack this wardrobe editing business. Another approach is the 'what do you love and wear to death?' school of thought.

The flaw with this is that it ignores (a) the suitability of the items; and (b) how you look in them - the opposite of the logical and rational approach. And therefore so me.

e.g. currently, I love and / or wear to death:

• Jigsaw short black moleskin skirt (desperately need navy equivalent, cord would do - anyone seen a simple straight navy cord skirt?)
• Black cord Uniqlo cord skirt
• Black opaques
• Jeans - Zara / White Company / Primark
• Slouchy 'longer at back than front' linen knit cardigans - beige & navy
• Ancient Monsoon navy trench coat (don't think this has ever featured in a post, usually I forget to include coat pictures - must rectify this!)
• Black patent Russell & Bromley loafers
• Flat black patent pumps / ballerina pumps 
• Basic vests and white shirts

Love but not currently wearing as had forgotten about until started writing this post:

• Beige drapey jersey unstructured cowl neck Helmut Lang dress - like a long overgrown t-shirt (must wear and feature soon...how could I have forgotten it?!)
• Navy Blue Phase 8 dress - also drapey jersey 

Love but bit too small at moment (clothes not me!):

• White company black cropped capri trousers
• Ditto in beige
• Pink collarless shirt
• Grey M&S tailored dress
• Beige Jigsaw pencil skirt
• White company sleeveless long grey cashmere tunic
• Toast basic black skinny trousers

The above represent less than 20% of my wardrobe - there we go - the 80/20 rule in perfect demonstration again!

As to the 'capsule suitability' of the above list...?  I don't know. I suppose there are some good basics there. Maybe they could form the basis of a 'capsule'.  

Oh, by the way, I may have snuk one or two Topshop items into my possession yesterday as well - still deciding on these, but in and of themselves I like them.  Don't ask me if they qualify as capsule items!

Topshop 'knitted shimmer star'  print jumper - £36 (don't know why it's called 'shimmer' - it doesn't.  On Topshop website here:

Topshop 'Ladder stitch sweater' - burgundy sheer knit top - £26 - on Topshop website here:

I also saw, but didn't buy, this t shirt which in retrospect I like:

But there you have it - I liked it but didn't get it as I felt it may not be a sensible or long term purchase. 

But sigh - I should have got it. Based on the thinking behind this post I should, anyway. 

I'll leave the next option - 'a long hard logical look at your wardrobe' for another day!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's a-returning boots I go...

A manic day today, straight off to Primark after the school drop off. It was pelting down with rain, not great for motorway (complete with multiple roadworks) driving, but I'm nothing if not dedicated, some would say foolhardy!

So, off I set in pursuit of the elusive black Primark wedges, and to return the tan version in any case.

Now, OH swore blind there were no black wedges last week,  but today -  'ta-da' - there they were - which sweetened the 'driving in rain and cones' pill somewhat, I must admit.  (Just goes to prove by the way, never listen to a Primark assistant, as OH even went so far as to enquire if they would be having a delivery of the black version, to be told emphatically 'No'!)

Here they are....

Mwah - you little beauties.

The black version look much better than their £15 price tag would suggest - and really are just what I was looking for - so lesson learned regarding the impatience - I'm a very 'happy-shopper'.

Now regular readers of this madcap blog may recall that between my local Primark and the car park lies a nice Zara. So Primark hauls always  often go hand in hand with a Zara purchase.

Today, having decided that I would make do with what I had - I know - such a hypocrite - I also bought a red dress - it is tres flattering on - and remember that I resemble a telly tubby at present - so that is no mean feat. Those of you who look great anyway may well look positively goddess like in this lovely dress. (Here it is on the Zara website.)

Zara dress - £35.99

Before I sign off - the best find of the day was this pair of Acne-a-like boots, also from Primark for £18. I was exceedingly pleased to find these having seen that the Topshop 'Mighty' Acne Pistol lookalikes had sold out online in tan.

For £18 these will do very nicely :-)

Acne Pistol-a-likes from Primark - £18

One of those 'confused wardrobe' days

Today was spent mostly in a fug of confusion :-/

It all started with a scarf sort out. I have an addiction to scarves, and after perusing the Joules catalogue earlier, where given free reign, I would probably have spent at least £300 unnecesarily (not all on scarves) I realised that some planning and logic is required. <Watch this space for my next 'wardrobe edit' post - 'option 2 rationalising and starting from scratch'...>

I have realised, maybe since starting this blog, that I tend to buy things that appeal to me and that I 'like' - without much regard to how said item(s) will work with the rest of my wardrobe.

Trouble is, if I try the alternative approach, i.e. shopping on the basis of what will work with my wardrobe, quite a lot seems to be required to match up with and make sense of earlier, more random, purchases.

So basically, I'm stymied. For example, I have about 15 items in my online Boden basket (why is Boden so seductive? I shouldn't be relying on them to fill wardrobe holes!)  The blurb about basic / essential tops etc - sigh - it seems so sensible and so seductive. I do really need basic long sleeved tops. But I can't or can't be bothered to calculate which colour and neck options would best work.

Crew neck / scoop neck - berry or bay?  I got quite cross with everything in the end, and have decided to take a hermit approach  and just use what I have dammit, and not add to Johnnie's millions.  If a pressing needs presents itself, I may make an exception...

So, using this as a basis, today I wore:

Zara 'distressed' jeans (good fit with my state of mind)

Primark black vest

Boden old yellow cardigan

(Just seen... TU breton striped top... stripes are not v flattering at the moment; best hidden)

Zara butterfly scarf

Primark black ballerina pumps

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