A little bit of leopard does you good

Apart from if you're The Husband as he hates it with a passion.  It is the one major thing we disagree on fashion wise (oh and Uggs.  There is nothing he says about these I can type without an imaginary bleep bleep bleep over the top).  He loathes all things leopard print.

Why?  "Because it looks cheap", is his answer.  "Brassy barmaid.  I can't get past Bet Lynch and women who wear ankle chains", was his follow up.  He's not even persuaded by a Louis Vuitton scarf (possibly, nay definitely my most favourite leopard print item I treasure) 

Ah feck 'im.  I love it.  I love it more every year and I think the connotations of cheap and nasty are long long gone.  Apart from if you're The Husband and he is still firmly in the 70's Coronation Street Camp.

It makes a plain dull outfit suddenly special (in my book anyway) - just by adding a belt, a pair of boots or shoes, a scarf or a bag.  Or, throwing caution to the wind here, how about a whole coat? (I can just see The Husband rocking in a corner now at the very thought) 

I did start this post by thinking that most of my leopard print ensemble is accessories based but actually I have a Zara sweatshirt, a silk Zara sleeveless shirt and some dark Great Plains leopard print jeans.  I think there may be more but at the moment I'm having a leopard blank....

However I am Queen of Accessories.  The easiest way to inject a little leopard without going over the top.  Mentioned the LV scarf (and I know these are scarily expensive but cost per wear it has to be one of the best investments I've ever made) but my next fave things have to be my boots (good old M&S in the sale) and a Tory Burch clutch (Bicester special).  Brining up the rear we have the fiver special shoes from H&M which I love love love too. 

Now there may be more stuff, but typing that out, I don't think that's much (this always comes back to bite me in the derriere as someone points out the oodles of other leopard print things I have languishing in my wardrobe) and there is clearly lots of room for more. 

(Oh yeah, I may have just remembered my ponyksin skater shoes from Next and bag from Zara but in my defense, those are more cheetah print than leopard.  Know thy Big Cats)

(Oh I've also just remembered the three leopard print dresses I have. Ho hum.  I never said I had a good memory.... But I'm sure that's it.... )

Moving swiftly on, there are loads of fabulous leopard print things out there.  Some can just be a nod to the theme - the Reiss Cuff from the other day for example or a belt. 

I love this one from M&S (and I don't have a leopard print belt.)

M&S leopard belt £19.50

A bag - especially a clutch can be ridiculously useful to give a whole different look to an old black dress, or even just plain black shoes and a black blouse.

Leather Ponyskin clutch from ASOS £30



Or a Zip top clutch from Boden £79




Moving into a blue arena, I love this scarf from M&S.  Great size (huge) and yes, it's a take on old LV favourite but at £15, you can't really complain. 

Modal Blend Lightweight blue leopard print scarf £15


Another move away from the classic tan print with an orange scarf from ASOS. 

ASOS Orange leopard print scarf £12 - adore the blue in it and think this would work so well with navy. 



Of course the ultimate scarf may well be the Cashmere Leopard Shawl From Hush £150.  This always sells out so if you want it, nab it (and shove in a drawer for Christmas if needs be!) 

Cashmere Leopard Shawl £150 from Hush 


And they're so thoughtful, if tan isn't your colour palette then fear not, they've bought out a grey version too.  Isn't that kind?  I bet your husband will be equally as impressed....

Cashmere Snow Leopard Shawl £150


And blow me down with a feather, there's a blue one as well.  Although this isn't cashmere so it's only £35.  Result! 

Leo Print Scarf £35 in everglade, mallard and black (not blue...) 



Shoes - well, as I've said, I think these transform an old outfit into something new and - I know this sounds unbelievably sad, but exciting to wear.  Shoot me now, but yes, I get excited when I have something new to wear that I love.  It makes a massive difference to my mood (which the small thing I call offspring try to kill on a regular basis but they will NOT bring me down... not when I have new shoes on anyway.....) which can only be a good thing.  Every little helps as someone once said...

Brown leopard pony hair slip on trainers £45 from River Island (and for the record I have been more than impressed with my white sliders that I got from there in the summer.  They are unbelievably comfortable and have lasted really well, considering they've been worn extensively and are white!) 



Slightly more formal but to be honest they would work as well with jeans as they would with a smart look for work, and are frankly, quite fabulous. 

Fashion Pointed Pumps in tan leopard from Boden £99



Now these are high - totally taxi shoes - but they are so gorgeous from Dune.  Love the detailing on the heel. 

Dune Bellini Leopard Print Shoes £85



A cheaper option would be these in the sale from London Rebel - these are identical to mine from H&M which I wear all the time (in A/W anyway)

London Rebel was £35 now £28


From the sublime to the ridiculous now - scarily expensive boots.  Which most people will probably think are mingarama but I am more than a little bit in love with.  Now I have my pointy wedge leopard print boots so not even I, Queen of Justification, could wrangle a story that anyone would believe to enbable the purchase of these.  

And I'm more than a little bit sure that I have seen a much cheaper version of these somewhere (do help me out with this if you can.  Although even at £20 I'd still be struggling to persuade even myself that I could justify these as well as the other ones) 

Kurt Geiger Ezra Boots £295



Of course if you do have a totally plain wardrobe, then an injection of leopard can work wonders. 

I love this, even more than I love my sweatshirt. 

Brown leopard print fluffy brushed jumper £35







Simply adore this tunic shift dress from See U Soon in the sale - partly silk so this is a great price. 

See U Soon Leopard print dress with curve hem was £54 now £28.  This with the black accent sleeves and in the grey shade, doesn't seem quite so in your face as a tan leopard print, I don't think. 






River Island leopard print faux fur oversized coat £100  Full. On. Bet. 



Finishing though with my bargain of the day from Splendid - love this sweatshirt. 

Splendid Leopard print sweatshirt was £108 now £30




So are you in mine or The Husband's camp?  Love it or loathe it, let me know.  And if you've seen anything leopard that you think is too wonderful not to share, please do point it out.  You can never have too much.... (in my personal opinion that is...) 

Finishing with my outfit from yesterday.  Rugby.  All day.  Can't say I'm fully won over yet.  90 mins watching the 6 yr old, followed by 60 minutes watching the 9 yr old.  Then the club house.  Which the men try to tell me is "greatly improved".  Hmmm, really wouldn't have wanted to see it before hand.  To be totally fair, I haven't spent that much (ie any) time in recent years inside a rugby club, so this may well be the Chiltern Firehouse equivalent of rugby clubs.  I am prepared to totally readjust my opinion (whilst I dream about Sunday mornings on the sofa with tea and croissants.... to my friend who texted me that that's exactly what she doing whilst I was getting told off by the 6yr old for drinking his "rugby water", you can go off a friend, you know.....)