A Change Will Do You Good

Friday 14 March 2014


This morning, the sun shone and the world outside my window looked good. I went to the wardrobe and pulled out a grey jumper. And then I put it back. Instead I pulled out this ...


Grey Uniqlo Cardi, Marant Etoile Blouse, Hobbs NW3 Bag


The raspberry coloured Marant top that I was so happy scoring but somehow never got round to wearing. Would it surprise you awfully that this is the first time I wore it properly for a full day? Umm it's only been about 6 months since I got it. I've tried it on a few times with different things and had it on for about 30 mins and then changed out of it again. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe because I like it and I don't want to spoil it? Anyway, it's been officially christened now and is now a "normal" item i.e. worn. And then I pulled on the old faithful grey Uniqlo cardi as it was warm but not that warm!

I also instinctively reached for my Office Namesake boots and then put them back in the wardrobe and pulled out these leopard shoes instead. This is another one of those items which I have only worn once for 20 mins ... in the back garden.

M&S Leopard Shoes, New Look Jeans


And then I took a step back and thought "hmmm - quite girly, a little bit mismatched but too late to change now" and headed out of the door for the school run.





Anyway, it was quite interesting to lay off the old faithfuls and reach for something a little unexpected. I got two compliments about the gold heels which I know I wouldn't have got if I'd stuck to my regular boots. 

What was the last thing you wore which you got complimented on?


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Last Note :

  • The shoes hurt after 4 hours (I did a supermarket shop in them and some other errands). I put my Uggs on for the afternoon school run (I don't care what you think - my feet hurt and were cold).
  • The shirt was very comfortable but draughty. I was a bit ambitious laying off the old Heattech so soon.







44 comments

  1. ooo I think that is a great look. Thats a nice top & I love those shoes. Nice shiny heel and a thin ankle strap - super !
    :0)
    Paul

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    1. Paul, it was really nice to feel a little different - not mad different, just a little different. And just leaving off the usual culprits and reaching for something alternative had quite a positive effect. I felt a little more like "I'd tried" and I did quite like the clip clop sound of my heels hitting the ground - there is something very feminine about it :o)

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  2. I must be a serious lightweight as there is no way I would be happy to expose my feet just yet! Brrrrrrr. Very cute outfit

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    1. We have had some lovely weather here during the last week ... I even saw someone on the school run in a sleeveless top which I felt was pushing it a little but no, the feet have been out in an assortment of footwear which have not been boots. Having said that, on most days that I have worn non boot footwear, I have resorted back to the boots by a certain hour. We're not quite there yet.

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  3. I love the colours and the print clash. I wish you would do it more often...more colours, please. You wear them well. :)

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    1. Kristina - for you, I will try. I can do colour and I do do colour in the summer months. Watch this space!

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  4. Replies
    1. Thank you! Oldies but goodies! Or rather, I managed to put such a big rip in my Zara ones, I need to patch those up so I'm back in some old faithfuls.

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  5. I love this shirt on you! Wear it as much as you can when it warms up. Wearing new shoes for four hours straight is a brave move...

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    1. Thank you! I will be making more of the shirt now that I've got used to the idea that it is a regular blouse for throwing on nilly willy.

      And the 4 hours in new shoes move - I was foolish.

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  6. This is a perfect transitional outfit Sue (although I bet the heat-tech would have been a most welcome extra layer!!). Lovely to see some colour, the blouse is gorgeous and looks superb with the grey cardigan and love the mix of patterns!! It does it feel good to have a change.....bring on Spring!! xx

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    1. If I'd done the heattech underneath - I would have been sorted. The wind whistling up my top was not good but I will be loving it when I get those nice cooling summer breezes on a hot day.

      And it was nice to have a change and be (almost) out of the grey zone. I might do it again!

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  7. Great outfit, Sue. I love that colour on you. Such a pretty blouse. Lynne x

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    1. Thank you Lynne. It's quite a nice sharp raspberry so not as harsh as a true red. Gosh I sound like Donna now don't I?

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  8. You look so good here Sue ... LOVE all of it!

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  9. LOVE the Marant on you - looks great, and it's always good to step out of your comfort zone a little. I've been trying to get a bit more colour into my wardrobe and while shopping wise, it's working, I'm still sticking to the same colours every morning. The whole outfit looks great - I like it with the leopard heels :)

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    1. Oh I know what you mean. I have colourful things in my wardrobe and I have been looking at more colourful additions but it's just so easy to reach for those neutrals isn't it? They don't jar and you instantly feel at ease. But sometimes it's nice just to break out a little.

      And the heels - they're fun and it's amazing what a difference it made to the whole outfit when I switched from boots to the leopard shoes.

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  10. You look amazing Sue - so pretty - you do girly very well xx

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    1. Shhhh! Don't tell everyone that I am a secret girly girl! I do let the inner pretty out every now and then - she tends to rear her head in the warmer months when the colours and the pretty blouses come out in play.

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  11. I love that shirt and your other Marant one - the stripy one, I would wear them lots if they were mine. You are really good at watching the things you love and swooping in at sale time. I am jealous!

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    1. Thank you! I knew I would definitely get my wear out of the stripy blouse but not so sure about this one as the print is stronger but now that I've worn it, it's fine. It's all in my head that I think something is loud or bright - no one else really notices. And I think when I say I like something, I mean it so I hold on and hold and eventually nab it when I can. Sometimes I'm successful like with these blouses and sometimes it's a bit miss but more to do with the fit than anything else i.e. such as my recent spate of bad luck with shoes. Gah!

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  12. Love this outfit Sue, the colours are perfect on you x

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    1. Gosh I must be in the top set for colours by now Donna?

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  13. Love it Sue...you totally pulled it off and yay to getting those ankles out! I have had my ankles out the last 3 days but like you, by 3pm, the uggs have been on. We're nearly there, but not quite yet! As for compliments? I wore a coral jacket the other day, a colour that Donna told me was perfect for me, and I had 3 compliments :)

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    1. Coral! Well done you. You see, if someone had told me to go and wear coral, I would have gone "no way" and yet I think it's a colour that works on me too. I do have a "coral toned" top which I really like actually but I never call it coral. I give it a fancy name like "soft clementine" because I can be a bit of a colour name snob. But it's coral by any other name.

      But granted every colour works on everyone providing you pick the right shade for your skin tone.

      And Donna knows her stuff doesn't she? 3 compliments. You beat my 2 then!

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  14. Yey love seeing u in colour Sue, you really do suit it!! Love your hair- did u get it cut recently, looks a bit shorter and nice and choppy.

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    1. Yey Trea! I did a bit of colour but did you notice it's a muted red though. Baby steps, baby steps. Not ready to hit the dayglo spectrum yet.

      And the hair had a chop last week - I was starting to look a bit Dulux dog so I pulled in at the hairdressers and said "layers please". And he obliged. Thank you!

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  15. Replies
    1. I love mismatched. I can't do matchy matchy though.

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  16. Fab top Sue & of course I love it teamed with the leopard print!!
    Jane xx
    My Midlife Fashion

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    1. Ah the leopard print - it gets you every time doesn't it Jane?

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  17. You look brilliant Sue. I love the mix of prints. I know what you mean about keeping things in the wardrobe. You've inspire me to pull out some things I've been saving , so thank you x

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    1. You do that too? Hoard the things you like and don't wear them? I'm really trying to wear more of my wardrobe but the weather is always the dampener and has me reaching for the grey jumper.

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  18. This looks lovely! The blouse is gorge! Isnt it wonderful to be able to skip a heavy jumper!? Long may this weather last!

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    1. Well it was lovely in the morning but I have to admit, I donned the parka and Uggs in the afternoon when the wind picked up somewhat unexpectedly. But yes, let's hope there's more of the good weather coming soon.

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  19. Well done - the blouse looks lovely - have to say a grey jumper is usually my first port of call! I'd have had to do the shoes the other way round - boots for the morning school run as it's still a bit nippy but shoes in the afternoon when it's warmed up a bit! :)

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    1. Thing is, old habits die hard. Grey jumpers to me are so easy peasy that I think we're surgically attached. When it comes to the summer, I don't store them away, I just move them along the rail a little and there will always be the odd cold day when a grey jumper is the most perfect item in the world.

      And I start off the morning usually with good ambitions (gold heels) and kick them off once I get in the house and when it's time for the school run in the afternnoon - I grab what I can run out of the door in the fastest as I'm a skin of the teeth type person (all coming out now)!

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  20. ooh this is a nice change up, still very you! i do that some times too, not always quite as successful as this though - i do love those heels on you!

    steph / absolutely-fuzzy.com

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    1. I think it's getting over the fact that I feel a little more like I've tried which seems to be not the done thing these days. Everyone goes for this "oh I just threw this old thing on" kind of look and if anyone does anything different, there's the worry that people think it's a little vain and she's got too much time on her hands. Fact is, dressed up or dressed down - takes almost the same amount of time unbelievably.

      And the heels - I'm trying to find some more shoes with a little heel as they do wonders for the legs.

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  21. Very nice outfit! It's really refreshing to wear a bit of colour when spring is around the corner, isn't it? I'm sure there is an acutal relation between colour and mood. The shirt looks great! Last time I got a compliment was on last week's Coral nail polish. I wonder if there are more compliments when we wear comething unsual. You know, it gets noticed...

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    1. I think you're right - it's good to step it up or change things a little to get out of the rut. After so much grey wearing which I do love and is still my everyday staple, a little bit of colour does put a spring in your step - but not too much and as long as it's within your comfort zone. I like more muted/deep colours - the sludge version of a colour as a general rule ... simply because they don't shout. So I can do a raspberry red like this but give me a primary block red and it's a no go.

      And nail varnish is a nice way to do something a little out of the norm - I always notice when other people are wearing it and wish I could do the same but I find it very distracting to see flashing little fingertips before me.

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  22. Such a fab print clash Sue! Its good to have a break from the norm from time to time! Ax

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Susie So So