Long time, no outfit post...

I'm just not entirely feeling it at the moment. Mainly cos urgh, life is severely getting in the way, but also because I am feeling mahoosive right now and outfit photos are not turning out the same way that my reflection does. Funny that.



My new skirt is undoubtedly very pretty though, so that's some solace. As is the cardi. You just have to be careful not to wear it on sunny days because hello awkward tan lines.



Also I've finally been able to dig out all my summer sandals. Yay! These trusty cork-soled wedges have been going strong for about 15 years now. Love 'em.




Skirt - George
Cardi - Dorothy Perkins
Stacking rings - H&M sale
Wedges - Dolcis

Why Plain Jumpers Are Worth Celebrating

I was wandering around H&M at the weekend and debating with myself whether anything was worth buying. I'm on a sort-of spending ban and although there are no real rules to it (I'm just being even stingier than usual), I wasn't going to break it by buying any old crap. Luckily H&M was totally on my side here and had made all the nice stuff in either horrible fabric or at a weirdly cropped length, thus rendering it unbuyable to me. Cheers dudes!

Then I saw a lovely navy jumper and I genuinely went "Ooooh!"

Cos who doesn't love a good jumper?

Yes, it's very sensible and very plain and I'm sure lots of you wouldn't be caught dead blogging about something so boring. Well sod ya. I'm blogging about it.

Check out that photo above. It's an actual appropriate length!!



And it has nice cuffs!


And it fits well under my big coat. Hurry up spring.

I don't even care if navy jumpers aren't interesting. Clothing that makes you happy is always worth celebrating.

I was away from my proper camera today so you'll have to accept hastily snapped iPhone snaps of it. My selfie game was not strong. Soz.



Jumper and stackable rings - H&M
Jeans - George
Coat - F&F via charity shop
Shirt - Toggi

I Bought A Pencil Skirt

I did it. Woooooooo.  Thanks for the encouragement on my last post - you spurred me on into buying the beautiful skirt after all.

Hark at me wearing the heck out of a pencil skirt.



Well, hmmm. Ish?

To be fair to the skirt, it's not that part of the outfit that made me censor 88 of the 93 photos I took of it. It's my face and torso I hate today instead. FUN.  The back view is fine though!



I have never been one of those "does my bum look big in this?" people. My arse is fine, thank you very much. Even if it wasn't, I can't see it, so I don't really care.

Now to try and spread that attitude towards the rest of my bod...


Skirt - George
Top - H&M
Cardi - Gap
Heels - Dorothy Perkins

Just to further prove I'm not the naturally glamorous type and to partly explain the veto-ing of the majority of today's pics, most of them looked somewhat like this:



I don't know what I'm doing either.

Minty Stars

I'm still finding the shops deeply uninspiring. Everything is either bright blue or in-your-face neon yellow at the moment and although I don't hate either of those colours, I don't seem to want to buy or wear them. Luckily spring always means a sprinkling of mint. I love mint. It's definitely my favourite pastel shade.

During a brief jaunt round Asda at the weekend I naturally made a beeline for this jumper. My mum (we were having a girly shopping day) also went "ooh" over it so we are now the proud owners of matching jumpers and will have to co-ordinate our wardrobe diaries so we don't wear them at the same time and look any madder than we already are. Ha!

It's got stars on! And it's slouchy! Two of my favourite things.

Jumper - George @ Asda
Maxi skirt - Primark
Pumps - TK Maxx

Not Quite A Teaparty

What better way to celebrate the Jubilee than with a party?  I don't know about you but I never need an excuse to eat cake.


The lovely lot at George asked if I'd like to take part in their Jubilee Tea Blogparty.  I replied with a slightly more coherent version of "Yespleasethankyouverymuch" and then I just had to pick a dress from George that I thought best represented a decade of the queen's reign, sit back and eat cake.  Suits me down to the ground!  I chose this frock which is sort of dual purpose - it reminds me of 70s tennis frocks and also the very 90s jersey dresses I used to buy from Tammy Girl and Miss Selfridge.  Incidentally, does anyone else from Liverpool remember the circular changing room in Miss Selfridge?  I miss that.


As for the party, I should, in the interests of honesty, admit that tea was not drunk.  We like coffee and lots of it, so there's no point faffing around with tiny teacups.  Mugs are the way forward.  Big mugs.
 

I love mini party rings.  Really, really, love them.

Char looks very happy with her cake.  I am possibly the most startled anyone has ever been by a Victoria sponge. 

We had a jolly good time though!

Dress - Barbara Hulanicki @ George, c/o George
Cardi - Tu

Ring - present
Cat - Oscar, optional accessory

They Know Me So Well

I wasn't online between Christmas and New Year, so had no chance to talk about Christmas presents. I'm not convinced I would have done a haul type post anyway, cos although it's tempting to share all the lovely goodies I received (and I got lots), there is something of the "OMG I am a spoiled brat with ELEVENTYMILLION PRESENTS!!" about it. So take it as read that I am a spoiled brat, ok? I'll mention presents on here as and when I wear/use them.




Like, um, today! You've all seen the coat and jumper and shorts before, but the accessories are new to me. They're all presents from amazing ladies in Blogland. I hereby salute your exceptional taste. I can't think of anything more me and it's such a wonderful feeling when you know that someone has really thought about what you would like.



I took part in Lakota's Christmas Charity Shop swap and was paired up with the fabulous Curtise. There was a price limit set (naturally I blued most of mine on one thing - sorry!) and Curtise did so well with it - I had tons of little parcels to open! Love, love, love this necklace.

Zoe sent me the scarf and I absolutely adore it. Not that this picture quite does the pattern or the colours justice but it's beautiful.


And the shoes... As you might imagine if you know both of us, Char was responsible for sending these my way. Actual squealing took place during the unwrapping. I have these harlequin pumps in both green and purple but I didn't even know they came in the colourway. Aren't they fab?

Jumper - H&M
Shorts - George sale
Coat - Kookai, car boot sale
Shoes - Irregular Choice, present
Scarf - Jacqmar, present
Beads - present

A Festive Frock

Gosh, apologies for the recent lack of bloggage! It has been an insanely busy week at work and I'm still not quite finished with it yet as I have to work Sunday afternoon as well. However... I am then off work until 3rd January which is going to be brilliant! I love my generous holiday allowance. When all the stress is out of the way, my thoughts can properly turn towards Christmas.




I've already got cards and presents sorted and posted, the tree is going up tomorrow night and in an extreme fit of organisation, I've even picked what I'm wearing on Christmas Day. Tis a tradition in our house that you have to have a new outfit for the big day (and also new pj's the night before - does anyone else do this or is it just us?). You'll probably see about 90 million "dressing for Christmas" articles and features at this time of year but here's my take on it.

It's not exactly complicated. Go on a hunt around the shops (High St/online/charity/supermarkets) and look in their party dresses section. Pick one that meets the following three rules:

• Number One - it must be comfy. Nothing bodycon (that can be the Christmas party outfit), nothing tight. It's not Christmas if I don't eat my own bodyweight in roast potatoes and pigs in blankets and I don't want a stupid waistband making me uncomfortable.
• Number Two - is a fairly simple design that doesn't need too much dressing up. If I'm lucky enough to get fun accessories and jewellery as presents then I want to try them on straight away and not have to wrestle off a cardigan and 3 necklaces first.
• Number Three - Looks good with a pair of excellent shoes you already own. If that's a pair of Irregular Choice then all the better.
  

Chuck in some simple but pretty accessories and that's it all sorted. Sparkly tights! Amazing, yes?



I don't wear gold jewellery very often but this bracelet was my grandma's and I like to wear it on special occasions.


Dress - c/o George
Tights - Marks & Spencer sale
Shoes - Irregular Choice
Rings - Dorothy Perkins sale and Next sale

I think I picked well with this one. Not only is it awesome, it also goes surprisingly well with a jaunty pair of jingly reindeer antlers. You know I'll be busting these out on Christmas Day.

Primary Colours

Please, someone, take pity on me and teach me how to do my hair properly. I had visions of a bit of a 60's beehive to go with this outfit and it all just went totally wrong and looks a big mess. Doom.

At least the frock is nice. Yay! Plus the chilly weather gives me a chance to wear my faux fur. This did not get mentioned in the recent coats post because I completely forgot about it until I was poking round in the loft at the weekend. The tapestry coat was there too. Hurrah!





Dress - River Island sale
Faux fur coat - vintage, from the amazing Kinky Melon ebay shop
Shoes - George sale
Bag - vintage, present from the lovely Margaret.

I know she will shout at me for still staring at the floor but the facing-the-camera pics today all made me look utterly pasty and moon faced. Look!

Bleurgh.

The Long and Short Of It

I remember, not so very long ago, that I was griping loudly on here about shorts not suiting me. But I find blogging is very good for making you expand your fashion horizons. I took the plunge and bought a pair in the Gap sale last year.

I was an immediate convert. Then I went nuts and bought the infamous H&M ones in both red and navy.

And I've even plucked up the courage to wear my shortest and most madly patterned pair.

Want to see my new pair? I went bold with these ones. Prepare yourself for some orange shorty goodness:

They're definitely drawing comments from the people at work! It must be the colour of them because everyone should be used to me getting my legs out by now. I do love a bit of orange.

Shorts - George @ Asda sale
Top - Matalan
Cardi - H&M via charity shop
Shoes - Dolcis, ancient
Wristy thing - silk scarf
Ring - Next sale