The start of the season with more rules & the Wish List.

... but I still haven't caved.  However I am salivating at a rate of knots as today is the launch of the new season stock from Baukjen.  And it's just plain wrong to lust in silence over these things so if I'm going to make an impossibly large Wish List, I am dragging you all down with me. 

Here is a probably a great time to start with my shopping rules for a new season.   So I've already given you what I think is a capsule wardrobe but these work for every shopping occasion.  If you tattoo this onto our eyelids you will never ever make another shopping mistake ever again. 

Or you can do what I do, pontificate about them and then totally ignore them the majority of the time.

1) Only buy something that you REALLY love 

2) You must be able to make at least one outfit from your new purchase with things in your wardrobe. 

3) You must be able to think of an occasion where you're going to wear it.  Do NOT buy it "just in case".  

4) It must fit you and fit you well.  Do NOT buy something to "fit into".  Only exception to this rule is if you're buying something to be shortened. 

5) If it is in the sale - the Golden Rule is - Would you buy it in a cheaper shop if that was the price at full price? (or are you buying it just because it's a bargain....)

6) Find a Colour Palette and DO NOT DIVERGE FROM IT.  You can add a token colour at a later date but it MUST complement your original colour palette. 

7) In an ideal world (and there are exceptions to this rule but there needn't be....) most things you can wear during the day, you should be able to wear out at night, at the weekend.  

Clear as mud eh?  I will grant that there can be exceptions to rule 7.  We do all need to buy those things that are either super warm and snuggly and we would boil alive in wearing to the pub or a restaurant.  Conversely there is always going to be that dress for that special occasion which people may be mistaken for thinking you were doing the walk of shame were you to wear it out during the day. 

However armed with these rules, I feel that we able to much more liberally peruse and salivate over the new stock as it comes piling into our inbox via emails or through the door via delicious little books of love making promises of a much cooler, hipper lifestyle than we could ever hope to have (aka catalogues - as I've said before, my mega downfall) without making ridiculous impulse purchases. 

So I have spent all of last night and this morning looking through the delicious new collection from Baukjen, one of my favourite catalogue culprits. 

The last two seasons I hadn't actually fallen head over heels in love with as much of it as I normally do.  I *may* have in the past set myself the challenge of seeing if I could theoretically buy my entire wardrobe for work, play, dress down and dress up from there and yup, easily done. 

Last season my credit card and I breathed a huge sigh of relief but this A/W I could easily play the "dress yourself head to toe in Baukjen" game again.  (please tell me it's not just me who does this?......clearly I don't get out enough...) 

So let's dive in and see what makes my Wish List.  

Starting with a knit.  This for me encompasses the perfect combo between a sweatshirt and a jumper.   I should also start by saying that my colour palette is going to be a riveting riot of black, grey and navy.  Stone the crows, not exactly reinventing the wheel there and god forbid an iota of colour should cross my threshold....  Accent colours, I'm still loving cobalt as I think it goes so well with all of the three neutrals I'll be predominantly wearing. 

And not forgetting a tan and camel edge as well.  Ditto khaki.  All these colours above (taking out the cobalt accent) go really well together and make a ridiculously easy mix and match wardrobe.  In a nutshell I shall be an autumnal mix of sludgy neutrals.  Appealing eh?

Which is where this jumper comes into its own.  Perfect for throwing on with drawstring joggers and wedge trainers or any form of sneaker for the school run but just as perfect to wear with a leather skirt and ankle boots for a smarter look. 

Rye Funnel Neck Jumper £89 




Whilst we're on the subject of versatile tops, this shirt has my name written all over it.  Easy to wear with blacks, greys, tans and winter whites - I love the way they've styled it here.  With black capri pants, the perfect dressier outfit.  

Felsted Print Shirt £119



And to prove my point of things working together - hey presto, here is the shirt and the jumper in a combo, with, one of my favourite A/W staples, the jogger.  Now like its partner, the sweatshirt, these have made the transition over the last couple of seasons from purely functional exercise or lounging about on the sofa attire to "being seen out in public is ok" trews. 

I love these.  Again, the styling of this I adore - being absolutely NO help to my future credit card bills but at least we're winning on The Rules front...

Bray Jogger in Neutral Taupe Melange £59



On to an obsession I know works for me to an absolute T and in fact, every top I've bought of in this design, I have kept for years and years.  Obviously I'm talking about the good old Breton top. 

And what better way to add life to old black classics than to add a new colourway version with camel. 

Astley Striped Top in camel and black £55



And they also have a dress version.  Astley Striped Dress in Camel and Black £99



An absolute A/W must for me are skinny jeans and this jet black pair look more than worth a try - they get amazing reviews which is always a great indicator. 

Freja Super Stretch Skinny Jeans £89



Staying with the black theme and loving the look above, another absolute MUST is a Turtleneck (or polo neck as I call them....)

Essential Ruched Turtleneck £55  The Ruching of this round the stomach area hides a multitude of sins.  Ideal for over skirts (I'm thinking my leather ones...) with a coat and blazer.  Equally fab as  layering piece for under sweatshirts. 



Also super neutral in the navy £55


I'm now going to throw in a curveball.... how lovely does this look.....?  Super useful for both work and play and ridiculously flattering for pretty much all figures.  


But here comes the curve aspect - it's a body!

I am assuming that most of you reading this blog will be of an age to remember them.  Well I'm hopefully not the only one who is scarred by the not doing up of one's body after a trip to the loo in a dodgy nightclub on a rather drunken student night out? (I would like to say this only happened once, but alas.....) 

 However they definitely have their place and since my days of frequenting dodgy student night clubs are long gone (again, slightly alas), I need not worry about flashing my flappy bits to the world. 

These are genius in that they there is no extra fabric covering your muffin, nothing comes untucked (assuming you do remember to do it up) and you have a fantastic smooth line round your middle.  Flattering to the core. 

Mayfield Wrap Body in Black £65



And a fabulously useful stone melange which would go with all dark neutrals £65


Saving my favourite till nearly the end though.  Baukjen are best known really for their jersey dresses - I cannot count the number of times I have recommended them, every season I do a round up of them in my easy to wear every day dresses that you can (yawnarama but it's necessary) dress up and dress down. 

Gotta love the totally functional and flattering hiding a multitude of sins ruching on these dresses. 

Ruched Jersey Dress in Taupe Melange £99 I absolutely love this look with the sneakers - throw on a blazer and a cross body bag and that is my look for A/W..... In.  Love.  

Another version but with a v neck - the Darton Dress £119


However my ultimate must have which covers all my rules "polishes halo" and then some is this amazing shirt dress. 

I love the print in the shirt but a shirt dress is something I can definitely make room for in my wardrobe.  Love the idea of this dressed down with sneakers and ballet flats, with bare legs for now but with opaques and a blazer in the A/W.  For nights out with ankle boots and a chunky coat over.  (or for during the day with the Toga Pulla boots - ho hum, you see where I'm going here.... even though I know I know I'm not suppose to buy something so that it goes with something else I haven't yet bought.  Details schmetails.....) 

Felsted Shirt Dress £119


And I honestly could go on and on.  I haven't even started on the Abington biker jackets or the Monmouth leather blazers (didn't even KNOW I needed a leather blazer till now - oh hell, here it is - how exactly perfectly would this work in my wardrobe??  I have been trying to kill myself finding a perfect leather biker jacket when all this time, all I needed was a leather blazer) 

Monmouth Leather Blazer £389


Ok I now Officially have to stop looking and post this before my list gets totally out of hand.  Haven't even started on the shoes or the jewellery.  Oh go on have a look but DO NOT BLAME ME!  

And I need to know what I've missed off my wishlist and what's on yours.  I haven't had a magazine through so don't have a code yet but there's always one flying around usually - anyone else got one they'd like to share??!  I'm sure no-one would be remotely grateful.......

Finishing with outfits from Saturday and Sunday.  Super relaxed weekend, lunch with friends yesterday and family over in the evening for drinks.  I have to say I am loving these hols at the moment although we are only one week in and are having a duvet day today.  However the plasterers are here so this isn't perhaps the brightest move I've ever made.  Chances of it ending in tears are high... Although the postman's just been and I'm betting there is at least one catalogue for me to salivate over so watch this space tomorrow.....