A Tale of Two Tops
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Once upon a time there was a princess called Sue who had an Aubin & Wills Lookbook. Every day (well not every day but
fairly often) she would look at the book and sigh over the lovely little
Annaside top that she had seen in it. Princess Sue knew that if she had
this top, she would look cool, hip and yet romantic and her life would be
complete.
Photo : Aubin & Wills
Aubin Wills Annaside Top
Makes you cool, hip and yet romantic ....
Having decided to wait till her birthday for her birthday gold coins to arrive meant there was only a size 8 left when Princess Sue went to order but undeterred, she ordered it on the off chance that it would fit. It arrived but alas it didn't fit. What was she to do???
Down but not broken, Princess Sue set out on a her trusty steed (car) called Volvo on a mission to track down an equally lovely top which would make her hip, cool and yet romantic looking. She looked high and low on the High Street until she eventually came across the Kingdom of Zara where she happened upon a little cream number which showed great promise and had suitable leanings towards the romantic side. Princess Sue delved into her bag of gold coins (okay so she handed over the credit card - same difference) and returned to her castle to admire and appreciate her new treasure.
Princess Sue was delighted with her new cream top which was in a lovely soft cotton and had some pleasing applique detail around the neckline.
Some pleasing applique detail to the neckline.
She decided she was going to rock this new top in a 70's kind of way with her Isabel Marant inspired H&M denim skirt and Carvela Krimble sandals (again).
Peace and love to all.
Good picture of the camera eh?
I'm sure my sisters had something like this originally.
She then summoned her kingdom to sing a 70's ditty along with her to celebrate her joy :
THE NEW SEEKERS
"I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing"
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
Ah, peace throughout the land
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
Ah, peace throughout the land
(That's the song I hear)
I'd like to teach the world to sing
(That the world sings today)
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
(That the world sings today)
In perfect harmony
I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
In perfect harmony
I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves
But the tale does not end here as the title does say "A Tale of Two Tops".
Whilst browsing around the Net a Porter site for fun one evening, Princess Sue made the discovery that Aubins & Wills were stocked on their site and they had (cue trumpet fanfare as befits this tale) ...da da dahh...... the Annaside top in her size!
So the DHL Knight rode up and handed over the pretty black bowed box that came from the Kingdom of Net a Porter and in it was the lost treasure of the Annaside top.
The End.
We all love a happy ending don't we? Actually it's not the end as I'd really like you all to see how to really rock the Annaside top. I've included a couple of photos from Lapin de Lune's blog for you to see it as it should be worn by someone who I personally think wears it well.
Aubin & Wills should have just hired her don't you think?
Lapin de Lune - if you're reeling in shock at being featured. Sorry. Please forgive me.
-------------------------------
- Please note - this story is based on a true story and any likeness to any characters you know are wholly intentional.
- Apologies also if you find yourself humming this dratted song for the rest of the day.
- 3 weeks with the kids on holiday and you start going a bit mad.
- And I know this post is just weird and disjointed but that's just the way I roll.
Do You Like My New Nightie?
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
I was quite pleased with my latest dress find from the French Connection store in the York Outlet and just for a change, I decided to model it in front of the Grumps.
"Is that a nightie?" he said. "No" I replied through gritted teeth.
Anyway, nightie or no nightie, I like my new white dress. I liked it last year when I first saw it but I thought it wouldn't suit me and so I left well alone. These sort of dresses have a way of making you look like you're wearing a tent or at worse 'pregnant'. But it was there in my size, on the rail saying "it's me! that dress you were eyeing up last year at an unbeatable price - try me on". I tried it on, paid the unbeatable price and took it home. It's going on my jollies with me. This is one of the holiday dresses I have decided I will be taking with me.
I did some research on my dress hence the fact that I now know it's the Aurelia dress and it was featured in the French Connection 2011 adverts in various magazines at the time.
And if the Grumps wants to 'diss' any of my dresses again - I'll say "On yer bike!"
"Is that a nightie?" he said. "No" I replied through gritted teeth.
French Connection Aurelia Dress SS2011
Nightie Chic
I feel pretty, oh so pretty ...
I did some research on my dress hence the fact that I now know it's the Aurelia dress and it was featured in the French Connection 2011 adverts in various magazines at the time.
And if the Grumps wants to 'diss' any of my dresses again - I'll say "On yer bike!"
Pink to Make the Boys Wink ...
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Another lovely Sunday morning. The sun is shining yet again this year and the Grumps is smiling and the boys are not killing each other. I was toying with another tee shirt combo as I seem to be living in them this week but thought I really should get some wear out of some of the other clothes festering in the wardrobe (I'm sure I heard whispers in there of decamping to more appreciative owners). So today is a bright pink check Hollister shirt, some old jeans and the white Converse.
The white Converse are still white and not grub coloured due to lack of wear. I seem to have adopted my original taupe pair as the go to pair of Converse and the white ones have been sidelined somewhat but today, it's their turn for an outing. The shirt itself is just a very soft cotton - almost linen like in texture but just wears lovely. I picked it out as I was thinking about my holiday wardrobe and when I went to Portugal last year with a friend, this was my flight outfit along with my Uniqlo grey cashmere cardigan. Who knows, it might be the same again this year.
We went to the York Outlet today to do some returns and to find some holiday clothes for the Grumps. Whilst there, I had a look in the Kooples outlet shop which again had big mirrors on the shop floor but probably none in the changing room. Is this the same for all Kooples shops? Do I need to write in and complain? Now that's an idea or am I just old and cantankerous? Does it cost that much to put a mirror in the changing rooms? Anyway, nothing in there and .... no customers either. Sorry - just going off on one.
The best shop in the Outlet today was the Margaret Howell shop. So calm and serene. They had such a lovely simple display in the windows which just drew me in. It was very quintessentially English in a 40's kind of way - think Anna Friel in Land Girls (not that I've watched the film).
I went in there to look for a little blue cotton/silk blouse with a black neck tie and a checked top I had seen the week previously. I found my blue blouse which I went to try on and promptly fell in love with. I came out of the changing room and asked the lady outside if this was new stock as I was going on holiday and was it likely to be still around and she seemed unsure. Then I wandered around again looking for the check top and when I couldn't find it, I said to the same lady if they still had any of the check tops left. She looked kind of puzzled and then said in the nicest way "I don't work here". "Oh!". We laughed and she said she would take it as a compliment that I thought she did work there. And I insisted that she should as she looked lovely and she blushed and said "and I look such a mess today". She really did look the epitome of the elegant English woman in her white linen Howell'esque top. She did also say she spent a lot of time in there. I wonder if I were to spend a lot of time in there would I start to look that well groomed and lovely and quintessentially English. No. In a word.
The lovely thing about this shop and this brand is the simple design formula it has - for well cut, classic clothing. Nothing particularly fashion led but always in fashion. No neons, no mini skirts, no studs, no tat. Instead, just lovely suede brogues, solid looking leather sandals, linen, silk, cotton clothes all in soft muted shades. Unfortunately for me, a lot of the clothes are cut for someone much much taller. That dress in the window? It almost comes down to my ankles and I'm pretty positive that it's not how it's meant to look. Trousers? I would need to chop about 10 inches off the length.
But still I think its all just simply lovely.
And I just wish I could afford more of it.
And they have proper changing rooms. End of.
Hollister Pink Check Shirt (old)
New Look Straight Jeans
White Converse
Lovely soft cotton shirt
Knackered old jeans
Far too clean white Converse
Tatty hems
The white Converse are still white and not grub coloured due to lack of wear. I seem to have adopted my original taupe pair as the go to pair of Converse and the white ones have been sidelined somewhat but today, it's their turn for an outing. The shirt itself is just a very soft cotton - almost linen like in texture but just wears lovely. I picked it out as I was thinking about my holiday wardrobe and when I went to Portugal last year with a friend, this was my flight outfit along with my Uniqlo grey cashmere cardigan. Who knows, it might be the same again this year.
We went to the York Outlet today to do some returns and to find some holiday clothes for the Grumps. Whilst there, I had a look in the Kooples outlet shop which again had big mirrors on the shop floor but probably none in the changing room. Is this the same for all Kooples shops? Do I need to write in and complain? Now that's an idea or am I just old and cantankerous? Does it cost that much to put a mirror in the changing rooms? Anyway, nothing in there and .... no customers either. Sorry - just going off on one.
The best shop in the Outlet today was the Margaret Howell shop. So calm and serene. They had such a lovely simple display in the windows which just drew me in. It was very quintessentially English in a 40's kind of way - think Anna Friel in Land Girls (not that I've watched the film).
Apologies for the quality - taken with camera phone
Look closely - that's me reflected in the picture!
I went in there to look for a little blue cotton/silk blouse with a black neck tie and a checked top I had seen the week previously. I found my blue blouse which I went to try on and promptly fell in love with. I came out of the changing room and asked the lady outside if this was new stock as I was going on holiday and was it likely to be still around and she seemed unsure. Then I wandered around again looking for the check top and when I couldn't find it, I said to the same lady if they still had any of the check tops left. She looked kind of puzzled and then said in the nicest way "I don't work here". "Oh!". We laughed and she said she would take it as a compliment that I thought she did work there. And I insisted that she should as she looked lovely and she blushed and said "and I look such a mess today". She really did look the epitome of the elegant English woman in her white linen Howell'esque top. She did also say she spent a lot of time in there. I wonder if I were to spend a lot of time in there would I start to look that well groomed and lovely and quintessentially English. No. In a word.
The lovely thing about this shop and this brand is the simple design formula it has - for well cut, classic clothing. Nothing particularly fashion led but always in fashion. No neons, no mini skirts, no studs, no tat. Instead, just lovely suede brogues, solid looking leather sandals, linen, silk, cotton clothes all in soft muted shades. Unfortunately for me, a lot of the clothes are cut for someone much much taller. That dress in the window? It almost comes down to my ankles and I'm pretty positive that it's not how it's meant to look. Trousers? I would need to chop about 10 inches off the length.
But still I think its all just simply lovely.
And I just wish I could afford more of it.
And they have proper changing rooms. End of.
Favourite Friday - Mulberry Araline Bag
Friday, 3 August 2012
Today in the hot seat for Favourite Friday is my Mulberry Araline bag.
Toning with the background.
This must be about 6 years old now. I bought it shortly after Ben was born after spending a stupidly long time just mooching over it on the internet. I have it in the black colourway but this was not my first colour choice. I originally wanted it in a lovely auberginey purple shade:
I was sent a Mulberry email to say their sale was on and so I logged on to see if I could finally afford the Araline. The purple one wasn't there. Aargh. But there was a black and a chocolate brown one. I dithered for a few days and then finally made my decision to buy my first Mulberry. I went for the black. I don't remember being overwhelmed or falling madly in love with it straight away but gradually over the last few years it has become my go to handbag of choice as it fulfills so much criteria as long as I am without children.
I definitely can't fault the Araline for it's build quality or the sumptuously soft leather, the relaxed slouchiness or the dingly dangly tassles. Oooh - the tassles - I love these. I could wax lyrical about the tassles but I will spare you that much ... after all they are only tassles.... but they are tassles which are black on the outside and brown on the inside. Lovely.
It took my three years before I actually took it out of its dust bag to use it. My friend L threatened to use it for me if I didn't. I'm one of those people who covets something, acquires it and then puts it away and gets it out every now and then to coo over it. It's like they're too precious to use and I might spoil them. But once it made it's outing, there was no stopping it and it has been on many a night out (not that I have many nights out) and many a shopping trip.
My bag is no longer in a dustbag. It is hung up or slung over the nearest bed knob to remind me to use it ... when I'm not using a tatty bag, that is. And do you know that in this case of everything happening for a reason? Well I was meant to have the black because it was nicer than the purple and black is classic and black is just black ....
...... and I've come to the strange realisation whilst writing this blog post that this is actually my favourite bag. Well would you believe it - it's certainly come a long way since second choice behind a purple bag!
I was sent a Mulberry email to say their sale was on and so I logged on to see if I could finally afford the Araline. The purple one wasn't there. Aargh. But there was a black and a chocolate brown one. I dithered for a few days and then finally made my decision to buy my first Mulberry. I went for the black. I don't remember being overwhelmed or falling madly in love with it straight away but gradually over the last few years it has become my go to handbag of choice as it fulfills so much criteria as long as I am without children.
I definitely can't fault the Araline for it's build quality or the sumptuously soft leather, the relaxed slouchiness or the dingly dangly tassles. Oooh - the tassles - I love these. I could wax lyrical about the tassles but I will spare you that much ... after all they are only tassles.... but they are tassles which are black on the outside and brown on the inside. Lovely.
Tassles to die for.
It took my three years before I actually took it out of its dust bag to use it. My friend L threatened to use it for me if I didn't. I'm one of those people who covets something, acquires it and then puts it away and gets it out every now and then to coo over it. It's like they're too precious to use and I might spoil them. But once it made it's outing, there was no stopping it and it has been on many a night out (not that I have many nights out) and many a shopping trip.
My bag is no longer in a dustbag. It is hung up or slung over the nearest bed knob to remind me to use it ... when I'm not using a tatty bag, that is. And do you know that in this case of everything happening for a reason? Well I was meant to have the black because it was nicer than the purple and black is classic and black is just black ....
...... and I've come to the strange realisation whilst writing this blog post that this is actually my favourite bag. Well would you believe it - it's certainly come a long way since second choice behind a purple bag!
Prim & Proper
Thursday, 2 August 2012
This grey jumper with it's quirky removable collar detail ......
...... teamed with these perfect black jeans ......
And some muted gold ballet pumps ..........
Would a lovely outfit make. Don't you think?
Bradford City Park
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Bradford - oh Bradford. In recent years, a place synonymous with the Manningham Riots, George Galloway MP (him of Big Brother cat impersonation fame) and the Curry Mile. If we're doing A level (do we still have A levels?) history, then Bradford was a cultural textile phenomenon where it became the wool capital of the world. But really when people think of Bradford, they don't tend to associate it with much that is good.
I lived in Bradford in my twenties before I moved across to North Yorkshire. I still have family in Bradford and when I went to vist my sister and her husband last week, we took Ben & George down to Bradford City Centre which in itself is not that pretty if you're wandering around the Kirkgate centre but venture a little further down to the Town Hall and that's a different prospect these days. It's been many years since I've been down this way - infact I used to go this way everyday for quite a number of years when I had my first proper job at the National & Provincial Building Society. It has certainly had a regeneration but I didn't know to what extent until I saw it first hand. Bradford's Centenary Square to the side of the Town Hall has been developed in to the City Park.
I lived in Bradford in my twenties before I moved across to North Yorkshire. I still have family in Bradford and when I went to vist my sister and her husband last week, we took Ben & George down to Bradford City Centre which in itself is not that pretty if you're wandering around the Kirkgate centre but venture a little further down to the Town Hall and that's a different prospect these days. It's been many years since I've been down this way - infact I used to go this way everyday for quite a number of years when I had my first proper job at the National & Provincial Building Society. It has certainly had a regeneration but I didn't know to what extent until I saw it first hand. Bradford's Centenary Square to the side of the Town Hall has been developed in to the City Park.
No this is not flooding .....
This is flooding !!!!!!
On a grand scale!
The boys eyes just lit up as they saw the masses of children splashing amongst the water fountains. One nod from me and both stripped off and ran squealing in to the thick of it leaving me standing in a pair of wet pumps holding two tees, a pair of shorts and a pair of jeans.
Happy bunnies!
George's nappy getting heavier and heavier ......
If I'd known, I'd have worn flip flops!
I knew the inevitable would happen - Georges nappy weighted down with water slowly descended to his ankles and we had to put him back in his shorts (we're having an ongoing saga with George and his toilet training but that is a story I will spare you).
Happy as a pig in muck
err ... I mean small child in a pool of water.
I hadn't anticipated a day in an open swimming pool so I obviously didn't have any towels, no swimming trunks and no camera so I relied on my camera phone this time with surprisingly good results. No towel meant a little improvisation with my sister's scarf as an alternative to a towel and no spare shorts for George meant a little improvisation yet again with my sister's scarf. David Beckham never looked this good in a sarong!
He's rocking this look isn't he?
Angelina Leg Pose here
So a surprising but good day. Just like the changes in Bradford. Surprising but good.
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