Does my bum look 40 in this?

Showing posts with label sweatshirt. Show all posts

Embracing the casual...

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...seeing as it's here to stay for the time being at least. The mood of the nation is heading into (being forced into?!) relaxed mode. And what better way to celebrate not being able to go out with the purchase of something we will be able to wear day in and day out - the sweatshirt.

So this isn't really a reinvention as such, more of a rediscovery and an easy segue from pure slobbism into something we can wear every day. With a slight rejig of an outfit (ie maybe don't wear with tracksuit trousers that you wore when you were pregnant with your 12 yr old - just me?) suddenly these can be your go to dress down top to wear with jeans, wide leg trousers, maxi or midi skirts - you name it, you can wear it. Throw on an oversized coat or a blazer for a slightly smarter look.

I haven't gone down the hoody route - seeing as this is something for which there are a LOT of options, I'll do a WHOLE hoody one on its own. Purely selfish of course, as if I look back at my wardrobe - these are one of the items that have lasted the test of time. From throwing on over your jamas to do the school run, to grabbing to go to the gym, to wearing over leather leggings and a smarter jacket for... well - will we be allowed to leave the house by the end of the week? If so, this is what you can be wearing.

Starting with a black and white theme - possibly the easiest way to start if you're not a fan of the larger logo. These will fit in perfectly with all your neutral wardrobe favourites.

Black Phoenix Arizona Logo Sweatshirt from New Look £17.99

Deliciously perfect and in the sale from Moschino at ASOS.

Love Moschino Sweatshirt was £160 now £95

One of my favourites from Whistles.

Black Ca Va Logo Sweatshirt £79

And a grey version - ideal for winter whites or with blacks... perfect with navy too.

Grey Marl C'est Chic Logo Sweatshirt from Whistles £79

Grey again with an embroidered motif in gold at H&M

Text-motif sweatshirt £17.99

Grey Mon Amour Sweatshirt from New Look was £16.99 now £8

I shouldn't love this one as much as I do and it's white would be a disaster for me as I am so messy and can't drink a cup of coffee without wearing half of it. BUT a high neck polo neck... oh.. hello...

Levi's High Neck Gardenia Sweatshirt from Urban Outfitters £75

Dark charcoal grey.

ASOS DESIGN ACDC print in charcoal £28

Grey.. now please don't panic about the cropped aspect.. it's actually pretty perfect with high waisted jeans. NO MIDRIFF ON SHOW!

Hollister graphic sweatshirt from ASOS £29

Levi's Peanuts Crew Neck Sweatshirt £60

And in yellow - again £60. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!

Red is definitely one of my favourite colours for a top.

Claudie Pierlot Relaxed Fit Jersey Top £81

Red Chicago 98 Sweatshirt from New Look £17.99

LOVE this one from Whistles.

Red C'est Chic Logo Sweatshirt £79

Oversized now and actually my absolute favourite one that I've had for years is from Missguided. Don't laugh. I know... BUT it's such a good sweatshirt that I've had for about 4yrs and haven't found a huge one as good. This is what's on offer for this season.

Graphic oversized sweatshirt from Missguided was £25 now £22.50

Sand West Coat Graphic Sweatshirt from Missguided was £20 now £18

Fabulously oversized at H&M.

Printed Sweatshirt at H&M £24.99

And a Rolling Stones one - also at H&M.

And a FABULOUS grey one with a vintage vibe... again at H&M

So so so many options but fear not, if a logo sweatshirt isn't for you, I have other winter warmer options coming soon. Plain knits and their antithesis, the fairisle - all the print you could ever want in a jumper. Not to mention bottoms to wear with them...

Possibly my favourite offer of the year.

Yes, it's 30% off at Very Exclusive. This is simply the best discount ever. I do an edit of it every season when they have it on (I have no commercial relationship with them at all - I have just taken advantage of the discount as a customer and want to share!).

It's very simple - 30% off the majority of things online. It's Saturday evening, the BBQ is on, we're watching Ninja Warrior and have a movie to look forward to later so I'm having a quick peruse and for fun, am making a wish list.

Starting with something I get every season from Very Exclusive (with the 30% off..) - sunglasses. I think these are the best purchase, taking full advantage of the offer. These are full price elsewhere still and are rarely ever reduced.

I want all of these. Dang it.

Chloe Poppy Sunglasses £260 in green...

And another Poppy style from Chloe in gold.. again £260

Or the Carlinas (these are version of the ones I have from last Summer) £260 Chloe

Chloe Nola Sunglasses £260

Loving the Audrey H style Tom Ford Lara Sunglasses £310

Classic at Longchamp £125

Last year I got a Marc Jacobs tote bag which I will be using again this year.

And speaking of Marc Jacobs. Love this - the perfect all year round, every day, cross body handbag.

Snapshot Bag by Marc Jacobs £460

Another great little bag from Hill & Friends £450

And this one I can personally recommend as it's the grey version of the one I got last year.

Marc Jacobs New Logo Tote Bag £210

Love this clutch from Whistles £55

And these shoes would look rather awesome with the above bag. Elevate a simple pair of jeans and a tee to an out out look.

Kurt Geiger London Berwick Mules £150

But I'm kicking of sandal season with these..

Sol Sana Tiki II Heeled Buckle Sandal £145

Grey and dark grey earrings from Kenneth Jay Lane £60

And finishing with a couple of jumpers. Well.. sweatshirts actually. I've only got one of these but they are simply superb. They wash really well, they are a soft slouchy sweat (not one of the stiffer ones), they're long in the arms and they're super stylish (in my humble opinion...). 30% off is a rare find for a Wildfox top.

Kinda Whatever jumper in green from Wildfox £115

Or blue.. again £115

Or a Wildfox jumper £105

So there are absolutely loads of other fantastic options on the link here. Let me know if I've missed anything superb.

Huge apologies for not having been around this week - I have been travelling on Press Trips. Two days in Paris with Decleor and then two days in London with Mint Velvet followed by the CEW award ceremony (beauty awards) as a guest of Max Factor at the Hilton on Park Lane. Not a bad week at all. I will bring you all my outfits some time next week (there is a very common theme...) but here I am today, enjoying the sunshine before an afternoon ferrying the children around.

Dress - & Other Stories (two years old)
Boots - Zara (current)
Sunglasses - Chloe from Very Exclusive (ss17 with the 30% offer)
Bag - Chloe from Bicester Village (ss17)

Hope everyone has an amazing Saturday night. Happy shopping if you fancy a quick scan through the website, the offer ends on the 23rd.

It's the sofa, Britain's Got Talent followed by a movie for us! Rock and roll..!!

Monday Must Have(s)

So it's a slightly different one from me today.

Am taking full advantage of London Fashion Week to champion some of the smaller fashion heroes that I have grown to love over the years.

When I started my blog, it was to explore how we, as women progressing into our glory years (sound so much better than "getting old") would like to dress. At rapidly approaching 40, 7yrs ago, the options on the high street were not good and there were practically no online options, apart from Boden. The latter all those years ago was a very specific sort of look, as were the choices in store, seemingly designed for women who had children, didn't have an office job and were of a "certain age" - FatFace, White Stuff, Crew, Phase Eight and Laura Ashley (they were the choices on my market town high street...).

Which really didn't fit the brief of how I wanted to look. I did want to look younger per se, but I still wanted to look modern. I still wanted to follow trends without being a slave to them.

And so I started writing. And it was serendipitous that at that time, retailers also started to wake up and realise women in their 40s were a very different sort of beast from ten or twenty years earlier. We wanted modern trends in amazing fabrics and were happy to spend money on them. The magazine editors (who were all of a fabulous "certain" age) got on board too and roll forward seven years - we really do have A Voice.

The large retailers definitely cater towards our generation - it's more than just a cursory nod, we are seen as a serious market to attract. There are also more online options - websites which design and offer clothes that aren't "what your mum would have worn" but aren't aimed at a much younger market either.

And then there are the small, start ups. Those companies which began on kitchen tables and still have a small offering. They're not large, there are no glossy brochures (although I am partial to something to peruse over a coffee - I KNOW they're horrendous for the environment but we burn them in the chiminea and I don't tend to buy magazines anymore - oh and I also unsubscribe from ones I don't shop at. And yes I still feel guilty..).

Today I am showcasing six of these lovely companies - they have no idea I'm doing this. I just thought in the spirit of London Fashion Week - it's a great opportunity to celebrate those who make fashion from the grass roots up.

All these small companies are run by women I have come to know over the years. And it is years (ok so the first one is "just" a year). I have been lucky enough to be sent their products - there is no commercial relationship with these ladies. There was no specific ask on promoting the products - there never has been. Every single one, just sent a gift with a note saying they hoped I enjoyed it - there was no other expectation on my part or theirs.

And I am more than happy to wear and recommend these fantastic products. They will all be things that you recognise that I do wear on a very very regular (some daily!) basis. And have worn for years.

I will say that they're not necessarily as cheap as products that you can buy on the high street. They are very small businesses (some have grown over the last couple of years) and simply don't have the economies of scale of the bigger players in the market. And the quality is GOOD. That I will absolutely vouch for.

Starting off with sweatshirts (there are also tees) from the lovely Rae from FWP (French Wine Project - seriously, what's not to love) by Rae.

These are called sweatshirts but they're more like a fine knit. A cross between a sweat and a jumper - perfect for this time of year (although I've worn mine all Winter) under a blazer or jacket.

A small is a 10.

Premier Cru Sweatshirts £39 from FWP by Rae

Bio Dynamic Sweatshirt £39 from FWP by Rae

My two favourite jewellery brands which I wear every single day and have done for years and years and years. Annabel is local to me and first sent my a stack about three years ago it must be. Still going strong and worn daily.

Bracelets by Bella Jane Jewellery

And the lovely Amy from Chambers & Beau. Earrings which I wear every day and necklaces which I sleep in.

Sunrise Necklace from Chambers & Beau from £70

Winging it necklace from Chambers & Beau from £75

Then there is the lovely Clare from Air & Grace who first sent me a pair of these - the Copelands almost two years ago. Still going strong.

Copeland White Glitter Trainers £149

These i've been wearing for the past 18 months.

Copeland Calf Hair Trainers £159

And she sent me these when she launched the new style last September.

Flutter Sneakers £149

Two small cashmere brands which have grown over the last couple of years. The lovely Marielle was introduced to me through a mutual friend and sent me this rainbow stripe Breton three years ago. She has had to restock it a number of times as it always sells out. Not a huge surprise as it's simply the perfect navy jumper. I have worn and washed mine so so much - still as good as the day I was sent it.

Wyse London Ines Breton £220

And finally Orwell+Austen Jumpers from the lovely Jess.

This I bought about a couple of years ago.

Je Ne Regrette Rien Slogan Sweater in Oatmeal £195

And this one, Jess kindly sent me this year.

Navy Mon Coeur Jumper £210

So there we have six small, growing brands which I am so honoured to be able to support. Ones that I hope you will be aware I genuinely admire, recommend and wear regularly.

And as if by magic... here I am today. Trying to be jolly in this utterly vile weather. Wear bright colours I thought, that will make me think Springlike thoughts. I'm not going to lie - it didn't really work. It didn't work at all. Wash. Out. But I tried... I have chewed my way through Monday. Bring on a Chinese later (late to the New Year Celebrations but the husband promised them I'd get one in for this evening. Oh go on then. Twist my arm).

Sweatshirt - FWP by Rae (gift current)
Flutter Trainers - Air & Grace (gift aw17)
Coat - M&S (from paid partnership aw17)
Bag - Gucci (aw15)
Jeans - Me+Em (gift ss17)

Tomorrow I am off to London for meetings - on weather watch... OOH and I'm also going to try the white boots in Mango. Look out for the pictures on Insta stories... I'll also be back with a punchy fashion move (yes, even bolder than white boots. I know what you're thinking.. WHAT?? Yup. Watch this space!).

A capsule Festive wardrobe...

So last week, I did a talk at the John Lewis Christmas event for hush homewear.

And the way I decided to look at their new season (they have various drops throughout the season and their "seasonal" clothes are now in) was how, with just a couple of new pieces, you could create different looks to take you into the Spring. I have had so many messages from people who couldn't make it, asking if I could outline what I spoke about and what items I chose and why.

So here we are... all your seasonal occasion needs met. The idea I always promote when it comes to new season clothes is to buy a few items that you can wear on their own as different outfits but also wear with your old favourites to create new, fresh looks.

Starting with my obvious favourite item... The. Dress. Now first up, I must say that if you are grappling with the issue of midi dresses being too long for you - LOOK NO FURTHER.

The one that I chose, is the longest that they have in their midi ranges but online, all their other midis are definitely made for the less tall amongst us.

I would wear this on its own. With boots (over the knee, knee or ankle - any boots work), flats, heels or trainers, depending on the occasion.

Cosmos Dress £99

And then I dressed it down with a jumper or sweatshirt over the top. First up - I am championing everything hooded and throwing one over a dress, just transforms it into a much more casual outfit.

Dolman Hooded Sloppy Joe £49

Alternatively a jumper over the dress will also add to its versatility by transforming it into a skirt.
Lightening Bolt Jumper £89

And then, the jumper and sweatshirt can also be teamed with a skirt on its own. This is a wardrobe must have. Perfect length for most people (apart from if you're really tall) AND IT HAS POCKETS!! Easy to dress up or down.

Marina Skirt £65

Next item on the agenda is the blouse. Goes perfectly with the above skirt. Looks amazing with jeans. Can wear to work, play or out in the evening.

Atlas Wrap Skirt £59

Or another option for a blouse that would go with the above black skirt and then the matching skirt beneath, is the Barossa Blouse £69

Which makes an amazing dress alternative with the skirt below. Which can also be worn with the black above blouse, jumper or sweatshirt. Ta DAH!

Florence Skirt £59

If skirts aren't your thing, then my must haves which I bang on about ALL THE TIME, but that's because they're so awesome are.. drum roll... the harems.

Long Harems in Black £55

The beauty about the harems is that you can wear them for casual days with trainers and a jumper or sweatshirt. Throw on one of the above two blouses with heels for a smarter look.

And to finish off - the black jacket works perfectly with all of the above looks.

Zadie Blazer £95

So, in a nutshell - you can buy any of all of the above which will take you from work, to parties, to Christmas Day, to slobbing out on Boxing Day. Just add extra bling (which I have coming soon.. for those of you who don't want to do an item of clothing, I have sparkle on tap for everyone).

And speaking of all things seasonal, bring me all things Christmas. Seriously, I can't get enough of it and having to stop myself ordering a ton of new goodies to decorate the house.

Yesterday added fuel to my festive fire, as I went along to the La Redoute Winter Showcase. Check out the frosty floral wall.

Dress - See by Chloe at Bicester

Leather jacket - Ted Baker

Earrings - H&M

Leopard print bag - Tory Burch

Black boots - Topshop

It was then onto a number of different press days, all of which were SS18 (my one tip is stock up on all things lilac...) and then off for Christmas Dinner with Ted Baker. I cannot remember the last time I felt so glamorous. Thank you to all the team for a fabulous evening at The Zetter Hotel.

Kyoto Gardens Maxi Dress - Ted Baker
Earrings - H&M

I am exhausted today (I am such a wimp - left the house at 8.15am yesterday and got back at 11.30pm - seriously it has totally wiped me out) so have handily been able to work from home today. And this evening - it's back to London with the 13yr old for the Premiere of Daddy's Home Too. I don't know who is more excited - me or her. The theme is Christmas sparkle (which is total music to my ears) and I am going to be cracking out the Ted Baker shoes I wore on the shoot I did a couple of months ago.

Which led me to think, if a sequin jacket isn't your thing, party shoes are THE perfect way to add a nod to the occasion. The first extra bling blog coming soon.

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Embracing the casual...

Possibly my favourite offer of the year.

Monday Must Have(s)

A capsule Festive wardrobe...

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