White Handbag
Thursday, 30 April 2015
You might not believe this but I've been wanting a white bag for a little while. Honest. And I've looked all over for something suitable and not come up with anything till now. Most that I saw were too big, not the right shape, style or price. And besides, there wasn't much to choose from. But then I came across this little number when I least expected it.
H&M Shirt (old), Zara Jeans (old), White Bag (new and no links)
Makes a refreshing change from the usual black numbers out there doesn't it? I know most of you won't be rushing out to get one but I am peculiarly pleased with my little find especially as it was £6 from Primark because a white bag is not something I want to spend big money on. And for your information, yes I did go through every single one of these bags to ensure I got the best (finished) one. And do you know what else? It bears a good resemblance to this doesn't it?
Anyway, do you want to know what started me off on a white bag hunt? This actually ....
Source : The Outnet
I already have a red sweatshirt, distressed jeans and white trainers. I was just missing the bag ... till now.
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Last Note :
Perfect Denim Dress
Saturday, 25 April 2015
I get a compliment every time I wear this dress. Or rather the dress gets complimented on how lovely it is rather than how lovely I look in it :o/ It's a neat fit on the shoulders (flattering), it has no waistband (accommodating) and it has pockets (useful). Hands up those people who love pockets? Well that's a whole lot of pocket jamming lovers out there - yes indeed!
And who would have thought this dress was from Dotty P's? It's surprising where you find some of your best buys.
Dorothy Perkin Denim smock dress (old), Jigsaw Alicia Bag (current), Carvela Krimble sandals (old
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Last note :
- I have a few denim dresses but this is my favourite by far and the one I reach for every time. That's a good sign.
- This is the closest I can find in the style of mine ... it costs a few pounds more though!
Jigsaw
Friday, 24 April 2015
I won something! I actually won something for the first time in my life. Well that's not strictly true. I did actually win something in my early twenties at a nightclub. I won a dodgy photo shoot - you know the boudoir type set up where you throw a feather boa over your bits, straddle a chair and do your best come hither look. I didn't take it up - surprise surprise! Anyway, I digress, I won something. I won a £250 gift card to spend in Jigsaw after submitting an entry in to their #ForLifeNotLandfill campaign on Instagram. I don't normally enter competitions but I have a soft spot for Jigsaw and I spent many a happy hour and lots of money in there in my BC (before children) years. BC, I had more disposable income and Jigsaw was my go to place for my working wardrobe with a few bits from M&S thrown in. Infact the Grumps preferred me buying something more expensive in Jigsaw than M&S as he liked the idea of fewer people wearing the same things as his missus. I took that as his blessing to go forth and spend money ;o) Anyway, things have changed - my budget, figure and life but every now and then I still flutter in to Jigsaw and have a touch and feel of some pretty clothes. And every now and then ... I treat myself to the odd suitable piece. because basically old habits die hard ;o)
Anyway, treat myself I did with my £250 gift card the other Tuesday.
I had one thing I knew I definitely wanted and I reserved that over the phone so I knew it was going to be there ready and waiting for me. My new Alicia tan leather bag. Complete with dangly tassels. She's pretty yes? And soft. And squidgy. And useful. She comes with a detachable handle and a messenger strap. And enough space for me to stuff her with my usual junk with room to spare. Yup, she's a winner.
And the navy Ottoman jumper got wrapped up too. On first appearances, it's a plain navy jumper but on second glance, you will spot the little side zip detail which is not evident on the online pics. That little zip detail earns it it's bonus points. I toyed with getting it in one of the other colours just to be different but settled on the navy in the end. I don't know about you but I find when I slip on one of my comfort colours, the world basically feels good. Navy jumpers feel like I've come home and we all know what a lovely feeling that is.
And the last item was the Amelie retro stripe top. This one was not in the plan at all. The lovely sales assistant (Alexandra) in the York store suggested that I might like to layer the Ottoman jumper with a top and brought it to me. I put it on and you know when something is just right? It was just right. But I didn't buy it because I thought I already had too many stripy tops. Instead, I bought a pretty little camisole vest in Ocean blue and then I ended up returning the vest for the stripy top as I knew I would wear the top so much more than the vest. By the way, it's a perfectly cut top (for me at least) with enough shape without being overly clingy. Fab for layering. It's also very soft and a good summer weight. I have stripy tops in different fabrics so some are heavier for cooler days but this is a nice light summer top.
So these are not earth shattering pieces in the fashion world but they are strong workhorse pieces in my wardrobe and that's basically what I need right now. I don't get out much and the heels are pretty much redundant these days but a navy jumper, a tan bag and a stripy top - they will earn their keep and go on and on and on .... which was the point behind their whole #ForLifeNotLandfill campaign.
So these are not earth shattering pieces in the fashion world but they are strong workhorse pieces in my wardrobe and that's basically what I need right now. I don't get out much and the heels are pretty much redundant these days but a navy jumper, a tan bag and a stripy top - they will earn their keep and go on and on and on .... which was the point behind their whole #ForLifeNotLandfill campaign.
So that's my £250 gift card spent with a bit of a top up from me. The thing is ... £250 doesn't actually go that far in Jigsaw. The clothing is not that cheap but the clothing has always been well made and finished in my eyes and that's why I have pieces which have lasted me years and years and are still in my wardrobe. Like my 20 year old cream chunky cable cotton jumper which won me my prize.
Looks good for a 20+ year old jumper doesn't it?
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Last Note :
- The 100% linen tees are lovely. This one is in a shade called eucalyptus and skims the body. It's a kind of deep grey/green colour which would work fabulously with the khaki shades out there currently. This is one I took in to the changing room and was on the short list before I talked myself out of it as I don't wear tees that much. #sensiblehead
- Jigsaw also do these fab lace trimmed vests in every colour you can wish. They are very soft and long enough to tuck in or leave out to show the trims peeking from under a jumper and they do not shrink wrap your torso as some are known to do. I took a picture of the one I initially bought but returned so you can see.
Modal Lace Vest worn with old Jigsaw linen cardigan
- I don't shop as much in Jigsaw these days but when I did, I have to say, I always had lovely customer service. And I remember when I did shop there a lot, I had a favourite sales assistant who always looked out for me and knew what would appeal to me and would suggest lovely pieces. I saw that happen in the York store when I was picking my goodies and it brought back some fun and happy memories. And what happened to my favourite sales assistant in Leeds? She left many years ago to go back to Spain and on her last day, I popped in to bring her a present and we had a coffee together. Nice times. Nice times :)
- Last last thing. My budget, figure and life may have changed but I've never been happier. #blessed #apartfromthewrinkles
Quick OOTD : 22/04/15 Fluorescent
Thursday, 23 April 2015
I thought I'd start popping down the odd OOTD post on here. I do them on Instagram but I don't always share them on the blog. There will be few words and just a couple of pics. Sometimes, there might even only be one pic. And thats it :) They're not replacing my usual slightly more wordy posts but sometimes, there isn't that much to say about something that hasn't already been said. It also gives me something to put on the blog in-between the lengthy gaps (I did rack up 10 days absence not that long ago). Anyway, here's my first OOTD post. I did say they were going to be short and sweet!
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Wearing fluorescent stripes today to prove that I don't always dress like the Princess of Darkness.
Maison Scotch Breton (2012)
Mih Paris Jeans (2014)
Toast Bag (2014)
Next Cheetah Skate Pumps (2013)
H&M Sunglasses (2015)
MOTHER Sweatshirt
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Mother Sweatshirt available here. Son sweatshirt .... err make your own.
I made George's tee shirt with a transfer. I thought it would compliment mine. I didn't make mine though. That would be rude and uncharitable. My sweatshirt is from Selfish Mother and all profits from the sales of these sweatshirts go to Women for Women International - a charity which helps women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives through training programmes. If that's not a good enough reason to buy one of these, I don't know what is.
And to lift a quote from the website "This sweatshirt feels good to wear in more ways than one, you won't want to take it off". They are totally right, I feel good about what the charity is trying to do and the sweatshirt feels good to wear - it's lush and beautifully made. Go go go! Which one will you choose?
Available here.
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Last Note :
- The older son Ben has a blue version. I'm thinking of making one for the Grumps? Too much?
Mango Strap Cord Sandals
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Happy strappy.
I nipped in to York yesterday and the first place I dived in was Mango and the first thing that caught my eye were the strappy sandals which have been getting a lot of love all over Instagram and blogsphere. I did have my eye on them but as I couldn't decide on which colour was the best and I was too lazy to order four pairs of sandals and having to return three pairs, I basically did nothing. As it was, all four colours were in store. The colour of choice for most is the black. I chose the snakeskin. Why? Because they immediately struck me as the most expensive looking out of the batch with black coming a close second. And on top of that, the greyish colour is more flattering on the foot for me and better for elongating the leg-line. Depending on the style of a shoe or sandal, black footwear quite often cuts my legs off at rather unflattering points and make them shorter and stumpier than what they already are. Why add to that eh?
And you know these are staying right? And that I'm not going to change my mind and return them. Because guess what?
I've cut the tags off!
Primark Blouse (old), Jack Wills Jeans (old), Mango Sandals
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Last Note :
- For the record, I tried on a few pairs in the different colours - the zip can be a little stiff at the back but I've found that I don't actually need to undo the zip anyway for putting on the sandals as you can loosen the laces enough to slip your foot in.
- As these are not leather, they can look a little plasticky in certain finishes - pick carefully.
- They come up quite high on the ankle and may be a little uncomfortable for some. I tried on different colours in the same sizes and some were more comfortable than others - go figure.
- For once, I'm glad I didn't order online. I definitely needed to see the four different colours in real life as what I thought I was going to go for ended up in fact being my last choice.
Yellow
Monday, 6 April 2015
I'm on day 6 of #mystylephotochallenge on Instagram and the theme is yellow. So I knocked the above arrangement up this morning. I was faffing with some daffodils and they wouldn't behave. Then I held them together in a bunch and I thought, they look rather nice like this, I just need something to tie them with. A dig in the odds and sods box and hey presto - one spare piece of Net-a-porter ribbon!
A bow, a gin glass and a picture later and here we are.
Easy peasy. Everyone can do that one!
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Last Note
- Try to make sure your stems are the same length so they stand together better.
Ramblings
Friday, 3 April 2015
Ramblings of a Woman with Hindsight
- My recycling boxes blew away this week with the gales that hit the country on Tuesday. They are still missing. I should have put them in the garage as soon as the bin men had been. Hindsight is wonderful. Hmmm.
Ramblings of a Possessed Woman
- I have some bad-ass Kitty shoes in my possession. When I look in the mirror, I look like I have demonic cats grinning at me. The insane part of me is rather tickled by them and the sane part of me thinks "send back the shoes". Don't worry, I'm going to send back the shoes. I've exorcised the demonic cats from my system now.
- This week I returned these sandals to Next. I thought they had a little bit of a 70s/80s Gucci vibe about them. That statement alone probably warrants the title "Ramblings of a Deluded Woman". These actually have a better Gucci vibe to them with the horsebit trim. Thanks Eve for putting me on the right track.
Ramblings of A Sensible Woman
- I also returned a khaki belted jacket (not online) that I picked up from the H&M Conscious Collection. It's a nice enough jacket but in all reality - I'm not going to wear it. I have to belt it and I hate things which tie around my non existent waist. But at least I know that and I returned it.
H&M Conscious Jacket
Ramblings of an Addicted Woman
- We are now in April. I have been living off avocados since January for breakfast. My name is Sue and I am an Avo Addict.
It's an avocado folks. From Sainsburys.
Ramblings of a Woman With Too Many Pretty Tops
- I have a lot of pretty white tops. The New Look cami has to go back despite it being really pretty. I don't feel good in it :(
Ramblings of a Bored Woman
- I had to go to PC World this week and it's a pretty boring place. I did get to play with some cameras and some hoovers and I amused myself by taking pictures of George in front of a huge TV screen like this ....
GET OUT OF THE WAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
Ramblings of a Woman Who Doesn't Want to To Do It All
- I can't bake, I don't bake and I don't want to bake. I have bought Ben's cake for his birthday this weekend. I can live with that. I'm not a woman who wants to do it all. I know my limitations!
Ramblings of a Woman Who Still Dresses Like A Student
- Here's the evidence.
I just need a few A4 files to complete the look.
Ramblings of a Cheap & Cheerful Woman
- When I put the above picture out on Instagram, I had some comments on how healthy and shiny my hair looked. I think it's the first time I've conditioned it this year! And I used a conditioner I found in the Pound Shop. It obviously works.
Ramblings of an Impatient Woman
- I painted my toes in OPI's Nein Nein Nein. It looked lovely but I ran out of my usual Sally Hansen topcoat and used some other stuff instead. I stuck my feet in my slippers not long after and it all smudged. NOT happy.
Ramblings of a Woman Embracing Easter
- I'm all class I am. Last year, I saw lovely instagram pics of children carrying cute wicker baskets doing their Easter Egg hunts. I sent mine out with a Sainsbury carrier each. If they're lucky, I might upgrade them to Waitrose ones this year.
If you eat all these, you will feel sick.
And I think on that note, I should stop my rambly ramblings and wish you a Happy Easter instead!
Happy Easter!
You Can't Have Too Many Pretty Tops ....
Thursday, 2 April 2015
..... especially of the cream/ivory/white variety. I personally think that they have magic powers - they can transform you and make you look and feel pretty even if your natural state is more tomboy than Cinderella. I love them and I thought I'd tell you about a few which I picked up recently. I'm not sure I'm keeping one of them but I've included it as though it may not be right for me, it may be right for someone else.
The first one I came across at the beginning of March was from the H&M children's section. Okay, so not everyone is going to fit into kid's clothing but for those who are around a size 10 or under - you can get away with this one.
H&M Girls Blouse (not online but can be found in store)
On the hanger, it looks a bit of a mess. Mine was wedged in between lots of other tops and looked rather sorry for itself when I found it. But I could see it had potential and I liked the side tie which was a nice little detail. The fabric is a little sheer and like a thin cheesecloth and bearing this in mind, when I got it home, I steamed it rather than iron it to help the unwanted creases drop out without losing the crinkled effect. I'm actually wearing a size 170+ (Age 14), the biggest size they have in the girls section and I would say this is the equivalent of a ladies size UK 10. And guess what? I even had a penny change from a tenner :)
The next top is also from H&M and I bought this after my rather unsuccessful attempt with the Next folk top. This one has actually been in H&M for a while now and I've tried it on a couple of times but I didn't buy as I was in winter jumper mode. Now that we have hit British summer time - bring on the pretty tops!
This one is 100% cotton, not too sheer and has the cutest sleeve details. It also reminds me of this beautiful Talitha Geeti top in shape. I bought this in a size 8 rather than my usual size 10 as it has a little volume to it but is still quite flattering Basically you can't fail with a pretty white number like this for this summer, next summer and every summer after that. This time I had no penny change from a tenner :(
When I was ordering the New Look gold strappy sandals, I stuck this cami top in with the order.
It's pretty isn't it? Heck they're all pretty! And 100% cotton. How much detail is there and how lovely is that lace trim? And all for £17.99. Granted that the lace trim and embroidery doesn't go all the way round to the back but to be honest, a lot of tops don't and they go for much more than that. I think it's the perfect little cami for sticking under a kimono or a cardi - I like a bit of coverage. My only concern? I could do with it being a bit shorter in length - this isn't a strap shortening deal (it does have adjustable straps), this is a couple of inches longer than it should be on me and I worry about it looking like it's lengthening my torso and shortening my legs even more than what they already are. Hmm. But it would be perfect on someone a little taller than me. Have a look at the top on the model here and where the top finishes on her compared to me. Am I overthinking this? I'm still deciding - any opinions? Oh yes, I bought this one in a size 10.
And now the last one.
Zara TRF Top
I think this must have come in to Zara the day I popped in and I'm sorry I can't find it online. I was on my way out of the store when I saw it. I took a size medium in to the changing room and a quick try on was followed by a quick trip to the till. Another 100% cotton top - this is almost like an unbleached cotton and the embroidery also stops at the side. Something I like about this is the cutwork detail which just gives a hint of skin without revealing too much. Cute.
So I did say I like a pretty top or two didn't I? I wasn't joking. Which one is your favourite? And what do you think about the camisole?
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Last Note :
- If you don't have a handheld steamer like I do for steaming jackets or delicate fabrics, I just press lots of steam out from the iron just over the garment pulling it straight as I go along but without actually letting the iron touch the fabric.
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