And the shop of the season goes to Ma … Ma … Ma ...

Tuesday 24 June 2014




…. Mango? Nop!

…. Matalan? Nop!

…. Marks & Spencer. Nop!

…. MADEWELL. Yay!

Two successes from Madewell. Get in there Madewell! They succeeded where Mango failed for me this season. I loved the dark grey Mango jersey top which everyone pounced upon but which made me look like I had shoulders of an American football player. I loved this frills galore version even more but which was two inches too long and too too many inches too wide and made me look like a toilet dolly. But this little Madewell top seems to be a happy amalgamation of the two. Not jersey but a lovely soft cotton. Not as frilly but almost frilly. Girly but not dolly. I'm happy :o)




Madewell Memento top, Zara jeans, Topshop Koala espadrilles

Oh and did anyone spot the black and white leather espadrilles? Remember when I was going off my head trying to find some back here



Mission finally accomplished! Topshop must have felt sorry for me and finally put out their Koala espadrilles in the black and white leather design which they should have done in the first place and would have saved me all that effort in tracking some down in this design. And for anyone interested in them, I'm sorry but they are sold out online - I think they sold out in 3 days or something like that but if you want the look and don't mind them in canvas, Pull and Bear do this pair which look really good.

And to add a bit of colour to the proceedings - I pulled on some loom band bracelets which I've just started getting the hang of. Slightly addictive. Hmmm. Who else is doing loom bands out there then? Fess up!



The sun wasn't too bright, so I lugged the tripod out again today. I'm getting quite good at setting it up now. Too bright and the sun shines in my eyes and I just squint at the lens. Not cool. And though I'm getting better, it takes a few attempts to get it right as I kept having to battle the clematis or I'd find that I'd cropped my feet out of the shots. I even managed to get a splinter from the fence - the things we do for photos eh?


Practice makes perfect


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Last Note :


  • Thank you again Joanna. You are naughty aiding and abetting but don't stop will you :o)
  • The Madewell top is available from Shopbop if anybody in the UK is interested. I am wearing a size small (size 10).

Madewell Folktale Top

Wednesday 18 June 2014



Madewell Folktale Top, Zara Jeans, Hobbs NW3 Sandals


I made a special effort to get the tripod out and take this picture outside for my buddies Avril and Joanna. After all they played a hand in helping me procure this little Madewell number. The problem with Madewell is they don't ship to the UK but I do love their clothes so I stalk their site and sigh and coo over their perfectly cool clothes. I confess now - I prefer them to J Crew - they are a little more pared back in their styling. They are just more …. me. 

I played the dither dither game for a while with this before finally mailing Joanna in a panic saying "I think they are going to sell out - buy, buy, buy!" and had her and her hubs in hysterics at my panic when they woke up to my flurry of messages. I only sent her 3 but that time zone lag is a killer for the nerves! And Avril's part in this? She was my clothes trafficking mule :o) Hee haw! But she did offer to pick up from Joanna whilst she was out in New York for her Belfast Choir trip - have you seen the videos? Really really fab. Thank you - I luvs ya both!

As for the top itself, why did I go to so much trouble? Well I liked the simple food accommodating shape, it's 100% linen, the embroidery is beautiful. 



And it has more than a passing resemblance to the Isabel Marant Dumas top but infinitely more affordable for me. I also didn't get on so well with the Mango dress which everyone has been snapping up this season - the cut and lack of sleeves didn't suit me so well on the dress but the little sleeves on this top give me the coverage I need for the bingo wings and because it is a top - I will get more wear out of it. After all, I don't want to jinx the weather by getting the legs out too much do I now?


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Last Note :

  • (adopt bad fake Oriental accent) Ah - Madewell lah! I love your clothes so much lah but why you not ship to the UK lah? Me no happy lah! You get act together like J Crew lah and ship to UK please. Thank you lah!







Sunglasses

Sunday 15 June 2014



H&M sunglasses


Some things make you smile. Like a new pair of sunglasses. Like a new pair of cheap as chips sunglasses which somehow manage to bring you right up to date for £3.99! This H&M pair has a clear perspex frame with tinted mirrored lenses. And they are not just any old tinted mirrored lenses - they are tinted with a smidgeon of sexy green coolness  L.O.V.E.

And of course there is no link to them online. Because that would be too easy wouldn't it? 

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So what kind of sunglasses girl are you? Cheap as chips or a bit of a Rayban luxe girl? Or even better still - both!




Yesterday ….

Tuesday 10 June 2014



…. it was sunny in the morning so I got the legs out, donned a skirt and jinxed the weather.


Marant Etoile blouse (similar here), H&M skirt (similar here & here, Carvela Krimble sandals (similar here)


In the afternoon, it rained and poured and thundered and lightninged!    :o(


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Today, it was sunny in the morning and I decided to wear pants and guess what? 



It was beautiful and sunny all day! 

Of course!    :o)

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Last Note : 

  • The Pieces slides mentioned in the previous post are good. They're leather, they're comfy, they stayed on my feet all day whilst I was at a 5 hour school cricket tournament and gave me no aggro whatsoever. Cool.






Second Time Round

Friday 6 June 2014



Hands up who missed out on the Dune Jolene slides? Dune's homage to Isabel Marant's Holden slides.


Fear not ... I found these on my internet travels!






The one difference - the black corkbed sides instead of the natural coloured ones. But still pretty good in my eyes.


Not UK based, but Pieces do post to the UK. They work out at £33 approx with £3.50 p&p on top. But don't forget to look at all the returns policies to see if it's worth taking the gamble.


Maybe second time lucky!



Denim Jacket

Wednesday 4 June 2014



I was looking at Alex's Facebook page the other day where she was wearing her new J Crew denim jacket so I thought it was about time I had another stab at the whole denim jacket thing. What you might or might not know about me is I don't really do denim jackets. Funny coming from someone who wears jeans 90% of the time. I like them on other people but just not me. I feel kind of "butch" in them. Funny because I don't think anyone else looks butch in theirs. Just me :o(



Anyway, I pulled out my ten year old Antoni & Alison denim jacket, dusted it off and shrugged it on. It wasn't that great ... but it wasn't resoundingly bad.





Antoni & Alison Jacket, Cos Breton, Gap Mini Skimmer Khakis, Hobbs NW3 Sandals, Primark Tote


I do actually know why I don't like mine - it's a very stiff denim and it's too neat and tidy. I want it to be  nicely "aged" and "distressed but unfortunately it's not. Ten years ago, we weren't so in to the "pre-aged" and "pre-distressed" pieces like we are now and this jacket will never be like that because I've never given it any love to wear it in and soften it up. It's one of those chicken and egg things - it feels stiff, I don't want to wear it, it stays stiff so I still don't want to wear it. And repeat.

However to give it it's dues, I don't mind it worn like this!



Comfy and bum covering. 

I think I'll keep it a bit longer ... I'm sure that it won't be long until the perfect denim jacket turns up which I'll want to wear and doesn't make me look butch. 



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Last Note :

  • I actually wrote this post late on Monday night and went to bed before posting it. I have since procured another denim jacket which I think might just work on me. If you see it soon, then it is :o)

  • Do you have a favourite denim jacket? What do you think about them?




Susie So So