Someone has let Bob loose on the jumper trail.

As clearly this is not normal me shopping.  It can't be.

Because the selection of jumpers that have been catching my eye have on them.... wait for it..... drum roll.........animal motifs.  Yup you read that correctly.   Animals.  Not animal print but actual pictures of them.  Now I am positive that on the days when the usual me goes shopping, I wouldn't give a second glance at a jumper with the head of some random creature emblazoned on the front.  I am 39 not 3 and 9 months.  I do not have clothes with pictures on - scarves don't count.  (my daughter, even at eight, is still most disappointed that I don't have pictures on my pants...)

But we are obviously at that time of the season (or should I say month. hmmmm) where Bob rears his ugly head, takes full control and decides that he gets to decide what exactly is missing from my wardrobe. 

Now I'm not convinced that it's an animal motif jumper.   Anyone who follows my blog knows that this breaks every rule that I set myself for how to spend my wardrobe budget (which I am the first to admit are moveable feasts - the rules or the budget?  Between you and me, clearly both.)  

Will I get to wear it a lot?  Probably not as it's so distinctive.  Will it last more than one season?  Probably not but it may come back into fashion in the next 20 years.  Am I able to wear it out at night and during the day?  Suffice to say no.  And still I persist....... (you now see why I think Bob is the culprit?)

My budget this year is seemingly very squeezed - I still have a coat purchase to make and there is the small matter of a wedding I have to go to.  Next week.  Dear god, it's next week.  I am in need of a Dress.  Which I am conveniently completely ignoring at the moment.  Let's not go there. (breathe deeply, breathe deeply)  At this moment in time it honestly makes more sense to talk about animal motif jumpers - that's how bad it is. 

So moving on to my random new obsession.  That of having a massive image of some strange being on your front.  Obviously.

Will I actually purchase one? Hmmmm, well I will let you into a small secret and say that I may have the first two sitting upstairs in a Next bag.  I haven't tried them on yet as I'm giving it a couple of days to see whether it's me or Bob shopping.  What do you think?  Have I completely lost the plot and regressed to being 5?  I know there are oodles of them around (and some of them scarily expensive courtesy of Mulberry, Burberry, Sonia Rykiel etc) 

Ok so let's crack on with the hilarity.  I'm probably the only one not laughing.  I am a teensy bit/a lot in love....

So firstly from Next.  I have purchased the fox one.  Even Bob draws the line at the fake Snowy from Tintin version.  No recognisable cartoon characters.  It can surely only be one small step away from Peppa Pig.  Which for an adult is wrong on every level. 

I am also irrationally drawn to this one - a sweatshirt so definitely on the casual side of things.  The jury is out.  It looks completely differently online  I would say it's deffo grey as opposed to oatmeal and the shape is far boxier than it looks online.  Do I "need" it.....   Will my life be better with it?  



Interestingly there is a much more expensive one from Jaeger so maybe I'm not as barking as it appears.  Flocked Deer Print Sweatshirt.   I actually think I prefer the Next one.



I will admit that my first inkling of "oooh perhaps...." (clearly at the same time last month) was when the Aubin & Wills book (they have some fancy name for it - to the rest of us heathens, it's a catalogue.  Almanac I think they call it? Yeah right.  All that translates to me is "expensive".) 

However I have to say this did make me drool somewhat.  Never did I think I would actually contemplate purchasing it mind.  Yet here we are.....  The Portland Jumper 




Jaeger do also have a horse one which I have to say I much prefer to their sweatshirt attempt at animal motifery. (a word I may just have made up)  Do I love it £180 worth?  I'm going with probably not.  However the more I look at it, the more I love it and it may well make it onto my sales list.  Should I decide that it's not just a fad.





So will you be hunting out your animalistic side this year?  Have you already made a cheeky purchase?  Or do you think it will be a total one season wonder?  To be completely honest, if money were no object, I'd love to let my inner animal loose, but I do think that I'm probably more likely to buy something that will be much more flexible in my wardrobe.  This rule is definitely made for breaking every now and again but I think there are probably other occasions when I'll be more likely to break it.  But would just love to hear your thoughts!  Please do email or leave a comment. 

Now a round up of what I have been wearing - huge apologies for not having been around for a whole week.  It's been Rugrat 2's birthday, plus RR1 went away for Brownie Pack Holiday.  And finally RR3 has started full time school.  I should theoretically be drowning in free time (according to The Husband).  errrr


Beige linen tee - Zara
Black coated jeggings - Dorothy Perkins
Black & White cardigan - By Malene Birger
Black suede stud Ohio ankle boots - Pied a Terre
Leopard print scarf - Louis Vuitton
Stone & black maxi zip satchel - Anya Hindmarch


Leopard print silk blouse - Zara
Straight leg indigo jeans turned up - Jigsaw
Black blazer with suedette elbow patches - Taylor Stephens
Black velvet slippers - Primark
Black sunglasses - Dior
Stone maxi zip satchel - Anya Hindmarch



Off white silk top with knitted sleeves - Zara
Grey & oatmeal jersey blazer - Zara
Grey Baxters - Topshop
Camel Cypress boots - Acne
Apricot tassel scarf - Mint Velvet
Stone maxi zip satchel - Anya Hindmarch (I have been somewhat obsessed with this) 


Blush longline ribbed vest - Miss Selfridge (I am loving these) 
Plum square jumper - Dorothy Perkins
Distressed biker jeans - By Malene Birger
Clay Thelma wedge trainers - Ash
Fabulous Finches scarf in Owl brown - Mulberry
Black sunglasses - Dior
and just peeking from behind my arm - the obligatory Anya Hindmarch satchel which is surgically attached to my body 



Blush silk top with knitted sleeves - Zara
Distressed biker jeans - By Malene Birger
Navy pleather jacket - Primark
Blush & fuchsia Camel scarf - Virginia Johnson 
Sunglasses - Dior
Fuchsia Roxanne Tote - Mulberry (finally managed to detach myself from Anya)
Gunmetal hitops - Ash



Bird blouse - local fashion show
Raspberry Leigh jeans - Topshop
Camel Cypress boots - Acne
Trench coat - Principles
Gold pine cones necklace - Hobbs by NW3
Gold filigree earrings - Etsy (wouldn't wear both of these again - I never wear both earrings and a necklace and now I know why.  It definitely works on other people - hence I thought I'd try it but really don't like it on me.)
Khaki skinny scarf - Joseph
Chestnut crossbody bag - Campomaggi from Plumo




White ribbed longline vest - Joseph
Silver jumper - Zara
Khaki skinny zip jeans - By Malene Birger
Black suede Ohio stud boots - Pied a Terre
Khaki and black leopard print scarf - By Malene Birger
Black sunglasses - Dior
Black arm warmers - H&M
Tan shopper - Zara

Always love hearing your thoughts on any part of the blog.  Next blog, I PROMISE is the dreaded subject of coats.  Watch this space......