Can Thermals Ever Look Good?

I work in a very old building. Now this has many upsides and is mostly awesome but also comes with some rather large downsides. The main one is that the heating system is 130 years old and it doesn't cover my office (aka the cave. The cold, dark cave). Bah.

There are occasions in the chillier months when the clock hits 3pm and we're all still sitting there wearing coats, hats, scarves and gloves because it takes that flipping long to warm the place up with just a little electric heater.



I've been threatening to bring in a sleeping bag to cosy up in this winter but I don't think that's entirely appropriate for work.  Also, tricky to get in and out of when the door needs to be answered and I'm clumsy enough as it is. (Just got my foot stuck in my handbag handle and went flying approx 10  minutes ago)

I may have hit upon the ideal solution to office chilliness with these thermal denim trousers that Damart sent me.



Now I know thermals are not the most interesting of items usually but I'm honestly not just reviewing these for the sake of it. I was genuinely intrigued to see how trousers of all things could be thermal and look nice - this type of clothing is notorious for leaning heavily towards the frumpy old woman side of things.



Not so with this pair though! They look just like a normal pair of jeans, don't they? Happily for me, they have the advantage of being indigo (my favourite wash) and straight leg (my favourite cut). They're surprisingly thin so I was curious as to how they'd keep me warmer than a normal, thicker pair of jeans. Well, they've certainly done that. They are toasty. I am most pleased.

Also they look nice with my mega fun shoes. I don't often wear light coloured heels but these are great. Business at the front:



Party at the back:





Blazer - Warehouse via Oxfam
Jeans - c/o Damart
Top - Ruby Rocks
Shoes - Irregular Choice Baby Beauty

*[]*

Yay, Coats!

I've been buying more coats. Can't help myself.



Check this one out though! Cute, no?

I'm assuming it's last year's Florence & Fred as I bagged it from a charity shop last month and it doesn't really look as if it's ever been worn. One person's cast-off is another person's treasure though and I'm super pleased with it.  It's like a longer version of the H&M jacket I've got (which you can spot in this post, along with my many many other coats) and I've always wished that was a bit longer.  I may even complete the charity circle and donate that one now I've got this one.

Tis a size too big but I always prefer my winter coats that way. It means I can chuck massive chunky cardigans on underneath.



Also sequinned skirts.  Yep, I wear it to work.  It's not like I've ever got a more suitable occasion for it and it might as well get some wear!





Coat - Florence & Fred via charity shop
Cardigan - New Look
Skirt - H&M sale
Top - Ruby Rocks
Boots - Irregular Choice
Necklace - Tatty Devine, present

Cats, Cats, Cats

I seem to have been the subject of some appalling customer service this year.  I don't take it well.  Shop assistants have been told off, shops have been walked out of, moany tweets have been written, ranty emails have been fired off... I might be turning into a narky old woman but frankly I feel it's justified.

I won't dwell on the negative stuff.  Well maybe just for a moment ... Merseyrail is an appalling excuse for a company and I would hate them even if they didn't take three weeks to reply to emails.  And Sports Direct are still on my miffed list for telling me that I should buy pink trainers. 

Positive stuff ahoy!

I was perusing the Dorothy Perkins sale a few weeks ago when I saw something that made me go "FJHMN<HKJDBNM GREENCATS!!!"  Unfortunately, as is often the case with the Dotty P sales, I clicked on the item and it turned out to be out of stock in all sizes, causing my hopes to be utterly crushed. CRUSHED, I tell thee. But this wasn't a Dotty P item, it was from Ruby Rocks, so I hopped onto their website and emailed them to ask if they had any lurking in a store room somewhere.

Hopes were duly restored because I got a very nice email back from Jen at Ruby Rocks asking me what size I wanted and passing me onto someone else who might be able to help.  Then into my inbox pinged another very nice email from Gemma at Madam Rage telling me that they'd found one, in my size and it was on sale on their website. Triple hurrah!  So I bought it, it arrived very speedily and I am a happy Alex, spreading the word about good customer service.

It's just such a nice length and colour, oh and did I mention it's all #wardrobezoo-tastic?  Straight to the top of my favourite tops list!

Not just cats but green starry cats!

Blouse - Ruby Rocks, via Madam Rage

Skirt - H&M

Blazer - Warehouse via Oxfam

Shoes - Office via ebay

Ring - Dorothy Perkins sale

Scarf - can't remember! I think a present from a blogging chum?