Spring Break…at last…

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I’ve been looking forward to this break since Spring Break last year. We had such an amazing time here in Fort Morgan back then that we hit the ‘Easy’ button and booked the same house this year. As much as we like adventure in the summer, for this week in April there is something lovely and comforting about returning to the same spot. Less organization is needed and we know exactly what we are going to get. We leave the nerves, uncertainty and anticipation for the summer travels!

The weather hasn’t cooperated since we arrived on Saturday but my Husband and I have managed a beach run each day, and we took the kids bowling yesterday at the the peak of the storm. To be fair they haven’t seemed to notice the rain and they’ve been hanging out with the neighbors on the beach most of the time – they were even in the sea at 7am yesterday! Brrrrr!

Today the sun is shining and the bikini will be on!

As for getting here – here’s what I chose to wear for our 6hr drive – comfort was key.

Birkenstocks – Arizona in blue Birkoflor // Shorts – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – Target // Scarf – Gap (old)

And my outfit from my last day at work last week – I LOVED wearing this dress that I got in the sale – so comfortable, and the M&S blazer is awesome. If you haven’t looked at Mango for a while you should – their new styling is gorgeous as is their new summer collection.

Boots – Isabel Marant Dicker // Dress – Mango (similar here) // Jacket – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL Roady

Next Bomber Jacket – 6 Ways – 6 Bloggers

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I love doing collaborations with my friends especially when we all have such different styles. 5 of my blogging bffs and I recently worked together to showcase this fabulous bomber jacket from Next. It comes in red and grey and I picked the red – mainly because I have the grey Next biker jacket from last year. I didn’t really know what to expect so I was thrilled when I opened the package to find a lovely soft, lightweight, vivid red jacket. It’s as light as a sweatshirt so the perfect weight for a throw on here in Spring. Yes it was gifted – thank you Next – but that has not skewed my opinion – I really love it and would have paid money for it. Look how great all the other girls look too! Lizzy, Fiona, Frances, Avril, me and Michelle!

Many people steer clear of red thinking it is too bright or won’t go with much in their closet. I had fun prancing around the other day with different combinations to try and demonstrate how versatile red can be. My outfits are fairly neutral but red is also a great statement color to clash/colorblock with oranges, pinks and blues.

Dress – Marks & Spencer // Boots – Isabel Marant // Jacket – Next

Shoes – Nine West // Trousers – eBay // T-shirt – Express (old) // jacket – Next

Trousers – Express (old – similar here) // Shoes – BCBGeneration // T-shirt – J.Crew // Jacket – Next

Sneakers – Golden Goose (old – similar here) // Shorts – J.Crew // Top – Phinius AllSaints (old) // Jacket – Next // Sunglasses – RayBan Wayfarer

Shoes – Marks & Spencer Limited Edition // Jumpsuit – Splendid // Jacket – Next

Make sure you pop over the the girls’ sites to see what they think and get details on how they styled their Next jackets!

Lizzy, Fiona, Frances, Avril, me and Michelle!

Arm Candy

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I’ve mentioned my jewelry wearing habits several times before – I’m not a fan of necklaces but I love to adorn my wrists with jewels, beads and precious metals. My Husband also wears bracelets – he has one for the summer months and one for the winter months…both of which I bought him. I wish I didn’t feel the pressure to be more novel with gifts otherwise I’d just buy him a different color each birthday. I should also mention that he has his ear pierced – so that gives me some options too. When we first met in 1991, he not only had longer hair than me, but also wore jewelry.

Here’s the summer one that he’ll start wearing next week on Spring Break (he’s very precise when it comes to changing over :))…it’s a gorgeous turquoise.

And here’s the black that he is currently wearing – it has a bead of pavé black diamonds on it – just stunning yet still masculine.

Well I have been eyeing these bracelets for myself. I particularly love turquoise for the summer, and I love the idea of stacking different colors. Only 3 or 4 David Yurman bracelets is something I’d rather my Husband paid for than my clothing budget! So I started to search for some good replicas.

Etsy.com saved the day…and the budget! I’ve used Etsy quite a bit recently for nose rings to cushion covers. I love the idea of supporting small businesses and getting something unique and handmade.

After a few searches I came across Magnolia Blossom Jewelry. Kimberly offers a great selection of jewelry – with bracelets just like I was looking for at a fabulous price too. I ordered 4 and received them yesterday – super fast shipping, gorgeous packaging and a great product. I love my new bracelets!

Turquoise with rose gold pavé bead:

Turquoise with mother of pearl pavé bead:

Coral and crystal pavé bead:

Pink jade with pavé bead:

Not one to go half measures I decided to stack them all today!

And here they are looking great against my all black ensemble today.

Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Pants – J.Crew chino capris // Top – AllSaints Tiko t-shirt (25% off with code SURPRISE)

After contacting Kimberly I negotiated a discount which she has kindly offered to pass on to you all. Please use code SAVE10 for a 10% discount at checkout – I am sure you will love what she has to offer!

P.s. I have just listed some wool J.Crew capris in my shop that I have reluctantly realized do not work for this climate!

Playsuits.

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It’s hot and sunny here, and Spring Break next week, so my thoughts have turned to all things short. Quite literally. I have been obsessing over playsuits. Yes the name conjures all sorts of images from babies in onesies to some very questionable attire indeed. I, as you know, rightly or wrongly, tend not to follow any fashion code or rules based on age (as an aside Frank Skinner blew my mind yesterday on BBC Radio 2 saying ‘denim should only be seen next to young skin’). I wear what I feel comfortable, confident or even sexy in…and I will continue to do so till my time is up. As I love my legs (yes go on you can be proud of your body instead of criticizing it all the time!) I love to wear shorts. Combine my love of shorts with my love of jumpsuits and hey presto – the playsuit!

Marks and Spencer are just rocking my world right now. I have ordered the white draped playsuit seen on Rita Ora here. It’ll will look fabulous with my canvas Newburys or Ancient Greek Sandals.

These other playsuits from M&S are perfect beach attire for vacation. This tribal print is my favorite.

These simple playsuits are great for beach to bar and are great prices – the black at £22.50 and the floral at £25.

For something a little dressier this Lavish Alice playsuit is stunning.

So my only caveat is make sure a playsuit fits properly – it can’t be too tight or too short – and I prefer not to wear them with court shoes – I do think a flat or a boot balances out the flesh on show.

As for my outfits recently here’s one from last week pre-haircut and pre-soaring temperatures.

Poncho – Oak // Long sleeved tee – AllSaints (old) // Jeans – Boden // Boots – Black leather Rag & Bone Newbury boots

I love this OAK poncho – especially as I can wear it for Jedi training…

Then for this week as the sun has made an appearance so have some sandals along with my legs…

Jeans – Zara TRF // Sandals – Pons Avarcas in Berry // T-Shirt – J. Crew (25% off with SHOPNOW) // Jacket – Gap (old)

Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury (old – bought off TheOutnet.com last year) // Dress – Pia dress AllSaints

My Husband says my smile is broader and happier with my new hair:)

New Hair.

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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

Patterned pants.

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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.

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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!

I spoke too soon.

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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

Out with my favorite girl.

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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!

Poppy's Style

My blog about fashion, family, friends and fun.

Spring Break…at last…

Birkenstocks – Arizona in blue Birkoflor // Shorts – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – Target // Scarf – Gap (old)

Boots – Isabel Marant Dicker // Dress – Mango (similar here) // Jacket – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL Roady

Next Bomber Jacket – 6 Ways – 6 Bloggers

Dress – Marks & Spencer // Boots – Isabel Marant // Jacket – Next

Shoes – Nine West // Trousers – eBay // T-shirt – Express (old) // jacket – Next

Trousers – Express (old – similar here) // Shoes – BCBGeneration // T-shirt – J.Crew // Jacket – Next

Sneakers – Golden Goose (old – similar here) // Shorts – J.Crew // Top – Phinius AllSaints (old) // Jacket – Next // Sunglasses – RayBan Wayfarer

Shoes – Marks & Spencer Limited Edition // Jumpsuit – Splendid // Jacket – Next

Arm Candy

Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Pants – J.Crew chino capris // Top – AllSaints Tiko t-shirt (25% off with code SURPRISE)

Playsuits.

Poncho – Oak // Long sleeved tee – AllSaints (old) // Jeans – Boden // Boots – Black leather Rag & Bone Newbury boots

Jeans – Zara TRF // Sandals – Pons Avarcas in Berry // T-Shirt – J. Crew (25% off with SHOPNOW) // Jacket – Gap (old)

Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury (old – bought off TheOutnet.com last year) // Dress – Pia dress AllSaints

New Hair.

Trousers – Gap khakis // Boots – M&S (on sale) // Tank – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – J. Crew

Patterned pants.

Shoes – Marks and Spencer skate shoes // Trousers – Zara // Tank – H&M // Jumper – TopShop

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)

Summer blazers.

I spoke too soon.

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)

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

Out with my favorite girl.

Top – AllSaints // Jacket – Zara (old) // Jeans – Mango chaps (on sale!) // Boots – Sam Edelman

Jumpsuit – Oak // Shrug – AllSaints // Necklace – H&M (old) // Sandals – Sam Edelman Gigi

Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Trousers – Zara coated chino // T-shirt – Forever21 (old) // Cardigan – Marks and Spencer (old – similar here) // Bag – Marks and Spencer

Birkenstocks – Arizona in blue Birkoflor // Shorts – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – Target // Scarf – Gap (old)

Boots – Isabel Marant Dicker // Dress – Mango (similar here) // Jacket – Marks and Spencer // Bag – YSL Roady

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Dress – Marks & Spencer // Boots – Isabel Marant // Jacket – Next

Shoes – Nine West // Trousers – eBay // T-shirt – Express (old) // jacket – Next

Trousers – Express (old – similar here) // Shoes – BCBGeneration // T-shirt – J.Crew // Jacket – Next

Sneakers – Golden Goose (old – similar here) // Shorts – J.Crew // Top – Phinius AllSaints (old) // Jacket – Next // Sunglasses – RayBan Wayfarer

Shoes – Marks & Spencer Limited Edition // Jumpsuit – Splendid // Jacket – Next

Related articles

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Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Pants – J.Crew chino capris // Top – AllSaints Tiko t-shirt (25% off with code SURPRISE)

Related articles

Share this:

Poncho – Oak // Long sleeved tee – AllSaints (old) // Jeans – Boden // Boots – Black leather Rag & Bone Newbury boots

Jeans – Zara TRF // Sandals – Pons Avarcas in Berry // T-Shirt – J. Crew (25% off with SHOPNOW) // Jacket – Gap (old)

Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury (old – bought off TheOutnet.com last year) // Dress – Pia dress AllSaints

Related articles

Share this:

Trousers – Gap khakis // Boots – M&S (on sale) // Tank – J.Crew // Sweatshirt – J. Crew

Related articles

Share this:

Shoes – Marks and Spencer skate shoes // Trousers – Zara // Tank – H&M // Jumper – TopShop

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)

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Related articles

Share this:

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)

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

Related articles

Share this:

Top – AllSaints // Jacket – Zara (old) // Jeans – Mango chaps (on sale!) // Boots – Sam Edelman

Jumpsuit – Oak // Shrug – AllSaints // Necklace – H&M (old) // Sandals – Sam Edelman Gigi

Shoes – Marks and Spencer // Trousers – Zara coated chino // T-shirt – Forever21 (old) // Cardigan – Marks and Spencer (old – similar here) // Bag – Marks and Spencer

Related articles

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