How have I lived without.....

..... an off white Tuxedo jacket?  Seriously, this would be the most useful thing on the planet - yet how have I just realised this?  

I am dangerously close to my Hush Tuxedo jacket becoming surgically attached to me and whilst I do love black, I know as soon as the temperatures start nudging late teens on a regular basis, I'm going to want a lighter coloured jacket.  So I do have one cream boucle style jacket that I do wear a lot but to be honest, it's more of a cardigan than a jacket.  It works really well, I got it from Massimo Dutti about four years ago and it does indeed get dragged out ever Spring and Summer. 

But I have become so attached to the fluid drape and relaxed glamour of the Hush one in black, I need a cream one.  NEED I tell you. 

I don't want a linen jacket, I don't want snow white. I don't want it too thin, I don't want it too thick, I don't want it too fitted as I don't want to look like John Travolta but I don't want to look like Don Johnson with it being to loose.....

So not being really that fussy then....  I think it would work so well over my dungarees, over Summer dresses, with shorts and little tees, over jeans, cargo pants and chinos.  Can you see how I suddenly can't live without one?!

However it appears I am the only one as I really haven't been able to find that many.  Ok so there are a few around and here are the best ones I've found. 

Next Soft Ivory Longline Jacket £50  It does say that this one is unlined and my ever so slight reticence would be that it's a tad see through?  Which could look, dare I say it, an eensy bit cheap?  Having said that, it looks fabulous in this pic.  I can feel all cream outfits a plenty in my future.

New Look soft lapel blazer £24.99  Again, same issue with see through-itis as above?



I wonder though if it's maybe worth spending a little bit more - I'm not going to lie, I have a slight wariness about cream polyester being able to look a bit naff.  I don't think it's polyster per se - as I've discussed before, these days there is poly and there is poly.  My Whistles dresses and tops (the one I've got on today) are polyester but the fabric has more of a crepe textured feel to it, as opposed to "don't stand too near a naked flame" vibe. 

ASOS Slim Jacket in Crepe £42  I'm hoping this one would be a bit more substantial but still not proper work blazer thickness, if that makes sense?




Goldie Blade Oversized Blazer £62  This looks just the ticket.



However top of my list would probably be this Topshop one.  But then again, is it a tad too White (suddenly I can hear Night Fever going off in my head....)  Maybe the Goldie one above is better. 

Long Tuxe Blazer £65



Upping the ante with two more expensive ones now but these could really pay for themselves if you need to wear them for a smart occasion, for work and could then double up to wear them over jeans on dress down basis. 

American Vintage Holiester Crepe Blazer in beige £125


And blowing the budget at By Malene Birger. Pasania Tailored Blazer £279




Slightly off brief now - this might appeal to some, I've seen it in real life and my symmetric klaxon goes off at a gazillion decibels but if that doesn't bother you, this is gorgeous.

Waterfall Structured Jacket in off white from Mango £34.99 - yes, the two collars are different.



So there are lots to choose from and hopefully next week I'll be able to do a trying on session.  Or maybe I might see one tomorrow as I'm off to Bicester.  Whoop whoop!  So what's on my shopping list?

Nothing. 

Famous last words, which means I will come back laden down with bags and having to eat beans for the rest of the month.  To be honest, I'm not sure I entirely want to spend Bicester money on an off white jacket.... one glass of red wine too many and the chances of me wearing a large proportion of it are high.  Can I please point out, mind you, that I very rarely spill a drink (those who know me will guffaw at that - SPILL A DRINK?  It's never around long enough for me to spill it...) but the law of sod clearly states that as soon as I am wearing something expensive and white, I will lose control of all my faculties. 

Had a fab day today - went back to the hairdressers as I'm still not totally happy with my hair and we've agreed a plan of action.  They were super super understanding and I'm going back next week to have some low lights put through my Go Faster Mail Order Bride Stripe at the front.  Had a lovely treatment and a blow dry today though which is brill as I'm off out tonight for a really good friend's birthday. 

And seeing as the sun is shining, it meant hot footing it to pick up some emergency fake tan and... brace yourselves.... I think the legs might be out tonight.  STEADY ON!  (clearly have to wear boots as I think an industrial sander would have a job on sorting out the current state of my trotters - a state which is not going to be improved with fake tan.... tan over all those dry bits.  To say it would look like I had some hideous skin disease would be an understatement.  Ankle boots it is.)

New blow dry and an ancient outfit - well the jacket owes me nothing - must be three years old this year.




Cream sculptured top - Whistles
Patchwork skinnies - Mango
Boucle blazer in khaki, navy and cream - Zara
Taupe Jalouse Boots - Ash
Camel bag - Prada

So any bets on what I come back with tomorrow?  Am repeating to myself... "you do not need a bag.... you do not need a bag....."