Archive for August 2017

Home Archive for August 2017

Orange is the new black

Yes. Orange. Is it because I have had a sudden hankering for something orange? I could say yes but, well that wouldn't be entirely true.

In a couple of weeks (actually I've just realised it's not a couple of weeks - it's NEXT WEEK!), it's Stand Up For Cancer. You Tube have a live feed on the 7th September and I've been asked to present a segment on How to Wear Orange during their Lifestyle section. With some pretty famous slebs and me... EEK. And I also have to wear orange. Which is no mean feat...

Where on earth to start? Ok so here's what I've come up with so far but any other suggestions - fling them this way.

I'm going straight into it - there's no time to lose.

Floral Wrap Dress from Mango £35.99 Lovely - but too short for me.

This could be an option although I know this isn't going to be long enough on me... (it would obviously cover my fandango but I like it long long... ORRRRRRRRRR I'm going to get into dresses over jeans which was my FAVE thing in the 90s - you have all been warned).

Rixo London Camelia dress £295

Gestuz Moxie Maxi Dress £199.99

Chiffon floral at Warehouse could work but it would be the wrong length on me. Perfect if you're not a 5ft10 giant!

Victoria Floral Chiffon Dress from Warehouse £59

Maxi love at Ganni (I reckon I could actually wear nothing but Ganni for the rest of the season). This is HANDS DOWN my favourite option. Love. Seriously love love love.

Ganni Geroux Floral Print Silk Crepe de Chine Wrap Dress £325

I think I'm definitely after a print but the detailing with the ruffle here is interesting.

River Island Lace Ruffle Tiered Midi Dress £70

The other option were they to have had in my size, would have been a skirt. Love this from Henry Holland at The Outnet.

Pleated floral print skirt was £240 now £120

Speaking of separates, orange blouse?

Floral Print Blouse from Mango £29.99

But this could also be a contender. Now. I know it looks beyond Abigail's party in this but I think it might work. It's definitely orange.

Mango Bold Floral Maxi Silk Dress was £169 now £101.50

I'm imaging I was sent a memo that said, go big or go home....

And what about a pair of orange boots to go with the dress?

Heel sock boots in orange from Mango £49

So I need help with this. Anyone please seen anything orange I can wear, speak now. Pretty pretty please.

Here I am today.....

LOVE jumper - hush (don't forget 10% off with the code A17PREVIEW)
Skirt - M&S
Trainers - Golden Goose
Bag - Hill & Friends

.......after an "interesting" day (if you read my Insta, the summer holidays finally caught up with my and I lost the plot... with school entrance exams next Thursday and a son with Asperger's and ADHD who takes four hours negotiation to do any work AT ALL and who needs to do an element of revision as this is one of only a handful of options school wise we have...), my amazing nanny came to save me and looked after the boys for a couple of hours so I could take the 12yr old and her friend shopping (I also then managed to lose it with her after her "woe is me" attitude was the straw that broke the camel's back. Then I had ALL the guilt as it was the first time I've ever shouted at her in public as opposed to just the "gritted teeth" approach....) WINE. SEND ALL THE WINE!! And your orange suggestions please.

Tomorrow is another day. The husband is taking a day off (LOVE HIM) to be with the boys whilst the 12 yr old and I venture to London for a fantastic treat. Will report back.

Let the offers begin.

Absolutely love the start of the season. And who doesn't equally love a discount code.

Thanking you kindly La Redoute for giving us a distraction on this super sunny Bank Holiday Code is BIG25 and is off everything, even sales items.

I was up super early (ok - early "ish"...), cleaned the kitchen (as in, cleared up from last night's very, very late BBQ), had coffee and took advantage of the peace and quiet to peruse all things that are new and lovely - thinking that 25% off is not to be sniffed at.

So the obvious thing we want to think about on the hottest day of August is a shearling jacket. I remember having one of these when I was much, much younger. Like going on thirty years ago (oh my days, I didn't need to do those maths. EEK). I used to work on Wembley Market (on a Sunday and in M&S on a Saturday from 6 till 2. Even then, it was all about the clothes. And how I LOVED my "flying jacket".

Shearling Aviator Jacket £89 In an unusual navy shade.

Staying with navy.

Checked cotton blouse in navy £29

Blouses again and we're going for a bit more colour. Perfect lift to those evenings drawing in. The beauty of these is that they are so versatile. Ideal for wearing to work, throw on at the weekend with jeans, dress up with a midi skirt or coated skinnies for an evening out.

Floral Print Blouse in navy £45

And in the floral ecru - again £45

Loving a bit of star action.

Star print shirt £25

If we're talking about work - these are perfect. Also for the weekend with a tee, blazer and trainers. Into the evening, silk blouse and heels.

Cropped trousers in black £25 - with pockets. What's not to love?

Tapered now and again with pockets, which is great for the price.

Ankle grazer cigarette trousers £29

Faux leather versions. £29

And then another pair that I personally adore and will live in come the cooler weather. Wide leg crops.

7/8 length wide trousers £29

Moving onto trousers and I couldn't not mention joggers.

Slim fit joggers in black from R Edition £35

And whilst we're on the subject of all things comfy - oh hello lovely sweatshirt.

Star print sweatshirt £29

My other favourite outfit for dress down days is definitely a jumpsuit. Denim is a particular fave..

Denim Jumpsuit £49

Dresses. Now the thing that La Redoute do really well are dresses. And hold your horses, I'm not doing long dresses (well obviously I am but not just yet), I have some gorgeous short ones up.

Bird print v-neck dress in teal from R Edition £25 This also comes in burgundy.

Floral Print 3/4 midi dress £55

And I couldn't not mention a couple of superb (obviously long..) dresses for every day. Or dress them up with a pair of heeled velvet boots.

Printed folk dress from R Edition £49

And another printed maxi dress £55

But my favourite is this one, especially with 25% off.

Floral Print Maxi Dress in Navy £75

Not forgetting of course, the print maxi skirt...

Printed Maxi Skirt from Rene Derhy £89

Finishing with something you will thank me for come the Autumn. Could this be the perfect raincoat? Pared back, stylish, practical. With a hood. You're all welcome.

Long Length Raincoat in Black £69 It also comes in khaki.

And here I am today for the glorious Bank Holiday which, has been on the challenging side, I will say. I'm not the biggest lover of Bank Holidays. Forced fun. You WILL spend fabulous quality time together as a family, as it's the law of Bank Holidays. Jog. On. Everywhere is absolutely rammed. Full. Even the park at the end of our road becomes hideously busy (National Trust first port of call for all forced fun outings...). I like hunkering down with tea and cake and movies. And I feel guilty for "wasting" it GAH.

Then, half way through writing this, my computer charger broke. Which means I can't use my computer which means I've had to use my daughter's (after MUCH stropping about on her part - as you can imagine...) which is like driving abroad in boxing gloves. It has taken me AGES. And I need to go and buy a new charger tomorrow which costs about £100. JOY.

Top - hush
Jeans - Current/Elliot
Sandals - What Frankie Did Next
Bag - Chloe
Glasses - Chloe

BUT I'm moaning. We have a fabulous day planned tomorrow - even though the trains to London are taking three times as long (thank you South Eastern - no proper trains for EIGHT DAYS!!!) - sort of ironic when you're on your way to a special Autistic performance of Aladdin. We've been warned that we'll also probably have to queue for trains... what could possibly go wrong?! I hope everyone else has had a much more productive Bank Holiday than me - I am gong to try and make the most of the evening and get something cold and go and sit in the last of the sunshine.

Do let me know if you find something superb on La Redoute.. I'm sure I've missed loads of gems.

My Autumn Staple is going to be...

..well, obviously the maxi dress as I've already mentioned but as well as that - don't all hate me - a maxi skirt.

I haven't done one of these for ages, even though it seems like I'm talking about them all the time, or maybe it's just that I wear one so often.

And there in lies the justification for another blog on them as they are simply so useful. Plus whenever I wear one I am always being asked where they're from. So here we are with what is available now.

Wear them now, wear them into the Autumn with ankle boots and trainers.

The overriding theme of the skirt this season seems to be tiers and ruffles. Which sounds really scary. But I promise you, it's not. These are perfection. Ok so remember I mentioned the other day my Gone with the Wind/Les Mis obsession, for me, it's the fuller the better. I want ALL the flounce.

This outfit - would it be wrong of me to have earmarked it already for Christmas Day?!

Dodo Bar Or Sebastian Georgette Skirt £325

Tiered floral at a much sweeter price point.

Milk It Vintage Tiered Skirt £45

Tiered Ditsy A-Line Skirt from M&S in two lengths £35

Lily & Lionel Exclusive to ASOS maxi skirt £155

ASOS Maxi Skirt with Shirred waist £35

In a different print...£35

La DoubleJ Editions The Big Gathered Cotton Maxi Skirt was £430 now £301

Silk Floral Chiffon at See by Chloe was £330 now £130.65

But my absolute favourite is from Dodo Bar Or.

Stevie paisley print silk skirt was £508 now £254

I'm finishing with a cream number as I seem to be collecting them. I do have three now, which I do wear regularly - who would have thought they would be so useful?

See by Chloe crocheted paneled cotton skirt was £300 now £120

And proving how much I love a skirt... a couple of photos.

First up from last night out for dinner.

Skirt - Autograph at M&S
Lace top - Zara
Shoes - Balenciaga
Bag - Studio 120 from Atterley

And then the other day when we went into London.

Custard Dolman Sloppy Joe sweatshirt - hush
Hot Tropics skirt - Free People
Bag - Gucci

We are having the most chilled out weekend, lazing around in the sunshine. Swimming and BBQing. Perfect. Feeling very laid back indeed. Well - apart from have very much messed up on today's dinner. Let's do ribs, I said. The husband remembered seeing a recipe for beef short ribs in the Telegraph the other week. So we had a Mr & Mrs cooking prep. And then realised that they take FIVE hours. Eating at 10pm chez nous then. Duh. Will let you know how they turn out. They smell completely epic.

Tomorrow, I'm back with a random one. Have a big event coming up shortly which I need to wear a certain colour for. And it's a tricky one. Hence I'm dragging you all along withe me on my mission. It is for a very very good cause thought...

Hope everyone else is having a fabulous weekend. And gets to eat their BBQ before midnight!

Colour of the week is...

...lilac.

I know. Random. But I honestly think this can be a lot LOT more versatile than one would think. Is it a flattering colour? I'm not going to lie to you - I have no idea. I am not a colour expert by any stretch of the imagination and whilst I know some people put huge faith in "their colours", I tend to just veer towards what I like.

I will say I think it's a great idea to start with as a base - knowing what colours work for you, if you're not hugely confident in your fashion choices - it definitely makes it easier to build a capsule wardrobe around colours that you're happy with and you know suit you.

But personally, whilst half of me is French (in my head), the other is pure fashion magpie. Experimental, the only rule being - if you like it, wear it. Which leads to some interesting colour combos, some of which work and some which you'll think meh - that wasn't my finest outfit. However, fashion should be fun so today, I'm going for gold with lilac.

What to wear it with? Well, it's perfect for slotting neatly in with you existing wardrobe of neutrals. Ideally suited to greys and blacks. I like the idea of it with pale pink - in some instances it can look like a shade of blush - lovely with navy and I'm going to throw it out there and say leopard.

Having had a quick (well, it's never quick when you venture onto Pinterest is it?) look, I've found a couple of outfits for inspo.

Paired with pale pink...

With a plummy brown..

This Winter from Mulberry...

First up, I'm breaking you in gently with knitwear which is probably the easiest way to add this colour into your wardrobe.

Knit Sweater £35 from & Other Stories

However I think this one is gorgeous. It says it's cropped. Hmm it doesn't look muffing flashing cropped (unless you wave your hands in the air, but just don't do that) and I think it would be perfect with waisted skirts or high waisted trousers.

Micha Lounge Boxy Crop Jumper in Lilac £28

Mixing the colours for you at Autograph.

Pure Cashmere Colour Block Jumper in Grape Mix £85

Moving on from a jumper to a sweatshirt. Currently my favourite lust brand - Ganni.

Ganni printed cotton sweater £95

T-shirt for the end of the Summer. Perfect for under a blazer with jeans and trainers into the Autumn. Breaking yourself in gently to all things lilac.

Printed ripped t-shirt from Mango was £17.99 now £8.99

And then adding some frills into the equation.

Frill Blouse £59 from & Other Stories

And then there's the mixing of print.

Starting with my FAVOURITE dress that I've seen in ages.

Carlton Printed Georgette Dress from Ganni £190

Or they have it in a top version.

Ganni Carlton Printed Top £95

Frilled Blouse from & Other Stories £49

And finishing with footwear. Well. Boots. Sock Boots. I TOLD YOU!!! These are now everywhere. I have been banging on about these for years - and finally they are everywhere. I would love to say I am way beyond the curve - alas, I fear that I just hanker after them from years ago. Yes I remember them first time round. Late 90s... LK Bennett LOVE. I lived in these. I am more about reliving my youth as opposed to being any form of fashion guru.

The husband actually said - "Oh dear god, please don't tell me they're back in fashion. I hated them on you first time round but didn't ever say anything". Bad luck sucker.

Heel Sock boots £49.99 from Mango

And then leopard. Lilac leopard. You had me at leopard.

Georgia Lilac Leopard Heels from Topshop £56

So I am hugely sorry at not having been around the past couple of days. Been having a lovely time with the children and taking advantage of the gorgeous weather. Went to see Wicked on Thursday, couldn't decide where to go and eat (I had obviously neglected to book anywhere... EEJIT) so did a BBQ smash and grab at good old M&S (best gluten free selection), the husband came home early and we had a lovely family evening.

Yesterday - outfit below - had a lovely day with the kids swimming with friends and then, as the weather was so good and life is short, invited friends back to ours for another BBQ. Therefore no work was done - so I do apologise!

Top - Coster Copenhagen
Black Harems - hush
Sandals - & Other Stories
Bag - Anya Hindmarch

We are off to another BBQ this evening. And will probably drag the children swimming this afternoon - they would rather sit all day on their devices (just mine?!) but once they get there, they adore it and it's definitely much better for their souls and for appeasing my guilt!

I am looking at skirts next time, hopefully next week I will have the new pages for you to look at and jewellery is also on the cards. Have a fabulous weekend and hope the weather is as good for you as it is for us.

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Orange is the new black

Let the offers begin.

My Autumn Staple is going to be...

Colour of the week is...