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Would you believe I didn't buy anything after Christmas till last week. I mean I was busy and being kept out of online shopping trouble and disliking the January jumble sales really helps but all of a sudden, I got the twitch and did some browsing and boom, I bought ....

.... a sweatshirt. Which doesn't sound very exciting but I was quite excited as I've been stalking The Great sweatshirts since I came across them last year and then spotted the below one in the Net a Porter sale. And I have to say it's the most perfect sweatshirt - in my eyes though maybe not anyone elses. It's a full cotton one and has that lived in look like a proper throwback sweatshirt from the seventies which has gone through the wash a lorra lorra times.

Now you know me, I'm no style shaker or anything like that (nor do I want to be), I like my clothes simple and practical and you can probably guess how I'm wearing this already.

For now ....


The Zara jacket I also picked up in the sales last week (it's all coming out now) and it was there at the front of the store just on it's own in my size as I went in. I took it as a sign that it was meant to be. So I walked to the nearest mirror, tried it on, took it to the tills. Job done. Sometimes, you just know. And thank you to Caroline for alerting me to this - I didn't think it would fit me and that it would be too oversized but it is infact, just right.

For the spring summer months, I'll be in some variation of this  ....

1. Gap Girlfriend Jeans

2. Zara Beaded Bag

3. Next Weave Sandals

4. The Great Sweatshirt

5. Lucas & Stone Leather Bracelet

6. H&M Denim Shorts

7. Topshop Editor Jeans

8. Urban Outfitters Tote Bag

9. Vans Skate Pumps

I've been having a bit of a thing for my Gap girlfriend jeans these last few months - not skinny, not baggy but with just enough shape to make you look pulled together. I have two pairs of these, one in my regular size for when I want to eat and one in a size down to give that slimmer silhouette - best worn early in the day before too much food consumption. And those new on the block Topshop Editor jeans look good and worth a nosey at - nice wash/finish to them and a straighter leg which is perfect for leading in to the warmer months. I'll be checking those out!

Bags, bags - you know I love a good tote and I spotted that cute little cherry one for adding that throwback seventies summer vibe. And talking of seventies vibes, do you like the Zara wooden bead one? I do. It reminds me of a woven tote I picked up last year in Topshop - I like what I like after all. And the warmer months are when I start wearing a little arm candy and having been introduced to Lucas & Stone when my buddy Bean bought me one for a present, I'm now looking at their other leather bracelets - tan is always a good option for summer. Yes?

And footwear, depending on how warm, pick your poison. Slides, sandals, skate pumps and my personal fave - the white trainer - it all goes. Well at least in my eyes.

• I bought a couple of other sweatshirts recently but both have sold out so I can't link you to show you but I thought I'd leave you with these few which I thought were worthy a look. The Swilsden one is my favourite ;)

Friday Five (1 of 5) Early Bird Gets the .... Sandals

It's January and some new season bits have started trickling in. So where do I head? Primark. I like to get in there right at the start. And what did I spot? A couple of pairs of sandals which were worthy of a mention. One style (above) are reminiscent of a leather pair from Zara last year which I actually ordered but returned as I found them a little hard on my heels after dithering over them for some time (about three weeks and six days) so when I spotted the Primark ones, I homed in on them. The Primark ones are obviously not leather but are slightly more cushioned and they don't slap so hard on the old heels due to the "rubber" type sole underneath. I bought both the black and tan but there are some gold ones too for any magpies out there. The other style which people who are rather partial to a designer dupe might be interested in are those below which are very similar to the YSL Nu Pieds sandals. Very similar indeed ;)

Friday Five (2 of 5) H&M Take Care

Just out of curiosity, I clicked on H&M Take Care on the H&M online site. I had no idea what it was but it actually is a little area where there are little snippets of help on how to repair, remake and refresh what you have. This so totally appeals to me. 

Friday Five (3 of 5) Michelle's Hack

This is a hack I borrowed from Michelle. She mentioned previously that she would buy a pack of hair bands from somewhere like Primark and use them to help keep her sleeves from falling down. Did you spot the hairband above?

It does work and somehow during the time I've bought a packet of 20, I seem to only have 2 left (go figure - one black and one brown). If you find the bought ones a little tight, buy yourself some elastic and make your own. But don't make them too loose ... or your sleeves will come back down. Obvs.

Friday Five (4 of 5) New In At So So Towers

Friday Five (5 of 5) Oldest Mum In the Class

George came home and asked me how old I was. So I told him.

George : Oh I got it right. Do you know you're the oldest mum out of all the mums for my class? Everyone's mums are in their thirties.

Me : Are they really? (Goes and sobs quietly in the corner).

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