What have I been buying? (One year on!)

I thought I should show up and write something. I apologise for presenting that most uninspiring of entries - the photo free zone - but I will try and add some pictures or links later.

It's been holiday season and coupled with that, plus child & parent-sitting and sales shopping and general madness - I am afraid the blog has slipped a bit. That's not to say I don't have items to report - I do, I do!

Where to start?  Well today's haul would be a logical place.

I have developed a bit of a crush on the Body Shop - of all places. Now this had become one of those shops I'd fallen out of love with a long time ago for being a bit gimmicky and uninteresting. However, a cursory visit the other day led me to all sorts of exciting (relatively speaking, I lead a dull life!) purchases.

I bought the fab Mango Body Butter, Chocolate Body Butter and Coconut Body Butter (the latter having a slight shimmer / sparkle when applied).  They all smell divine. The lovely assistant also persuaded me to sign up to their loyalty programme, the card costs £5 per year - but you instantly redeem that with a £5 gift of your choice. I chose the wild rose hand cream (£10) and paid the difference.

I also loved the Strawberry Puree Body Lotion and Vitamin E Body lotion. (And I was pleased to see they still do Banana hair conditioner - a favourite of mine from the late 80s! Although I didn't succomb and get that one, there are some instances when bygones need to be bygones.)

Now to clothes.

The Zara sale has yielded:

• 'Mirror floral' print top - black short sleeved (above)
• Loose knit khaki/beige poncho sweater
• Basic beige silk / cotton v neck sweater
• Black cargo style skinny trousers
• Fab Fab Fab blue leopoard print scarf which was not marked down on the label and for which I would happily have paid full price (£19) - found at the till it was down to £7.99 - don't you just LOVE it when that happens? :-)
• Navy/ dark blue panelled long silky feel blouse / tunic - pleat front, long bell shaped sleeves, collarless style - just lovely

Also have recently acquired:

• A blush / beige / pinky toned mottled print scarf in Monsoon - down to £11.
• A nude colour loose rectangular style top from The White Company outlet shop
• Modalu leather bag from Ebay
• Ralph Lauren black and white striped jersey top from TK Maxx
• Blush pink Calvin Klein jeans shorts - also from TK Maxx

So - as you can see I've not been idle (apart from on the photo front!) and am busy outfit planning and working out how my new purchases will integrate with existing ones. Hopefully the blog will be up and running in earnest again with pictures very soon.

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PS I realised the blog turned one yesterday. It's been such fun and I especially love 'meeting' and comparing notes with other bloggers - what a fabulous, friendly and stylish bunch you are.

The ups and downs of life in the past year have meant I rate it under 'could do better' - but here's hoping that is fulfilled in year 2!

Forget all attempts at minimalism.

I've gone mad. Is there a full moon?  A quick tally of my in-box reveals err... about 6 online orders pending.  That doesn't count a smattering of eBay purchases either. Oops. (However, eBay doesn't count as it's classed as recyling of the finest order. Fact!)

First up - another pair of Boyfriend jeans. Don't do things by halves, do I? One minute she detests them, the next they are multiplying like mad.

I blame this purchase on (a) Red Magazine (bought solely for free Elemis skin care), which had a feature on Selfridges' new denim studio; and (b) the novelty of being able to buy Primark online...(from Selfridges no less!)

I await delivery of the Primark boyfriend jean offering. Has anyone else tried them?

I must say, although a late convert to the 'boyfriend' style, I am loving them... the insouciant (she fondly hopes!) shape, the cuffed hem, the looser, slouchier (more forgiving?) fit, and the fact that they stay up unbelted (higher rise?)

The looser fit is also a comfortable option for the warmer weather.  Not that they will be limited to summer wear. Autumn-mad woman that I am, I have already tried with boots. I looked just like (a demented female version of) young Jim 'down the farm' about to go into the milking parlour...!! (Not saying that's necessarily a good thing... but the look certainly didn't scream 'try hard'!)

Primark, £11

I've also ordered a jersey zip jacket from The White Company:

I was inspired by Susie SoSo's fab jersey biker jacket find from Tesco, which incidentally is now even more of a fab find as it's been reduced to £7, but tragically, there were none in stock in my size. Can't see it on the website, but there were still a few in store today. Absolutely gutted. (The White Company one had better be worth the extra!)

Love the anticipation of new parcels arriving. And it's my birthday this week...so I am justified in splashing out a teeny bit. 

'Boyfriend' jeans and sale sandals

Sales shopping for me is usually the chance to grab something that I might have been drawn to earlier in the year, magpie- like, but for whatever reason, didn't want to buy at full price.

Aware that they could be a one season wonder, I was reluctant to buy these red sandals from Topshop earlier in the season, but reduced to £25, in my size - oh yes!  I do love red shoes. I had some red Boden pumps once which I think were bought by accident / as an afterthought - as the colour I really wanted was out of stock.  Loved those red Boden pumps though...I think they are the only shoes I have ever literally worn to pieces!

So I hope these are a wise buy:

Topshop Nano Clog t-bar sandals - reduced to £25 

I declared a few months ago that I would not be buying 'boyfriend' jeans.  Browsing on the net-a-porter site the other day however, I spotted some Current/Elliot jeans.....  they just appealed for some reason. I am very slow to 'get' new trends! - they were but too pricey.

Now, I am a little worried that Topshop have false trickery type mirrors which make you look better than you really look. I bought the Topshop boyfriend jeans - £42. Having tried these on at home I am slightly worried that they make my bum look odd and 'flat' (not in a good way).

Has anyone else had this problem with 'boyfriend' jeans?  Probably just due to the fact that I need to lose a pound or two... but in any case it is too late to change my mind as, such was my enthusiasm,  the tags have been removed.  Subtle change of leg shape also needs a totally different top though.

These, I've decided, will only really work with a fitted or 'tucked in' top (which compounds the 'bum' issue). Wearing them with my favoured looser tops makes me look like a humungous shapeless heap. (Well, I mean clearly I AM said heap...but the key is the cunning 'sleight of dress' to disguise this with the right clothes...no?!)

Topshop 'Boyfriend' jeans; H&M top, Topshop sandals (sale buy!)

I tried on another pair of 'boyfriend' jeans in River Island which I liked from the leg downwards, (the 'worn' part was nice) but the top part was weird and so were the pockets.  (I also broke a nail trying to undo the button, but I digress...)

River Island 'Boyfriend' jeans (not bought)

Finally, a Topshop Midi skirt with a star print. (What is it with me, Topshop and stars..anyone remember the Topshop star jumper?!)  

Luckily I was saved by the mismatched seam (pet hate)... so did not buy. A good move I feel, as not terribly flattering I'm sure you'll agree! (See bum woes above.)

Topshop midi skirt (not bought)

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Final word.  No progress yet on the 10 item wardrobe. As is clear from this post, wardrobe has in fact just increased by 2 items... so I am moving in the wrong direction.  I have read up on it further however, and the 10 items do not include shoes, coats, layering t shirts /vest tops etc, accessories - bags, scarves etc - or 'special occasion' wear - dresses and the like....which is evidently just as well!

The 10 item wardrobe. Could it ever happen?

I read a book recently ('Lessons from Madame Chic' if anyone's interested) in the hope it might 'gee me up' a bit with my wardrobe challenge which has been ongoing now for - ooh about 8 months - probably pre-dates this blog in fact! Now one piece of advice was to edit your wardrobe down to just 10 key, top quality, flexible items.

I liked this idea but the question occurred to me - how on earth to select the 10 items....?

I then read this blog post - which turns most wardrobe clear-out theories on their head by recommending that instead of the usual emptying of the closet and the laborious trying on / working out what doesn't fit etc etc - that you simply select things that you do LOVE. Yes LOVE. Note that this means that any hesitation, however slight, rules that item out on the basis that you don't love it. Now this appealed to the Ash mentality. (Impatient and simplistic.)

(Not my wardrobe, but a benchmark!)

So I went to my wardrobe, and the 10 items I selected were:

1. White Company cashmere poncho
2. Topshop Jamie black skinny jeans
3. Toast voluminous artist's smock type tunic thing
4. H&M long navy v neck sweater
5. Gap Body t shirt  - black, 1 long sleeved, 1 short sleeved. (OK I cheated, 2 for 1!)
6. M&S Autograph navy parka jacket
7. LK Bennett classic beige trench
8. LK Bennett classic black knee length pencil skirt
9. White Company black capri trousers
10. White Company beige cashmere mix sweater
11. Monsoon navy linen tunic  (11a Green Zara trousers.... Oh heck - I'l have to stop there!)

Err...that's  actually 11, but we'll gloss over that fact. Artistic licence and all that.  In fact it really needs to be 12 - as I need a taupe bottom half in there somewhere - either trews or skirt. Let's select a Jigsaw taupe curvy fitted pencil skirt with a kick pleat at the back.

In selecting the 10 11 items which I wear most currently and love, I notice that quite a few are winter items. I am a winter kind of gal. I prefer colder weather. It figures that most of my favourite items will be from that season. I never spend much time or energy on warner weather wear because (a) the actual time window to wear it gets increasingly smaller and (b) I just don't feel happiest wearing lightweight  clothes.

I have been generous and allowed myself 10 key accessories too - though I am sure the '10 item system' allows for many more. In fact, accessories are the key to pulling off the 10 item wardrobe I suspect. (Yay! Free reign on the shoe purchases - I knew I was right all along!)

1. Mulberry Mitzy tote
2. Pure Collection cashmere snood
3. Russell & Bromley black and tan quilted flats
4. LK Bennett black / chrome long jewelled pendant
5. LK Bennett silver knot pendant
6. LK Bennett nude Shilo heels
7. M&S Autograph black patent pumps
8. Jigsaw tan strappy wedges
9. Longchamp navy Le Pliage bag
10. Primark faux leather black glitter front sandals  10a. Various scarves. Hmmm. See I did say needs to be more than 10 accessories. Cheating already - tut 

The advice is that you should follow the 10 11 item approach for a set period - a month say - and see how you get on. You are allowed to pull in other key items you need (in moderation) to make useful outfits - or maybe I made that bit up. But it sounds sensible anyway. 

There are other similar bogs out there advocating a similar approach. I also like this one - although it is slightly more generous (realistic maybe?) and allows 40 items :-)

Anyone ready to join me in a 10 item (maybe 40!) wardrobe challenge?!

All dressed up...

...with nowhere to go. Read on however, this is good.

As I mentioned when commenting on Susie SoSo's blog post on 'dressing up' the other day, I am useless at it. I freeze. I panic. The 'special occasion-ness' of it all freaks me out and disrupts my thought processes, which are hardly smooth at the best of times!

Now and again, I have a 'test run'.

This outfit seems to work quite well. I will file it away in my 'ready -made -outfits -for -donning -next-time -I -need -to -dress -up - and- can't -think -straight' category.

Dress - Rick Owens 

Mules - Prada

Bag - Mulberry 

(all old, as old as the hills)

 PS.... I slapped on a bit of fake tan the other day. St Tropez Gradual tan - which is good if, like me, you are slapdash. Mistakes are not that obvious and can easily be 'filled in' the next day. :-)

Coralicious

That's the name of the Rimmel nail polish I'm wearing today, inspired by my new coral 'Willow' tunic from Monsoon.  (They call it pink. It's definitely coral.)  Matchy-matchy? OTT?  Yup, that's me.

I followed my own advice and bought another of these tunics as I like the style so much. I already have the navy.

I sized down this time and think the smaller size is a much better fit.

That'll teach me to be impatient and not up together with the laundry. (Which is why I wore the navy tunic rather than exchanging it. I didn't think the good people of my neighbourhood would relish the sight of me and my spare tyre effecting my exchange tunic-less. And yes it was that bad! There you have it - shopping as a public service in the interests of decency.)

Tunic - Monsoon 

Navy Jeggings - River Island

Necklace - John Lewis (old)

Sandals - Toast outlet

Dress please

A few summer dress outfits.

The Tesco F&F maxi dress was a shameless 'steal' from Avril at School Gate Style who styled it to perfection.  And I managed to scoop it up using some Clubcard vouchers, meaning that it ended up costing about £3. What a bargain :-)

Tesco F&F Maxi dress, LK Bennet belt & wedge sandals 

The other two were also supermarket finds - both from Sainsbury's. I think the greeny turquoise dress looks better with the wide belt than without.

The Paisley one I loved in the shop, but am really not so sure now. Isn't it weird how your perception of looking at yourself in a mirror can be totally different from seeing a photo of yourself in said item?!

I mentioned the other day about gravity taking its toll - and I am very afraid the problem is now affecting my arms, which have so far not been too much of a worry.  However, recent pics show them looking a tad err...wrong. Mind you, I could do with losing a few pounds all over - so that would help.  The Sainsbury's paisley dress is the worst offender for some reason I think: the cap sleeves cut off at just the wrong point. Maybe I can take a leaf out of Susie-SoSo's book and wield my scissors / sewing machine.

  

Left - dress Sainsbury's, navy belt & wedges as above.  Right - dress Sainsbury's, nude LK Bennett wedges