Flower Power

Noah's called and he's on his way with the Ark.  How horrific is this weather?  We had snow today.  Admittedly it didn't settle and it was on the sleety side, but it meant that on no analysis was I going for a walk in it.  Handily, the poor puppy is on the mend but is on a very limited exercise schedule and as she'd been for two 45 min walks on Thursday and Friday, today she definitely "needed" a day of rest. 

After Spring teasing us with a couple of warmer, sunnier days and then sodding off again for the weekend, we (well I certainly) need a pick me up. 

Don't all faint at once but I'm thinking colour and I'm thinking print.  Floral.  Flower power....

New season loves.  And of course, could I find any of these a couple of weeks ago when I was looking for my party?  Could I heck as like.  

Proverbial bleeding buses now.  Still feeling all the love for them (and I will say - I haven't seen any yet that I do love as much as the Preen Line dress I bought or the Self Portrait one which is still sitting in the packaging and I'm deliberating for the First Holy Communion still.  Got to love ASOS and their month long returns policy) so here is my pick of some of the best out there. 

What am I thinking of wearing these for?  Well, I think having an arsenal of these in your wardrobe is no bad thing.  Ideal for occasions for sure, with heels and a clutch.  But I want us all to start wearing these (she says ambitiously) on a daily basis.  Go for the sneakers, go for the ankle boots.  Bring out the biker jacket (I may becoming slightly biker obsessed if you haven't noticed but there is no finer jacket to make this totally wearable day to day).

Roscoe Floral Placement Print Shirt Dress from Finery £118

Or there's a top version.  Absolutely adore this print.  The back is also gorgeous (most of us would have to wear a vest under it... but still a lovely look). 

Rushcroft Floral Placement top from Finery £65






And if you're feeling SUPER flowery, how about also getting the matching trews?  Deep breath guys....



Richmond Floral Placement Print Trousers from Finery £75  Of course the alternative is to wear with a plain white top.  I'd also love to see it with a black polo neck.  Or a pink crew neck jumper and white sneakers.... Definitely lots of options and a lovely nod to Spring in this grim grim weather.




Other options I've found that offer that outfit versatility are in the sale from Matches.  Ok so these are perhaps definitely on the more summery side, but actually I would so wear the midi skirt with a navy crew neck jumper and tan ankle boots now.  Or how about a cream polo neck, grey or black heeled ankle boots and yes, the obligatory biker jacket.... 

Raey floral print pleated midi skirt was £225 now £67 from Matches




And the top - which I would team with the skirt and hey presto, instant dress.  Or it would look amazing over jeans or cut offs on warmer days.  This is the perfect holiday duo - offering you so many different options with just two pieces.  Great to be worn as a dress or as separates.  Add a tee or silky shirt with the skirt above.  Flipflops for day, heels for night. 

Floral Printed pleated cami was £185 now £74



Other options which are very wearable and I know lots of people are huge fans of - they're also super versatile for work - are shirt dresses.  I'm also going to throw it out there that all these dresses would look great with a certain pair of flats that I'm now coming round to thinking might be a Spring must .. (to be continued..)

Floral Belted Shirt Dress from Warehouse was £55 now £30 - this would be amazing with sandals in the Summer.  Or court shoes for work.



Vorley Shirt Dress in Putty Print from Finery £69




Another dress and I LOVE this one from ASOS.  I officially WOULD be Kate Bush in this dress. 

ASOS Foil Floral Midi Dress £75



Super slinky now with the classic Wiggle dress from ASOS.  Love this print.  This could easily be worn to work, to a wedding - to any summer occasion when a dress is needed in fact.  Ideal Ascot dress.. just saying.. (I officially can't think that far forward myself).

ASOS Textured Wiggle Dress in Placement Floral Print £50




And throwing it in here as it's a random one and I know the proportions would be all wrong for me but I ADORE this dress.  In my head I'd be wearing Christian Dior circa somewhere in the 1950s.  In reality I'd be wearing my Nana's loo roll holder circa 1982.

Chi Chi London Full Prom Skater Dress £55



Now staying with the super summery, you know sometimes you are just drawn to a print or a colour palette.  This is it for me.  I adore this top.  I love the mix of shades, I love the print, I love the style.  I'd wear it with either cut offs (or white shorts like this) but I also think it would rock with a pair of flared jeans.  White skinny jeans and nude strappy sandals and shoes and this is fab night out Summer outfit for those cooler evenings.  Another ideal holiday top.

Anais Floral print cotton blend top was £335 now £167



Another blouse at Warehouse and a complete bargain.  Very different from the one above but no less versatile. 

Long Sleeve Wrap Front Blouse was £40 now £18



But finishing with another floral number, again from Warehouse but new season this time.  And a dress.  Oh how I adore this.  Now.  A couple of things.   Firstly I had to size up in this (which isn't an issue but I could do with an 11 instead of a 10 or a 12.  This is me below in the 12).  And secondly, I'm not going to lie, this isn't the best quality fabric.  It is on the thin side.  Being longsleeved, you're not going to be keeping this for the balmy temperatures that would possibly be more suitable for this material.  However I have a cunning plan which I think would make it hang a lot better, be warmer (oh hello grandma) and just make it look more expensive.   A slip.  Yes, after my marathon trying on session of dresses that started at circa £800 (for freaking real??!), I have come to the conclusion that a lining is what we need to recreate that luxe look.  Get theeself a slip.  

Oriental Floral Midi Dress £59




And here am I in it.  What you can't see on the pic above is the lovely shoulder pleating which really does lift if from a normal dress.  Plus, my money is on your slip making this look like a million dollars (I reserve the right to be completely wrong on this.  It's a stab in the dark after Saturday night wine).






Speaking of Saturdays, today was a super super lazy day with the family.  Making some not so delicious breakfast bars from Deliciously Ella.  "There's something missing" said the 11yr old.  Yes darling, that will be sugar.  They taste rank.  They taste like those seeded ball things you put out for the birds look like they would taste.   Back to the drawing board on that one. 

So today was all about the super casual.  Taxi driver for the children this morning and this afternoon.  Friend over for coffee and making birdfood was the sum total of the action.  Absolutely loving a quiet weekend which will continue tomorrow.

These are my new bargain TEN QUID tweed grey joggers that I snagged yesterday from Topshop.  I had seen these at the beginning of the sale and though - nah, I'll wait and get some new season.  So a) I haven't seen many and b) they're not remotely cheap.  These were £15 in the sale and I missed out on them.  I have trawled three Topshops looking for them again and lo and behold, what do I find yesterday?  One pair in a 10 Tall, now reduced to £10 down from £40.  

Clearly there has been not a brush nor any make up today.  Bothered.


Grey Essential roll neck Cashmere jumper - Cocoa Cashmere
Grey tweed joggers - Topshop
Grey double faced coat - Whistles
Grey and camel Air Force One sneakers - Nike

Tomorrow I only have two children which will feel like Christmas.  So the plan is either The Martian on DVD and making sushi (this seems like a good idea two glasses of wine in...the making sushi bit that is) or Zoolander in the morning followed by Zoolander 2 at the cinema in the afternoon... Either way I am so looking forward to a LIE IN as the 9yr old has a very sore throat and so no rugby for him.   I know I shouldn't say result but RESULT.