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Showing posts with label Outfits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Outfits. Show all posts

24 Jun 2015

Summer Brights with Fatface



When I was approached by Fatface to style a look from their South Coast Brights collection, I was so pleased.  I love their relaxed chic look, it is so easy to wear and I have always found the quality to be excellent.  I used to be into the surf scene when I was growing up in a English Seaside Town, hence the wave tattoo I have around my right hand ring finger.  Fatface was, and still is, a store I go and have a look through for holiday clothes each year.

fatface-south-coast-brights
Cardigan - Annie by Fatface, Cropped Chinos by Fatface, Striped Top by H&M,  Navy Vest by La Redoute,  Lets not talk about the shoes.
I opted for some classic navy chinos and a pretty corla cardigan to set the look off.

I need to mention how happy I am with the Navy Crop Chinos.  They are gorgeous, the fabric feels so soft.  I got them one size up from my usual size (so a 16 instead of my usual 14) as I read they can come in a little small, and I wanted a more slouchy look. The fabric is excellent quality, it is a super soft cotton twill and the colour is a lovely deep navy (take note Very, they is what navy should be!)  These will be perfect for plane journeys, where you want to look tidy but still be comfy.  They will also allow me to not freeze whilst I get to the airport here, nor boil when I get to my destination.

The trousers have 2 side pockets which manage to do the impossible and be functional without adding bulk.  The cut is very flattering for those of us with big hips and smaller waist ,as the tailoring is spot-on and the waist fits beautifully (thank you, who ever designed these,  I won't need a belt for once)



The general advice for those of us with large hips is to not wear cropped trousers, as they can make you look wider by cutting off your legs half way down.  I have to add a caveat to this, which is if you are tall and have long legs and a short body, then it can help lengthen your torso which is a good thing.  I need to wear a top of a similar colour or one that finish past my widest point or they really do like me look very pear shaped, but overall, I find capri's to be a much safer option than shorts, which could not look worse on me ( I still have nightmares about wearing them in PE.)

Fatface-annie-cardigan-corabelle


I love the Neon trend but my skin is a little too pink to be able to wear very warm pinks. The Annie Cardigan in Corabelle is a pretty bright coral which bizarrely is a cool coral and so suits those of us with pink undertones. It is so pretty, and a great way to add some femininity and a pop of colour to your look. I like the pointelle detail (apparently that is what the patterns of holes is called) as it stops it from being just another cardie and makes it more delicate.  It's 100% cotton so ideal on hot summer days when you want to hide your arms but not get too hot and sticky.  Another point I must note is that the v-neck is well designed to not expose to much or make you feel too grandmotherly.

I paired the outfit with a pair of seriously old tan wedges that frankly have seen better days.  I am finding it such a struggle to find a pair of tan wedges in my size that aren't too high so I can wear them on a daily basis.  I painted my nails in a very unwise navy nail polish with a gold tips, this will be a real pain to remove as glitter polish is always hard and dark blue will stain. Anyway enough of the bad,  I think coral, navy and gold is such a classic colour combination and I will be wearing a lot more of it.

Fat-Face-Navy-Chinos
Navy Top by La Redoute, Navy Chinos by Fatface, Nail varnish Betty Blues by No7 & Revlon Sequins


I will get so much wear out of both these pieces.  The cardie can be worn with an all black outfit to give it a lift or with a white sun dress. The crop chinos are such a summer staple that I will probably wear them far more than is judicious.

I am really happy with both of these items and will definitely be making a stop in Fatface at Gatwick on my next holiday to check out some more of their items.  If you, like me, live quite far from the nearest shop here is their new arrivals page.

N.B. I must mention that writing this post make me laugh as I have notoriously chubby cheeks and so the irony of doing a post for Fatface is not lost on me :)

*Sample provided by Fatface for review purposes


26 Feb 2015

SS15 Double Denim Menswear Trend Lookbook

It's starting to feel like Spring, the days have gotten warmer (I even went out without a coat yesterday, but then I am Northern) I have already ordered a few bits to update my wardrobe for spring, Hello new bag and possible blazer!

If your Husband is anything like mine, then his wardrobe is a chaotic mix of things he has bought himself on a whim, and then the rest of the useful workhorse items that I buy (or badger him into buying) so that the disparate parts can come together.  I think we had both agreed it was time for a few new additions to spice things up.

barbour-shirt-house-of-fraser-SS15-menswear

Looking at the Spring/Summer Catwalk collection the double denim look seems to be very much the look of the season.  Some of the looks are almost wearable, amazing, I know! Prada, Ralph Lauren and the design god that is Tom Ford, all sent models down the catwalk doused in serious does of denim.

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Tom Ford's super wearable biker cool inspired SS15 collection


In an attempt to reinvigorate my beloved wardrobe we looked to House of Fraser as they are always a good choice for fashion led pieces that can actually be worn in real life.  One of the in-house brands they stock is Barbour, who not only create the eponymous waxed jackets, they also create a range of biker clothes.  

This thick cotton blue/grey shirt* is inspired by Steve McQueen, AKA The King of Effortless Cool. It is ridiculously versatile . It can worn with a jumper and peacoat while the weather is still cold and then swapped into a daytime city break look for Spring and also as a going out shirt in Summer.  It gives the double denim look but for those who are less adventurous than others.

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Shirt - Barbour £70
T-shirt - boring plain one

Paul works in the city so classic good taste is pretty much expected, it's hardly fashion forward in London's Square Mile. He turned 40 last year so quality and wearability are very important to his style. I think the general aim is "Stealth Wealth" though the actual result varies greatly :)

Barbour-House-of-fraser-SS15-menswear-trends
Shirt - Barbour £70
Coat - Penguin - similar here £210
Jumper - Blend - similar here £28
Jacket - Gieves & Hawkes £595
Jeans - Firetrap down to £50 from £90

City Break - This is the kind of outfit he would wear when we get the occasional break away.

SS15-menswear-trends-double-denim
Shirt - Barbour £70
Bag - Storm £40
Jacket - Gieves & Hawkes £595
Watch - Omega De Ville (more money than sense)

I like the city break look the best, I'm so pleased the shirt goes with his man bag as I encouraged him to buy after getting sick of being stuck with the heavy camera in my handbag every time we went out for the day.  Overall this is a great shirt, that I am hoping Paul will make use of this weekend when we go out for my Birthday. The fabric of the shirt is fantastic, it's cotton, but quite thick so it's very flattering and the cut is great too, it's slim around the waist and tighter on the arms.  

What do you think, what looks would you like to see on your man? Keep it clean Ladies.












*Provided by House of Fraser for review purposes.








19 Oct 2014

A Woodland Walk with Joe Browns


I have just got my Joe Browns Catalogue through the door and a couple of pieces really stood out as perfect Autumn Day Wear. I already have a similar pair of boots but the Secret Support Leggings sound ideal, they seem to be thicker than usual and, according to the reviews, good at smoothing out lumps.  I have to love the Poncho too, I have a grey one already which I love but it isn't often the weather to wear it, as it can't be too cold nor too warm, or raining, so I only get to wear it a handful of times per year.

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