Girl Gang

When you put an outfit on how often does your other half pull a funny face?  Do you know the one?  The slightly turned up nose, the furrowed brow and almost a smirk that you’ve got it so wrong and he thinks he knows better!  It’s fairly common in our household, I’m immune to it now.  My other half thinks his style is ‘classic’ i.e black, white or grey tee on rotation with jeans and Vans, don’t get me wrong he looks good but it’s not classic, or groundbreaking!  I’m not pushing great fashion boundaries but he likes to say that I mix too many trends at once, that I don’t know when enough is enough, but what’s important to me is feeling good about myself, and if I think I look good then I know I’ll feel good.

Que the rise of women who dress for women, sisters doing it for themselves and one of the most recognisable is Man Repeller  If you’ve yet to come across Leandra Medine check her out on Instagram or the blog link above. What started as a woman who wore incredible clothes that men obviously couldn’t get their heads around, is now an award winning multi media business that encompasses fashion, culture, beauty, relationships – it goes on!  Take a peak below at just some of her awesome outfit inspo.

(All images via Pinterest)

Now I’m not saying that I purposely go out of my way to wear clothes I know the hubs will hate, of course it’s nice when he dishes out the compliments, but lots of us are now making fashion choices that are far more appealing to the fairer sex, and we like what we see.  I posted an outfit on Instagram yesterday that my other half made very clear was not to his taste, 10 minutes later the lovely ladies of Insta were showing their love for my look, and for my middle finger to his opinion.

So be brave, take his smirk on the chin and trust your judgement on what you’re wearing. It’s your choice and you know you’ll be getting support from your local girl gang. He’ll get used to it and if he doesn’t, you didn’t ask for his advice anyway…. Here’s a couple of my outfits that always get ‘the smirk’.

 

Best dressed wedding Guest

I love a wedding, who doesn’t?  The feeling that love is in the air, a chance to catch up with family and friends, old and new, not to mention the opportunity to get dressed up in something a bit special.  Of course there’s the worries about who, what and wear, the dreaded faux pas of turning up in the same outfit as someone else (I’ve done it before, you’ve just got to laugh and own it), but it doesn’t need to be stressful, or costly if you plan in advance.

We have three fabulous weddings to attend this year and I can not wait, mainly just to be child free with a glass of fizz in hand!  Luckily our weddings are with different groups of friends so I can get away with ‘recycling’ a couple of dresses that have previous wedding history. Being a guest can be expensive, so if you have the chance to rock out a dress you’ve already invested in then do it.  Of course we all like something new to wear, but that can come from new accessories to change up the look from the first time you wore it.

You tend to get quite a bit of notice if you’re attending the whole day so use this time to start looking for an outfit as soon as you can, it’s one of the best ways to avoid turning up in the same dress as someone else, the likelihood of a dress you bought months ago still hanging around the shops just a couple of weeks before the wedding is slim.

A couple of tips, only the bride wears white, black is chic and totally acceptable and try to find out what colour the bridesmaids are wearing, nobody wants to look like an extra and everyone will notice.

(All images via Pinterest)

So if you’re diary is filling up fast and you intend on being the best dressed wedding guest it’s time to start shopping.  Make the most of the final sale rails, especially if you have weddings later in the year and will need something a little more autumn/winter to offer some warmth, churches can be cold remember.

In need of direction or inspiration?  Here’s a selection that caught my eye – maybe I do need a new outfit after all.

Cos now £50

Debut @ Debenhams £130

Dune £80

Primark

Primark

EAST £42

H&M £19.99

H&M £24.99

H&M £49.99

Hobbs jacket £299 dress £169

M&Co £49

M&S top £35 skirt £35

M&S

Max Mara Weekend @ HoF £385

Miss Selfridge £49

Miss Selfridge £120

Mode in Pelle £69.95

Monsoon £169

New Look £27.99

Next £36

Radley @ HoF £99

River Island £50

Toshop £35

Wallis £55

Wallis £70

Whistles now £220

Zara £29.99

Phase Eight £150

 

Want more wear from your Wardrobe?

It’s a silly question isn’t it?  Who wouldn’t want to get more wear out of their wardrobe and how nice would it be to go to your rails of clothing and feel like you’ve actually got something to wear?  Like most people, as the seasons change I pack away items of clothing that I know I’ll no longer have the chance to wear, but there are actually plenty of ways to get more wear from parts of your wardrobe.  If you’re not sure I’ll show you how, with just a few key items that many of us will have ready and available for paring.

Maxi and Chunky Knits

A maxi skirt or dress is a of course a summer staple, but once the balmy breeze turns bitterly cold the maxi gets relegated.  Team your maxi with an over-sized, chunky knit and trainers or ankle boots and before you know it you’ll be maxing out the maxi year round.

 

Denim and Biker Jackets

In the summer time when the weather is fine, it’s also unreliable and most of us don’t leave the house without a jacket of some description, usually a denim jacket or leather biker.  But as soon as that cold front arrives these offer no warmth at all.  If you want to continue wearing these throughout the colder months it’s all about the layering, whether that’s with a snug hoodie, longline sleeveless jacket or full on winter coat.

 

Dungarees

Cool and casual, dungarees look awesome teamed with a slogan tee, sandals and sunnies whilst the sun is shinning.  If you want to keep that cool, casual vibe into the colder months just swap your short sleeve tee for longer sleeves in knits or jersey, a roll neck and over-sized scarves….you can even keep the sunnies.

 

Dress over Trousers

I never like packing away my summer dresses, they’re the last thing to go and now they don’t have to.  It may seem a bit 90’s and you might not want to go back there, but it’s a big trend coming through for SS17 and the pics below show how to pull off a dress over trousers or jeans.  Take some time to pair the right dress with the right bottoms and you will look rocking this look…for the first or second time around.

Processed with VSCOcam with g3 preset

New York Fashionweek SS2016, day 5, Phillip Lim

(All images via Pinterest)

And there you have it, a way to get more bang for your buck out of items you already own, and tap into one of the SS17 trends before SS17 has even arrived!  Let me know what you think.

Underwear Overhaul

Underwear! There are two times in a year when most people buy underwear whether that’s for yourself or for another.  The first is obviously Christmas, cue the obligatory socks and pants stocking fillers, the second is of course Valentines Day, which is slowly creeping up on us.

Underwear for me is not a luxury, it’s a necessity and I prefer to spend my money on items that people actually get to see, but with the whole underwear as outerwear staying firmly put maybe it’s time to embrace my inner Victoria’s Angel.

Processed with VSCO with a10 preset

(All images via Pinterest)

Having had two babies, one via c-section and still only 7 months old, my body is changing – a lot! Some of the changes I know will never go back but that’s OK I’ve just got to learn to work with them.  Don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to get myself to baby No 3, but the underwear draw definitely needs an overhaul.  I only have one set that actually matches, other than than it’s t-shirt bras and plain black cottons thongs….sorry TMI, but this overhaul is for me, not him and just happens to coincide with Valentines, which is lucky as there is a huge selection of lovely lingerie available.

As I mentioned above, underwear as outerwear is still hot as hell, so take it as an opportunity to buy something a bit sexy that you might not have looked at twice and wear it as part of your outfit, for show.  But there is a lot to be said for a well fitting, comfortable and simple bra and knicker set, I know where I’ll be spending my money, sorry hubs!

Here’s a few of my favs from the pretty to plain and even practical.

Bluebella @ Figleaves £36

Bon Prix £16.99

Boux Avenue £24 & £10

Boux Avenue £45 part of set

Boux Avenue £45 part of set

Boux Avenue

Calvin Klein @ Net-a-Porter £32 & £22

Calvin Klein @ Net-a-Porter £60 & £32

Coco de Mar @ HoF £35

Debenhams £28

Dorothy Perkins £24

George @ ASDA

La Senza £30.88

La Senza £38.61

M&Co £16 & £8

M&S £12 & £8

M&S £18

M&S £6

Matalan £12

Matalan £5

Matalan £14

Matalan £7

New Look £9.99 & £6.99

Next £20 & £12

Primark £5

Primark £5

Primark £8

Primark £3

River Island £26

Stella McCartney @ Figleaves Now £27.50

Topshop £30

Topshop £30

Victoria’s Secret £18.18

Victoria’s Secret £18.18

Wonderbra now £27.30

 

 

 

Belt Up

Looking for a quick, easy and cheap (ish) update to your wardrobe?  Well look no further than one of the most simple accessories – a belt.

A good belt should be your wardrobes’ best friend.  A belt can enhance your shape, change up the look and style of clothes you already have and of course, keep your trousers in the right place.

The SS17 catwalks were belted to the brim whether it was layers and layers of skinny belts like Balmain, or huge waist shaping versions seen at Gucci. One thing is for sure, anything and everything goes when it comes to belting up this season.  Take a look at the inspo images from the SS17 catwalk shows below.

(All images via Pinterest)

The pics above show a great range and variety of belts, some clash with the outfit, others blend in with the colour palette but still stand out because of their size, showing us how one easy piece can change up your look in an instant.

Of course it’s still cold at the moment and we’re all wrapped up in lovely layers, but you could easily belt up over your winter coat, keeping in even more warmth. There is also a lot of layering dresses over jeans/trousers at the mo, but if that’s a bit scary and you’re worried you’ll look like you couldn’t decide between the two, belt it up and you’ll instantly feel more pulled together.

Have a dig around in your wardrobe and see of you already have something you can play with, but if not here’s a selection of beauties to belt up with.

Next £16

River Island £22

Moschino @ Selfridges £160

Mango now £5.99

Isabel Marant Etoile @ Harvey Nics £45

MCQ Alexander McQueen @ The Outnet £87.50

Isabel Marant Etoile @ Matches Fashion £45

M&S £9.50

ASOS £16

Cos £19

Hobbs £69

PrettyLittleThing £20

Miss Selfridge £20

H&M £7.99

Mango now £5.99

Anthropologie £44

Jigsaw £49

Very £20

New Look £9.99

Zara £15.99

ASOS £14

Next £14

River Island

Stripe Hype

So the sales are coming to an end and the shops are filling up with exciting newness, although the sale rail for me is always most exciting when it nears the end of it’s life, it’s where I always manage to hunt out some super bargains.

The new collections floating around are transitional pieces, you know those items that help us get though the weird in-between bit before the new season trends really arrive. So with that in mind we’re all starting to think about what will be hot for spring/summer.

I love looking at the new trends but when I shop I really want to wear my new purchases ASAP, so finding buy now wear now items that will also see me through the seasons’ next big trends is important, and cost effective.

One SS17 trend seen across the catwalks was stripes, I’m not just talking lovely nautical, Breton style stripes, nope, big, bold and even a bit Beetle Juice!

(All images via Pinterest)

I know lots of people avoid stripes for fear of looking larger, but a stripe worn vertically will actually enhance as it elongates.  Of course all the inspo images are of models but take another look at how flattering a vertical stripe is.

What I love about the stripes this spring summer is how they are also incorporating other trends, prints and styles. You’ll find a stripes with camo or animal prints flowing through, stripes with a boho vibe and of course the smart stripe that is perfect for work.

Finally if you’re quick and make the most of the sale rail you can nab yourself a bargain before the full price stripes hit the shelves. Take a peak below at some of the super stripeiness available on our high street now and coming soon.

& Other Stories £45

& Other Stories £55

ASOS £34

ASOS now £32.50

Boden now £27.80

Boden now £29.85

Bon Prix £24.99

EAST £79

French Connection £180

H&M £17.99

H&M £19.99

H&M £24.99

J by Jasper Conran @ Debenhams £55

J Crew £49.50

Jigsaw £98

Jigsaw £98

M&Co

M&S

Mango £29.99

Monsoon £35

Monsoon £39

New Look £27.99

River Island £35

River Island £38

River Island now £10

River Island now £17

Topshop £26

Topshop £38

Topshop £55

V by Very £28

Very by Very £42

Warehouse £32

Whistles £230

Let your t-shirt do the Talking

Following on from Monday’s casual post, today I’m lusting after a key item that can give everyone that cool girl casual vibe so easily…the slogan/logo tee.

When the hubs asked me about today’s blog post he turned his nose up and said ‘The slogan tee, isn’t that, well, a bit past it’?  Let me tell you two things, firstly never listen to your man when it comes to fashion and secondly, it most definitely isn’t past it.

Dolce & Gabbana sent an army of models down the SS17 catwalk in their phenomenal logo tees (see below), celebrities and Instagram fashionistas have made some styles, such as the retro Gucci t-shirt, sell faster than fashion hotcakes and it’s easy to see why.

(All images via Pinterest)

Whether teamed with jeans and trainers, a blazer and heels or an embellished maxi skirt, the slogan tee gives a real fashion edge to your look in one easy piece. But for us mere high street fashion mortals the thought of £300 on a t-shirt is CRAY CRAY!!  OK, so I have thought about it, more than once and the air-miles it would give if I bought it on the Amex, but the husbands’ wrath is just too much to bear!

So if like me you’re on the hunt for something a bit more wallet friendly have a little look below and let your t-shirt do the talking.

Boohoo £6

Calvin Klein @ ASOS £45

Etre Cecile @ The Outnet £37.50

Etre Cecile £65

Gucci @ Matches Fashion £320

House of Holland £75

Kenzo @ Selfridges £80

Mango £29.99

Marc by Marc Jacobs @ The Outnet £35.10

Motel Rocks £20

Not On The High Street now £15.40

Pretty Little Thing now £8

Topshop £24

Topshop now £12

Vans @ ASOS £20

Whistles £45

Whistles £45

Wildfox @ Harrods £64.95

Zadig & Voltaire £70

Zoe Karssen @ Very Exclusive now £20

Zara now £5.99

Zara now £3.99

Zara now £7.99

Casual Vibes

One style I get asked about (a lot) when I help clients with their wardrobe is how to put together a casual look. I think it’s a look people struggle with because it should be easy breezy to throw on something casual, but in reality it can be one of the hardest. How much casual is too much, i.e lazy sofa Sunday style, or when is it appropriate and when is it not?

A gorgeous client I worked with recently told me she just couldn’t nail a casual style.  She did smart/corporate so well, but when it came to the weekend was struggling and always felt overdressed when just hanging out if friends..She even said she didn’t have any clothes that were right for creating this look.  One swift sift through her rails and she actually had plenty and much more than she had realised.

So, it’s not always about having the right pieces but how you put together and wear the pieces you have.  We’re talking simple tricks, a turn up in your trousers or a pushed up sleeve – it can honestly be that easy.  Just take a look at some casual style inspo below.

(All images via Pinterest)

Did you spy things in there that you have in your wardrobe?  And did you see how to mix up items deemed as ‘dressy’ with trainers and a slogan tee for the ultimate in cool casual?

As a busy mum this is my forever go-to style.  It works for any occasion, school run – check, food shop – check, lunch with the girls – check.  You can keep the casual vibe but dress it up for a night out just by swapping your trainers for heels.

Maybe the pics you’ve seen above are enough to inspire you to get your casual groove on, but if you still feel in need of some newness that’ll complete that casual look take a peak below at some awesome high street offerings.

River Island £55

La Redoute £45

H&M Now £7.49

M&Co Shirt £26 Jeans £26

La Redoute £16

Cos £69

River Island £22

Next £60

French Connection £39

Daisy Street @ ASOS £34.99

Next

M&S 29.50

Gap £49.95

Monsoon

George @ ASDA £14

Next

River Island £22

Mango now £99.99

Littlewoods £43

Aldo now £79

Dune £80

La Redoute £49

M&S

J Crew £98

EAST £79

Matalan £14

Primark Shirt £12 Trouser £13

Primark Jacket £25 Dress £13

 

Gym Kit at the Ready

Happy New Year peps, or are you already over it?  Have you made resolutions and is one of them to be a happier, healthier you?  If you have then that resolution will probably incorporate some sort of exercise whether that’s making more of your gym membership, pounding the pavements or getting some zen in the yoga studio.  Whatever way you plan on keeping this resolution in check it may mean some new gym kit is needed, and January is the best time to update this bit of your wardrobe.

I love working out and luckily always have.  I used to be an aerobics and spin instructor so feel confident in the gym or in a class, but I know this isn’t the case for everyone and I can honestly say having a good bit of gym kit on will actually give you a boost.  It also makes it easier to look at your body as you workout and check your form and alignment – making sure you stay injury free.

Workout wear has come a long way and not just in the fabric department, I’m talking prints and colour clashes galore.  Take a look at the inspo images below, some of them may be a step too far out the comfort zone but it’s surprising how flattering this mish-mash of styles can be.

Ready and raring to go?  As I said, January is a great time to update your gym kit whether you’re a seasoned or aspiring gym bunny.  The sales are in full swing so make the most of them and buy some of the more expensive pieces like trainers, which will be one of the most important items you buy, along with a well fitting sports bra, and neither are cheap.

Here are some of my favourite sporty buys, sale and full price, a few of them could easily be seen in your everyday wardrobe too giving you extra added value.

Good luck with those resolutions.

Stella McCartney for Adidas @ Littlewoods

RI Active £18

H&M £24.99

Long Tall Sally

House of Fraser £30

Ivy Park @ Topshop now £7

Lipsy

Sweaty Betty now £22

RI Active £22

Stella McCartney for Adidas now £42

Ivy Park @ Topshop £40

H&M £17.99

New Balance @ Sweaty Betty now £42

Lorna Jane @ Active in Style now £56

Trespass @ Very £14

Adidas @ Very £50

George @ ASDA £10

M&CO £20

H&M £19.99

Sweaty Betty now £38

Bjorn Borg @ Active in Style now £52

Stella McCartney for Adidas £63

Nike £50

Lipsy