The B Word
Barf. Ok it's not, but it could be. It's Blouse. And it doesn't matter how often I say it, or how often I actually wear one, the word still makes me feel utterly geriatric. However I need to get with the programme and shake off this ageist point of view and embrace the blouse (*shudder*)
These work perfectly with capri pants for both night and day. They are the ideal addition to the wardrobe (ok perhaps not all of these below but certainly a lot) for those who work to make the transition from day to night. Or hell, just to wear during the day. Team with a pair of cigarette pants, flat shoes (and take your pick here, I'd go loafers, brogues or ballet flats and a pair of pop socks, which I know take geriatric to a whole new level but they're preferable to frost bite), kitten heels or full on stilettos. Even a pair of shoots. (like I mentioned the other day, I can't quite make them work with ankle boots - keep them for skinny trews or skirts)
I also love wearing them to smarten a pair of distressed jeans for that night in the pub or a casual dinner where you want to get dressed up but not dressed dressed up (so when you're going out but not out out!)
I also love wearing them to smarten a pair of distressed jeans for that night in the pub or a casual dinner where you want to get dressed up but not dressed dressed up (so when you're going out but not out out!)
Now due to the ability to transcend all age groups (this is my take on it as opposed to me just having tipped over into proper middle age) as well as being found in my favourite haunts they can definitely be found in shops where one might not look.
For example, M&S Collection. As an aside here, I don't enjoy M&S bashing but they just frustrate me so intensely. I love M&S, I really do. I think they have some fantastic products, some of the best on the market for the price and they have the creme de la fashion industry at their disposal. Yet, they're struggling and still managing to get it very wrong. Who is M&S Collection aimed at for example? Why does it even exist? I know from their rhetoric that Autrograph and Best of British, maybe Limited Edition (which I swear used to be called M&S Collection?) are aimed at my demographic. Yet there are some fantastic bits in M&S Collection which just puzzle me as to why they've been lumped into this apparent no woman's land.
Starting with this completely Burberry inspired top (I've give up with blouse). Clearly ignore all the styling in the photos. I've given up trying to defend them. Suffice to say they look infinitely better in real life - so much so that sometimes it's hard to recognise them on the website when you've seen them instore.
Speaking of pants photographs, here is a case in point. I would no more look at this twice from the pic online than I would fly to the moon.
I am an utterly rubbish photographer but even I think it looks heaps better in this photograph. It is stunning. Bar the fact that I have a number of cream blouses, this would be top of my list.
This is pure silk but guess what - yup , can go in the machine. Would be wonderful teamed with dark distressed skinny boyfriend jeans rolled up, black ankle boots and a little black blazer for a casual lunch. Or with coated skinnies and heels for an evening. Ideal of course with my newly found capri pants in black. This has to be a perfect work option too.
A real bargain now in the sale for £35. This looks far more Jaeger than M&S to me and you definitely couldn't get a silk blouse there for this price.
To add an injection of colour into the proceedings, I adore this cobalt blue one from John Lewis
Collection by John Lewis Devin Scallop Blouse in Midnight Blue £39 (apparently not cobalt. Though look rather like cobalt to me....)
They also do it in a cream which I think is just so useful. I do sometimes think blouses this shape look better tucked in.
Now speaking of cream blouses I have to put this in here as, despite it being ridiculously expensive, I absolutely love love love it. I have had a similar (ish - not nearly as gorgeous) black silk one from Zara that I bought about four years ago and I wear it regularly every year. I remember being horrified at paying £60 for a top from Zara at the time! It has been worth its weight in gold.
Absolutely adore this one in black from Warehouse - slightly risque perhaps for the office but perfect for a night out at any time of the year. Would also look fab tucked into a black leather pencil skirt.
Another similar shape from Warehouse (can you tell I love this shape?) with beautiful lace arm detailing.
Empress Lace Top in White £32 (on price match)
My favourite of the bunch though has to be this navy lace shirt (they call it a shirt, to me it's more blousey? who cares I love it and if I don't have to say blouse then billy bonus) from Boden.
Elegant Lace Shirt now £52.79 in the navy. (with black edging - hell what's not to love? I'm actually sat here wondering how on earth I don't own this, thinking about my black cigarette pants, black skinnies and all my jeans that this would be beyond perfect with)
This I have seen numerous times and think it's just perfect for all occasions - the lovely stud detail makes it seem less - hmmm, prim?
And as they say, for today, that's all folks. I'm off out tonight for the first big party of the festive season (also known as one of the two big parties I've got) and so it's sequins a go go. Thank goodness I had my hair done yesterday as I was rather busy today for a tiny jaunt to Bicester.
Fabulous day out with two wonderful friends, much hilarity, great lunch and much shopping from them and nada from me. Yup, you read that correctly. Zip. Diddly squat. Zilch. I toyed for about an hour (and that is no word of a lie) with a coat in Sandro but it was still £300 and did I love love love it? No. So I left. And before anyone asks, no I'm not going back tomorrow to get it.
However there is one Anya Hindmarch bag....... (joking!)
Here is the shopping outfit. The coat was commented on many times (in a positive way) - am very much feeling the love for it. Oh and my new sweatshirt which I've cracked out for the first time. Before anyone asks, no my ankles weren't cold. Geriatric pop socks R Us.
Photos are utterly dismal as medium RR had to take them. "Mum, if I wave it around, the photo's really cool". Or maybe not son. Apologies, this is the best of about 40 photos.
White longsleeved longline top - Baukjen
Grey Leopard sweatshirt - Boutique by Jaeger
Black triple zip jeans - Mint Velvet
Grey suede boots - Zara
Silver starfish necklace - Tiffanys
Black and white coatigan - Isabel Marant
Black scarf - Zara
Black Diego - Alexander Wang
Tomorrow I shall be back with my B-word edit part two. I now have ten minutes to look like a goddess (hmmmm)
Have been following your blog for quite a while (Brit living in Salzburg) and I love your humour - the people of Salzburg are a bit short on that - and you've just had me in stitches about the pop socks! They are absolutely odious but you're going to take the taboo out of them (yes I too am forced to wear them in the somewhat cool climate we have around here). Carry on making me laugh!
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you thank you xxxxx
DeleteShould I wear a blouse ?Won't they make me look even more huge around the shoulders?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how big you are around the shoulders?! Certainly not sure a blouse would emphasise them anyway!
DeleteThis is the blog I've been waiting for! Loving the blouse and am away to London next weekend from Ireland and am gonna give my coated skinnies an outing. Hope I've time to order a blouse or two online before then...! Love love love the blog Katie. Enjoy tonight!
ReplyDeleteApologies for the Katie. Blasted spellcheck on iPad...x
DeleteYay, hope some of them work. Round two coming up later. xxxx
DeleteOmg, the coatigan......no wonder you had compliments! X
ReplyDeleteI love it, it has to be said xx
DeleteOh, & your photos are better than M&S produce!! X
ReplyDeleteThat's not hard to be fair!
DeleteActually laughed out loud reading about M&S. I saw a stunning coat in store a couple of weeks ago. (Navy Boucle/Sequin Blend Coatigan style) It was part of this new M&S Collection range and would be great for the festive season to dress up skinnies for a night out. Later when I looked online I had to use a process of elimination to be sure I'd found the right one. The photos/styling were HIDEOUS!! They really need to address this if they're going to boost clothing sales!
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