Yes it’s all gone and I feel a million bucks. Don’t EVER let me grow it again.
Trousers – Gap khakis // Boots – M&S (on sale) // Tank – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – J. Crew
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New Hair.
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Monthly Archives: March 2014
Patterned pants.
I have blogged before about my love for patterned trousers. They always seem to make a more prominent appearance in my closet at this time of year. They are a great transitional piece – lighter than jeans but still providing coverage, plus it’s easy to incorporate some spring colors in an outfit with them.
Images from Pinterest
I’ve only added one pair to my closet this season – these from Zara, who always offer an amazing array of patterned trousers.
I love any kind of animal print so these Marks and Spencer Per Una ones keep catching my eye – especially as they are on sale currently, with limited sizes left.
Mango hit my radar last year when I picked up a couple of great patterned harems in their sale. These are fabulous in this seasons collection.
I’d be buying this pair if I didn’t have my linen harems from last year.
Here I am in my Zara pants today. Off to the Doctors, sniff, sniff, with a horrid head cold which I need to kick it into touch before our beach trip!
Shoes – Marks and Spencer skate shoes // Trousers – Zara // Tank – H&M // Jumper – TopShop
Yesterday was also a day for some comfy trousers – these are the Next harems that I bought last year. If you are interested in dipping your toe in the ‘harem pool’ – take a peek at Fiona’s post here – she’s picked some great ones to peruse.
Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury navy suede // Harems – Next navy (last year – similar here) // T-shirt – ASOS forever t-shirt // Jumper – French Connection // Jacket – Next (old – similar here)
So patterned pants – will you be sporting a pair this season?
Summer blazers.
I wasn’t planning on posting today then I remembered that the Marks and Spencer 20% off offer ends today! I was browsing/researching their site last night, as I often do, and it led to me lusting over these beauties. Rarely can I head onto the M&S site these days without seeing something I love – especially in the Limited Edition range. They are certainly on an upward trend as far as I am concerned.
So here you go. Sleeveless blazers. Fabulous with jeans, culottes, palazzo pants or even a midi dress. Perfect for giving an outfit a touch more shape. I love the longer length ones in particular and I think the tailoring is very AllSaints. I would wear the black one with a great pair of flared jeans. At £47.20 they are a great price. For free delivery to the US use code USDELIVERY when checking out.
This shorter version is lovely and would be great with denim shorts and a plain white tee. The detailing at the back really makes it stand out for me. Just £39.60 today.
Finally, not sleeveless granted, but the color of this Zara blazer stopped me in my tracks. Just stunning. I can see it now with a white tank, light boyfriend jeans, bronzed feet, and tan strappy sandals. Just fab.
So what do you think? Swayed by the sleeveless look or the gorgeous fuchsia color? Let me know if you take advantage of the M&S discount!
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I spoke too soon.
Sorry to all of you in the UK and elsewhere – but I am sharing a J.Crew code that is only valid in the US – complain to them not me:) Using HEYSPRING you can get 25% off online and in store. They don’t often have such great discounts at J.Crew so I have taken advantage of it ready for our trip to the beach for Spring Break.
This camouflage sweatshirt is similar to the one Marlene wore here – but I think I have ordered the lighter, grayer, colorway.
J.Crew’s denim shorts are the best I have come across – super soft and stretchy – in fact I often size down as they give during wear.
This denim jacket is a great dark vintage wash and it is already on sale. I love it – I just need to try it on in store so I know my size. J.Crew love their vanity sizing and often it is worth again sizing down.
Finally I have ummed and aahed about rash guards for the past couple of summers. Going to the beach in April means it can still be pretty breezy, making that risk of sun burn even greater, so I have taken the plunge and ordered this one. I prefer the solid color to a stripe.
If that is too much coverage for you I really like this sleeveless version – and it is a great price, currently reduced to $49.50.
All this talk of beach attire and Spring Break feels a little premature today as the temperatures drop again. So yes I did speak too soon at the weekend and the boots are back on today – but just £27.20 boots from the M&S sale – RESULT!
Jeans – Gap (on sale) // Boots – Marks and Spencer Mink biker boots (on sale at just £27.20 reduced from £75!!) // Bag – Marks and Spencer // Jumper – Zara (old) // Gilet – AllSaints (old)
Finally I look a bit crazed here – but this is me on a usual Sunday – no makeup and my hair is still wet after the gym…
Shoes – Avarcas Pons Ankle strap in brown // Jeans – H&M boyfriend jeans // T-shirt – REALLY old Gap long sleeved t-shirt // Glasses – Oliver Peoples Wacks
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Out with my favorite girl.
On Thursday evening I took Poppy out for dinner then off to see Ellie Goulding at the Fox Theater. It was fabulous. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more Ellie, Poppy or I.
Top – AllSaints // Jacket – Zara (old) // Jeans – Mango chaps (on sale!) // Boots – Sam Edelman
After a late night I opted for comfort yesterday, for lunch at St. Cecilia with a good friend. How decadent – oysters followed by a shrimp salad with a couple of glasses of rosé and great conversation.
I LOVE my new jumpsuit. Definitely one to love or hate I think, but given my obsession for harems, this will be a regular in my summer attire. I also expect to wear it after the beach as a cover up over a bikini on vacation. I may have just ordered the grey version too.
I tried to photograph the back of the shrug so you can see the ‘keyhole’ design:
Jumpsuit – Oak // Shrug – AllSaints // Necklace – H&M (old) // Sandals – Sam Edelman Gigi
One last outfit from the week – new court shoes and a new bag from M&S! Great customer service from M&S as the bag was reduced in the sale while mine was in transit – they very kindly credited the difference so I didn’t need to return and reorder. It’s always worth asking!
Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Trousers – Zara coated chino // T-shirt – Forever21 (old) // Cardigan – Marks and Spencer (old – similar here) // Bag – Marks and Spencer
Lastly look what arrived this week – I now have a fabulous array of summer sandals to choose from! The boots are going into storage.
Ridiculous, over the top Ancient Greek sandals:
New navy Arizonas:
Have a fabulous weekend – I’m off to lie in the garden!
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Sensible Sandals.
Let’s talk spring, summer and sandals. Sensible sandals.
I have succumbed to the Birkenstock trend I’m afraid. A little late to the table, but it has taken me since last summer to convince myself that they can be both comfortable and ‘trendy’. I’ve had a pair of Boston Birkenstocks for years as they are very much part of the Georgia summer uniform here, but I have rarely worn them in recent summers, opting for my Havaianas instead.
Here are some of the images that convinced me they were worth trying again.
Ashley Olsen loves her black patent Gizeh birkies.
And Heidi Klum is also a big fan of the Gizeh.
They look fab on a dude too – he looks so cool here.
I have the white patent which I love. They are super comfortable and for my ‘funny feet’ they are amazing offering great arch support.
I also love the traditional Arizona, but in this blue – it seems a little more feminine than the black if that is possible.
I’ve just received the Mayari in black to try too – very feminine and I love the toe piece on this style.
Another favorite of mine is very similar to the Mayari – the Yara – this time with an ankle strap. I think they are so cool looking in this neutral brown. Great with tanned feet on the boardwalk!
The other style of sandal that I have fallen for in a big way is the traditional Menorcan Avarca Pons. Made in Spain, the leather is super soft, with no seams to rub on hot feet, and they conceal my crazy toes perfectly. The soles are made of recycled bicycles tires so they are non-slip and I like the idea of ‘repurposing’ for my feet! I find them incredibly flattering on – actually quite slimming on my wide feet. The only downside is choosing which color to buy. I have the taupe, but I’m thinking about a brighter color too – and maybe an ankle strap version🙂 I LOVE them and haven’t taken them off all weekend.
As for sizing it says they come up small but I am usually a US 8 – 8.5 and I went for a US 8. I was nervous as often I am a EUR 39 and the US 8 here is labeled as a EUR 38. The 8 is perfect though – the leather is so soft that it gives and stretches quickly to mold to your foot, so I would stick with your normal size as they may end up too big otherwise!
Just to assure you I haven’t gone completely ‘sensible’ on you I’ve also ordered these Ancient Greek sandals…with wings…oh yes indeed how awesome are these?!
For those of you that prefer something a little less embellished how about this version?
Now if the rain clouds could just move to the Atlantic I’ll be a happy girl. Get those pedicures done and the sandals on…sensible or otherwise!
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Bad ass dog.
On Wednesday morning, after returning from dropping the kids at school, I was confronted with a guy in our yard trying to break into the house. I immediately went into fright or flight mode and just started yelling “F*ck off! F*ck off! What the f*ck do you think you’re doing??!!!”. I was very eloquent. I’m not sure if he was more scared of me or Tennyson, my fabulous, loyal, protective, boxer who immediately went into attack mode. I was slightly impressed by the dude’s agility and speed at getting back over our fence. I suddenly realized he may be armed so I headed back inside to call 911 while Tennyson told him in no uncertain terms that he would not be welcomed back.
Tennyson now has his new sign in the front yard which really should say “Beware of the big, bad ass, dog”.
The hero of the hour who has been spoiled rotten since.
It took me the day to recover from the adrenalin – I was shaken to say the least – but I felt I dealt with it appropriately and I’m moving on now. I think they could hear me yelling in Florida!
Tuesday I headed to H&M to exchange some clothes for Poppy. I took the opportunity to take a look at this gorgeous fringed top I had seen online. I needed to understand why it is priced at $349!! It is a lovely blue, but crikey I wouldn’t pay $20 for it. The tassles feel really cheap and were already tangling and getting knotted on every top in the store. Not to mention the top must have weighed 100lbs. You’d need to be a line backer to wear it for more than 10 minutes.
Here’s my outfit for the day – I felt really comfortable, it’s great to wear skirts again – crap photo – I blinked:)
Shoes – Adidas Gazelles // Skirt – Asos wrap jersey skirt // T-shirt – Asos forever t-shirt in nude // Sweatshirt – Target (can only see plus size online)
Here are some other outfits from this week – a bit of a mix due to going from 70 degrees to 50 degrees throughout the week.
Dress – Mango (kindly bought by my sister – similar here) // Shoes – M&S Limited
Jumper – TopShop (stealing Frances’ style again) // Shirt – Zara (old) // Trousers – H&M // Sneakers – Adidas Samoas // Nail polish – Essie Play date
And then after a bang trim, ready for a fun night out at dinner with my Husband on Friday night where I drank too much Port with my cheese…I went full on ’80s – big hair and lots of silky flowy fabric.
Boots – Zara // Trousers – Mango harems (old) // Top – Zara (old) // Jacket – River Island (old – similar here)
Today I plan on doing not much else but sitting here – Hugh helped me assemble it – we’re the logical ones of the family:)
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The Breakfast Club.
After leaving the AllWornOut girls on the Friday evening in London, I went clubbing. On my own. Completely safe – and I did in fact meet a companion. A Chechnyan, who was very kind and very honorable. We chatted about politics, the Ukraine, Chechnya etc. as you do on a Friday evening. I made it home about 3am-ish.
The morning after the night before I was feeling a little rough around the edges. I knew I had to liven myself up before heading to meet the other blogging ladies at lunchtime. At first I thought about cider and ice cubes at Langan’s, but they were closed. As I wandered up towards Bond Street I suddenly realized that I could try and head back to Aubaine in Selfridges for a mimosa or likewise.
As I entered the handbag department I noticed several people sitting on a balcony eating – a good sign at 10am. As I rounded the corner I discovered HIX. A fabulous little champagne bar that happened to do a champagne breakfast – result! It felt incredibly decadent sitting on my own eating scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and toast, and sipping a bellini (or 3). Not the cheapest breakfast ever, but how often do I get to do it? I even saw Charles Saatchi and Trinny Woodall wandering the store below me – I wasn’t quick enough with my camera unfortunately!
Staying in Mayfair was a new experience for me. Not one of my usual haunts at all. While I was there I knew I had to have some fun. After leaving the girls on Saturday night, and being told to head straight back to the hotel, I wandered past the private members club Annabel’s.
“Sorry Miss, private members only” said the doorman, as I explained I was on my own and just wanted somewhere for a night cap.
“Just say my name downstairs” a girl called out as she was stepping into her taxi.
A bit of liquid courage and before I knew it I was waltzing into Annabel’s like I was a regular. As I told the front of house the girl’s name he didn’t bat an eyelid and just motioned me in.
“F*ck, f*ck I’m in” I said to myself suddenly panicking as to what to do next. I wandered nonchalantly to a table by the dance floor. What a sight to behold. Not just women in designer gear, but proper, haute couture designer gear. The dance floor was full of 100lb girls, with spray tans and waist length hair, dresses barely covering their butts. The guys were all in suits dancing awkwardly in some bizarre mating ritual. Large men were sitting at dining tables with magnums of champagne, eating steak and laughing loudly. I felt like I was in some kind of Martin Amis novel. How I was getting away with it I have no idea – I ordered a vodka and tonic. If I got found out what more can they do but throw me out?
I left without paying for my drink – I assume the lovely kind girl who gave me her name paid for it on her account. Sorry – I owe you one, but no one gave me a check and by that time I knew I had to get out before I saw another girl shuffling in her 10 inch Laboutins.
A great story to have, and great confirmation that I am no West End Girl.
It also appears I broke the dress code wearing ALL leather, and the Club Rules trying to take a photo.
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Sam Edelman does Rockstud
You have all seen images, I’m sure, of the beautiful Valentino Rockstud.
In my opinion it is a shoe that is a simply stunning combination of edginess, simplicity and refinement. But expensive.
Now you can get a version at high street prices thanks to Sam Edelman.
First I tried a version of the stiletto in Nordstrom – unfortunately the vamp is too low and narrow for me, and my pesky little toe wouldn’t oblige. Still they are gorgeous and I was very sad to have to leave them behind.
I have, however, ordered the sandal version.
Here’s the Valentino:
And the Sam Edelman Gabriela, available in nude, black and pewter:
This next sandal that caught my eye is actually incredibly reminiscent of this Isabel Marant sandal from last year:
The Sam Edelman Dion is available in black, nude, tan and off white. I love the thong strap and I’ll be trying this as soon as I see it in store:
So there we go – call it a copy or a tribute, I’ll be rocking the Sam Edelman version of the Rockstud this summer! I’m more than happy to wear a good imitation and Sam Edelman’s shoes have always served me well.
T-shirt – AllSaints Tiko t-shirt // Sneakers – Golden Goose // Pants – Zara (old) // Bag – Boden Canonbury clutch (on sale)
Leopard print sneakers
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Poppy's Style 