Mainly Monochromes

I didn't manage to to do my outfit roundup (or bag post) last week due to various work things, namely working late and a Christmas work do - the latter being the more enjoyable one of the two. Anyway, so here is the week before last, which was all about monochrome and a couple of pics from last week.

So let's start with the monochromes:

The challenge for this week? Monochrome! Maybe that explains the grumpy face - I'm starting to miss my colourful patterns! (Don't judge me if i break at some point during the week!)

Dress: Zara

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Boots: something Italian that I bought in Germany...

What is she doing?! I dunno, but I'm gonna stand just like her! Monochrome look number 2, with and without jacket. And I snuck a pattern mix in!

Blouse: Miss Selfridge

Skirt: Reiss

Jacket: Warehouse

Boots: Zara

Awkward pose alert! Monochrome week continues with separates - and another print. :)

Top, skirt & boots: Zara

Jacket: Warehouse

And now on to last week's "randoms"...

 The skirt is the fashionably raggedy star in this. A reference to a Dickensian street scene was made, and I then thought of the bit in Pygmalion, where she sells flowers. "Wouldn't it be loverley..."

Top & skirt: Zara

Jacket: Warehouse

Boots: Office

No outfit challenge planned but we're continuing the Victoriana theme (though one of my colleagues referenced Adam Ant yesterday). The locket is actually genuinely Victorian. It was a present from Mr G and holds a picture of little M. :) 

Blouse and jacket: Warehouse 

Skirt: Topshop 

Boots: no idea... 

Locket: proper old

Bye Bye June

Hello summer?
My blog seems to be turning into some running commentary on the weather but I guess that will tell you two things about me:

1. Clothes have to be functional: I have to feel comfortable, not too hot or too cold. 
My footwear has to work with the weather, i.e. no silly little shoes in the rain.

2. Despite the above, I like to have a bit of fun with my outfits.

It's just sometimes 1. makes 2. quite hard. And sometimes I feel like I'm flicking back and forth between warm and cold day outfits.

A bit of foliage for a change! (You know I do florals all the time, right?) Absolutely love the colour of this skirt, though the length is still tricky for me to negotiate. The top is a cropped blouse and just about long enough on the front to kind of tuck it in. 
Layering due to the rather autumnal temperatures. 

Top: Zara 

Skirt: Warehouse 

Trainers: Kurt Geiger

This dress is quickly turning into a favourite for those days that are too cold for a "proper" summer outfit... 

Dress: Zara 

Boots: Marks and Spencer 

Necklace: Accessorize - I think...

It's almost July and I'm back in opaques. Sigh. But these florals always cheer me up! Dress: Boden 

Boots: Zara

This outfit does so *not* look summery - but I did throw some token florals in! The top is actually cropped but a tad too long to leave it untucked. I think I'll have it shorted by a couple of cms, so it's naturally going to sit where it is in this outfit... 

Top: Warehouse 

Skirt: Reiss 

Boots: Zara 

Necklace: Marni for H&M

Something Green and Something New

This week you're not just getting all my outfits from last week but also a sneaky peek at my Victoria Beckham X Target purchase before I actually wear it out.

So what do you think of my VB dresses? I do love the mint one - and the quality is amazing for £40! The dress on the right is actually a girls' dress in size XL. I probably wouldn't put it with black tights but, regardless of that, I am not so sure about it. It's just a bit of a funny shape on me...

Trying to coax out spring with some greenery. Remember that Chanel inspired black and white skirt I have and never wore until recently? Well, this is the same one in green. [incidentally "das gleiche in grün" is a German saying but let's not get sidetracked.] I've been waiting to pair it with something and found a plain top just too boring, so I tried this new sweatshirt. Too green? Kinda like it...
Top: Next
Skirt: River Island
Boots: Zara

More florals for spring, though the colours have a distinct autumnal feel - as does the weather at times. The skirt and top are a fairly recent Topshop sale purchase, both were a bit of a bargain - though I'm not that sure about the top...
Top & skirt: Topshop
Cardigan: Boden
Boots: Marks and Spencer

Boden prints: when they're good, they're really good! Still love this dress, which combines flattering shape and striking print to something just that extra bit special.
Dress: Boden
Boots: Zara

You know when something seems like a good idea in your head? Like that outfit you think you're gonna pull out of the wardrobe and you mentally put together as you're waking up. Then the shirt is suddenly a bit too short as a dress, so you add leggings. And, for some reason, a belt. And you're suddenly in territory you didn't really want to be. Especially if 2 of our colleagues wear denim dresses the same day and look fab in them. 😂 #outfitfail 
Shirt: Sainsbury's 
Leggings: Topshop 
Boots: Office
Belt: Reiss 
Necklace: Stella & Dot

April Weather Outfits

We all love a cliche, right? Like April weather. Warm and "oh, Spring is here" one minute and cold, wet and windy the next. 

Which is why last week's outfits were a bit of a mixed bag.

Kind of an "in between" outfit: in between weather demands layers and as I can't do heels anymore but this skirt doesn't work with flats, 

so I found my "highest non-heels".

Shirt: La Redoute

Skirt: ZARA

Boots: Office

Belt: Reiss

Necklace: ZARA

It looked sunny but felt cold yesterday and I had no idea what to wear - so I scrolled back through my Instagram from last year and found a pic of this outfit. Perfect to have an outfit menu to chose from when you're brain is not engaging in the morning! 

(The pic above is from yesterday, by the way. Freshly taken!)

Jumper: Primark

Skirt: Miss Selfridge

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Marni for H&M

I absolutely love the shade of green of this skirt - that's why I put up with the tricky length!

Top: Topshop

Skirt: Warehouse

Shoes: Carvela at Kurt Geiger

Necklace: Stella &Dot

Trumpet sleeves seem to be everywhere at the moment. I remember them from the 90s and loved them back then. Of course, I didn't have a job then or normal grown up life to contend with. Half the day yesterday was spent with holding them up and away out of water/spills etc in the work kitchen when making tea or flicking them away when typing. Do you have items of clothing that you love but that are totally unpractical for daily life? #ilikepractical 

Top: Next 

Skirt: Topshop 

Necklace: Accessorize

Come on Spring!

Spring is definitely in the air - and I feel like wearing colour! It also means my black boots will slowly get relegated and I can dig out other footwear. And then I will have to remember or figure out Spring/Summer outfits. Can't wait for it to be Spring every year - and then it still comes as a surprise!

I love this skirt (yes, it's new and current and available here) and paired with the belt it's the perfect "I have a waist!" cheat!

Top: Karen Millen

Skirt: Rumour London at Wolf & Badger

Boots: Office

Belt: Reiss

Necklace: Aarikka

How lovely is this necklace?!

Worth adding: As I usually commute into work via train and (living in Manchester) a exposed to a fair bit of rain/wind/cold weather, I don't tend to coordinate my coat with the rest of my outfit. I usually wear whatever the weather demands, something functional, with a hood and warm lining at this time of year.

As I was driving in that day, I indulged and wore a jacket that has been hanging in my wardrobe for years and big scarf.

Some groundbreaking florals for spring. And a bit of a story: I believe it was in SS14 when Boden brought out their best prints in years. Beautiful florals. I ordered way too many items because I couldn't decide - and was then pretty ruthless when they arrived, only keeping a couple. This skirt went back. I've been hankering after it for a while and just managed to find it on eBay (of course). Happy me. Have you ever done that?

Shirt: Laredoute

Skirt: Boden

Trainers: Converse

Had completely forgotten little M was supposed to wear something green today. #mumfail Not sure my own green dress from yesterday makes up for it? And yes: I'm wearing the necklace wonky and only just realised this when assembling the pics. *sigh*

Dress: Mango

Boots: Marks and Spencer

Necklace: Accessorize

It's getting milder, the sun is peeping out every now and again - spring is definitely around the corner. (Oh, and did I mention hayfever?) Time for a bit more colour. It's not even a conscious decision, it just kind of happens. Do you find that you're automatically picking more colourful clothes when winter starts to go? 

Top & skirt: Warehouse 

Trainers: Kurt Geiger 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

The Favourites And The Forgotten

In the spirit of wearing something that I haven't worn for ages, or just letting it go, I dug out that Karen Millen top - and I'm quite glad I did. Definitely a keeper. The rest are pretty much favourites, though I have to say, I don't think I'll wear that Boden sweatshirt with a mini skirt again...

The neckline of this dress always makes me think if Hitchcock vixens. I might not be quite Grace Kelly but we do have a connection of sorts: 

her grandmother was born in my hometown Heppenheim.

Dress: Boden

Boots: Zara

I'm hoping Spring is on its way, so I'm wearing my warm and fluffy jumper whilst it's still cold enough! 

Jumper: LaRedoute

Skirt: Warehouse

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Accessorize

This top must be around 8 years old, I think I bought it a year it so after Balmain's power shoulder graced the catwalks and fashion mags - do you remember? And did you ever do the power shoulder? (I kinda did in the early 90s but was a bit young to really know what I was doing...)

Top: Karen Millen

Skirt: Topshop

  You still here? I know, I'm being very quiet. Haven't completely forgotten you though. Xx 

I love how this dress gives me a waist where there isn't much of one...

Dress: Reiss

You know I don't have much of a waist. You know it makes me happy when I find an outfit that magics me one. So why am I trying to hide it here? *eyeroll*

Sweatshirt: Boden

Skirt: Topshop

A Week for the New

Back into the swing of things! Not only am I wearing a new dress and combining it with something that had been hidden in my wardrobe for years, I am also donning a pair of heels! Don't get used to it though, as much as I like how it looks, my poor feet and back just can't take them anymore...

A very, very rare occurrence of me wearing heels. Well, I had to drive into work, so didn't mind carrying an extra pair of shoes. Had the skirt for years but not worn it yet as it just doesn't work that well with flats. And the belt was a last minute addition as the waistband of the skirt didn't sit quite right. A bit of an accidental outfit... :)
Shirt: La Redoute
Skirt: Zara
Shoes: Topshop
Belt: Reiss

I bought these leggings when those leather-look ones were all the rage and paired them with my new AllSaints dress. Too much?
Dress: AllSaints
Leggings: Topshop
Boots & necklace: Zara

I think I can totally get away with wearing this spring/summer skirt in winter because the pattern contains a dark colour and doesn't clash too much with black tights.
Jumper & skirt: Boden
Boots: Zara
Necklace: Oliver Bonas

This is fast becoming my semi-casual go-to outfit. I just love grey marl tights when it's cold (instantly make me feel warmer) and this tunic dress is so easy to wear. 
Dress: Boden 
Boots: Hallhuber 
Necklace: Topshop

Spring, Where Art Though?

I'm getting a tad bored (and I'm sure you feel the same way) of talking about the weather every week in my bid to narrate my outfit choices. I've been expecting to move onto spring/summer outfits and been saying every week that, surely, this should be the last week of opaque tights and warm, layered knits. And every week so far I've been wrong. The fact that I managed to sneak in two warm weather outfits last week give hope but the week following that (i.e. this week) went ridiculously cold again. I mean, we had some snow yesterday. A few days from May. I give up.

Dress: Reiss

Cardigan: Boden

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Top, Skirt & Boots: Zara

Cardigan: Boden

Top: Topshop

Skirt & Cardigan: Boden

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Jumper: Primark

Top worn underneath: H&M

Skirt: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse

Necklace Marni for H&M

P.S.: I'd like to point out that I own two of that cardigan. ;)

Last Days Of Formal

I have now finished my job for this year and last week I was only in the office for a couple of days, hence only two dressy outfits. I am starting a new job mid January so until then things are going to be rather casual - so I'm not sure whether I'll bother sharing the outfits on here. We shall see...

Dress: Reiss

Boots: LK Bennett

Necklace: Topshop

Top: Boden

Skirt: Topshop

Boots: LK Bennett

Necklace: Monsoon (?)

Jumper: Fat Face

Top underneath: Primark

Jeans: Next

Boots: Kurt Geiger

Winter-Layers

Winter has truly arrived and last week was freezing. Out come more layers and the odd warm knit...

Sweatshirt: Zara

Skirt: All Saints

Boots: LK Bennett

Top, Cardigan and Skirt: Boden

Boots: LK Bennett

Dress: Jesire

Shirt: Next

Boots: Something Italian

Necklace: Zara

Dress: Reiss

Top worn underneath: H&M

Boots: LK Bennett

Necklace: New Look

 

Jumper: LaRedoute

Jeans: H&M

Boots: Kurt Geiger

The Boots are Back

Coming back from my week in Germany, it really felt like winter has arrived. (Can I just add here that when I told my mum we had landed safely, she told me that she was lying on a sunlounger in her bathing suit as it was still hitting mid 20s in the sun. You try and not be depressed after that!) Anyway, with wet and cold weather all around me in the morning as I wait for the train, I moved into one of my pairs pf knee-high boots. You'll soon be sick of the sight of them...

Shirt: LaRedoute

Skirt: Topshop

Boots: LK Bennett

Necklace: Zara

 

Top: Topshop

Skirt: Reiss

Boots: LK Bennett

Belt: Warehouse

Necklace: Marni for H&M

 

Dress: Mexx

Boots: LK Bennett

New Skirt And Old Dress

Last week was really not much different than the one before. Cold in the morning means opaque tights and a big coat. Working Monday to Friday means skirts or dresses for most days. I did add a new skirt (remember that covet post?) and dug out a Reiss dress I haven't worn for quite some time...

Dress: Hoss Intropia

Top worn underneath: H&M

Shoes: Clarks

Top: Boden

Skirt: Topshop

Boots: Zara

(I think the necklace was also from Topshop)

Dress: Reiss

Top worn underneath: H&M

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Orelia at Topshop