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

No Prints Allowed

Apologies for the rather dark pics I improved on my video quality but I'm still on my iPhone 6, which isn't great in low light. It is winter, after all.

Anyway, this week's challenge was to still abstain from print separates, so no trusty Boden pencil skirts or Zara tops. Instead it's all about block colours - ok, including black, so uni coloured separates.

New week, new challenge. Last week was all about the print dress, so I thought I'd try a week without (!) any prints at all. Yikes! 

Top: Primark 

Skirt and boots: Zara

I'm continuing my "separates without print" challenge by adding texture again: crushed velvet in the skirt and a shiny mock-croc belt. Probably slightly over-coordinated for me with matching(ish) bag, shoes and belt! (The belt is probably over a decade old and from Jesire.)

Top: Karen Millen

Skirt: Zara

Jacket: Warehouse

Belt: Jesire

Boots: Office

Bag: VVA

Separates without print - the challenge continues! Textures help massively though and pairing pleather with this woven fabric gives a bit of interest. :)

Top: Mango

Skirt: Warehouse

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Accessorize

Another day of "no print separates". The fact that I was running late meant no time to find a necklace. I actually liked this outfit but it does look awfully plain and dark here...

Jumper and boots: Zara

Skirt: Mango

Yesterday's casual Friday outfit. Still no print separates but I added some texture again, this time with this Zara jacket.

Top: Warehouse

Jeans: Paige

Jacket: Zara

Boots: Hallhuber

Old Skirt, New Outfit

Part 2 of my catchup. And another item that has been hanging in my wardrobe, pretty much unloved and close to being popped into the charity bag: this black pleather skirt has received a new lease of life by being teamed with this monochrome top and (another 'old' find) necklace duo.

Old stuff - new combo. I almost got rid of the skirt and the necklaces must be about 18 years old! Just goes to show that I shouldn't get rid of anything. Maybe I'll KonMari in my next life. *sigh* 

Top & skirt: Zara 

Necklaces: (I think) Accessorize

Boots: Office

Beetlejuice pants! I think so far I had only worn them with sweatshirts, so this feels reasonably 'dressed up'.

Shirt: La Redoute

Jeans & necklace: Zara

Jacket: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse

Bit of a leftover from a few days ago but I didn't feel very well the last couple of days and pretty much just hid under my duvet...

Dress: Boden

Cardigan: H&M

Boots: Hallhuber

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Still felt under the weather yesterday - can you tell? I felt like a right numpty with my jeans that are a tad too short. At least you can't see my pink socks in the pic. Just to show that I have off days too!

Jumper: Topshop

Jeans: Next

Trainers: Boden

Goodbye Summer

The weather is changing and I am moving away from 'summer' and into 'transitional': more layers, more knit. Soon enough I will have to try and remember what I wore last year - especially when the sheer tights go away!

Fluffy jumper weather is here! Blues and greens always work and this necklace kind of does the work for me. 

It was a bit too wet for converse, otherwise I'd have thrown in my blue hi-tops for an additional blue hue.

Jumper: Primark 

Skirt: Warehouse 

Trainers: Kurt Geiger 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Can you call it a clash even if it kind of goes? Because I think that describes these patterns out together... (Because I was a complete numpty and went over on my ankle again, I wanted to wear something to hide my bandage, thus a bit casual for a weekday.) 

Jumper & jeans: Zara 

Trainers: Converse

A couple of days behind as I was off and then working from home for little M's start into school life. 😂 If I was drinking, I'd say "hand me the wine." Anyway... Summer seems to be on it's way out and every outfit in sheer tights may well be the last one before the opaques have to come out. I thought we were promised an Indian summer??? 

Dress: Zara

Boots: Marks and Spencer 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Feeling pretty meh about this outfit as it's just too autumnal. I'm not ready for summer to be over! 

Top, skirt & necklace: 

Topshop 

Cardigan: Boden 

Boots: Marks and Spencer

Boden Wins Again

Honestly two of my favourite outfits; both with the same Boden skirt - but in different prints. The animal print skirt paired with the knotty hem top does that 'fitted waist + wide top = magic a waist' thing so well. The navy & white print skirt just goes so nicely with the navy & white Breton top. And I'm lucky enough to have some necklaces in my wardrobe that just work.

Feels like... autumn?! Dark tights and long sleeves. Sigh. Well, we had a maximum of 16 degrees C yesterday. 

I do love this to though, with its knotty hem...

Top: Mango

Skirt: Boden

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Warehouse

I love my new top from Boden: the navy perfectly matches the hue in this skirt (also Boden) and the sleeves add a bit of pizzazz. 

Top & skirt: Boden 

Trainers: Converse 

Necklace: Zara

You know that I kinda like hydrangeas, right? ;) Still in love with this print, which is why I have it twice. Struggling to put a necklace with it. I don't do bracelets (annoy me when typing) and usually forget about earrings but maybe I should try harder when wearing this dress? What would you add? 

Dress: Boden

Boots: Zara

You know what I'm like with statement necklaces, right? Well, I'm talking to a colleague about an incident management exercise (admittedly, not one of the most exciting subjects) and she suddenly blurts out "does this necklace not get in the way?" I guess it kind of does. Especially when you're wearing a fitted coat. But obviously very handy as a distractor. Note to self: wear when having to present something I have no clue about!

Dress & top worn underneath: H&M

Necklace: Marni for H&M

Shoes: Zara

August Favourites

Ok, so you're only getting a couple of outfits in this week's roundup - but it's quality over quantity this time! (Not saying that I am usually showing you the dreggs... I'm digging myself a hole, here right?!)

Anyway... One of them is one of my current favourites: that green midi skirt is still a tricky length (of course it is, not like I've grown...) but the colour will forever cheer me up and matched with this embroidered top I am feeling distinctly spring-summer-ish and bouncy!

The other one seems plain but I am showing off a new Boden top - that's current enough for me to provide a link below!

A repeat outfit - but with different shoes! 

I'm laughing because little M is propping up (=wobbling) the mirror and singing "Mama, look: my finger is a wiggly worm!" 

Top: Zara 

Top worn underneath: H and M 

Skirt: Warehouse 

Trainers: Converse

New stripy top with ruffles from Boden. A bit casual for a Tuesday but I got bitten to bits by something during the night and didn't want to have my legs out. I actually wore a blazer over this at work. 

Top: Boden 

Jeans: Next 

Boots: Marks and Spencer

Clash or Match?

Print, print and more print this week: two outfits of uni-coloured tops with print skirts and two where I'm matching different prints on top and bottom. I always think the uni t-shirt is a bit of a cop out and love it when clashing prints works - but it doesn't always...

Looking at the weather today, yesterday may well have been the last day of summer... I'm glad I wore something light and bright! 

T-shirt: H & M 

Skirt and cardigan: Boden 

Shoes: Zara

  Give me summer... on a skirt! You can't gimmick better than hydrangeas - I just love them! T-shirt: Warehouse 

Cardigan and skirt: Boden 

Trainers: Converse 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Yep, I still post outfits every now and then... (You're forgiven if you thought I'd moved onto flowers.) one of my favourite Boden prints! 

T-shirt: Warehouse 

Skirt and cardigan: Boden 

Necklace: Topshop 

Shoes: Dune Shoes 

Not sure about this one - maybe I just crave pretty colour too much at the moment to compensate for the lack of summer... The short must have been in my wardrobe for at least a decade, probably more like 15 years - and I've never worn it. I decided it now either works or has to go. It's still not off the hook - either way. Lol. 

Shirt: Miss Sixty 

Skirt: Rumour London at Wolf & Badger 

Trainers: Converse

Summer Sale Bargain

We definitely had some proper summer days last week, which meant, I could even ditch the sheer tights. The Herve Leger style bandage skirt was a complete bargain that I snapped up at the Harvey Nick's summer sale. It really is amazing how it pulls you in in all the right places!

1. It's been a while since I tied a knot in my top! Brings back memories of the 80s. Ok, 90s in Germany... 

2. Mermaid shoes. 

3. The skirt is a Harvey Nick's sale bargain. 

4. New Stella & Dot necklace! 

T-shirt: & Other Stories 

Skirt: Bcgb Max Azria 

Shoes: Kurt Geiger 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Nothing quite like a new pair of Converse "Chucks" - let's see how long they'll stay this clean. Also: What's with the pointy bum though?! Looks like a shaved a bit off my side - but I don't do anything with my pictures. Must have a pointy bum then... 

Top: Boden 

Jeans: Next 

Trainers: Converse

Another warm day (was that out summer?), another t-shirt/skirt combo. And that new necklace again. :) 

Think the skirt will have to go though, it just doesn't look right anymore... T-shirt: Topshop 

Skirt: Miss Selfridge 

Trainers: Converse 

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Is that an Autumn Outfit?!

Looking back at last week, you could be forgiven for thinking one of those outfits slipped in there by accident: that Zara chequered skirt with black tights looks like something I'd be wearing in October, whilst the other three outfit can pass for summer. Nope. It really was cold enough for opaques. Well, at least for this continental softie...

  It was so warm yesterday - well, outside the office, at least! They predicted rain ☔️ though, so I didn't go full on summer footwear. In the end it stayed dry after all... This skirt always reminds me of Maria Katrantzou designs (am pretty sure that's intentional) and it always cheers me up! 

T-shirt & necklace: Warehouse 

Skirt: Miss Selfridge 

Trainers: Converse

What's with the grumpy face?! Seriously: this one was the best out of a very grumpy bunch! I like mixing patterns but don't have a pairing for each printed item I own. Usually end up just picking out a colour in the pattern and adding a top/bottom of that colour. Or I just clash it all and pretend I don't care. ;) 

T-shirt: & Other Stories 

Skirt: Boden 

Trainers: Converse 

Necklace: Topshop I think...

Right, so it's warm(ish) when I have to run for the train in the evening, hence t-shirt. But it isn't in the morning. And the office air on is blowing. And it's raining (on and off) - hence the boots. *sigh* Well, at least it's a new outfit combo! 

T-shirt: Warehouse 

Cardigan: Boden 

Skirt, boots & necklace: ZARA 

Tights: should be packed away in a drawer somewhere in JULY!

Yes, you might have seen this one before. But I've thrown in a bonus bag this time! ;) Sweatshirt & skirt: ZARA 

Trainers: Converse 

Bag: Mulberry

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

Late May in Boden

Whilst uploading last week's pictures I just realised that it was a very Boden week: a Boden piece for every day. Completely unintentionally but it just goes to show that they are often my go to outfits when I don't now what to wear.

More colour! I normally don't do red at all and pink usually in a pastel shade but this dress makes them both work for me. Added bonus: the cleverly placed coloured panels define me almost non-existing waist! 

Dress: Boden 

Necklace: Accessorize

Shoes: Kurt Geiger

Sunny days always make me want to wear colour, especially pretty pastel ones. :) 

T-shirt: Warehouse 

Cardigan & skirt: Boden 

Shoes: Zara

Necklace: Freedom at Topshop 

Don't think the picture does this dress any justice but here we go... Haven't worn this dress in a about a year - maybe a bit sparkly for the office but who cares?! 

Dress: Boden 

Trainers: Converse

I didn't feel like posting any outfits last week, think I have a couple still somewhere on my phone, so I will catch up with them first. I reverted to something tried and tested when it got warm: mixing stripes with this Boden pattern. 

Top: Sainsbury's 

Skirt: Boden 

Trainers: Converse 

Necklace: Marni for H&M

My Victoria Beckham Spoils

Kicking off this week's roundup with a new dress, that I rather like. I managed to get hold of one of those coveted "Victoria Beckham for Target" pieces. You might recall that I have a bit of a thing for well done designer/high street colabs, and I think this one was a rather good one. I think this dress was around £40 and it's really lovely quality and an item you could easily wear at a wedding or fancy spring event. As I don't have any such events to attend, it will get worn, whenever I feel like it! There is a rather funny thing about the dress though... just see the second pic below...

I wasn't 100% sure about this necklace with the dress first but I actually like it now. Stops it from being too 'pretty pretty'.

Dress: Victoria Beckham for Target

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Warehouse

And what's the funny thing about this dress?  It strangely kinda matches my Nanette Lepore phone cover. Both lace patterns. Both mint/green. Both with nude/metallic underlay.  "When you accidentally dress like your phone."

When you put something on in the morning and feel a bit 'meh' about it. Then you come into work and have at least two people gushing about it and telling you, you look fab (and they want your outfit) - all completely unprompted, just to note! Not so bad after all. :) #iworkwiththenicestpeople #sometimesweallneedapickmeup

Dress: All Saints

Leggings: Topshop

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Oliver Bonas

Old outfit, new hair colour. Still getting used to this pinkish blonde...

Top: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Boots: Zara

Trying to cheat a waist with a cropped top and full skirt. Think that top needs to be a smidge shorter...

Top: Miss Selfridge

Skirt: Rumour London at Wolf & Badger

Boots: Zara

Necklace: Sainsbury's

Casual Friday outfit with a pair of jeans that's a bit 'out there'. 

I was aware of the Beetlejuice reference but didn't expect the circus performer comments - lol. 

Sweatshirt & jeans: Zara 

Trainers: Converse