Tag Archives: Diesel Fayza

Memorial weekend outfits!

I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend! It’s a Bank Holiday in the UK and Memorial weekend here. The kids have finished school and we’ve been at the pool most mornings. We watched and enjoyed the Eurovision even though my kids are totally confused by it – and the atlas will be coming out later so they can fully understand why the Georgia that entered is not our Georgia!

We’re about to go for Mexican and it will be my first true test of not drinking. I’ve made a decision that I am going to abstain and I’m really happy about it, but Mexican with no margarita will be odd to say the least – well the first time anyway 😉 Not sure how long it will last – maybe forever, maybe a year, maybe a month – who knows but I feel the benefits already. It really wasn’t doing anything for my state of mind or waistline.

On Wednesday night I was out on a girls night out and had a lovely time but stayed out way too late!

AllSaints dress and Nine West peep toe Glyn bootiesDress – AllSaints // Booties – Nine West Glyn (on sale and 30% off!)

Also I ended up asking for a photo with Dennis Shroder who was enjoying a quiet moment with a hookah pipe outside a bar. Poor guy – a) I didn’t know who he was at first – but he was obviously a famous dude given the possé of chicks and guys around him, and b) the Hawks had just lost so he probably really did just want to be alone!

Dennis Shroder Hawks basketball

On Thursday my lovely husband took me out for lunch to celebrate the last week of school – long lunches are a thing of the past when the kids are at home – it’ll be picnics at the pool instead!

Zara topTop – Zara // Jeans – Diesel Fayza (massively discounted here) // Booties – Nine West Glynn (yes I have multiple colors – so easy to walk in even with a 3″ heel!)

Finally today and I’m just about to walk out the door for enchiladas – which I’ve sort of earned after a jog with the dogs!

Shorts Clogs – Lotta // Shorts – J.Crew (30% off with code WEEKEND – these are a 29″ and they are so comfy with lots of stretch) // Tunic – J.Crew (on sale plus an extra 30% off with code WEEKEND)

Enjoy the long weekend!!

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Christmas shopping

I LOVE Christmas shopping – even more so since I can be so productive online. I really do try and put some careful thought into gifting at Christmas – especially as I forget so many birthdays throughout the year! Here are some of my top picks for the special people in my life – some purchased and some not and I’m not saying which as they are hopefully reading my posts!

I find it especially difficult to select presents for the men in my life. This year booze is top of the list. As my family are in the UK M&S are always the best bet as I can pay here and designate a UK shipping address, plus they have a great selection of beers and wines.

A case of Aglianico is superb value at less than £39. There’s also 25% off now if you buy 2 cases – one for you and one for a gift!

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Another very special person loves his beer. This gift will go down a treat. A mixed case of IPAs and ales.

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My nephews are still really little but M&S have some great gifts for kids. I love this Gruffalo t-shirt and I know someone who loves the animated movie.

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My sister is going to hate me for this one – but at least it’s not a huge jar of beads like we received last year!

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My niece is only 3 but she loves clothes and princesses – well what girl doesn’t. Here are my choices for her this year.

A beautiful skirt from M&S which is actually very similar to Boden’s applique skirts:

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Or I also love the idea of this craft set to build your own princess!

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For the Mom’s and sister’s in our lives how about some sleepwear. Sometimes it might feel too intimate to buy sleepwear but when it is ‘lounge wear’ I think it is fine – especially when it is cashmere. I have these from last year and wear them all the time in the winter in front of the t.v.!

Rosie pure cashmere trousers:

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If pure cashmere is a bit too much for your budget then these cashmere blend pants are also gorgeous and they have all sizes available – last year I had to trawl daily to grab a pair as they sold out so quickly.

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J.Crew are fabulous for sleepwear and many of their items have 30% off here in the US with code SHOPNOW.

I love their whisper jersey collection like these sleep pants:

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and this nightshirt:

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For some proper Christmas pyjamas that can actually then be worn all year round I just love these buffalo checked shorts.

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Knitwear is always welcome in my house and this colorblock tunic is new in at J.Crew – I especially love the poppy color but I couldn’t manage to grab an image of that so click through here to see it! This is the burgundy and navy – classic for this season.

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I’ve been having conversations with a friend about this side zip cable sweater. It is gorgeous and again is 30% off right now with code SHOPNOW.

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I love this rib stitch turtle neck in electric red – totally festive but not a Christmas jumper!

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This t-shirt is a great gift for a good friend – full of color and really unique. The Donald Robertson Dancing Ladies tee.

 

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Now for some extra goodies that I just love and will make great gifts – I would certainly welcome them!

For the traveler I love this passport cover:

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I know several people close to me who would love to carry their jewelry in this.

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I just love this cup – it is basically all I can manage to say before my morning cup of joe.

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This bowl is so unique and they also do dinner plates. Absolutely striking.

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For jewelry and accessories I adore a great fur scarf.

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Anthropologie always have great jewelry that I know many of my girlfriends would be thrilled to receive.

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With 3 dogs I have recently become somewhat of an expert in scented candles. I have several on my wish list for Santa. I think these from Anthropologie are gorgeous stocking stuffers.

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A long list but by no means exhaustive! What are you shopping for this year?

I’m off to chill out after a brisk walk with the dogs. We have a week off for Thanksgiving and the whole family is excited. It’s our favorite holiday of the year – yup we’re totally American.

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Trousers – J.Crew drapey wool sweatpants // Jumper – Uniqlo mohair blend // Sneakers – Nike from J.Crew (similar here) // Gilet – Zara // Bag – H&M

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Jumper – J.Crew (on sale plus 30% off with SHOPNOW) // Jeans – Diesel Fayza (on sale here!) // Sneakers – Nike from J.Crew (similar here)

 

‘Tis brass out there.

I LOVE winter.  At 7.30am this morning, even though I knew I wanted to go straight back to bed after getting the kids to school, I dressed in my warmest running gear and ran like a banshee in the freezing cold and glorious sunshine – it was exhilarating.  The whole of the US (bar Florida of course) is shivering in Arctic conditions.  I love it – I get to wear hats, big coats and boots.

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Sneakers – Golden Goose (old – similar here) // Hat – Nordstrom // Jacket – J.Crew (old – similar here) // Jeans – Diesel Fayza // Sweater – Boden Off Duty Jumper

 

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Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury Charcoal suede // Trousers – Zara pleather leggings // Tank – H&M (old) // Sweater – AllSaints (old – similar here) // Coat – Zara // Bag – Anya Hindmarch from TheOutnet.com

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Accessorizing

I often get very lazy with accessories.  Partly because I forget to add the final flourish, partly because I sometimes feel overdressed with too many, and partly because I’m not sure how to wear them.

I’ve decided that I am going to attempt to incorporate more variety with my accessories over the coming months – that may help me figure out which are for me and which aren’t.  When I glance at the list below I’m definitely a creature of habit and some habits are good to break!

1. I’ve always been a lover of scarves and have learned much about how to wear them and what to wear them with from my fellow bloggers.  I have a whole drawer full at home.  I roll them up and place them by color in the drawer, so I can see what I need with a quick glance.  I think I have scarves pretty much nailed.

2. I’ve started to incorporate more hats this year.  A couple of fedoras in the summer and now my fabulous new wool and leopard print J.Crew caps are making an appearance.  I’d love to try a wool fedora, or even a big boho floppy hat but I’m not sure that is really me.  I’m learning, slowly about confident hat wearing.

3. With short hair I was always overwhelmed by large earrings – as much as I love them!  Now my hair is growing I am finding it much easier to wear hoops (my all time favorite) again, but I do feel far more comfortable with my little diamond studs.  Let’s face it if you have diamonds you might as well wear them!  Also having had my earring holes stitched and re-pierced a couple of years ago – after stretching them so much I could see through them – I am loathe to wear heavy pendant earrings ever again!

4. I really struggle with necklaces.  I always admire other women who wear great statement necklaces every day.  For some reason a necklace is the last piece of jewelry I ever consider.  Partly because I like the look of my bare neck, partly because I don’t like to draw attention away from the earrings, and partly because, in all honesty, I find necklaces heavy and cumbersome.  I have a couple of Tiffany chains that my Husband bought me that sadly never get worn – I resolve to wear these beauties more, though a statement necklace on a daily basis maybe a step too far for me!

5. I love arm candy.  Regardless of my issues with necklaces I can wear bracelets up to my elbows and not be bothered by them.  Bangles, chains, cuffs – you name it I love it.  I have worn my little Tiffany open heart chain every day for almost five years now.  It is part of me.  Watches fall into this category too.  I believe you can never have too many watches and there are some beauties out there to choose from.  I have several from cheap and cheerful sports watches, to a very special one that gets worn most often that my Husband bought me for my 40th.  The bigger the better for me when it comes to watches – I can’t do little feminine things – I want a big face with a chunky strap.  Arm candy – I love it.

6.  As for rings I used to wear a gold one on every finger – uuurgh – it was the early 90s and I should say I was also wearing a black catsuit so my taste was questionable to say the least.  Now I  prefer a far more subtle approach when it comes to rings.  I’ve even put my engagement ring away for now and have been wearing only my Love ring on my left ring finger and my Trinity ring on my right ring finger.  Gold is back in favor with me.

7.  Finally belts.  I am rubbish with belts – I have a whole hanger full of wide belts, jean belts, and skinny belts, yet I tend to wear the same 2 Gap men’s belts all the time.  One brown and one black  – they are the softest leather and the perfect width for jeans with simple silver buckles.  Sometimes I’ll grab the Gucci jean belt, that again my Husband bought me, but the belt on my ultimate wish list is from Hermés.

So there we have it – I’m a girl of simple, very expensive tastes:)

What accessories can you not live without, or do you wish you wore more of?

Finally a couple of outfits from last week.  I wore the plum Avenue57 dress for our kindergarten parents’ party on Tuesday evening with a Zara scarf (new but not online) – I adore these dresses – so easy to wear!

Avenue57 plum dress

 

And then it was all about comfort with the Diesel Jogg Jeans, Zara t-shirt from the sale, Marks & Spencer Limited jacket and Isabel Marant Bobby sneakers.

Diesel Jogg jeans and M&S limited jacket

 

 

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I’ve been a bad, bad girl.

I’ve been spending again.  Some items just haven’t been worn till now, others are brand spanking new.  Want to see?

Okay first up is a little gem from Fiona’s Avenue57 blog shop.  This is a beautiful silk dress and it comes in navy, mocha, black and plum.  I have all four ooops.  Reason being that buying all 4 was still cheaper than buying one similar style dress from AllSaints.  Justified?  Pah what the hell.  I ADORE this dress!  Fiona will ship to the US too so make sure you take a gander on her store – there are some gorgeous items at brilliant prices!

Avenue 57 dress montage

 

I’ve worn it here with Rag & Bone Newbury boots, an old H&M scarf and my AllSaints Boston cardigan (old).

Next up – the Diesel Jogg Jeans.  These have to be the softest, most comfortable jeans I have ever worn.  Expensive – yes – but I bought mine with a 30% off coupon which recently expired – but it just goes to show that Diesel do offer discounts so sign up for their newsletters in case another one appears!

Diesel jeans and Newbury boots

 

The jumper is Zara and did you notice the boots?  Err ehm.  Okay so my wicked friend Martha messaged me to tell me about the La Garçonne sale last month.  These petrol Newburys were heavily discounted so I sealed the deal.  They are a fabulous green/blue – well petrol color!

Petrol Newbury boots

 

Okay so now the recent purchases.  Mango delivered super quick.  Remember I was quite taken by these coats the other day?

Padded blazer Leopard print wool belnd coat

 

Well what should arrive last night?  I love them.  Mango US sizing is off – they have tried to account for the larger US woman – but it just ends up being confusing.  So a US Large is a UK/Euro Medium.  I ordered a US Small/UK Medium in the leopard coat – it is oversize but it is meant to be – I think I would lose the drama with the US XSmall.

Mango coat

The puffer is a US Large – so a UK XL!! These fit small – and I ordered the US L as there were no mediums left – I probably could get away with a US M but have decided to keep the large so I can wear it as I have here with my denim jacket under it, or a blazer.

Mango puffer

 

So what do you think?  I should be pretty much done now for the winter!  A Zara box and an H&M box have just arrived for the kids too so that will be fun when they get off the bus today!

 

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