Bare those legs...

...just a tad.  As it seems to be getting warmer (marginally.  I'm not going to say sunnier as that would be a lie.  More humid would be a horribly accurate description), I feel it's time I exposed a little more flesh. 

I've done the midi dress and the midi skirt but there is another option.  Culottes.  

Following on from my Topshop Boutique thread where I found the (marmite) caramel culottes, I thought it was worth exploring other options as these with ankle boots (my current fave thing to wear) along with a biker jacket (can you ever have too many? I may be surgically attached to mine), are going to be my number one look for the Autumn.  As well as now.  In our Swinter.  Named by one of my best friend's son.  The perfect description. 

Now someone somewhere (either in the comments here or on Instagram) the other day mentioned there being some great ones in Uniqlo. 

And they were not wrong.  I popped in today and was super impressed with the selection.  Not to mention the prices. 

Olive Wide Leg Trousers from Uniqlo now £14.90 were £24.90  Now the only problem is I simply cannot work out the sizing.  I know for a fact in store, the ones I tried on were a size 27 and a 28.  Yet the sizes start at 32 and go up to 42.  Which is sizing I've never come across.  I tried to have a look at their Sizing Chart but these sizes aren't even on there.  Errrr - anyone shed any light on this?



And in the beige



And here I am in the beige ones in a 28.  Which is the perfect size for a 10.  Alas I have zero idea what that correlates to in the sizes above.  Chocolate teapot I appreciate but if anyone can shed any light?



They are lovely but they are a light, crisp cotton and I was looking for something slightly more Autumnal.  Although looking at them again and seeing them on the pic above, I was a tool not to buy them.  Duh.

They do also have some other options but these were the ones that caught my eye which I didn't see in store.  LOVE these (as they'd be cropped on me...)

Woman Skirt Trousers in Pink £29.90 from Uniqlo



Especially in the dark green. 



The other place I remember trying on excellent ones but they were without pockets and frankly without pockets is not a good thing in my book. 

But they appeared to have amended that and aloha - we have pockets.

Classic Black at M&S - Wide leg culottes from Livia Firth and M&S est. 1884 £59.99



And another black pair from ASOS.  Love the styling here.  Good old ASOS.

ASOS Smart Tailored Culotte With Deep Pleat £30 (alas I can't comment on the pocket issue here..)


Wide crop trousers from Me+Em were £118 now £59  I have these in black and they are epic BUT they don't have pockets.. just warning you.  However they are super flattering and the best fabric. 



More in the sale at Me+Em.

Side Stripe Wide Cropped Trousers in navy were £118 now £82.60



And of course the ones I have in navy from M&S - The Adas at £39.99  I did try this look (below) on and in the mirror all I could think was, "the 80s are calling and they want their Lady Di tribute outfit back".  However with sneakers or ankle boots, these are amazing culottes.  Oh and I've also worn mine with my loafers and a biker.  I think so long as you add something that breaks the 80s spell, the outfit will work.



Now the ones I also have are leather look and I absolutely love.  Super wearable and the easiest to dress up or dress down and perfect to take you into Autumn.  Alternatively are just as useful in our "Summer".  Mine were the biggest bargain ever at £15 from River Island at the end of the A/W sale but there are some others out there. 

Oh and if you did need any persuasion to buy a pair of these, a quick peruse through the pre Fall collections shows that these are also big news for next season, so you'll definitely get your wear out of these.

Pale grey pair at ASOS. 

ASOS Leather Look Culottes £35




Or Suede at Florence and Fred for £24.  Yes that is suede for £24.. Were £80.



But I have to say I think I am going to be saving my money and invest in the M&S Autograph ones which I've had my eye on for a while now.  These are perfection in trousers, culottes, whatever you want to call them.  Perfect for now with a tee and a boucle jacket.   Into the Autumn these will be superb with ankle boots, roll neck jumpers and loose coats. 

Leather Wide Leg Cropped Trousers in Conker £199 (POCKETS!!)




More leather at Joseph in the sale at Matches with a whopping 80% off were £785 now £157


And here I am in mine.  Which I have worn a lot.  Seeing as I paid £15 for them, I reckon I can justify a leather pair for now and into the Autumn.


Black crepe top - Cos
Black faux leather culottes - River Island
Boots - QuattroRish
Patent leopard print bag - Tory Burch

And for Thursday when I went to London Zoo with 30 7yr olds.  Took 6 hours to get there and 2 hours to get back and I honestly haven't had as much fun in ages.  Who would have thought it?  The most delicious group of little people ever (mine obviously being the most delicious..!).  




Crepe sleeveless top - Zara
Jeans - Zara
Onyx biker jacket - hush
Cracked leather Stan Smiths - adidas
Haworth black bag - Village England 

For Friday when the sun came briefly out.. 



Faux leather pleated skirt - Banana Republic
Crepe sleeveless top - Zara
Boots - Quattrorish 
Half Moon Bag - APC

Impromptu night out on Friday night with friends for drinks and dinner to drown our sorrows.  Have had this blouse for ages and frankly, I couldn't be bothered to iron it.  I am *that* lazy.  Wish I'd made the effort now though.   Was also thinking it would be the best top to go with the Autograph leather culottes above....



Bardot style silk blouse - Warehouse
Phoebe Jeans - MiH
Black boucle jacket - Isabel Marant
Glove shoes - Balenciaga
Patent leopard print bag - Tory Burch

So apologies for having had a couple of days off.  Really busy week with the children so work had to take a back seat for a change.  Coming to the end of term is always super hard for our 9yr old who has Asperger's and ADHD.  We have done a stately home, a sports tournament, costume making for the End of Year Yr 6 Production, a school fair, swimming with friends, some voting and some commiserating with friends at the state of our country.  Which is all I'm going to say on the subject as everyone has their own agenda for voting and that's their prerogative and demographic right.  Although I will say that for forever I have thought it was perogative and had absolutely no idea that it was prerogative.  Considering I have been singing Bobby Brown's My PRerogative incorrectly for the past 28 yrs (yes it is 28 years old that song.  All weep with me) - I think that puts things into perspective.  And I thought, with my 3A's at A Level, that I was an intelligent one.  That's put me in my place for sure.

I will also continue to moan about the weather.  Seriously Summer?  SERIOUSLY?  As I take pictures of my daily outfits, I know for a fact that we have had less than five days of properly decent weather.  It is July next week.  That is as woeful as I can ever remember a season.  

Which means I have no idea at all what I will be blogging about tomorrow.  Seeing as for the foreseeable future on all weather apps (and yes, I have checked them all), the temperature doesn't nudge above 20 degrees.  Summer clothes anyone?

Ho hum.  I think we should start thinking about Autumn... what do we think?  Will we get a Summer at all?  Culottes suddenly seem like a very good idea.

Share this:

CONVERSATION

22 comentarios:

  1. Uniqlo sizing - I am going to guess it is the European sizing; 32 is a 6, 34 an 8, 36 a 10 etc etc.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. but would it be German or French... French is a size bigger so a 38 is a 10, 40 is a 12... who on earth knows?! They're Japanese aren't they? So wish I could remember what I tried on (well I do remember - it was a 28!!)

      Delete
    2. Love the Friday night outfit! You nailed it as always.
      I think French sizes are smaller than German/Danish sizes, so a French 36 will be a German/Danish 34 - UK 8. Uniqlo are always messing about, I have jeans in a size 26 from there but my usual size in Jbrand is a 28
      Confused is not the word.
      Tx

      Delete
  2. Well we must be lucky up here in Yorkshire, we've had gorgeous weather!! Been in sandals all week and sat in the garden most evenings! Xc

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG we've had rain rain and more rain....

      Delete
  3. All I know is that Uniqlo are small small small - I feel like a giantess in there and I'm a UK 12, 10 on the top. I love the cropped but having stupidly small legs they are often full length or just off (shang a lang). BTW am finding it impossible to get cropped to the knee plain black leggings to wear in the summer under short dresses - any ideas? The usual cropped is ankle length on me so have to be knee ones - thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosh now I've no idea where to get cropped leggings from.... hmmm Next? H&M? It's not something that I've ever looked at, I'll be honest! Good luck xxx I suppose the alternative would be to get normal and shorten them?

      Delete
    2. Thanks, after writing that I had a good look online and got some cheapo's from New Look with 20% off - result!

      Delete
  4. I'd definately say the sizes sound European, and yes the French ones are smaller than some of the others. I'm a UK 12 and a Danish 38 usually, but if I buy from Next they have their size 12 down as being a size 40! I guess there is more variation as you have variations between countries as well as within countries.
    Not very summery here today, overcast and raining. Hopefully be better in a couple of a weeks when we're off to Berlin.
    Danish Pastry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aha so Next consider themselves French! And then of course there is just good old variation between different products in different shops. Basically you always have to order two sizes (or is it just me who does that?!)

      The weather here is utterly miserable.

      Delete
  5. Fingers x uniqlo australia gets those khaki skirt trousers. Love the caramel leather culottes. Very you. And there's a jacket in the same fab colour. Just saying...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure I need both but those caramel culottes have got my name on them... am sale hawking. Or 20% off days... For sure!

      Delete
  6. It was me that recommended Uniqlo! God knows what the sizing means. I think it's waist size (they only go up to 32 iirc). I am a 12 and have a 28 in those khaki culottes and a 29 in some excellent cropped jeans. An assistant told me that 12 was either 28 or 29. In dresses, tops etc I am M.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm I'm not sure it can be waist size as that would be massive in inches but teensy teensy tiny in cm! Yes, I definitely tried on a 27 and a 28 and nothing beginning with a 3!

      Delete
  7. Quick question on your glove shoes... How wide/narrow are they? I really want a pair but my feet are so narrow they end up sliding too far forward in most peep toes. Thanks! X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would say they're quite narrow as I have the same problem but these are completely fine on me. Normally my toes are out there on the pavement, hanging out of the front of the shoe!

      Delete
  8. I think its that 28 is inches and 34 etc is in cm. So a 28 is an M or 35/36 cm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But 28 inches is something like 71 cm isn't it? I have absolutely no idea! I do think it's probably European size equivalents.

      Delete
  9. Love love love culottes. Have a few pairs which are all long cropped and tend to wear with loafers, ankle boots or white sneakers. Get the uniqlo ones now - they look great on you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm trying to reign back on the Summer clothing as I can see it's going to be Autumn before we know it. I'm sure I will completely regret this come our Indian Summer in August...

      Delete
  10. The M&S leather culottes are now half price in the Sparks preview sale today.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I ordered the Olive Uniqlo wide legs and got the sizing completely wrong so ended up with a pair with a 24 inch waist (in my dreams) and had to return them. I did email their customer service to clarify their sizing so thought I would share the info. Unfortunately they are out of stock in my size but did I need another pair of wide leg trousers anyway????

    UK 4 = EUR 32 = 24 inch
    UK 6 = EUR 34 = 25 inch
    UK 8 = EUR 36 = 26 inch
    UK 10 = EUR 38 = 27 inch
    UK 12 = EUR 40 = 28 inch
    UK 12-14 = EUR 40-42 = 28-29 inch
    UK 14 = EUR 42 = 29 inch



    ReplyDelete