Sometimes when I'm in a need of a bit of retail therapy at the weekend, I say I need to do a bit of a food shop and I make some excuse that I can't get the branded cereal that the hubs likes at the Aldi and that I have to wander further afield to a bigger supermarket. Like the big 24 hour Tescos which also happens to have clothes. Anyway, on one of those food shops last year, I came across my black velvet blazer. Whoop a whoop and an extra whoop! Now the whooping is because I have always had a little black velvet jacket in my wardrobe but my existing one was a little shorter in the body and I wanted a more blazer style for everyday wear. Hence the whooping when I found it. And cue more whooping because autumn is here and it's the perfect season for velvet blazers. Look how easy they are to wear - Alexa loves hers!

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Whistles had their 20% off promotion the other week and I knew I was going for this lovely star blouse which I'd been coveting since I first saw it on My_fashionforecast. It got it's first outing on a date out with some mums for afternoon tea. The lovely thing about this blouse is that it is quite versatile as a dress up and dress down item. Just change the shoes, it's as easy as that.

I tried the M&S Velvet blazer the other day and it's a goody. It's very similar to one I already have which I picked up last year and which I throw on with jeans and trainers and just lifts a daytime school run outfit a little. And a little red bag just to pick out the colour on the blouse? We all like a little matchy matchy don't we?

Friday Five (1 of 5) Gold

Those gold pumps up there? I've bought them three times in total. I bought them originally early in the year when they were full price. Then I returned them as I thought I would probably be living in my sandals before long and they wouldn't get worn. Then there was a discount offer so I ordered them again and when they arrived I suddenly developed heel pain so I ended up returning them again. They kept dropping in price and now I've bought them for the third time and I'm not returning them. There I said it and I know you're going to say, it's nearly winter and you won't get the wear out of them but you know what - I'm going to take my chances. I have some similar silver ones and I've worn them lot recently so I think I'll be okay with the gold. For the record, I bought them a size up and I'm popping my fleecy insoles in. 

Friday Five (2 of 5) Winter Jeans

Those Topshop Dree jeans I bought last week? I said I was working them out. Well I've worked them out. They're not for me. They fitted but believe it or not, they were actually too short on little old me of all people. So back I went to the online surfing board and I ended up with some petite jeans from M&S and I can't believe they actually do them in short and extra short length. Just out of curiosity, I ordered them both. I kept the extra short, they just worked better on me - I'm long of body and short of leg. The normal short length should work well on regular petites (about 5ft 3). I've worn them today and they've kept their shape well and they even go with the ASOS Ruben boots which fit neatly underneath. I would say they are a straightish leg jean.




Oh yes, the Ruben boots, I was working them out as well last week wasn't I? They're a lovely soft leather and a very comfortable height but my only reservation about the boots is that I might not get the wear out of them - I'm not going to lie - I live in my pair of Ugg Glens for the school run in the winter. 

Friday Five (3 of 5) Bring

Anyone use this mobile app? I've had it for a while - it was one of those things that the hubs found which he thought would enrich our physical wellbeing. It's basically a shopping list app for your phone. You enter all the things you need for when you go shopping and you tap each item off as you put them in the trolley. So far so boring. I didn't really get on board with it and favoured a piece of paper and a pen but I've found myself sort of warming to it recently and it's quite useful as you and your other half can have access to the same list which you can both add to and the listing updates accordingly. So when he finishes the orange juice and he says "we need orange juice", I tell him to put it on Bring. Don't tell him I quite like the app. I don't want to hear the "I told you so".

Friday Five (4 of 5) Furry




Yes we've had a bit of an Indian summer this week but I've bought myself a little fur stole thingy for my neck. It's one of those infinity styles where it's made in a loop and you just pop it on over your head. I already have a rather nice striped tan and black one from a few years back but this one is a little smaller and neater to wear. I actually bought this for wearing at home when you want something around your neck but you don't want a scarf wafting around you getting in the way whilst you're busy doing what you do during the day. So no more scarf ends in the dishwasher when you bend over! There's method in my madness. And it was £4 in Primark I think.

Friday Five (5 of 5) No Spend October

#nospendoctober is the challenge of shopping your own wardrobe and not buying anything new for  the month of October. I really do want to join in and it should be no biggie because I do actually wear a lot of the same clothes over and over (you will find me in my grey Gap cashmere crew neck and a pair of black jeans for the  next five months), so why am I so hesitant to join in? Because I would be setting myself up for a big fat fail. I do love a browse round the shops and the thrill of finding a little gem in the most unexpected places and to take that away from me ... I would be sad. And if you tell me not to do something, that puts the little devil on my shoulder. Anyway, if you want to join in with a bunch of ladies who are going in for this challenge, have a look here at this IG post from Rachelthehat. 

Wacoal Lace Affair Bra in Rose Dust

I have to say the Wacoal Lace Affair Bralettes are amongst the comfiest and prettiest soft bras I own. Yes you can buy lots of bralettes everywhere these days but I have to say, these are just lovely. Treat yourself

What do you think? A bit rocking aren't they? Really really cool. And even though they look to be mega high, I managed about 5 metres on the shop floor in them without too much trouble. Put it this way, there were no sharp flashes of pain which usually happens when I try a heel this high. Infact I've tried some heeled shoes lower than this and buckled immediately. But imagine these with a Hades jumper or a Bella Freud and some cool jeans. Perfect!

Friday Five (3 of 5) Jumpers

Well I know it's 20% off Whistles this week and I did pick up this lovely red jumper before deciding it wasn't the red jumper for me. I thought it was the brightness of the red but it was more to do with the high neckline which had major (double) chin enhancing properties. Such a shame as I loved the boxy shape. So, I ordered a plain red merino/cashmere mix crew neck from Woolovers. I put it on and I immediately felt happy in a way that I didn't in the Whistles one so I knew I was right about the neck. And do you know what? If you purchase two of the Woolover cashmere/merino crew neck jumpers currently, they retail at £55 for two instead of £39 each. They're good basics - I already have a grey one (seen here) which has worn and washed well. And this is not sponsored.

Friday Five (4 of 5) Currently Investigating




I say currently investigating as I was hoping to try a different shape of jean for the winter which I could wear with boots and which weren't skinny jeans. So I thought I'd try the Topshop Dree (in the petite) which I would say are a slim cut cropped jean with a small flare. To be worn with a pair of sock boots. But not the pointy satin stiletto style ones as they have no place on my school run. Instead I picked the ASOS Ruben Boots which come far enough up the leg and remind me of the Topshop  Magnificent boots from previous years which I had to negate on the grounds that they were too high. And I have to say so far, so good, both fit and do what I want. They only came today so I still need to play. Oh yes, for the record, I think the Topshop Drew jeans fit as I would imagine a pair of JBrand Selenas would.

Friday Five (5 of 5) Half a Stone




My jeans haven't fitted nicely for the last year and a half. It's my own fault - I've told you before about my penchant for double breakfasts and doughnuts. Anyway, I made a concerted effort at the end of July to shift the half stone extra I was carrying and today I hit target. And then had a doughnut.  Old habits die hard.

* Bralette c/o Wacoal

I don't know about you but I've not really worn scarves that much for the last four years or so. I used to be a bit of scarf/pashmina queen when I was working and I usually had a pashmina (it was the thing at the time) wrapped around my neck at work as I was sat under the air con. I probably had my coat on as well. Anyway, time moves on and I found myself moving away from the scarves. I think I averaged maybe three scarves a year for the last few years and if you go through my feed, you'll probably see the same ones on repeat. They fell out of favour with me big time. 

However, I spotted a lovely scarf online and was about to hit the button on it when I remembered I probably had something not to dissimilar which I could work with. So out came a little old Primark number which I threw and tied around my neck, just so. And then I got asked how I tied the scarf on IG so I did a little IG story as it really is the simplest technique ever and I'm sure a lot of people already know how to do this. 

But basically you need to be working with a square scarf. Mine is approx 100cm square. Fold it diagonally once so it's a triangle. Place the triangle part at the front and bring the two ends round the back and back to the front. Tie a knot. Faff in to place. Like in this diagram I found.

So no reinventing the wheel or anything - but just if you fancy something different from the usual big long scarf things, here are just a few other square offerings to whet your appetite. Nothing overly bold but a little bohemian (but not boho).




The Soeur Flower Scarf is the scarf I was after in the first place. Still hankering. Still hankering.