Category Archives: Style

Remove brain and relax.

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Now I am a sucker for reality t.v. – all the Housewives franchises and anything else that is on Bravo, I love HGTV and of course now I am hooked on American Idol again.  Gosh writing that sentence felt like part of a rehab program – I’m cringing reading it back!  Last night American Idol had their last episode covering the first round of auditions – normally the most excruciating to watch, as I hate it when they show the crappy singers for the purposes of ‘good t.v.’ – but you know what – I think I ‘appreciate’ Steven Tyler a little more each time I see him – that’s so wrong isn’t it?  It has to be said that on a Thursday evening (my ‘Friday’) there is nothing more relaxing than curling up on the sofa with Tennyson, one of our boxers, sipping a glass of vino, removing my brain and watching American Idol.

Tennyson

Tennyson, my love bug.

Friday is the first day of my weekend.  I must say if I were President (not feasible – and not only because I wasn’t born here) I would make a 4 day week mandatory.  Probably not great for the deficit or GDP – but it would be great for morale.  Working that 1 day less a week has had a huge impact on my personal happiness.  Oh, I should mention that school would absolutely remain a 5 day week – otherwise my 4 day week might not be so great!  These days my Fridays are spent procrastinating a little longer with Matt Lauer and my coffee, indulging in a long shower and taking my time deciding what to wear, then I normally run some fun errands around town like Target and Trade Joe’s, followed by a long lunch.  Even after the school bus has arrived I manage to fit in a nice short workout while my daughter does swim team.  When spring and summer come around I like to skip the errands and head off on my bike for a good ride while everyone else is off the roads and I can’t wait to get in the saddle more often again.  Mondays to Thursdays allow me to use my intellect and enjoy adult company in the office, then my ‘free’ Fridays provide some ‘me’ time, ultimately meaning that I enjoy the ‘family’ time more at the weekend.  I feel very fortunate – and sane most of the time thanks to this schedule.

So today, before heading to Trader Joe’s to sort out some food for Superbowl Sunday, I picked out my Boden straightleg wool capris, a fairly old but hardly worn Marks & Spencer Per Una pink sweater, last year’s Boden cropped washed leather jacket, Tory Burch black patent Eddies and a necklace from H&M.  Even though it is my ‘day off’ I still like to make a bit of an effort every time I head out of the house.  The wool capris keep popping back into stock in the clearance and I think they are well worth the $38.  They fit a little higher in the rise than I would ideally like but I find them very comfortable and flattering.

Boden straightleg wool crops, Per Una sweater, Boden leather jacket, Tory Burch Eddies

This week has been busy at work for both of us so tonight MM and I are having a lovely home cooked Thai curry.  I love Friday evenings when we can just put some music on, enjoy a glass of wine and cook together.  Let’s hope the children cooperate!

Thank you H&M…

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It’s 69 degrees in Atlanta today and we’re gripped by Spring fever.  Everyone around me in the office seems to be planning trips somewhere – except for me…I’m getting itchy feet listening to them book their flights and chatter about sunshine, hotels and cocktails.  This time last year I was getting ready to head off to London for a week of fun and frivolity – I think I need to plan another city break with some girlfriends!

Sunday is Superbowl and while I’m not a huge football fan I, like many others, enjoy the partying, the food and the general sense of occasion.  This morning The Today Show gave us a sneak peak of some of the Superbowl commercials that will air and all I can say is thank you H&M I shall be replaying this often on YouTube!

Last night between the parenting and party planning for my son’s birthday, I managed to paint my nails – this time Smokin’ Hot by Essie – a lovely deep purply/grey.

Smokin' Hot

Mr. UPS swung by as well to deliver my new Boden Essential wedges.  I ordered the red and truffle and they are cute, but not only do they fit small, I do think they are a tad pricey for what they are.  I love the suede but I think if I am going to get some wedges I may get the now famous L.K. Bennett Maddox…so off they go back to Boden.  Another influencing factor is that there is a 14 week wait for the next size up – what is going on with Boden’s stock levels this season?

Boden Essential Wedges

The springlike weather influenced my clothes today and I am wearing my Boden Pretty Top, Boden LE sparkle pocket cardigan (which is SO soft – I love it), Hudson Collin jeans and my grey flannel Tory Burch Revas.

Boden Pretty top, Hudson, Tory Burch Revas

See you tomorrow – I’m ready for Friday!

Today I was mostly wearing…

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I headed to the gym this morning the first time for a while – it was lovely and quiet at 7.30am and I managed to kill myself on the treadmill for 30mins.  As much as I love running outdoors I can’t abide the treadmill but with impending rain here today I thought it was a safer bet.  To keep me in the ‘zone’ I returned to my youth and cranked up the volume of some club classics including the The Collaboration “Do It Properly”.  Danny Rampling is a bargain on iTunes!

Knowing I was heading out for lunch with a friend I wanted to wear something comfortable and fun so I opted for my new Boden Mariner jumper, Hudson Collin jeans, Boden biker jacket from SS 2011, and my Tory Burch red Revas for a pop of color.  It was fun drying my hair today – it must have taken only a minute – I love it!

Boden jacket, Mariner jumper, Revas

My Addictions #2 Tory Burch Shoes

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So it’s time to ‘fess up again about another addiction/obsession.  Up until a few years ago I would never have dreamed of spending $200 on a pair of shoes when I could get at least 4 for that price…that was until I discovered Tory Burch.  MM may live to regret this but he was the one that initially encouraged me to look her ballet flats.  He is a little bit of a shoeaholic himself in so much that he is a true believer of quality over quantity, so I have an enabler.

After having my son and in the heat of Georgia I found that I was only ever wearing flats.  I was tired of feeling frumpy and really wanted some ‘fancy’ flats for going out in.  I’m not a fan of ’boutique’ stores but with some trepidation I made my way to Phipps Plaza and entered the wonderful world of Tory Burch.  If you ever get the chance to go in one of her stores do.  They are so intimate and personal and the service I have experienced has always been great – not intimidating or snobby at all.  The stores are full of wonderful colors, her signature pink and orange, and they usually have one of her candles burning so it smells exquisite.  On my first visit I had my son in the stroller with me – not ideal for a small store but still we managed.  I knew exactly what I wanted – some gold Tory Burch Revas.  I had palpitations leaving the store with my pink and orange bag, I was so excited!  Revas are named after Tory’s mother and they are a classic ballet flat with the T logo, and I find they fit beautifully and really flatter my feet.  After the gold pair came a black pair that I wore for work with palazzo pants in the summer.  All in all I now have the following colors: gold, black, hibiscus pink, nectarine, bleach, Tory red, espresso suede, camel, mouse and grey flannel.  My caveat is that some were in the sale and one pair was a gift:)

Tory Red Revas

Tory Red Revas.

Yes that’s a lot of Revas I hear you say – but wait – then came the sandals – the brown Holly sandal and the black and tan Emmy sandals.  Most recently I have discovered the joys of the Eddie flat – it has a little less bling than the Reva having no emblem on it, and has the most gorgeous, spongy insole – they are incredibly comfortably – I adore them and have them in musk, silver, camilla pink, black and navy – all patent.

Tory navy Eddies

Tory Navy Eddies.

Maybe I should say here that I care for them well, and I’m not heavy on my feet so hope to get many years out of each of them…and obviously the more I add to my collection the less each gets worn.  Sometimes I open my closet door just to admire my tower of pink and orange boxes.

Towering pink and orange boxes

In need of a bigger shoe closet.

The collection

The current collection.

Going to her website to look for links for this post has been a difficult exercise – I’ve now started lusting after the peacock feather Revas, leaf green Eddies and turquoise Emmys – resistance is futile.

Lust for Life

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Yesterday was brilliant.  We had a fabulous meeting with our daughter’s lovely teacher – I love her candor and humor, it’s very refreshing.  I’m so proud of my little girl it makes me teary eyed.  In order to try and engender the association of achieve and reward we went out to our favorite diner for dinner and had milkshakes all round, it was a lovely family evening.  We were all exhausted afterward though, so it was an early bedtime for the kids and another recorded episode of Downton Abbey for me:)

It was a struggle to get out of bed this morning and I didn’t have time for an invigorating run due to a hairdressers appointment.  Armed with my photos of Ginnifer Goodwin I arrived and demanded my shorter cut.  My hairdresser is fabulous and always seems to understand my descriptions and then refines them to best suit me.  If you are in Atlanta and in need of a great hairdresser, who is humorous and conversational too, then seek out O’Neil at Van Michael in Virginia Highlands – you will love him I promise.

To coordinate with my shorter style I wore my Gap black jeggings, Frye Shirley Strappy Short boots, AllSaints Char jumper and my lovely Boden military jacket.  MM encouraged my shorter style, though has since made comments suggesting I should be in Roxette or that I’m channeling David Bowie’s Berlin era – maybe I’ll try a more feminine look tomorrow:)

Bowie Low

Similarity?

Boden military jacket

Before haircut.

HaircutHaircut

After haircut.

 

Is spring here already?

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This time of year in Atlanta presents a real challenge when it comes to dressing.  This morning it was below freezing yet this afternoon will be in the mid to high 60s…I also had to think a little more carefully as we’re off to see my daughter’s teacher this afternoon for a ‘conference’ – just a regular update on performance – but I still feel I should make a little bit of an effort.  So I opted for Boden’s clearance revelation, the Retro tunic in pink, M&S brown cable tights (kindly sent by my wonderful Mum – some things just can’t be matched over here – tights and Mums!) and the brown piped shoe boots, topped off with Boden’s dark brown leather blazer, currently in the sale.  The belt is a couple of years old from Target and I like to wear it sometimes instead of the knitted belt that came with the tunic.  The tunic is a lovely knit and pretty warm – and this winter I have discovered the joy of wearing a dress and how much more comfortable they can be than jeans every day.

Now off to school – let’s hope I don’t show her up…

Retro pink tunicRetro tunic with leather blazer

When I’m Cleaning Windows.

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After a great work out yesterday morning, and no emotionally scarred children left in the swimming pool, Saturday turned into a day of ticking chores off my list and having fun.  The weather was just glorious here – as it is today – sunshine all day with clear blue skies.  I decided to get one of my outside chores completed and clean my windows – dull I hear you say? – Well yes – but they haven’t been done in the four years we’ve been in this house, so job done, and I saved $500 on a window cleaner which can now be allocated to my closet;)

I was pretty tired after waving my extendable squeegee around but after a refreshing shower and a glass of white I was ready to head out with friends for dinner.  The six of us went to a very popular restaurant here on the West Side called Miller Union.  The West Side is an area of Atlanta that is being rejuvenated and as far as I am concerned is where some of the best restaurants in the City are located.  I’d been to Miller Union once previously and I was excited for MM to try it.  We were in good company so we had fun but I have to be honest I found the food overpriced and a tad disappointing.  My starter of watercress and blue cheese salad was good, and not easy to to get wrong, but my entree of grouper, though tasty was a bit cold.  I should have sent it back but in my very British, no fuss, manner I ate it – plus we’d had a long wait between courses as they were so busy so I didn’t want another long wait while everyone else ate…Then the bar didn’t have any Amaretto for me – surely every bar stocks Amaretto for those of us that love that sickly, sweet tincture?  I don’t think we’ll be heading back in a hurry, there are better, more reasonably priced restaurants in my opinion.  A shame, as I really like their decor and the patio looks great for Spring.

For my ‘going out’ ensemble I chose the Boden Silk Flower tunic in navy, piped shoe boots, Johnnie B leather jacket and my YSL clutch that was my Anniversary present from MM last year.  I love this tunic and it is in the clearance now – not hugely discounted – but I still ended up buying both the navy and the raisin.  It’s lovely jersey and is really comfortable and the silk flowers are not too brash but add some fun detail.  My only concern is that it is hand wash and I am terrified about how the silk flowers will come out – I don’t want to be ironing petals for an hour…

Silk flower tunicSilk flower tunic, Johnnie B jacket and YSL clutch

Now I’m off to Skype my parents to find out about their cruise to South Africa that they have just returned from – alright for some hey?  Plus, I’ll no doubt find out what they think about their daughter telling all in Poppy’s Style:)

“Generally really cool and smart”

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Well the play date yesterday was fabulous.  We had a riot – it was so much fun.  My friend has 3 boys, the eldest is my daughter’s age and her middle boy is at daycare with my son.  The weather wasn’t great but I was prepared (unusual for me!).  I had bought a disposable, plastic, party tablecloth to avoid substantial mess, and let them loose with the paints, stickers and sequins – they loved it!  Then they watch Roald Dahl’s The BFG while the Moms enjoyed a glass of sauvignon blanc – very civilized:)  It’s so nice and refreshing being in the company of someone that ‘gets me’.  There are some real over achievers in Atlanta when it comes to parenting and I am not one of them.  I don’t have the craft room, the hand sanitizer, nor do we recite our times tables in French every day.  I am a regular Mom that sometimes barely gets through the day – so to spend some time with another Mom who has some of the same anxieties about parenting as I do is lovely and we ameliorate each other’s irrational concerns.   She is also stunning, hilarious and great company and much fun was had by all.

Today I woke with a sniffle and scratchy throat bleeeuuugh.  I’m sure the Atlanta weather is helping the germs breed – it is so warm and yet damp – lovely.  So I had to postpone my lunch with a friend that I was really looking forward to – but it turns out this was a good thing as I then got a call from school that my daughter was in the Nurse’s room.  After a moment of panic it turns out all was well and she had bumped her head playing.  The nurse said she’d be fine to stay at school but when I spoke with her she was very weepy.  So it being a Friday and all, I went to collect her, then we called at our favorite take away place for lunch and we’ve just eaten an obscene amount of chocolate cake between us.  I love having her home when it is just the two of us.

Fortunately the nurse called after I had colored my hair.  It could have been quite messy had she called an hour earlier while I was standing naked in the bathroom covered in hair dye – the things we do for the sake of beauty/vanity.  In the summer I tend to go to the salon to get my hair colored as when it comes to summer highlights it’s far easier and less likely to result in a dyeing disaster.  In the winter when I opt for a single color it is less time consuming and certainly cheaper to do it myself.  I tried a new home kit this time to try to reduce the mess – Clairol Nice ‘n Easy Foam in medium ash brown.  The product is great to use – I love the non drip foam but all I can say is I’m quite glad I didn’t opt for a darker tone – this has gone REALLY dark – not sure the ‘medium’ adjective is entirely accurate.  Fortunately MM prefers me as a dark brunette and I like the Urban Dictionary’s definition.

Given I feel a bit sorry for myself today I decided to wear something cosy yet cheerful.  I’m wearing my aqua stripy Boden jumper that I snatched up in the sale before Christmas.  These jumpers were REALLY popular and sold out very quickly.  I vacillated for a long time, as I thought they were too similar to my Breton tunics from last year, and I missed out initially, but the aqua and rose came into stock in the sale and I swooped and scored again.  Today’s Revas are a pair I’ve had a couple of years and probably wear more than any others – they are “Mouse” which is a lovely neutral grey and goes with anything.  I keep waiting for them to do this color again so I can replace these as the soles are getting thin…

Boden stripy jumper

Now I’m looking forward to a very lazy evening with MM in front of a movie – it feels like it has been a long, busy week.  Happy Friday!

Be good to your customers.

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I was thrilled to head home with a new pair of jeans yesterday!  I had bought a pair of Hudson Collins last April and while wearing them over Christmas I bent down and the knee completely split!  After 8 months of infrequent wear I certainly didn’t expect that for an almost $200 pair of jeans.  So being the Social Media addict that I am I left a note on their Facebook page and was directed to email their customer services.  After returning the damaged pair they sent me a completely brand new pair of jeans – isn’t that brilliant?!  It just goes to show it is always worth asking and not just accepting.  I have found more and more brands and companies are responding to customer issues via social media before any bad news travels virally.  As great as social media can be for a brand it can also kill it in an instant if you are not seen to respond to a customer appropriately.  This article clearly demonstrates the damage that can be done:)  Also doing the rounds yesterday on Facebook was this fab story regarding Sainsbury‘s response to a young customer.  As a side note, if you are also a Hudson fan, I just received and email today about their 30% off end of season sale.

The meeting with our contractor went well – first check signed and handed over – yikes!  Now the design for our new master bathroom begins.  I think I might start an ‘inspiration board’ and take a look at Pinterest for some ideas…I can’t wait to see the final design that will include my lovely soaking tub.  I’ve also subscribed to all the home magazines like HGTV and Dwell – I can see this becoming another thing to obsess about.  In addition to the bathroom all our hardwoods are being refinished and stained, and the floors in the couple of rooms that are still carpeted are being replaced with hardwoods – I can’t even bear to think about the mess and dust that this project will create – the finished product should be worth it though!

My choice of clothes today was influenced by a) the forecast of rain all day and b) a play date for the kids today – we’ve got 3 boys coming round so no doubt I will be scrambling around on the floor a lot picking things up and looking for objects.  The Clifton tunic was another clearance purchase from Boden – I actually ordered all three colors but far preferred the navy so returned the heather and pine.  Unfortunately it is now sold out so no link.  I like the fact it is a layering piece and it looks great over a patterned or plain tank.  The leggings are also Boden – the best quality leggings I have ever bought, and inside my Frye Harness boots I actually also have on my Boden stripy socks.  The necklace is an old J Crew Outlet one that I have wrapped twice around my neck.  I selected my little Tiffany Elsa Peretti diamond earrings as I don’t like wearing bigger earrings with a necklace.  It’s interesting how writing this blog has challenged me to look at my decision making criteria!  The second image shows me in the JohnnieB leather biker jacket that was one of the first items I bought when the AW 2011 season went live.

Clifton tunic, grey leggings, Frye Harness bootsClifton tunic, grey leggings, Frye Harness boots, JohnnieB jacket

So I’m now off to buy treats and paints etc…for the kids to enjoy this rainy afternoon – wish me luck for the play date:)

Pass me a glass…

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Heading to carpool yesterday I realized how absent minded I am sometimes – I’d left the petrol cap unscrewed and the cap cover open on the car after filling up yesterday – fortunately the petrol hadn’t all evaporated or been syphoned off – but duh – makes me wonder how much just passes me by without me taking notice – MM is always telling me I only hear 50% of what he says…

Driving the kids home yesterday was torture – for some reason when they are strapped into their car seats they see it as an opportunity not to sing songs or play games, but to bicker and see who can make who cry first…I know they are tired so I try to be patient, but yesterday I resorted to turning up the volume on the radio in an attempt to block it out.  As soon as we were home they were all sweetness and smiles for Daddy – aaaargggghhh!  So I headed straight to the fridge and opened a bottle of white.  I’ve discovered a lovely little tipple from Trader Joe’s (my new favorite place for wine, though Whole Foods still has great deals) – it’s called Big Day White and it’s cheap as chips.  It’s a blend but I’m no wine snob and it tastes fabulous – really fruity and almost 13% – perfect!  I have friends who have been fans of Trader Joe’s for years and it has taken me longer than most to discover the gem it really is – mainly because we have one of the best Whole Foods in the land just down the road, but for quick, healthy options Trader Joe’s wins.  For supper I had a fabulous piece of Trader Joe’s soy glazed cod with stir fried veggies – as good as any restaurant, half the price and low fat to boot!  Unfortunately, it was followed by three Fortnum & Mason’s butter biscuits which I am still trying to finish.  My fabulous BIL and his family sent me a F&M’s hamper for my 40th, which we saved to enjoy at Christmas, so now the only way to remove these tempting, calorie laden goodies from the house is to eat them.

Mr. UPS swung by last night too – he misses me if we go any longer than a week without seeing each other.  He brought me my best Boden clearance item to date.  When I first saw the Joyful Jersey Dress I have to say I thought it looked frumpy, both online and in the catalogue, and I steered clear all season long, no matter how many rave reviews it won or how many of my friends on the Boden Community praised it.  Until that is I saw one of my lady friends wearing it and looking simply divine. ‘Simple’ being the operative word – I hadn’t considered the plain black option but it looked so simply classic that I had to try it.  I stalked and stalked and low and behold a US6 popped back into stock – swoop, attack, buy – and boy am I glad I did – it is LOVELY.  The same thick jersey as my beloved colorblock tunics, perfectly shaped, and best of all the perfect length.  Can I just say I love it again?  Unfortunately because it was so popular there are none in stock on the site so no link I’m afraid, but I encourage you to stalk:)

Joyful Jersey DressJoyful Jersey Dress

It’s going to be beautiful here again today so I am trying some ‘transitional’ items.  I don’t normally buy Boden trousers as I find them too high waisted but when the straightleg wool crops went into the sale at $38.00 I snapped them up in black, navy pinstripe and slate.  I’m wearing the slate today and I love them.  I’ve tried to wear them with socks and ankle boots in the past but because they are only lined to the knee the wool trouser sticks to my socks – rather unflattering when they bunch up!  I think they look great with ballet flats though, especially my grey flannel Tory Burch Reva flats which I bought last Spring in the sale.  The jumper is the AllSaints Jagger Godiva jumper which is my favorite AllSaints piece right now.  Earrings today are Erica Lyons from Belk, lipstick is Revlon Smoky Rose, nail polish is Revlon Perplex and perfume is DKNY Golden Delicious.

Straightleg wool crops, AllSaints, RevasStraightleg wool crops, AllSaints, Revas

Tory-Burch-Grey-Flannel-Reva

Have lots of work to do this morning as I’m finishing early – MM and I are meeting our contractor/designer this afternoon to start the design phase of our house renovations that we are doing this year.  Very exciting, but a little overwhelming too!