Tag Archives: Newbury

Warm and snuggly.

Some people (Sue I’m looking at you) like to keep new clothes, stash them away, then surprise us all with things they bought, quite literally, ages ago. I on the other hand want to wear my new things immediately. They need to earn their keep as soon as they come out of the box.

Boots – Rag & Bone Newbury charcoal suede // Trousers – Zara pleather leggings // Jumper – Boden Off Duty sweater (on sale now) // Gilet – Verna gilet AllSaints (sale – all sizes now available!)

Okay my Husband asked me why I was wearing the bathroom mat – my sides were splitting – funny guy – but I LOVE my Verna gilet. The texture adds a great dimension to an otherwise basic outfit, plus it is so soft, warm and snuggly.

Yesterday I was lazy, only because I had the luxury of working from home. Minimal makeup and air dried hair resulted in this.

Boots – Rag & Bone grey nubuck Newbury boots (canvas version for Spring here) // Trousers – JCrew velvet toothpick jeans // Sweater – Boden Westbourne jumper (some colors just $29.40 in the sale!)

I haven’t a clue what to wear today and I’ve just driven the kids to school in pyjamas much to their horror. To be fair they do look more like sweatpants – but I wonder is that really any better? I may have scarred them for life.

Trying on the AllSaints haul, and spotting some Target gems!

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Oh good heavens above – I can barely contain myself. I LOVE it all. Secretly I was hoping that some of the purchases from the AllSaints sale would have to be returned, but nope, it’s all perfect, what’s more I ordered all the right sizes too! It arrived in four boxes so I felt like I was opening Christmas goodies all over again. My UPS delivery man thinks I’m nuts the way I shriek with delight at him at the door.

Starting with my favorite – the Riviera dress. I’d tried the jersey version earlier in the year but the jersey doesn’t drape as well and was far too revealing – at least on this old bird. The silk however is still sexy but a little more conservative at the front. Totally, totally love it. This is a UK12 and fits perfectly even across the boobs. All sizes still in stock and reduced from $330 to $132.

Now for the splurge – I adore this jacket. It is so heavy – such great quality leather and the oxblood is far less severe, yet equally as versatile as black. It’s a jacket to be worn and worn – the older it gets the better it will look. Reduced from $700 to $350 – and again available in most sizes – this is a UK 12.

Now the Diego Tee dress in natural marl. This comes up short – maybe too short for some – but I love it with these grey Newbury boots for the spring. A fun way to get the legs out. As a lover of suede I love the lightweight suede detailing. It wipes clean easily with a dry cloth so don’t be scared of it. The pocket is a single pocket that goes all the way through – make sense? Reduced from $260 to $104 and I am wearing a Medium.

Now I might just live in this over the coming weeks. The Verna gilet is SO soft and snuggly. This was a complete outsider when I ordered it – but I am smitten. This is a M/L but to be honest I think a S/M would have been fine too – it doesn’t fasten so it does’t need to fit across the chest. Reduced from a whopping $348 to $139.

Finally the Pia jersey dress. I love AllSaints for their classic draping – and this is just perfect. The skirt can be lowered or raised depending on how conservative/flirty you are feeling:) There are several colors still available and I ordered both the gray and navy for a change from black. It is reduced from $175 by varying amounts depending on the color – and right now it looks like all sizes in all colors are available . It’s driving me nuts going to their site as there are still so many fabulous pieces in the sale and they seem to be getting more stock online from their stores! This dress by the way is a UK 10 – I always size down in their jersey.

I’m so happy with my purchases – all will be great through spring and the Pia dress and Riviera dress can be worn through the summer too. See – forward planning!

Today the kids were out of school and I managed to nab a couple of hours to myself while they helped Daddy at work. I was in Target doing the domestic shop when I spotted these gems – Target do some great pieces at times!

A fab sequin skirt – just $29.99

A great quilted skirt with zip detailing – just $13.98 online now and available in black too. (Check out Fiona in her skirt here – she wore it Christmas day after picking it up on vacation here!)

A shift dress in a similar fabric – just $24.99 – I love this and it is also available in black.

This scuba dress is fabulous – no different from those that Zara offers – but a third of the price at $24.99!

The final dress that caught my eye was this red and black checked shift. How and why I left without it I have no idea. The cold has gone to my head. I can’t see it online anywhere but it was $24.99.

Here is what I wore today to brave the polar vortex – I went for winter white and monochrome.

Boots – 5050 Stuart Weitzman black suede // Jeans – Target // Jumper – Boden cashmere polo neck (similar here) // Cardigan – H&M (old)

Then to go out I opted to add my Marks and Spencer checked coat (similar here) and cashmere beanie hat from Nordstrom.

18 degrees Fahrenheit didn’t feel nearly as bad as I thought it would – it always helps when the sun is shining too! Stay warm folks.

Preppy in pink.

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First there is very exciting news from Boden – this week they are offering a Catch of the Day! Each day, this week, a new category of clothing will be on offer at 25% off! Today the deal is on women’s dresses, and boy’s and men’s shorts – grab them while you can! The drop waist dress that I love is included so it may end up in my shopping cart today:)

Other emails that appeared in my inbox this morning included one from Net-a-porter.com. It can be quite a dangerous thing being on email lists. Sometimes I just try not to look – this morning I looked. Fatal. Rag & Bone have some beautiful new grey nubuck Newbury boots that I am lusting after. I love how they have styled them on Net-a-porter.com with a dress.

I also adore these Rag & Bone brogues in white. Very cool looking for Spring.

At $495 though, for the Rag & Bone brogues, this Boden option maybe better value – plus with the 15% off using my banner ads they are just $142.80. Tempted, very tempted.

Today I’m switching gears with my look. After the 80s look from Friday I’m shifting today to a more refined, preppy look. It’s nice to change it up a bit occasionally:) The trousers are J.Crew café capris that I got for $30 in the sale, and the blouse is Target and absolutely fabulous for $20! The belt is also Target and the shoes are Nine West from Zappos.com – currently on sale at $56, reduced from $69.

So what do you think of the more refined look?

Please don’t stop the music…

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A year of blogging! Who’d have thought it? So there to everyone who thought it was just another of my fads:)

While taking the photos this morning I had the iPod on and it suddenly dawned on me that it was a year since my first post. I couldn’t stop smiling, and then I couldn’t stop dancing…

The skirt is J.Crew, tights are Marks and Spencer, jumper is the Off Duty jumper from Boden and the boots are the fabulous Newburys.

Thanks to all of you for your support, and for embracing my weaknesses, challenging my opinions and reading my waffle – love you all xx

Something old, something new.

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Phew I made it to Friday – my last day home alone with the children. Seriously, I admire all stay at home mums/moms/dads – their job is so much more difficult than going to the office. As a treat for our last day together I took us all out for a late lunch at a local taco restaurant. It was fun and the skinny margarita was a nice treat for me.

Organizing my new closet has reminded me of some lovely pieces I have that have been stored downstairs since the renovations started. I found this lovely J.Crew jumper yesterday from 2010 – it has a lovely slit neck and is 100% cashmere. I have to admit it looks far better without a t-shirt underneath but it was freezing yesterday and I felt the need for an extra layer. It’ll look even better after I lose the last few pounds around my middle. I’ve been in the gym every day this week and and can feel it starting to have an impact – I’ve even signed up for a free weight orientation next week – I’m going to start pumping iron!

Anyway – the J.Crew jumper is the something old – the something new are the Newbury charcoal suede boots. No I have not broken my New Year’s resolution already – they have in fact been in my closet for over a month unworn. After buying my leather Newburys and loving them to bits – I actually vacillated between the Isabel Marant Dickers and these suede Newburys. I ordered them both and darn it ended up keeping both. There is something really special about the Rag & Bone Newbury – which accounts for it’s immense popularity. They are incredibly comfortable and worn with these black Gap jeans they made my legs feel like they go on forever. Even though they are ‘charcoal’ they are much more of a ‘black’ suede and I love the contrast of the wooden heel.

Before heading out I put on my Boden Chic leather biker jacket and my H&M sparkly scarf. Lovely and toasty.

Mr. UPS turned up in the afternoon with my fabulous sales haul (again bought before the end of the year!). It was like Christmas all over again!

My Vince Camuto fawna flats are just gorgeous! If you are in the US I encourage you to order on the Vince Camuto website – I discovered an Extra25 code off sale items! I had initially ordered them from Nordstrom – but one pair was canceled before shipping due to lack of inventory and then the pair that arrived were really disheveled looking – not happy but they are responsive on Twitter so the CS is making up for it. These are the ones that arrived directly from Vince Camuto – with the code they were just $33 each! Obviously I ordered the croissant color (pink/silver) too and they are on their way.

Caramel fawna:

Cloud fawna:

I’ll post on my other bits and bobs soon but needless to say the J.Crew velvet jeans are gorgeous as are the Hudson Leeloo tuxedo jeans that I found reduced on Zappos.com!

Happy weekend!! x

Feeling brighter.

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I’m definitely on the mend and putting it all down to the beetroot and ginger:) The sun is also shining here. That can’t be said for the North East – some of who were shoveling their cars out from snow this morning. I’m hoping for a white Xmas – MM thinks I’m mad – he’d live in 80 degree heat all year if he could. Me on the other hand – I love my seasons and the sweaters and boots that come with winter.

You all know how much I love my boots and after the Newburys and Pistols this year I can hardly justify any more. The Isabel Marant Dickers have been on my radar for a while – but are they now just too passé? There are so many copies available – far cheaper – and even Boden have now joined the band wagon. I’ve never known them to add a new item mid season like this before – but yesterday the Boho boot suddenly appeared. Now I quite like them – but wish the top was a little lower and more sculpted, like the Dicker, and that the tabs weren’t so big. If anyone buys them let me know what you think of them – I might be tempted to try in the sale if there are still some left!

It’s quite a milestone for the blog today – I’ve bought a tripod! No more blurry iPhone shots! The tripod is fabulous but I won’t tell you how long it took me to figure out the timer on the camera – or how many times I nearly broke my neck dashing into position – suave, elegant, sophisticated – that’s me:) Need to practice that one – I look quite startled too:)

I feel like I’m cheating today as I really am wearing a sort of sweat pant. They are jersey harem pants that I got from ASOS last year – I love them – and to be honest I normally wear them with sandals in the summer – but their comfy waistband was beckoning me this morning. I paired them with the Boden Hampton t-shirt from AW 2011 and the radish Must Have jumper from SS 2012 (available this season here). I love this radish color – it is perfect for all year round. The jersey scarf was a bargain in the SS sale – it’s first proper outing and I love it – so long and soft. So I don’t feel like I’m giving up completely in my harem pants, I’ve styled my hair and I’m wearing my Rag & Bone Newbury boots🙂

I’ve had a couple of emails/comments about my nail polish recently and this is Chanel Vamp – the lipstick it my favorite right now – Revlon Wine with Everything – the perfect subtle red.