Sunday 28 February 2016

From Scruff to Buff 

(Part One - Five Minutes)

Now that we have a small child, my wardrobe has changed considerably.  There are fewer occasions to get dressed up and have a night out, and I'm often running around after the little man, so heels often aren't really an option (which when you are a little vertically challenged is not ideal).   When we do have babysitters and there is a chance to go out for a meal or grab a quick drink, I no longer have hours to get ready so I need a quick way of freshening up my look so that I am good to go in a matter of seconds.  As a busy mum, I like to find ways of smartening up that are quick and easy and thought I'd share my tips with you

 If you have 5 minutes...

1) A little bit of lippy

I find that red is often best and has the most impact.  It's also a really cheap way of updating your look, more so than buying a new pair of shoes for example (at least that's how I justify my cosmetic purchases).  There are so many shades of red, and it's important to find one that you are happy with, that suits your colouring and looks good on application.  My favourites are Mac Lady Danger; a gorgeous orangey red shade that really does suit most complexions, and Nars Red Square Lip pencil, which is another orangey red shade and just amazing to apply.

                                                   
Mac Lady Danger £15.50                                 Nars Red Square £20


2) A quick spritz of perfume
It's always good to smell nice, and a quick spray of your favourite perfume not only covers up any lingering hint of baby sick, but makes you feel good.  I have a couple of favourites and I think this is such a unique choice that you really need to find one that you love. But I thought I'd share my favourites with you, as I often get complimented on them. Hermes Eau Des Merveilles, love love love this, not cheap but smells gorgeous and very unique. It is quite a strong smell, but not in an overpowering way.  I don't think many people know about this as I don't smell it very often so Shhhhhh don't tell anyone.  Although it could of course be that it smells like dog turd and no one wants it, but I am hoping not as I love it and have had lots of compliments.  I have literally just used my last drop today though, so I need a new one (hint hint Mr Smith, mother's day is approaching!).  The other one is also a closely guarded secret and I have only seen it stocked at Anthropologie.  It's from the Royal Apothic Conservatory Collection in Peony.   I am a little worried that they may not be stocking the larger size anymore, as I can't find it on online.  This one is a little subtler, and I often wear it during the day, but it really is a beautiful smell and translates well to evening wear too.  The beauty of this is that it also comes in a handy little travel size that is really easy to carry around with you and reapply if you need to get ready on the go.

                    


 
3) Bling it up

Even if you are in your jeans and breton (my go to mamma uniform), just a little bit of bling can easily update your outfit and take you from the park to the pub in seconds. I love my more delicate jewellery, but this is what I tend to wear on a day to day basis, so when I go out I often like something a little more striking.  This is particularly the case if I am dressed down, a little bit of sparkle will always jazz things up.  I am a bit of a magpie though and so do have to be careful, and would only recommend wearing one thing at a time.  I tend to apply Coco Chanel's rule of removing one accessory before heading out, so as not to overdo it - you really don't want to be wearing all of these at once so pick wisely!



Necklaces - I have some beautiful statement necklaces, most of which I have picked up from J Crew whilst in the states.  There are cheaper options, but the quality is really good and they are a little more unique.  I have bought cheaper options, but have often found myself having to glue the jewels back on (or losing the jewels before I can do this), so if you're likely to get lots of wear out of them I would suggest investing in these pieces wisely.  Here are a couple of statement necklaces that I am currently loving.
 

Earrings - I don't really wear earrings anymore, after almost having had my ear lobe pulled off by my little one when he was a baby, I learnt my lesson and now reserve my ear bling for nights out sans child.  As per Coco's rules, I would probably only go for necklace or earrings and rarely both.  Here are a couple of earrings that can add that extra bit of sparkle for a night out.



I'll be back soon with part two, for when you have a little bit longer to get ready...

Thank you for reading and as always I would love to hear your comments and tips.
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Friday 26 February 2016

Spot the Difference

Spot the Difference


Everyone including myself has been lusting after the Acne Jensen boots, these really are beautiful boots. Whilst I do not have a pair myself, my lovely friend N got a pair for her birthday from her hubby - yes Mr Smith, if you are reading (which I very much doubt) you need to up your game!


and now my beloved bargain M&S black pointed leather boots are starting to die, I have had to start looking around for a replacement...
...my search so far has come back with these beauties from & Other Stories, which are so so similar. 



Now if £125 is too much for you (I am aware pay day has not yet arrived for all of us), how about these...


...I have ordered these from H&M's premium quality collection as I couldn't resist with the current discount.  They are not quite so similar as the & Other Stories pair; there is no elasticated detail and these have a zip down the back.  But, do you know what, I think they look pretty good for £30, and they are leather.  I've been really impressed with the premium collection at H&M and can't wait for these to arrive in the post.  I'm not quite sure how long the up to 50% off shoes and boots offer is on for, but there is also a 10% off and free delivery code on the H&M website - the code is 6413 and runs until the 28th February.

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions. 

 
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Thursday 25 February 2016

Final Sale Bargains

 

I thought that the sales were over, but apparently not.  They just seem to be never-ending, which is not a problem for me, always happy to grab a bargain.  It really is worth as look as whilst you might think only the dregs are left, you may be pleasantly surprised.  I certainly was with these two bargains.
  
  H&M Slim Ankle Jeans - reduced from £29.99 to £11

 Topshop Buckle Pointed Flats - Reduced from £62 to £15

Sadly my bargainous shoes have now sold out, but there are still some very similar ones on the topshop website which are also very affordable... 


Topshop Freya Three Strap Pointed Shoe £22

Here's me trying them on, pretty happy with my purchases (and loving my bathroom floor - I may have to use these tiles again in the new house, that is if we ever move).

Thank you for reading.  I would love to hear your comments and about your last minute sales bargains.



 

 

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Wednesday 24 February 2016

Spot the Difference

Spot the Difference


I'm currently dreaming of sunnier climates and summer holidays. We normally try to squeeze a sunshine holiday in at this time of year, but we have had to put it on hold as we are still (not so patiently) waiting to move house. But a girl can still dream about her summer wardrobe, and I happened to stumble upon this beautiful summer clutch with a pop of neon in Iris, a boutique in Chiswick.

Whilst I love this bag, given we have no holidays planned, and I don't have a spare £200 at present I reluctantly had to put it back. I did however go and treat myself, hubby and our little man to some delicious cakes at Outsider Tart just around the corner, which cheered me up no end. Seriously if you live in West London, or even if you don't (it's worth the journey trust me) you really must go.  This is the one place I really will miss when we (eventually) move, the guys there are just so friendly and the cakes are out of this world. And yes he did eat nearly all of that cookie!

Anyway I digress, but after having consoled myself with cake, I later stumbled upon this beauty, which is not quite as gorgeous as the Sophie Anderson clutch, and would definitely benefit from a touch of neon, but for the price I'm pretty impressed with it. I love the tassel detail, and for those of you who are a little more crafty than I am, I'm sure you could even replace the tassel for a neon version, to give it that pop of colour.


Zara Fabric Clutch £29.99

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your comments and suggestions for the perfect summer clutch.
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Monday 22 February 2016

The Joy of Sleep

So having written mostly "Choo" posts, I thought I would include another "Goo" post for the little ones.  I'm sure there are many other parents out there who sympathise with the sleepless nights that little ones bring.  I shouldn't really complain as our little boy is a pretty good sleeper in many respects, he pretty much goes to bed when it's bedtime, usually with minimal protest although sometimes he will try his luck and test out his negotiation skills with a view to getting an extra episode of Octonauts/Paw Patrol/Fireman Sam etc or an extra story.  Once we have finished his night time routine and said our good nights, he will usually go straight to sleep (unless there is someone else at the house and he has a total FOMO). Oh, and he usually doesn't wake up until 7am at the earliest and sometimes not even until 8am on a weekend.  

Sounds good right? Well it is, until about an hour or so after we go to bed and then the little monkey has developed a habit of coming into our bed in the middle of the night.  Which either ends up with me and my husband sleeping top to tail with him in the middle, or the husband gets too annoyed and vacates to the spare room.  We have tried rewards and had intermittent success with this, but I'm actually wondering if we need to cosy up his bed a little.  We have a huge king size bed, a lovely fluffy duvet and pillows and of course it's very snuggly with the three of us in there.  

So having been somewhat inspired by the beautiful bedding as seen on Little Spree's Instagram 
and in a desperate attempt to get some uninterrupted sleep, I am clutching at straws and basically upping the bedding game.  You may laugh and it probably won't work, but to be fair his bedding is pretty rubbish, he's had it for a while and it really does need updating.  Who knows, maybe having big boy bedding will work, and if not, hopefully his bedroom will look a little more stylish.  

When I was a little girl the options for children's bedding were pretty dire and my taste was a little more My Little Pony than I would like to admit.  I know there will come a time when our little boy will want character bedding, but for now I'm going to take advantage of the fact that he will still gladly accept mummy's choices.

Monochrome
You might think black, white and grey a little dull for a children's room, but I disagree.  Done well, it can look really beautiful, just trawl through Pinterest or Instagram and you'll see what I mean.  You can also jazz it up a little by pops of colour here and there.





also available in coral, mint and yellow





Multi-coloured
There are some really beautiful multi-coloured bedding sets and accessories out there for children, which would brighten up any kid's room and suit both boys or girls.




Classic Blue or Pink
For those who want to stick to the classics, there is always lots available.













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Saturday 20 February 2016

The Bones (Part Two)

So I'm back again with the remainder of Nina Garcia's bones...

6) A man's classic watch
Not technically a clothing item in your wardrobe, but an important accessory nonetheless.  I have quite slim wrists, but i do love a chunky watch.  There is something that looks so stylish about it in my humble opinion, but do look around, I think you will find there are many others that agree with me.

Nina advocates for a man's watch rather than a woman's as they are "timeless" in comparison to the transient fashion of women's watches.  Given I do have quite slim wrists though I do struggle to find ones that fit (and there is a limit to how much adjusting you can do), but fortunately the male style watch is in fashion at the moment and so there are plenty of ladies versions out there.

Now a Rolex or a Cartier is pretty much the dream.  I love this Cartier Tank Anglaise
but at £4,650 let's be honest that's just not going to happen.

I do however have this rather lovely Michael Kors watch myself, that does just the trick and was a lot lot cheaper at around £200.

 

The world and his wife seem to have this watch though, albeit in a range of colours (it is also available in yellow and rose gold).  I struggled with which colour to go for, but in the end I went classic with the silver as at the time I thought it better to match my platinum engagement and wedding rings.  I also like this slightly simpler version.
  
 
7) Diamonds
....so this will of course be a little tricky to find the budget option, but I will try.  I already have a very beautiful emerald cut diamond engagement ring from my hubby, which we designed together and had handmade by a retired jeweller.  But I would really love an eternity ring to complete my collection (hint hint Mr Smith).

This is an absolute beauty, it is not extortionate compared to some but in the £££ price range nonetheless


However, do not panic Mr Smith you can pick something similar up which is a little more within the £ price range  


8) Ballet flats
Despite being a munchkin, I do love a flat, particularly when you are running around between meetings at work or after a three year old at the weekend.  The ballet flat is of course the classic.  I have far too many of these in my wardrobe to mention, but that's what makes it one of Nina's bones.  They literally go with everything and although there have been attempts to update this classic, pointed flat, lace up flats etc it is still good sometimes to stick to the original.

I find Topshop are great for ballet pumps, they always have a good range of classics and usually some other options such as metallic or snakeprint too.  Sticking with the classic, here are there black version, a snip at £16.  As my friend at The Eclecticity points out, having had so many pairs runied by the rain it's probably not worth spending a fortune on these.

But if you are looking to spend some money, rather than playing it safe and sticking to the classic shape (which can always be picked up relatively cheaply) I would probably suggest getting something a little different, with a bit more of an edge, a pointed toe, a little detail, or why not even both.


9) A classic high heeled pump
Yay, more shoes.  Nina really is a girl after my own heart with two of her ten bones being dedicated to footwear.  Now, the classic pump or court whatever you want to call it, is an absolute essential.  They could be any colour, but I would suggest a neutral such as a nude (to elongate your legs), black (a classic that will go with anything) or a leopard print (leopard is the new neutral after all).  I have a black suede pump from Whistles that I actually managed to snap up for half price in the sale a few years ago, but I have worn them on so many occasions and they are still going strong so they were definitely worth the money, even at full price.   Sadly mine have sold out long ago, but I would highly recommend their shoes for both quality and comfort, so here is the current offering from Whistles.



The most wanted item on my wish list is a pair of louboutins, so I couldn't not include them here.




In leather









 In suede








Whilst I like to find cheaper options, shoes is perhaps something where we shouldn't scrimp too much.  I really would not advocate going too bargain basement in this area, as you will often regret it later, and your feet will not thank you for it.  However, Topshop do still have some reasonably priced options that are real leather and still pretty impressive looking for the price. 
 



In leather











In suede
Topshop Black Suede Court Shoes £32









10) A great bag
As a lover of bags, I have found this quite hard to narrow down to one type of bag.  So I've cheated a little and included three; a classic tote, a clutch and a crossbody bag, as I truly think these are all essential.

i) The clutch
I am absolutely in love with this Claire Vivier Leopard Clutch it has been on my wish list for ages.  I foolishly stayed away from the Claire Vivier shop when I was in New York a few weeks ago despite it only being around the corner from our hotel in Soho (what was I thinking!!).  I'm pretty sure they may be slightly cheaper in the states, so will have to investigate next time.
For those of you who are not so obsessed with leopard and want something a little more neutral.  These two black clutches are ideal.  I have the Whistles one and it is great, it goes with everything and despite it's size, you can actually get a fair amount in it.







ii) The classic tote
Whilst I am sure there are some amazingly expensive totes out there, I have actually found some pretty good ones that are quite reasonable.  My favourite is the Cuyana classic leather tote.  I have this in black with my initials monogrammed on it.  It was a gift for our third wedding anniversary and I absolutely love it, it is one of my favourite bags.  It is a bit like a tardis and fits an amazing amount in, and even after 18 months of extensive use it is still looking as good as the day I got it.  The only problem is that these are only available in the USA.  You can order them online and pay for them using a UK credit card, but they have to be delivered to an address in the USA.



Here's mine, what did I tell you, amazing quality. 


But do not fear there is a another option available in the UK, from one of my favourites - Topshop, and you'll get change from £40.  Sadly they don't offer monogramming on this one, but you can't have everything.



iii) The crossbody 

This bag is also on my current wish list (that wish list is getting longer and longer by the day, and I'm not sure blogging is helping matters!).  I absolutely love the Sophie Hulme bags, they are beautifully crafted and in my opinion not as horrifically priced as some designer bags can (yes Mulberry I am talking to you, you used to be my friend, until you went crazy with your prices).  This is another perfect mum bag, with enough space to fit your essentials, and leaving you handsfree.
 

There is a slightly cheaper crossbody which I have yet to test, but it has been getting rave reviews all over Instagram, and that's the Aurora London Willow Bag, which for a small additional fee you can also get monogrammed.



But if someone was holding a gun to my head and I really did have to chose one bag (with an unlimited budget), I would of course have to go for the classic Chanel



Thank you so much for reading.  I would love to hear your comments and to know what you consider the bones of your wardrobe.

  

 
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