You know I said there was ONE thing I couldn't master?

Well, it turns out that was an ambitious statement. 

Yes, apparently there is more than one thing I can't conquer in the wardrobe stakes - the next one being - the pleather trouser. 

They don't work.  I have not had one person say to me - ooh I have an amazing pair.  Nope, they either split (lots of them split, don't take it personally, it's the fabric... that's what I've been telling myself after my recent wardrobe malfunction anyway), they fall down, they're too hot, they're too clingy, they're criminally uncomfortable - you name it, no-one has anything positive to say about them.

I'll be honest, I haven't tried every single pair I've ever come across - I still would say the Vera Moda and Esprit ones "might" be worth a look.  But really, are they doing to be that different?  Will these companies have discovered some miracle fabric that does what no other pleather can do?  For only around the £50 I'm going with no. 

It's not just pleather in the trouser department that is a big fat fail.  One of my closest friends bought a rather gorgeous drop flared hem dress from Zara recently.  Thankfully the first outing was at a dinner party with good friends as on sitting down, the dress split down the back from the neck to the waist.  This fabric is just not meant to be used in close fitting garments that need to stretch. 

I GIVE UP.  

I do still have a shiny trouser hole in my wardrobe though.  And so yesterday when I was out and about, I remembered from a google search for coated trousers for the lankier lass, I'd seen some at New Look.

I haven't been into New Look for ages but there were actually some pretty decent things in there.  With a spare 10 mins ish and seeing as I was trying on the trousers anyway, I thought it would be a good idea to drag a huge haul of stuff into the changing room to try on. 

Starting with the coated trousers.  Are these going to last forever?  I'd go with probably not, but seeing as they're bound to last longer than two wears, I think we may be onto something.  And the best thing, is that they do them in different lengths.  Be warned.  The sizing looks very off.  The size 10 I'm trying on, honestly looked like a pair of kids' jeans, but they do stretch.  I've also got the shorter leg length on (apologies, I didn't look to see if it was 28 or 30 but they're short on me). 

These are VERY skinny.  Well they're super skinny.  So more like a legging, could easily be worn as a legging but definitely jeans with the pockets.  To me, pockets make all the difference.  No pockets = no showing of arse please.  Pockets = arse on show acceptable. (these are my woeful rules and no-one else's by the way - they need not be heeded by others!) 

Black Super Skinny Jeans £22.99 







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Gotta love the classy socks and sneakers on show.  So sorry.



Then it was onto coats.  Now I don't need a navy coat - I have a pretty good one from Zara last year that was a ridiculously cheap £29.99 (I've had a cunning plan to change the buttons....) but this one I personally prefer.  It's not fur but it's a brushed fabric which is the perfect cross between smart and casual.  AND it's currently on offer!


Navy Single Button Boyfriend was £49.99 now £37.00  This is a 12 - I assumed that they'd be cut on the skimpy side.  NOPE!  Wear your normal size peeps.



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Another coat that I did in fact have high hopes for but alas, didn't quite work out was this pale camel (ok that'll be stone) one.  Just a bit of an odd fit.  This is a 12, everything bar the trousers do seem to come up large and it's massive.  Not just oversized, but huge.  You can also see the popper when you undo it which is a massive pet hate of mine as I would do it up very rarely.  In fact I looked like Spongebob with it done up.

Stone Brushed Texture Formal Coat £33.50 was £44.99  Looks fab here....


And not so fab.



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Much more success with a yellow jumper.  Fabric feels great - this is me in a size 14, I love the oversized sleeves.  I may be onto something here...... 

Yellow Honeycomb Knit Crew Knit £19.99  A gazillion colours online apart from yellow.





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Grey Leather Look Panel sleeve exposed Zip cardigan £29.99 I'm trying this in the Large - this actually doesn't come up this big - gotta love the sizing consistency.  However apart from that - All Saints, eat your heart out for less than £30.




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Je Suis un Beauty Queen Sweatshirt £17.99 ADORE this - total bargain, if only I needed a grey sweat which I don't, this is a size 12.  It's absolutely enormous.



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Grey Nothing To Wear t-shirt £7.99  Again, me in a 12, a much more consistent sizing - I wouldn't want this any smaller.




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Now onto the scarf thingies.  
Brown Faux Fur Collar £9.99  This looks like rancid fox in this pic but honestly it's pretty darn fabulous.  I think this transforms an old coat into something completely up to date and is ideal if you don't want to do the whole full on fur hoolie.






And it was all going so well with the trying on, until this happened.  Ok so I did think it was a snood before I realised it wouldn't go over my head and so is therefore a headband (I actually have one of these somewhere - Ivana Trump eat your heart out)



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Grey Faux Fur Oversized Scarf £12.99  Couldn't find this in store but I LOVE it.




Some fantastic party shoes - these are a revelation.  They can look silver or gold depending on what light you stand in.  Rather like those lipsticks you used to get from the market when you were a kid - awww what was the brand........?  The ones that looked green but then came out pink.  OOH Constance Carroll! 

Gold Glitter Metal Point Court Shoes £19.99 (I swear to god if you told me these were Jimmy Choo, I wouldn't argue with you)







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I've been asked numerous times if there are any flat evening shoes that I'd recommend and hey presto, as if by magic.

Gold Lurex Pointed Pumps £12.99


Wide Fit Multicoloured Glitter Pumps £12.99 (they also have these in a neutral goldy colour, a red and a black) 








Grey Premium Leather Pointed Toe Ankle Boots £64.99  These look so so much better in the flesh than in the pics.





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I did also find online a number of things I thought, oooh, that I hadn't seen instore.  

Starting with sweatshirts.  Honestly, the quality of these is as good as any others out there, I'll be totally frank with you but for a 10th of the price.  I love this one - all rather tongue in cheek obviously.

Cream Nothing To Wear long sleeved sweater £14.99




I actually gasped when I saw this one (I'm not getting out much at the moment).  This is literally identical to the navy Sandro one I ummed and ahhed over last year (and didn't buy, may I reassure you)  Except that it's grey and it doesn't cost £160. Identical. (if navy is identical to grey that is)

Misumi Dark Grey Snakeskin Jacquard Sweatshirt £19.99
Grey Buckle Side High Boots £29.99  And these remind me more than just a little of my Acne Cypress boots.  Not they're not leather but they are only £30!


And if you need a little Valentino in your life but can't justify the cost of a pair of Rockstuds, fear not, New Look to the rescue. 

Black Studded T-Bar Ankle Strap Pointed Pumps £19.99



So, there is one store where I shall be paying more of a visit.  In fact, I was looking at some of their longline basics online, anyone got any experience of them?  I need definitely to do a basics thread shortly - the time of layering is upon us. 

Outfit for today.  Am in DESPERATE need of my hair being done.  GAH! 


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White vest - Primark
Black and white jumper - Hush
Black triple zip jeans - Mint Velvet
Black skater shoes - Next
Black boiled wool coat - Ronit Zilkha
Black Faridah Hobo bag - Marc by Marc Jacobs

Christening tomorrow, still haven't decided what I'm wearing but it's definitely going to be something of the dress variety.  It's followed by the little boy's birthday party so I need something that will be church followed by Mr Marvel the Entertainer worthy.... I'm thinking dress, smart coat and ankle boots.  My boots from M&S haven't arrived - due on Sunday.  Next day delivery working a treat then... Not.

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CONVERSATION

36 comentarios:

  1. I love the 'nothing to wear' tee! It's top of my list for next months purchases. Also love the yellow jumper x

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    1. ARRHH it's sold out online now. The yellow jumper is fab though!

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  2. I love New Look, their jeans are brilliant. I bought a gorgeous pale blue coat a month or so ago and have had so many comments on it. Eldest's girlfriend works there though so got to be careful what I buy/wear from there, nothing like a 17 year old wearing something you've been looking at to realise that you really shouldn't. Fiona xx

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    1. oh lord yes, if my 10 yr old says she'd wear, I avoid! This isn't going to get any better, is it?!

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  3. Love your fur-headband-trying-on face!

    I used to have to buy basic NL tee shirts in size 18 to get a decent fit (I was a size 10-12). The strappy vests in particular were tiny! It's been a while, so things may have changed, but if I'm honest they wouldn't be my first port of call. I get longline vests from Sainsbury's for less than a fiver each, and the quality is surprisingly good. They are properly, properly long. I find their plain long sleeved tops good value too. I do have a soft spot for NL though. You have to be prepared to spend time rooting around and trying stuff on, but it's often well worth it!

    Becky x

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    1. I'll have a look in Sainsburys thank you xx

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  4. I have to tell you about the plether leggings in this shop! They are in London and just opened in Brighton. I have some with a rose pattern and they are great, no sign of a split and worn twice so far. Jersey on the back, really comfortable
    http://www.calzedonia.it/en/

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  5. Glad I'm not the only one with M & S delivery delays: ordered yesterday for next day click and collect and got an email today saying it'll be Sunday :(
    Gemma x

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    1. I ordered on Thursday night and yup, Sunday. I get it might not have been Friday but errr hello, what about Saturday?!

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    2. I've had an email today, after I've been in town (!), saying they're there now! Grr!

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  6. cheryl Ebeling-jonesFriday, 24 October, 2014

    M&S woeful. Ordered a top for next day delivery to store. Email to say it was delayed. Had to collect the following day.
    I discovered a while ago that New Look do petite fit online. I was dubious about the quality but the denim shirt I bought is wearing and washing well.

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    1. Yup, petite and tall - but only online now I think x

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  7. Love New Look's TALL range, just a pity they withdrew it from in store sale. The denim jeans wear extremely well, I have some 5 year old skinnies that are only just fading now! I wish they'd add more to the Tall range, I'd certainly buy it.
    I'd highly recommend H&M for longline vests, and only about £3.99 each. They're wearing (and washing) very well so far! !

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    1. You see I found their denim stretched really badly but I did only try one pair of black on black jeans and this was about a gazillion years ago if I think about it... AHA now I do have a striped H&M vest actually which is fab although I think the ones I was looking at were £7.99? But definitely worth it if they last - good reminder, thank you! WIll add it to the list xx

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    2. Do you (or a servant!!) tumble-dry them? As I think that's why my NL jeans last so long, I line dry them....and yes....my just-starting-to-fade ones are black on black..spooky!!

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  8. Oh Kat! Im that annoying person that does have an amazing pair of pleather trousers - more of a high waisted, flat front cigarette trouser. They were bought last year from Topshop about 35quid they did them in a 12tall and they have been worn purely for evenings out on approx. 10 different occasions. No signs of any weakness at the seams - flipping great. Love the grey zip/pleather cardigan at New Look , would look fab with my black pleathers....oh sorry....good luck!xx

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    1. NOW you see I tried them on in the store and EVEN The ones in the shop had already split on the seam in the leg so I didn't buy them. Maybe that was a mistake (or maybe I'm just bigger than I realise)

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  9. Kat the Next leather look leggings are amazing, they are soft and don't get to hot. Remain skinny and look more expensive than the £28 they cost me. They do look like leather, I am not a fan of shiny ones (look cheap and more like fame dance wear from the 80's I feel) however, the next ones don't have pockets so you would be want to display your cute arse. The rockstud look a likes are worth a look up closer, I luckly got the new look Aquazurra look a likes which are fab!

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    1. I don't want shiny shiny, but I do want a leather look, if that makes sense, which is always going to be slightly shinier than a very matt cotton! You see I keep looking at the Next ones but I do not want leggings, I want trousers! But maybe I should give them a go to wear during the day - as they'd look fab with a long shirt and sweatshirt and oversized coat..... Those shoes do look pretty darn good don't they?! Perfect if you're looking for a dressy shoe for the night time but don't want a heel x

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  10. Another one to recommend h&m long vests. I have been wearing them loads for the past couple of years and they are still going strong.Though I wouldn't order online as they are woefully slooow.

    Next pleathers sound good, I am worried about hot sweatiness when bombing about with kids. So will watch with interest.

    tanya

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    1. Definitely on my list - thank you! And I'm waiting on a huge home order -they've changed the date three times and every day email me to tell me something I've ordered is now out of stock. Bloody shambles.

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    2. I gave up ordering from H&M due to their woefully slow service, then tried again this week and it was amazing! Order arrived within three days. Very happy! Lynne x

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  11. Gutted! ! the "nothing to wear" sweatshirt is sold out online!
    So if any of you lovelies see one instore in a 14 please get in touch :)

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    1. OH NO!!! I didn't see it instore at all - looks like it's been v popular. Sorry x

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    2. I'm sure it will appear on eBay for £60 soon :)

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  12. Fingers crossed they work for you! I've just realised I've forgotten to buy any bloody tights.... ARRGGGHHHH quick trip to M&S for me on the way to the church then! FOOL!

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  13. I like that Grey cardi very much and such a good price although I don't usually buy much in there. x

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    1. Me neither but it was quite an inspiration x

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  14. I know this is ridiculously picky.....but......the slogan on the sweatshirt, should say "je suis unE...." as it is feminine. It is one of my bug-bears that a lot of Fashion companies put out sloganed fashion wear without checking the grammar/spelling is correct. Sorry about that...rant over! I know it's not your fault, just saying. I love the sparkly shoes and the Valentino copy.

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  15. H&M all the way for longline basics! I've got vests, short sleeved tshirts, long sleeved tshirts & cardigans, all fantastic in size, wear & price!

    I used to work in NL in my early 20s & the 50% staff discount was lethal - I'd get paid & spend it all the same day!! X

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    1. I find they're so hit and miss. I've got some which are great and some which are utter crud. GAH!

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  16. I'm just not a fan of New Llok, I don't get it. Bought a couple of camis last summer and they were ruined after one wear and wash. Have given up trying there now :-( Lynne x

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    1. I have to say I have a similar relationship with H&M. SOB. Haven't bought anything in NL for years. Have almost given up in H&M though. Oh and Zara. But that doesn't stop me shopping there. Eejit

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  17. oh you're more than welcome and thank you xx

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