Every year at the beginning of the new season, I go a bit mad. I get a bit giddy kipper over all the lovely new things coming in to the shops and online and lots of things make it home with yours truly. Then a week or three later ... they leave. Usually after I've woken up, smelt the coffee, tried them on at home and done a fashion twirl or three in the mirror. Then I think, what on earth was I thinking and bag everything up and return to my sweatshirts and jeans. Want to know what some of the items were which came and went? I'll tell you about ten of them ... I can't remember the rest (there's been a lot).

Exhibit 1. 

So, it pains me to say this ... incase any of you take on board my views ... but I didn't keep the New Look strappy lace up sandals. I really did like them at the time I blogged them and I even went so far as to bring a pair of the black ones home with me too after that. Then I dug out the pair of sandals I got at Christmas which I've been saving for the summer and the love I had for the two pairs of New Look ones disappeared. Just like that. They were also very flat when I compared them to my existing sandals and I know from past experience I have a couple of very thin soled sandals which I don't wear often as they are just not that comfortable. So back they went. However, I do have to say that the leather is very soft and is therefore very accommodating of those like me with fat feet.

Exhibit 2. 

Ahh! The must have folk top from Next this season. I ordered a size 8 (one size down) as it looked like the kind of thing that had the potential to swamp me and guess what? It swamped me! I received the ivory version first as the navy was on a delay. After trying the ivory, I cancelled the navy. It might have been better in a size 6 but I am over the tassels now and besides, the worry of washing it and wondering how my tassels would come out was too much for me. Let's move on.

Exhibit 3. 

I really really like this. A stripy oversized shirt. I wanted a change from my usual blue shirts and I thought stripes would be the way to go. I still genuinely love it but alas the length of it does not love me - it is stonkingly long on me. I look like I'm wearing a nightshirt and I did think at the worst, I could keep it as a night shirt but to be honest I'm a Pj bots kind of girl. But I still keep trying it on when I see it and guess what? It still looks like a nightshirt on me #walkonby

Exhibit 4.

During a moment of madness when I was in Next looking for a birthday present for my MIL, I came across these kitty slipper shoes in the children's section and tried them on and bought them. Next day I returned them. To give them their dues, they were very comfortable. And I haven't totally lost my marbles - I've got a secret soft spot for the Charlotte Olympia Kitty slippers which are totally out of my price range. However, these Marc Jacobs flats might be my next moment of madness purchase ;o) as they look a bit badass kitty.

Exhibit 5.

Yup, I tried dungarees. I put them on. I had a good laugh. I packed them up and returned them. To be honest, I did order them partly out of curiosity and to see whether I could rock this. Err ... not these ones anyway. These were a particularly bad fit on me as I seemed to be able to stuff two bolster cushions down each side of them as well. I have now decided to shelve the whole dungaree idea but true to my nature ... can I put a disclaimer here should I find that ever elusive super comfortable and super flattering pair?


Exhibit 6.



Flares. Oh lovely flares. I really thought I was going the whole flares route this summer but I am now having a rethink. I have a pair of ASOS mini kick flares which are okay but I don't think they are the real deal. Then I managed to nab a pair of the M&S flares which were flying off the internet as fast as you like. They were a lovely fit apart from the six inches or so extra at the bottom. Can I be bothered to do a hem job on them? No. So back they went. But I have to say, they really do have a lovely high waist, they hold all your bits in and they are one of the more flattering pairs I've tried on ... they actually beat the MiH Marrakesh which I ordered one morning at 3am when I couldn't sleep and I was obviously in never never land. #Wendy


Exhibit 7.



Yes, I really did order a culottes playsuit thingy. I just felt like it! And strangely enough, it wasn't as horrific as I thought it could be. It's quite thin (my bum! my bum! my eyes! my eyes!) and it's a touch long and a bit low on the old cleavage front and though it doesn't sound like it has a lot going for it, it did somehow sow the seed that this might be something I want to investigate further. And because I also knew I would feel a little too "exposed" with such a skimpy top half and then I didn't want to bung on a cardi and kill the whole look, I think a sleeved version might be the way to go. See! I have given this considerable thought! So this one is going but another might come in its place yet.


Exhibit 8.




Boden seem to be in the habit of knocking out a pair of must have shoes each season. The current ones are the Lille lace up strappy pumps. I ordered the navy and the service was quick and the shoes arrived and I was a little non plussed by them to be honest. I think they are certainly a statement shoe and they look lovely on so many other people but I didn't love them on me. And they were a little uncomfortable on the ankles. And then I started to get nit picky (which is good as it makes me return things rather than live with them and niggle me to death) but I didn't like the way the laces were stitched. But that's because I was comparing them to the designer versions out there and the precision stitching on their laces and that was being unfair. So back they went too.


Exhibit 9.




I decided to send back the M&S flares and put my money towards a pair of Levis 501 CT jeans - the new cut and tapered version. They looked a little rubbish on me and I actually looked better and felt more comfortable in my old Zara jeans. Well money saved is money saved. There was a part of me that said, it would have been nice to have a pair of Levis in my life again (the last time round was Nick Kamen era) and I liked the fact that these would be more tapered so hopefully more flattering than regular fit Levis 501s. And maybe I chose the wrong finish for me or the wrong size - I sized down two sizes (going by the fit that I was after) but they did nothing for me. The thing to remember is, everybody suits different things and I'm not saying these were bad - they just didn't work for me.


Exhibit 10.




Errr ... these are just some of the denim pieces that have flitted in and out of Maison So So in the last few months. Let's face it, I live in jeans so of course I would naturally investigate the options out there. From left to right - yes, that first pair are are a pair of cropped wide jeans. They did nothing for me but I loved the silhouette on the model. The next pair are the parallel straight leg jeans which were plain weird on. The denim midi dress was too long but if I'd been 5ft 4, I would have kept it - it was really nice. Then came the flares - the skinny MiH Marrakesh and the regular MiH Marrakesh were both too long and too much of a bother to alter. The fit was okay but not enough to make me do a whoop de whoop. Basically you don't know till you've tried and I tried and I tried.

Errrr and there were also ten thousand pairs of boots and shoes from Next from their clearance section. I couldn't find all the pics but let's put it this way, there was a pair of over the knee boots in there which I ordered when I wasn't right of mind (probably after I'd been deprived of wi-fi for a week in Wales).

So that's it. Surprisingly, I did have some successes. Yes I did! But that's another post for another day methinks.

So, have you all fared much better than me? Or are you a challenger for my Queen of Returns title?

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Last Note :

With all the current love out there for footwear with lace ties, I couldn't help but notice the cute pair of gold leather sandals on New Look whilst I was having a browse. Well you can imagine how delighted I was when I spotted the somewhat pricier Aquazzura ones on Net a Porter a few days later!  I think there is a bit of lookey likey going on here but I'm not complaining and I've ordered them to try. The New Look ones incase you were in any doubt #skint

And I couldn't help notice the black and gold strap ones too from New Look which I thought bore more than a passing resemblance to the Ancient Greek Clio sandals which come in every colour combination under the sun. So I looked them up and lo and behold, there was a pair there in the black and gold colour way. 

It's a small world indeed.

I would love a Bella Freud 1970 jumper. Why? Because that's my birth year emblazoned across the front so I feel like I ought to have one of these ... and they are a teensy bit cool ;o) But ... but ... they are £280 a pop so I know it's not going to be making it's way in to my wardrobe any time soon. Sob. However, if I should so happen to win that ever elusive lottery, then I'll take one in every colour and let's throw in a smelly candle whilst we're at it. But I've tried not to take it too much to heart and I have taken matters in to my own hands and I have taken the inspiration and set about creating something a little fun. 

I decided I wanted to make a 1970 sweatshirt. I knew I didn't want it to be a copy of the Bella Freud jumper as I thought it would feel a little bit too "poor relation" so I needed to change the fundamental feel of the garment - hence the changing of it to a sweatshirt and besides they are much easier to work with than jumpers #slightcopout. I googled for 1970 style fonts and found something I liked and then I contacted an Etsy seller and commissioned them to create me my "velvet 1970 transfer" in navy. 

So let's take one grey Uniqlo sweatshirt like this. The perfect blank canvas.

"While messing around on my photocopier I spied the date 1970 printed in the corner of a page of the book I was leafing through. Inspired, I kept blowing it up, then cut it out and pinned it onto my black jumper. It had a rough charm that made me think of the early New York punk scene in the 70's, and Patti Smith"  (source).

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Last Note : 

Hmmm. Apologies first but this is not going to be that exciting and you will have seen some of these outfits before but now you will understand why I seem to be posting more last week than what I would normally. I don't often do a weekly round up (like never) but I know a lot of people do, so I thought it would make a good idea for a blog post for me and to see if I have deduced anything by the end of it. So the photos are a bit hodge podge but here goes ....

Monday.

Monday was the day it sleeted, it rained, it beamed temporary beams of sunshine and then it all went back to pot again. Monday was the day I was supposed to be heading to York for a lunch date with friends. It didn't happen. We made it to an indoor shopping centre as basically it was sleeting as we headed out of the door and none of us fancied doing a cold & wet cobble wobble down the Shambles. The parka was protection from the elements. The rest was for shopping comfort and practicality. And the Baxters had been for a quick wash and spin on the Sunday evening. They're earning their keep.

Tuesday.

My birthday. I dressed for warmth whilst I was at home during the day. I quite often wear the ULD jackets as a throw on in the house - they are just so comfortable and light. And there was a bit of colour in the form of the red plaid shirt. Hoorah! And a fleece coat which isn't really a fleece. Honest.

And a change in the evening for an early burger date at Byrons with my boys. Yep, that's a Lulu & Co Rainbow jumper that I'm sporting below. I found another one and worked some magic on it and I lowered my standards by a fraction - I just love this rainbow jumper. It's fun!


My concession to dressing up was the fur coat but I changed to the parka at the last minute as I realised I was having a walk across town and it was freezing! It was 4 degrees with a chill factor which felt like minus 4. I zipped up and set off - I am indeed a creature of comfort and practicality. I did put on a bit of lippy on though :)

Oh yes - I was a bit bored of the usual look to the left poses so I threw some different shapes. And besides I was happy as I wasn't cooking! Yippee!

Wednesday.

I started off the school run with a parka on and changed to the Del Boy coat for the supermarket run as  it's a bit lighter and a little bit less industrial. My parka gets a lot of action so sometimes I try to give it a rest if I'm going somewhere by car. I wore a  tried and tested formula of my favourite tan and black stripe Aubin & Wills jumper with black jeans. I did change the Topshop Baxter jeans for the H&M destroyed jeans today.

Thursday.

Blooming eck it was cold. It didn't look it though when I got dressed and I pulled out an old khaki parka from yesteryear. The furry hood gives the illusion of warmth - it is a very good illusion. Brrr. And I have blue jeans on for a change as I thought I was overdoing the black. And then I realised I was wearing a black jumper anyway. Hmm.

Friday.

Having a flick through Instagram, I spotted Hollie in her Mango jacket from a couple of years back. So out my Mango jacket came. This was bought in 2012 and seemed to be the must have Mango jacket for all bloggers. I haven't worn it as much in the last year or so but I guess that's the way the coat dice rolls sometimes and there are always new coat favourites vying for attention. The Topshop Baxters went back on along with a grey cashmere Gap jumper from 2013. This has been my go to jumper for the last two winters. It's a plain grey crew neck which doesn't irritate or give me double chins like all the other high neck ones do and it's just soft, light and comfortable. A slightly thicker cashmere than the Uniqlo ones - it's a winner. And the grey felted skate pumps again. If any of you are beagle eyed enough, you will have noticed that I have gone back to the Next version of these pumps after having a dabble with the ASOS Dialog pair. The ASOS ones were just too big and cumbersome on me whereas these are just perfect. See - the grass is not always greener!

So thats it really. But let's see what I have deduced from my round up ....

• I wear jeans. A lot. All the time actually.
• I do wear colour - I just happen to wear muted sludge colours.
• I wore something black every day.
• I wear flat shoes.
• I don't like being cold.
• I don't wear much jewellery. Well only when I remember.
• I wear mainly black or grey jeans at this time of the year. Black = winter. Blue = summer.
• I regress to a childlike state when I wear rainbows on my chest.
• I find it hard to look the camera straight on unless I'm larking around.
• I nearly always look to the left so my good side must be my right side.
• I didn't wear anything pretty or feminine this week.
• I don't do fashion fashion though I love reading and looking at it. 
• I don't do much in the way of patterns.
• I am hugely boring and practical in my clothes choices aka I wear a lot of core basics.
• I sometimes do the school run in my joggy bots. It's no biggie.

The WIWLW idea has basically turned out to be a round up of me in jeans. But we all knew that anyway didn't we? Which is why I don't post what I wear most days. I see a lot more photo worthy pictures on Instagram and these are from people who don't even blog. It's all going on out there in Instagram and Blog world but not in my wardrobe. But it has been an interesting exercise. I might do it again .... in two years time ..... if I'm still blogging.