You may well in future see me wearing a fair bit of....
.....Mint Velvet. I'll come clean straight up. I have hovered in concessions and thought that, as a collection in the catalogues it has always looked gorgeous and beautifully styled and put together but when I've come to try on the individual pieces it hasn't quite worked for me. Apart from their scarves - their scarves have always been stunning and I've admired their butter leather jackets as well. I've always so wanted to like it but have never had the time to try it all on properly.
But now - and the excitement is almost palpable believe me - we have a store down the road. Locally! Not wanting to give people the wrong impression of where I live, but frankly from a fashion perspective, it's lacking. Being polite. I won't deny that there is the (very) odd thing in Phase Eight that I sometimes find interesting (although not exactly for a night out) - other than that your choices boil down to Russell & Bromley (fabulous if I fancied going out in a pair of amazing shoes and diddly squat else), White Stuff, Fat Face, Joules, Crew (getting the picture?) and a couple of small independent boutiques (one Danish one, Tommelise which I am very fond of to be fair). Oh and not forgetting Laura Ashley and Viyella. Unfortunately Country Casuals closed down to be placed with a Running Shop. Imagine my excitement. Says the lazy hound who couldn't run to the end of the road and back without getting a stitch.
Suffice to say, I don't live in a hotbed of glorious shopping opportunities. Not that it's entirely necessary with some larger places a 30 min drive away and good old internet shopping (not to mention John Lewis Click and Collect which has frankly changed my life. I know. Sad is my middle name)
But to have a store that, when that last minute panic of wanting something new to wear to that dinner/party/night out with the husband or the girls, I can head to and know I might be able to fit the bill, I found perhaps more exciting than I should.
Friends (and one in particular!) always manages to find gems in Mint Velvet (I was very far behind with my scarf and leather jacket obsession). The amount of times I'd ask where x was from and she'd say MV. Ditto another friend with an amazing pair of boots on last week. Therefore when I got an email saying they were having an opening party day on Friday, seeing as the two small thugs aka Rugrat 2 and 3 were at Football, Rugrat 1, who is far more civilised and interested, and I went along for a nose.
What a beautiful shop. Even the changing rooms (which you can see below). Now this isn't going to appeal to everyone, but I love the fact that their clothes colour palette seems to be a moodier shade of grey, blues, creams and blacks. There always seemed to be an overtone of lilac to the affair which isn't my personal bag but I am loving the sea of all things moody, dark and autumnal. The whole shop just looks like a place where you could find a plethora of goodies.
Since we had an hour to spare, the store was lovely and quiet (which other eejit takes their children shopping at school pick up time?!) and the staff were just lovely and helpful (the manager there Meghan is another beautifully tall girl - we bonded over long leg lengths!), I tried on a whole host of outfits and RR1 papped away.
Starting with a newly in leopard print coat in grey, biker style with a diagonal zip and a cocoon shape. Whilst I do love this, I do think actually that someone not so ludicrously tall would wear it better. But the layering top underneath is beautiful and could easily be worn as just a tee on its own. Note I did size up (I actually think this is a 14 but a 12 would also have worked). Trousers though - yay more skinny coated jeans. AND AND AND they do these in a longer leg online. Have to say though, I quite like the slightly cropped look. (which is ironic seeing how I've banged on for years about needing things longer.) These, I just took a normal size in and they are great. Good stretch to them and not too low cut. Thank. The. Lord.
The Shoe boots as well are also from here. True to size, wonderful slight platform, I only wish I could justify another purchase of black boots (I *may* have sneaked a pair of heeled ankle boots the other week when I had an offer from My Wardrobe....)
The other reason we papped so much as well was because of (interior saddo alert here), I am completely in love with the panelling on the walls.
But now - and the excitement is almost palpable believe me - we have a store down the road. Locally! Not wanting to give people the wrong impression of where I live, but frankly from a fashion perspective, it's lacking. Being polite. I won't deny that there is the (very) odd thing in Phase Eight that I sometimes find interesting (although not exactly for a night out) - other than that your choices boil down to Russell & Bromley (fabulous if I fancied going out in a pair of amazing shoes and diddly squat else), White Stuff, Fat Face, Joules, Crew (getting the picture?) and a couple of small independent boutiques (one Danish one, Tommelise which I am very fond of to be fair). Oh and not forgetting Laura Ashley and Viyella. Unfortunately Country Casuals closed down to be placed with a Running Shop. Imagine my excitement. Says the lazy hound who couldn't run to the end of the road and back without getting a stitch.
Suffice to say, I don't live in a hotbed of glorious shopping opportunities. Not that it's entirely necessary with some larger places a 30 min drive away and good old internet shopping (not to mention John Lewis Click and Collect which has frankly changed my life. I know. Sad is my middle name)
But to have a store that, when that last minute panic of wanting something new to wear to that dinner/party/night out with the husband or the girls, I can head to and know I might be able to fit the bill, I found perhaps more exciting than I should.
Friends (and one in particular!) always manages to find gems in Mint Velvet (I was very far behind with my scarf and leather jacket obsession). The amount of times I'd ask where x was from and she'd say MV. Ditto another friend with an amazing pair of boots on last week. Therefore when I got an email saying they were having an opening party day on Friday, seeing as the two small thugs aka Rugrat 2 and 3 were at Football, Rugrat 1, who is far more civilised and interested, and I went along for a nose.
What a beautiful shop. Even the changing rooms (which you can see below). Now this isn't going to appeal to everyone, but I love the fact that their clothes colour palette seems to be a moodier shade of grey, blues, creams and blacks. There always seemed to be an overtone of lilac to the affair which isn't my personal bag but I am loving the sea of all things moody, dark and autumnal. The whole shop just looks like a place where you could find a plethora of goodies.
Since we had an hour to spare, the store was lovely and quiet (which other eejit takes their children shopping at school pick up time?!) and the staff were just lovely and helpful (the manager there Meghan is another beautifully tall girl - we bonded over long leg lengths!), I tried on a whole host of outfits and RR1 papped away.
Starting with a newly in leopard print coat in grey, biker style with a diagonal zip and a cocoon shape. Whilst I do love this, I do think actually that someone not so ludicrously tall would wear it better. But the layering top underneath is beautiful and could easily be worn as just a tee on its own. Note I did size up (I actually think this is a 14 but a 12 would also have worked). Trousers though - yay more skinny coated jeans. AND AND AND they do these in a longer leg online. Have to say though, I quite like the slightly cropped look. (which is ironic seeing how I've banged on for years about needing things longer.) These, I just took a normal size in and they are great. Good stretch to them and not too low cut. Thank. The. Lord.
The Shoe boots as well are also from here. True to size, wonderful slight platform, I only wish I could justify another purchase of black boots (I *may* have sneaked a pair of heeled ankle boots the other week when I had an offer from My Wardrobe....)
The other reason we papped so much as well was because of (interior saddo alert here), I am completely in love with the panelling on the walls.
Suede Shoe Boots £129
Next outfit - oh be still my beating heart. Needless to say this is the very first item on my a) Christmas WIsh List or b) Sales List.
Burn out top is again lovely - they say grey but it's more of an ink colour I'd say. Very useful neutral basic to have. I have this on in the pic with the jacket and then the ink layering top in the pic with the scarf.
Couldn't not have a look at the scarves and in fact I wasn't going to get one, but this was just too lovely and too useful to leave behind (I'm sure it also says something about Limited Edition and I am a complete sucker for anything that implies I might miss out). I've mentioned before my obsession with black and blue and this is perfect for tying outfits together.
Jeans this time are the double zip (not to be confused with the triple zip jeans - only difference I can see is that the zips on these are lower and more easily seen which I like). Thank god the indigo and the black really aren't that different otherwise I'm not sure I could have resisted more.
These are so comfortable (I know I sound 100) and flattering. Again, like the coated skinnies, they have a higher rise (although it's definitely not high waist) that manages to cover a (well, my) multitude of sins and not a muffin in sight.
Again, these come in longer and shorter lengths online but I was so keen to wear these out that night and really like the 7/8ths length that these, along with the scarf, were the winning items on the day that got to come home with me, beautifully packaged in a lovely card and velvet (obviously) bag.
Ink Layering tee £29
To be honest it was a toss up between the faded indigo and the washed black above - in the end I decided on the black as I have a plethora of denim jeans but black would work better for me for both nights out and during the day.
And a thing of such divine beauty - honestly the loveliest leather jacket I have seen in an awfully long time. Rose gold hardware I think is the key here. Just softens the look of the black leather (which, to be fair, is the most stunning buttery leather anyway)
I didn't see it in the brown instore but this looks like the most perfect shade of chestnut. Again, with beautiful zip detail (clearly the clue being in the title "zip detail leather jacket")
And there, ladies of Sevenoaks and the surrounding villages, we have a new gem. The lovely ladies in there really knew their stuff as well which does make shopping so much easier rather than being grunted at by an 18 year old who couldn't care less. I know there are loads round the country and I am ridiculously late to the party but it's so so much easier to appreciate a brand and what it has to offer when it's set out in such lovely surroundings. Hence, the chances of me picking up more bits from there are, errr, high.
Other things on my wish list would be
Sweat Jacquard Jumper in Blue - £59. Now I loved this but for those of us of taller proportions, this doesn't work. However, if you are either normal or petite then this is your perfect sweat. Smart enough not to look like you should be going to the gym and the absolute ideal length to hide a waistband and our (well I have them anyway) not so flattering bits and not look too "casual" or bulbous.
They also do it in an ivory which is equally as gorgeous and would be just as useful
Again they didn't have these in store I don't recall but if I needed a new pair of sneakers (not even I can pretend to attempt to justify a reason for these. More's the pity) these would be top of the list.
Suede studded plimsolls in black - £89
Boyfriend jeans £59
And here we have me in the aforementioned double zip jeans a couple of hours later, going out on Friday night. I really wish you could see the slightly faded edge to them. Such a great alternative for a night out when you don't want something super smart - the ideal (in fact better) alternative to distressed jeans.
Leopard print top - Clements Ribeiro
Double Zip washed black jeans - Mint Velvet
Yellow cardigan - Goat
Mini Antelope Charm necklace - Bill Skinner
Leather cuff - Mulberry
Kendrix Ankle boots - Sam Edelman (these may have sneaked into my wardrobe....)
And what I wore in Friday during the day.
Leopard Print Top - Clements Ribeiro
Distressed Real Straight jeans rolled up - Gap
Black Wild Cat ballet pumps - The British Flat Shoe Company
Cream Boucle jacket - Massimo Dutti
Mini Antelope Charm Necklace - Bill Skinner
Emperor Coin Bracelet - Bill Skinner
Black Diego bag - Alexander Wang
On Saturday
Khaki linen top - H&M
Faded Straight leg jeans rolled up - Earl
Gold leather sneakers - Gap
Navy, khaki and cream boucle jacket - Zara
Tan leather cuff - Mulberry
Stone and cream skull pashmina - Alexander McQueen
Black Diego bag - Alexander Wang
Sunday for a lovely family lunch. This didn't look nearly as prim as it does in this pic! The red beaded neckline which you can't see a scooby of, really makes it. Duh. Again, I have the MV double zip jeans on and again you can't see the faded part. Just marvellous eh?!
Cream sculptured tee - Whistles
Double Zip washed black skinny trousers - Mint Velvet
Black Wild Cat ballet pumps - The British Flat Shoe Company
Black and silver boucle jacket with beaded neckline - Zara
Black Diego - Alexander Wang
And today
Wine and bone breton top - Massimo Dutti
Distressed straight leg jeans rolled up - Gap
Black and tan quilted leather jacket - Massimo Dutti
Camel Cypress boots - Acne
Gold pine cones necklace - NW3 by Hobbs
Tan leather belt - Primark
Brown leather cuff - Warehouse
Black Diego bag - Alexander Wang
Back tomorrow and let's just say I'm back in love with the skinnes.
