Fashion - Wardrobe Essential: The Blue Shirt

Just like a LBD, black tailored trousers, perfectly fitting jeans and a breton stripe, a classic blue button down cotton shirt should be part of every woman's capsule wardrobe.  They work brilliantly for the office tucked into tailored trousers or for evening worn with leather pants, a crystal earring and some strappy high heels. You can even pair the shirt with jeans, black, blue or white, styled with a rolled sleeve and trainers for the weekend. It's such a versatile and hard working wardrobe item. 

While I own a classic style from J Crew that I wear frequently, I recently found this blue shirt with a design twist from Zara. I love the cropped side waist detail coupled with the long front and back that at first glance could be mistaken for a shirt dress. Plus it's an incredible price point.

Shirt £22.99 Zara BUY HERE

Here are a few other blue shirts with a twist that I'm coveting.

Balenciaga from Matches Fashion £605 BUY HERE

Boden £79 BUY HERE

COS £55 BUY HERE

Images: Pinterest, COS, Boden, Matches Fashion

Fashion: New Season Shopping List

However much I like to kid myself that we are going to have an Indian summer, the recent chill in the air suggests I need to cover up my bare legs and pack away my sandals. Some consolation however is that stores are filling up with lots of new season styles.  Here's a round up of the pieces I have my eye on.

Rockstud cross body bag £840 by Valentino fromMatches Fashion BUY HERE

I always like to invest in a new bag each season and this cross body style with Valentino's infamous stud detail would be a practical yet stylish addition to my bag collection. Since having the baby carrying my everyday handbag just isn't feasible, so a back pack or cross body style is the only way to go. This bag would allow me to carry all my essentials without feeling frumpy.

Bow Bomb Sneakers by Joshua Sanders from Matches Fashion BUY SIMILAR HERE

To say I am in love with these sneakers is an understatement, I've been obsessed with them since spying them on Instagram a few months ago. I adore the colour, the comically large bow and I know they'd elevate even the dullest outfit into something special. Sadly they have sold out in my size everywhere, so I'm on a few waiting lists and keeping everything crossed that one day soon I'll own a pair.

Cropped Wide Leg Trousers £170 by Whistles BUY HERE

These incredibly flattering cropped trousers are in the colour of the season, burgundy. Don't think you can't wear burgundy, it's a very versatile hue, complementing nearly all skin tones and working with black, navy, grey, pale blue and cream. I'd wear these wool blend trousers with a denim shirt and trainers to dress them down and a navy top and caged heels for night time.

Navy lace dress £59.99 by Zara BUY HERE

If you only buy one dress this season you have to make it a maxi. I don't normally wear lace as I find it too feminine, but this dress called to me from the hanger. For autumn I'd wear it with a denim jacket or leather biker with Stan Smith trainers or pointed flats and as the weather turned colder I'd layer a chunky knitted sweater in grey or burgundy over it and pair with a block heel ankle boot.

Coat £139.99 by Mango BUY HERE

I've been looking for a new camel coloured tailored coat recently. If I had a money tree I'd buy this one from Stella McCartney , however this style from Mango is an excellent cheaper alternative. 

Leather skirt £79.99 by H&M BUY HERE

This leather skirt is buttery soft, a very flattering length, sitting just above the knee, is slightly flared and has a full length back zip detail. Plus it's a great price point. It is described as dark brown, but having seen it in real life I would describe it as oxblood. I'll be wearing mine with woollen tights, ankle boots and a chunky knit sweater come winter.

Wool sweater £239 by Maje BUY HERE

Knitwear in various guises be it sweaters, dresses, skirts and cardigans, is a big story for winter as is the roll neck sweater. This oversized chunky knit by Maje is the ideal sweater, ticking both style boxes. I'd wear it with ripped jeans or khaki chinos on the weekend, then put it with a leather trouser or mini skirt with a statement earring for evening.

Double pendant necklace £35 by Made BUY HERE

This weighty hammered gold metal necklace is a great addition to my jewellery box for the new season. Wear it with round neck dresses and sweaters to add a subtle boho vibe.

Military boots £585 by Isabel Marant from Matches Fashion BUY HERE

Over the knee boots reign supreme this season,  but I still favour the ankle boot. Isabel Marant has created the perfect style with military buckle details, two-tone leather & suede and a wearable heel height. These would look equally great with skinny jeans, wide leg cropped trousers and pretty much any skirt length from mini to maxi. 

What's on your wish list for Autumn/Winter?

Images: Matches Fashion, Whistles, Zara, Maje, H&M, Mango, 

Style - Topshop Haul

I did a little smash and grab in Topshop last week. All the new season clothes are starting to fill the rails but you can also bag a bargain, as I did, from the sale rail. Here's what I got.

Dress £46 from Topshop BUY HERE, Shoes from Zara

Dress details

I first saw this dress in cream but sadly it sold out before I could add it to my wardrobe. The black version will work well as summer transitions into autumn. The Victoriana trend for next season is covered with the high neckline, sheer fabric  and embroidered detail. I've paired it with simple pointed toe flat shoes, but when the weather gets colder I'll toughen the look with ankle boots and a leather biker jacket.

Culottes £36 from Topshop BUY HERE, Shirt and shoes from Zara

I finally have a waistline again post-pregnancy and am happy to show it off with these high waisted culottes. If you're scared of culottes and think they won't suit you these are incredibly flattering on the belly and backside, so give them a try. I love the undone hem as it allows you to dress them up with heels without looking to 'done' and also dress them down with trainers.

Dress £10 from Topshop, Bag £14.99 from H&M BUY SIMILAR HERE, Sandals from Kurt Geiger

I first tried this dress on when I was pregnant but the bump made it too short. Now that I'm no longer smuggling a water melon it is the perfect length. And to make it even more appealing I managed to get it in the sale for a purse pleasing £10. Wahoo!

Fashion: Mad For Mango

Mango has been a favourite with the fashion set for a few seasons now, largely due to the Spanish brands' ability to execute catwalk designs with great attention to detail and at reasonable price points. I've never had much luck in store, however now that I no longer have the bump and in search of some summery pieces to add to my wardrobe (although summer seems to have ended now...boo!) I thought I'd flick through the sale online. Unexpectedly I discovered so many gorgeous pieces that my online shopping bag was soon full to the brim.  Plus there's free shipping when you spend over £50 and free returns making the experience very calm and pleasant. This week is the last week of the sale and there's still loads left so go forth and shop!

Here's a round up of what I purchased. 

Dress £13.99 from Mango BUY HERE, Sandals from Next BUY SIMILAR HERE, Bag from Anya Hindmarch, Necklace £35 from Whistles BUY HERE

A flattering loose fitting dress with a dropped hem and front pockets. I wore this on a job recently and 2 ladies at the shoot purchased it! It works in summer with bare legs and sandals but when the weather gets colder I'll pair it with tights, ankle boots and a khaki jacket.

Blouse £17.49  from Mango BUY HERE, Jeans from Topshop BUY SIMILAR HERE, Shoes from Marks & Spencer

This blouse has delicate embroidery details and fine fringing. It works perfectly with khaki and denim.

Dresses £13.99  from Mango BUY HERE, Sandals from Zara

This dress was so good I bought it in 2 colours! I can imagine myself slipping it over a bikini before heading to the beach for a day in the sun. That's probably not going to happen this year due to the new baby, but I'll be packing these dresses away in my summer box ready for next year.

Skirt £17.49 from Mango BUY HERE, T-shirt £12.95 from Gap BUY HERE, Sandals from Next BUY SIMILAR HERE

I felt my wardrobe was missing a short summery skirt. I didn't want anything too flowy or too feminine so this geometric print in jacquard is ideal. It's a flattering height, sitting just a few inches above the knee and is slightly a-line in cut. When the weather cools a little I'll wear it with a grey sweater.

Let me know if you score any bargains!

Life Lately

Considering that my pregnant belly is rapidly expanding so much so that I waddle rather than walk now and my level of exhaustion is like nothing I've known before, life lately has been pretty busy. Here's a little round up of what I've been doing recently (along with lots of sleeping!)

Debenhams' 'Style Army' At Their Press Day

I've been a bit naughty this season and not attended many press days, mainly due to other work commitments but largely due to feeling vile all the time. I did however devote a couple of days to doing the press day circuit recently. Above is what Debenhams will be offering come winter, think 70s, faux fur and fringing.

After I took this picture the mummy and daddy geese turned around and started attacking my car!

Well done Mr Norris, finishing strong and wearing a questionable hairband!

The boyfriend ran 100km from London to Brighton last weekend. Running is arguably his greatest passion but he was also doing the event to raise money for a charity close to our hearts, the Alzheimer's Society, because my poor Dad has the terrible disease. I was the support crew, meaning I drove along country roads getting lost and attacked by geese as I searched for various checkpoints so I could fill up his water bottles, give him words of encouragement, change his socks and feed him pasta and jelly babies. He finished it in an incredible 16th position. If you have a spare 5 minutes you can read his account of the day here. Well done Norris!

Bank holiday weekends don't exist if you are self employed, but it isn't really work when you get to dress beautiful actresses in stunning couture gowns and diamonds in 5* hotels. Here's a little behind the scenes shot of the day and I can't wait to share the full shoot when it's published.

Denim shirt dress £39.99 Zara BUY HERE

I'm becoming increasingly frustrated with the whole maternity dressing thing and the fact that the weather is still rubbish, so I took myself off to the West End in search of clothes that will suit my changing form. This chambray shirt dress was a winner, but until the weather warms up and I am guaranteed more than 2 wears of it I'm going to refrain from spending. I'll be doing a little blog post soon of what actually made me part with my cash.

Grey Lamp £65 Lapin & Me BUY HERE

And sorry to bore on about the imminent arrival but here is the first thing I've bought for it. Super cute right? And in gender neutral grey so it'll match the rest of my home. But 10 weeks until D day and this is it...a lamp. I have pages of lists of essential items (how much stuff do babies need by the way, oh jeez!!!), plus I still need to decorate the nursery and learn how to change a nappy and decide on a birth plan and research hypno-birthing and read Gina Ford and the Baby Whisperer and ARGH!!! But at least the baby will have a cute lamp if nothing else.

Have a great week!

Sx

Pregnancy Style: Outfits Recently

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant! Yipee only 11 weeks to go if the baby sticks to its schedule! I'm still feeling blurgh and have resigned myself to the fact that I'm just not going to get that 'pregnancy glow' that other more fortunate pregnant ladies speak of.

 The bump is growing at quite a rapid rate now which is good for the baby but bad for the wardrobe. I'm just about squeezing into some of my pre-pregnancy tops, but dresses that were once oversized are now tight on the hips or too short (cellulite on my thighs is another joyful side effect of my pregnancy made worse by the fact I'm not supposed to exercise as I've been so ill) and if trousers and skirts don't have elasticated waist bands then they just don't work. My various Topshop maternity jeans, which I've been wearing since about 4 months are worn almost daily and I'm pleased to report they recently started selling a boyfriend style which make me happy as they remind me of pre-pregnancy me. 

I'm also discovering the joys of wearing lycra as anything restrictive just increases my daily discomfort. However seeing clothes that are tight fitting on my changing/growing form is something I'm not entirely comfortable with. I was prepared for a growing belly, but hips and butt expanding is taking some getting used to!

Here is a little round up of what I've been wearing recently.

Shirt Zara, Jeans Topshop BUY HERE, Sandals Stella McCartney, Sunglasses Miu Miu

Here I am marvelling at the size of my bump and the valley that my belly button has become (it's yet to pop out). This linen blend shirt is an oldie from Zara that still fits (hooray!) It's super comfy and light, perfect for the warmer weather. I'm also wearing the aforementioned Topshop boyfriend jeans. They have expandable pockets and a real zipper fly, unlike all my other Topshop jeans which have a pull up elasticated waistband. I was a bit worried that the button fastening would press on my belly, but they are wonderfully comfortable. If you're pregnant go and buy these jeans, I cannot recommend them enough!

Dress Topshop, Jacket Gap BUY SIMILAR HERE, Bag Miu Miu, Sandals Next BUY HERE

This full length maxi dress is a pre pregnancy buy that I've had for years and keep in my holiday clothes box as it is backless. I wouldn't dream of venturing out without a bra now and so I layered the dress with a black vest for decency purposes and my pre-pregnancy denim jacket which is a little tight, but still wearable. I did feel a tad exposed in this dress as it's quite tight on the bump and bum; form fitting clothes just aren't my thing. To be honest I felt a bit like a Kardashian, but I think that's me just being slightly mental and weird about my growing body. A full length maxi dress is super comfortable and I've recently ordered a few from Zara so will let you know if they become part of my pregnancy wardrobe.

Jacket Topshop BUY SIMILAR HERE, Jeans Topshop BUY HERE, Top Finery London BUY HERE, Sandals Birkenstock BUY HERE

This khaki jacket has proved invaluable to my pregnancy wardrobe. It skims my hips and covers just enough of my rump, it's light enough so that I don't overheat on the tube, plus it works with jeans and dresses. I've paired it here with my boyfriend jeans (I told you I was in love with them!) and a relatively new purchase from Finery London. I purchased this cotton sleeveless top adorned with white ruffles at around 3 months pregnant thinking it would spice up my summer pregnancy wardrobe. I was a little concerned the ruffles would bulk up my belly, but weirdly they kind of conceal it. It's a super flattering top and was a great price point to boot.

Life Lately: A Little Announcement

My blog posts have been few and far between this year and the outfit posts have been pretty non-existent, but dear reader I have a valid reason...I am 6 months pregnant and counting! It's very scary but very exciting.

This pregnancy hasn't been the most pleasant experience and I pretty much spend most days wearing my boyfriend's PJ bottoms with my head down the toilet, but when I do have to get up and dressed I have found my Zara jumpsuit super comfy and perfect for work. I purchased the jumpsuit quite a few months ago and it is still accommodating my rapidly growing bump, unlike most of the other things in my wardrobe. I've been pairing it with stripe tops or plain tees (like the J. Crew one I'm wearing above) and my Stan Smiths or Birkenstocks (it's all about the comfort these days!)

I love the little front pocket detail and the drop crotch makes it feel distinctly non-maternity wear. Annoyingly I have found the vast majority of maternity wear sooooo dull and uninspiring, but I am constantly on the look out for 'normal' clothes that I can dress the bump with and I will be sharing my finds and outfits.

So it's all change in our household...13 weeks to go. And if anyone reading this has any helpful advice and top tips I'm all ears!!!

Sx

In My Bag

For a plethora of reasons I haven't been buying many clothes recently but have made up for it with new footwear.

Here's a little round up of what's made it into my bag.

Black lace up sandals £24 from Next BUY HERE

After trying on the Mango gladiator sandals that every blogger and their mother seem to have purchased recently, and being quite disappointed at the fit and quality, I found these brilliant bargains from Next. Yes Next of all places. I often pass Next by, regarding it as the place where people camp outside overnight just to bag a branded t-shirt in the Christmas sales, but it is filled with treasures all reasonably priced and of excellent quality. In the last month I've purchased 3 items, all of which I am incredibly happy with. So back to these sandals...They tick the shoe of the summer gladiator style box, they come in black and chocolate brown, they are real leather and super comfy due in part to the rubber sole. And the best bit, they are a bargain £24! That's not a typing error, they really are £24. If the boyfriend wasn't monitoring my shopping habit I would go back and get the brown ones too. I've already worn mine with a maxi dress (back when we had 2 days of warm weather) and will be wearing them with denim dresses and summer shorts when summer arrives.

Pom pom tunic £45 from Next BUY HERE

Another find in Next is this cotton, tassel trimmed tunic. A-line in shape (so it disguises the fact I've eaten too much ice-cream recently) it works perfect with khaki trousers, shorts and denim. Pair it with skinny jeans rather than boyfriend ones though to balance the volume. It also comes in indigo which is rather tempting...

Nike Air Huarache £80 from Size? BUY HERE

I've been wearing my beloved Stan Smiths non-stop and even recently purchased another pair in a different colour as I love them so much (the frugal/voice of reason boyfriend made me take them back though!) Thinking I'd never find a replacement for my Stans I then saw a super chic lady wandering around Shoreditch, pushing a buggy, wearing the above Nikes with skinny black trousers and a duster coat, and she just looked so cool that I knew I had to have these trainers. They are incredibly comfy, making them perfect for a day at work, and the pop of teal adds a welcome pop of colour to my grey/black/navy wardrobe. Word of advice, go up a size when buying as they are a very snug fit.

Wide leg trousers from Topshop BUY HERE

Trousers in black with a navy stripe! It was love at first sight. These trousers are actually 4 inches longer, but I took them up as I wanted them to be culottes rather than trousers.

Caged sandals £49.99 from Zara BUY HERE

While prepping for a job last week I spotted these in Zara and instantly knew they had to be mine. These statement flats will work with a daytime jean and just as well with an evening ensemble. I love the combination of leather and patent straps and gold and silver studs. I also like the way you can see a little bit of toe through the straps so I'll be wearing these with a brightly coloured polish on my nails.

What's made it into your shopping bag recently?

Life Lately

The boyfriend and I have decided we need to spend less time filling our free time with 'tasks' and more time doing things we enjoy. With this in mind we spent a day visiting galleries, the highlight being a visit to Tracey Emin's 'My Bed' at Tate Britain. 

Tracey Emin's 'My Bed' At Tate Britain

During the week I finally visited The Modern Pantry with a PR buddy for a delicious breakfast meeting. 

The beautiful Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell

Late last year, following my first visit ever to an optician, I was told I have to wear glasses. Months later I've finally got round to purchasing some, but I'm still too vain to wear them in public, so my little duckie ornament is doing it for me!

My mid-century duck models my new specs

With the change in weather (finally!) I've been eyeing up a few new purchases. This off white denim dress with frayed edges from Zara may have to come and live in my wardrobe soon (sorry for the grumpy face!)

Zara dress £29.99 BUY HERE

And I finally got round to placing an order from Finery London. I was incredibly impressed with the prices, customer service and the products themselves. I will be doing a blog post shortly to show you what I bought.

A box of delights from Finery London

I hope everyone has a lovely sunny week!

What I Wore

Here's a little round up of a few outfits I've worn recently.

Topshop shirt BUY HERE, Gap jeans, Zara shoes, Louis Vuitton bag BUY HERE

Doing double denim and wearing my new dark denim shirt from Topshop with some old ripped up Gap jeans (Gap do the best high street jeans!) with a dash of leopard print in the shoe for a day of press appointments.

Uniqlo sweater, ASOS trousers, Miu Miu trainers BUY SIMILAR HERE

Wearing a monochrome look for a day working from home. As much as I'd like to just wear pjs when I'm at home, I find I'm much more productive if I get dressed properly.

M&S jumper, Mango skirt, Topshop boots, Anya Hindmarch bag

Styling one of my favourite people for his next TV commercial I wore a chunky knit with leather skirt and my fringed Anya Hindmarch Bicester Village bargain bag I scored a few years ago.

Hope you all have a great week!

Sx