If at first you don't succeed

..give up?  Ok so maybe not give up, but take a break perhaps?

So this blouse business.  I tried my (lovely but not yet worn) black Victoriana lace Monsoon blouse that I love.  And I just cannot get it work.  Essentially I am too tall.   It's too short in the arms for me, it's too big on the body and if I tuck it in to anything high waisted, I look like Humpty Dumpty.  I can't make it work. 

This is why I hate blouses.  This is why I've never bought them.  Oh except that I do occasionally buy them, but this is why I don't wear them.  They don't work on me.  I genuinely find them really difficult to wear.  My body isn't particularly long (in fact it's on the short side!) yet, so many of them won't stay tucked in.  And tucking them is uncomfortable.  Frankly, I'm too old to be uncomfortable.  Oh and they're always too short in the arms.  Although I do have the appendages of an orangutan, to be fair.

Which is why I was stomping around H&M yesterday, gazing at all the lovely frilly blouses that look awesome on other people and make me look like I'm a drag queen, when suddenly, a small item caught my eye.  

I say small.  Not really small at all.  Leather Dungarees. 

Yes, you read that right.  Leather Dungarees.  Now these aren't a complete revelation, I very nearly bought a pair last year from Topshop and chickened out.  Well this year I am manning up and I'm going in. 

Here I am in them.  Take a deep breath...

They are not going to be for everyone.  I showed them to the husband and asked whether he thought I could get away with leather dungarees.  Dead pan look from him.

"So basically you mean lederhosen?  Have you been drinking?".

Yes I'm going from the sublime (blouses) to the ridiculous (German 70's pornwear).

These are them below, on the left.  I can't do a link as they're not instore yet, as I found out last night when I couldn't stop thinking about them and went to order them. 

So obviously I had to go back to pick them up today (was already going to London with the husband for his hospital appointment.  Trains totally totally up the spout - derailed freight train, so a 25mins journey took 75 mins - but I managed to get him to the office (where he obviously had to have a flying visit) before legging it to Oxford Circus and making it back in time for the hospital appointment. 

No I didn't pick up the blouse.  Although obviously I was tempted.  But I know it wouldn't work for me.  The frills and the print - not the blouse itself.  I LOVED wearing my silk blouses (that came untucked in jeans or clung to my muffin like a piece of clingfilm) with my dungarees as they're naturally high waisted - slightly loose and ridiculously forgiving.  Seriously, they are the ultimate muffin case.



So I how do I plan on wearing mine?  I'm going back to what I now.  I'm sticking to what works.  And that's plain for me.  Personally - I can work with texture, I can work with different fabrics and I can work with different shapes.  But when I start to throw in print (apart from a dress - they are a breed apart), all the wheels fall off and I just feel wrong diddly.

Plain.  Black silk shirt, off white silk shirt, stripes (on repeat).   Clean lines (although I think my new M&S frill sleeve blouse in white will work perfectly) are what I am comfortable with.  Therefore they are what I shall wear.

Inspiration (code for *losing hours of your life*) always good to get from Pinterest.

And if they're good enough for Olivia Palermo...

From day....


...to night.  I have an off the shoulder white blouse - that I funnily enough never wear - from Warehouse that I bought last year which will be perfect tucked into these.  Which I might wear tomorrow actually.  Or maybe not considering it's going to be 4 degrees.



Even the detailing on this collar is a little too much for me with something so in your face (there's no other description for them really, is there?) but I love the shoes.  



With a striped shirt. 



I appreciate that leather dungarees may not be for everyone and at the moment, they're scant on the high street.  It could mean that I have peaked way too early and they're going to die a death and no bugger will be wearing them (likely) or I have peaked way too early and am ahead of the game (unlikely).  Either way, I'm going in.   I LOVE them.  But then I adore all my black faux leather (for £49.99 they're not real leather!) trousers and wear them a lot.  An awful lot actually, so these will suit me right down to the ground. 

They are a big ask though - in fact to some, dungarees are still a punchy move, but honestly they're becoming much more acceptable fare.  You know you want to try them... 

I personally think black is easier to wear then denim but that's not to say I don't have my eye on a denim pair for later in the season.

Denim Dungarees from H&M £29.99



Denim Dungarees in black from Boden £79.50  So easy to wear with a blush thin knit jumper.  Come on now, if Boden can do them and how easy to wear is this look?  For day wear, ballet flats or loafers. 



Fitted again and a great entry level at ASOS.

90s style Dungarees £42 (I don't recall wearing dungas in the 90s...)



Looser now at Monki.  I did try the black looser versions last year.  I looked like a nun on crack.  I've gone back to the fitted.  But that's not to say they don't look epic on other people. Pared back and effortlessly cool.  I just needed rosary beads.  I'm sticking with gestapo chic instead.

Monki Minimal Dungarees £35

Silk shirt love in at Mint Velvet.
Black Lux Denim Dungaree from Mint Velvet were £69 now £49




Moving onto the blue versions.

Denim Dungarees in blue from Boden £79.50



MOTO Clean Denim Dungarees from Topshop £49



Ganni Sunset Lyocell Dungarees were £160 now £45



And for the Summer?  I did have a pair of off white ones from H&M a couple of years ago actually but one of the buttons fell off.  And I lost it.  And it was rose gold and sort of made the dungas and without said button you couldn't do the shoulder straps up so it was nigh on useless.  I did like them though.  Gorgeous with camel.

ASOS Relaxed Dungarees in stone were £48 now £24




So come on... let's get going with the dunga chat.  Are you in or are you my husband?

I shall be wearing them tomorrow.  But today, for my trip to London with the husband to the hospital, it was slightly warmer and so I got the ankles out.  Wasn't cold in the slightest.  Is Spring finally around the corner?



Black Tattoo Me jumper - Donna Ida at Jaeger
Black Mom jeans in black - ASOS White
Copeland trainers in leopard - Air & Grace
Grab bag - Gucci
Mustard coat - Warehouse

Tomorrow - part one of the my birthday treats - off to Bicester.  Making most of the husband being at home.  Whoop.  Whoop.  I have nothing on my list.  Well apart from a belt and a black bag.  Which means I will come home with something that is neither a belt nor a black bag.  Guesses?  Maybe nothing...?!!