Sucker for a Jumpsuit

I am a sucker for a jumpsuit (see this post and this one from last year) as they are so easy to throw on.  So when I spotted this one last week in M&S for just £24.50 I had to give it a go.  I didn't hold out much hope but having tried it on today I am very impressed and it will be added to my growing collection.

Christmas Outfit: Statement Skirt

via Pinterest 

So 'tis the season to be jolly and wear spangly, sequinned clothes with a pom pom and a touch of satin here and there. I love to style a statement skirt (or any time of year see this post from the Summer) with a sweater this time of year and plan to wear a similar outfit for a Christmas Dinner Party in a couple of weeks.
Here's one way to capture a similar look with High Street buys...

Autumn Style: Black Leather Biker Jacket

Back to the Autumn/Winter Wishlist folks and onto item number 2 which I have been lusting after for a few weeks now.
Whilst in Manchester last week I popped into Mango and tried this little beauty on (tricked into thinking it was on promotion at £59.99 by a cleverly placed sign) and now I want it even more!

Which Denim Jacket for Autumn Layering?


Following on from my post earlier this week all about using your denim jacket as a layering piece into Autumn, I have had a good old browse and come up with these beauties which are available to buy now...

Autumn Style: Boots

Before skipping off for some sun in Tuscany a couple of weeks ago, I began a search for some knee-high boots ready for Autumn, inspired by these gorgeous outfits

Summer Basic: The Denim Dress

Last October I bought a denim dress from Warehouse as seen here. Little did I know that 7 months later I would be wearing said dress with thick black tights and closed toe shoes, not the bare tanned leg and ankle boot/sandal look I had envisioned! I am still hopeful that Summer is just around the corner up here in the North West of England but until it does arrive I will definitely be keeping my tights on with this dress!

Unfortunately my denim dress is no longer available, however there are lots of really gorgeous denim dresses around this season; here are my favourites...

Summer Basic: Culottes

Admittedly it has taken me some time to come round to the idea of culottes but now I have with a little help  from my fave fashion bloggers, and I'm hooked!

I began with a Coast black lace pair last Christmas (shown below at the sale price of £39) which worked beautifully for a Christmas Day outfit with a black sweater and sparkly flats but think I will also try in warmer weather with lace up flats and a tee; then I moved onto a Topshop faux leather pair (which are hanging in my wardrobe waiting for Autumn/Winter). I'm looking forward to styling these with a grey cashmere sweater and black heels;
and then most recently a denim pair from Topshop which I tried on the first day they arrived and kept them on for lunch out with a friend and beyond!

I love all three of them for different reasons, but the one thing they have in common is that they are really comfortable to wear and they feel ultra chic at the same time. They are so easy to style too - last weekend I wore my denim pair with a white shirt, breton tee and brogues; but they look just as fab when styled with tees and peasant tops; sandals, pumps and also heels. Plus they look as good worn for a relaxing  weekend as they do for the office - dependent on how they are styled of course.

Let's take a look at some..

I absolutely love this pair of denim culottes from Urban Outfitters here for only £55.  This pair really does "make my heart beat faster" and it has lots of designer details with panelling and fringing (you could always trim this off if it bothers you!).  I was amazed that the price was so reasonable too with all these details.  Cost per wear they would pay for themselves very quickly.
I'm not actually a Birkenstock fan so wouldn't style them like the photos - I'd be more inclined to style with a pair of lace up flats and a pale blue or white shirt. I can also seen them being worn with a pair of white cracked leather Stan Smith's for laid back chic.



More Denim culottes...
1                                                                                    2

3                                                  4

1. Topshop Matador Trouser unfortunately out of stock

2. Topshop Denim Culottes unfortunately out of stock now

3. Marks and Spencer Autograph Denim Culottes £39.50 Shop here

4. Warehouse Blue Denim Culottes £42 Shop here

Sadly the Topshop Matador Trousers (1) (Gucci lookalikes as seen here) are out of stock, but I really recommend that you try the others shown here.  The Topshop denim culottes (2) are the ones I have - unfortunately these are also now out of stock, but I strongly recommend trying the M&S Autograph pair (3); they look fabulous on and are made of a lovely light weight denim so perfect for Summer - a friend of mine has these and they look fabulous on her teamed with white Supergas or platformed sandals and a summer shirt and jacket combo. And number 4 are from Warehouse - I haven't seen these firsthand but Warehouse garments are usually great quality for the price and the shade of blue is particularly summery don't you think?

Here are a selection of some more which are currently out there waiting for you to try...

Top Left: Jigsaw Highwaisted Culottes £129 Shop Here

Top Middle: Zara Culottes £38 Shop Here

Top Right:  Asos Culottes with D Ring Belt £25 Shop Here

Bottom Left:  Reiss Zodiac Pleated Culottes £135 Shop Here

Bottom Middle:  Topshop Suede Culottes £150 Shop Here

Bottom Right: Topshop Leather Look Culottes £35 Shop Here

Then onto the lacey numbers...

Left:  Warehouse Premium Lace Culottes £65 Shop Here

Middle: TFNC Navy Lace Culottes £42 Shop Here
Right: Coast Rylene Lace Culottes £39 (reduced so be quick!) Shop Here

I own the Coast pair and they are fabulous - great quality and at the greatly reduced price of £39 not to be ignored!  

The cream pair would be divine for a Summer wedding or just to wear on a warm day to make you smile; oh yes and the navy pair are absolutely gorgeous - imagine with a grey tee and lace up ghillie flats such as these or these .

Culottes should definitely not be dismissed before trying, so go forth and try, but be quick they're selling fast!

If you need any further encouragement click on the links below

This dear John letter to skinny jeans  and How to wear culottes.

Remember

'Til next time,

Sue

Summer Basic: Brilliant Bretons Part II

Top Row to Bottom Row; Left to Right
Top:RIVER ISLAND Stripe Wrap Shirt £34.99; VILA Stripe Top £26; ZARA Striped Shirt £25.99
Bottom:MARKS & SPENCER Pure Linen Striped Shirt £28.00; MARKS & SPENCER 3/4 sleeve drape shirt £29.50

Well lovely readers, here is Part II of my Brillliant Bretons' series.  I have begun with some gorgeous shirts as seen above.  

The River Island Stripe Wrap shirt and Marks and Spencer Drape Shirt have both been a big hit so far this season, with ladies of all different shapes and sizes adding it to their wardrobes.  It's easy to wear and can be dressed up or down for different occasions; looking as good with jeans as it does with a tailored skirt or trousers. A fab everyday shirt. The blue and white stripe adds a freshness to basics and is easy to coordinate with many different separates, looking particularly good with a navy long line blazer and jeans.  

I am loving the horizontal stripes on the Vila and Zara shirts, providing a chic alternative to a Breton tee or sweater.  

And Marks and Spencer have done it again with this pure linen pale blue and white striped shirt with a price of £28 (less if you are lucky enough to buy it on a discount day - I got mine for £22.40) - It's a versatile staple piece which will look as good on a British High Street with jeans as it will on an Italian beach with denim cut-offs. Moving on...

Top Row to Bottom Row; Left to Right
Top:  IRIS & INK Cotton Mini Dress £65; H&M Fine Knit Dress £19.99; ASOS Shift Dress £26
Bottom: ASOS Maxi Dress £55; HUSH Contrast Catherine Dress £45; NEW LOOK Tunic £17.99

If I could afford it I would have one of each of these in my wardrobe, but as I can't I would choose the ASOS Maxi Dress as I am sadly lacking in maxi dresses.  Generally I avoid them as they make me feel like I have left the house in my nightie but this one looks more stylish than most and could be worn on its own or with a sweatshirt/sweater over it on chillier days as done so well by Alex recently at the Frugality.com.
The H&M dress reminds me of a Petit Bateau dress I purchased last year with the cheeky ribbon on the back neck and would look great with flat sandals.
I have been a fan of HUSH for 11 years now and each of their collections is consistently good;  I am more than a little tempted to try out this Catherine dress.

Whilst searching for Breton basics, I came across several accessory items which I must share with you,

Top Row to Bottom Row; Left to Right
Top: VIOLETA by MANGO Cotton Bag £29.99; GAP Lace up Espadrilles £25; J CREW Embroidered Beach Tunic £78
Middle: H&M Espadrilles £7.99; ZARA Pleated Skirt £39.99; GAP Straw Tote £34.95
Bottom: MANGO Big Linen Tote £16.99; TED BAKER Beach Dress£69; ZARA Leather Espadrilles £39.99

I particularly have my eye on the GAP straw tote which looks very similar to this Sensi Studio one at Matches Fashion but at a more realistic price.

Oooo  and I like these too from NEXT at £20,

wear with a white or black top  and espadrilles like these.

Enjoy choosing your favourite nautical piece, and let me know which you choose - I always love to hear from you.
See you later in the week for some pompom and tasseltastic picks...

Sue

Summer Basic: Brilliant Bretons Part I

Well, yes as the title suggests,  I have been busy browsing Breton stripes over the past couple of days.  My eyes have become somewhat dazzled by all the stripes, both vertical and horizontal, but it has definitely been worth it. There are so many gorgeous stripes out there I found it pretty difficult to edit them down but I have managed to (to an extent, if I'm honest I keep spotting more...) and have lots of lovely ones to share with you from luxe to middle ground to bargain buys.

Let's dive straight in (that's always my mantra - life's too short to dillydally!)

Top Row to Bottom Row, Left to Right:
Top: MINT VELVET TEE £29; H&M Sweater £13; M&S Technology Tee £13
MiddleMINT VELVET Navy Tee £29;MINT VELVET Boat Neck Knit £39; RIVER ISLAND Linen V-Neck £10
Bottom: M&S Top £25; JCREW Long Sleeve Tee £45; MANGO 3/4 Sleeve Sweatshirt £17.99

Breton tops are a great basic piece to have in your wardrobe, particularly when the seasons are changing or Spring can't decide if it's here to stay, as here in the UK at the moment.  Above I have selected jersey or fine-knit pieces all of which would complement blue, black or white denim pieces or khaki cargoes; and some of which would look smart enough to wear to the office.

On with more - there were so many available I couldn't just edit down to 9! Here goes (warning you may need sunglasses, and a large glass of wine if it's past 6 o'clock!)

Top Row to Bottom Row, Left to Right
Top:Oasis compact kimono top £38; NAF NAF zip back top £28; WAREHOUSE drop sleeve £20
Middle: MARKS&SPENCER ribbon detail sweater £29.50; IRIS&INK Clemence cotton top£45; CURRENT/ELLIOTT sweatshirt £50
Bottom: SEE by CHLOE cotton & linen top £105.75 (was £235);IRIS&INK Lola cashmere sweater £87 (was £ 145); BODEN Long sleeve Breton £18.75

I really like the ones with the extra detail such as the ribbons down the back of the M&S one and the back zip on the NAF NAF top.  However, the CHLOE top caught my eye as it looks so gorgeous with its contrasting panels - I know it's quite expensive at £105.75 (was £235) but I also know it's a quality piece that will look great with casual or smart outfits and will last for years to come.  Plus The Outnet has some fab discounted designer pieces currently.
Well, Breton stripes certainly won't be going out of fashion any time soon; they have been a staple in wardrobes since Coco Chanel spotted them on the backs of Breton sailors in the early 20th century and haven't left since; and with so many variations  on the theme available in our stores now,there is something to please all shapes, sizes and budgets.

Here are some inspiring pics to show some ways to wear your stripes....

Parisian chic done sooo well-Breton stripes with black jeans and a pop of red - WhatOliviaDid

Loving this Breton and shirt combo from Pinterest 

Miranda Kerr looking fab in her stripes and khaki trousers

Breton stripes and white denim, not to mention those divine shoes

Honeybelleworld looking gorgeous in stripes and culottes.

Okay, so that's the tops done.  Look out for Part II in a couple of days which will show some more stripey picks - shirts, dresses and even some shoes.  Prepare yourself for some more nautical staples to freshen up your wardrobe - Part II will follow on Wednesday.  Sign up to receive it directly to your Inbox!

'Til then,

Sue

Sumptuous Suede

I love suede.  It's so versatile and easy to wear, and it adds a sumptuous feel to any outfit.
Earlier this year I was very excited to find a light tan suede trench coat on ebay for the bargain price of £17! Having just seen an Edit post from Vestiaire Collective showing the suede coat as a "Game Changer" I was over the moon. Admittedly it has hung in my wardrobe ever since but it may soon see the light of day during these cool May days, providing the rain holds off of course! Having seen it hanging there this morning it inspired me to research all things suede on our actual and virtual  High Street and here are the soft and sumptuous results...

1. Mango Suede Belted Trench Coat £149.99 Shop here
2. ASOS Midi Pencil Skirt Shop here
3. Mango Safari Suede Shirt Dress £170 Shop here
4. Warehouse Suede Pocket A Line Skirt £55 Shop here
5. ASOS Premium Wide Leg Culotte in Suede Look £45 Shop here
6.River Island Khaki Suede Fringed Bag £50 Shop here
7. H&M Suede Skirt £80 Shop here
8.Zara Suede PomPom Belt £19.99 Shop here
9. H&M Suede Skirt £99.99 Shop here
10. Violeta by Mango High Waist Suede Skirt £44.99 Shop here
11. Warehouse Suede Shift Dress £110 Shop here

My other inspiration this Spring has been the eagerly awaited M&S Suede Skirt.  It's release date is 14th May and who knows if it will actually hit the shelves in the shops. as I suspect there is a long list of celebrity fashionistas who will be in the queue ahead of you and me.  Anyway if you are fortunate enough to find one available in your size be prepared to pay £199 for it - it does look like it might be worth it when styled by Olivia and Alex...

Olivia Palermo (Left) and Alexa Chung (Right)

Just to finish off with , here are a couple of gorgeous suede jackets currently available

From H&M Imitation Suede Fringed Jacket £29.99 Shop here , and

from Mango  here at £59.99.

See you later in the week,

Sue

Nodding to the Seventies

1.Warehouse Star Embroidered Large Tote £30 here
3. Marks & Spencer True Flares £35 out of stock but similar here and here
2. Zara cutwork Isabel Marant Style top £25.99 here
4. Dune Fraggel sandal £65 here

Today I'm feeling that 70's vibe that was so prevalent on the S/S 2015 catwalks. I have featured a 70's style oufit to have you nodding in that direction, some of which were featured on previous posts which were unfortunately lost in the ether...
Anyway I plan to wear this cute little Isabel Marant Style Zara top with flares and platform sandals. I haven't as yet purchased the warehouse Tote but it's definitely on my wishlist and provided I can track down a copy of Grazia with the 25% off code it will soon be in my basket. There's also a smaller cross body version here.

Continuing the 70's theme posts later in the week I'll  will be looking at Suede and Wedges. I can't wait to share some fab pieces with you!

Sue

April Showers call for. ..

...the trusty trench

Well, it's good to be back with you after a short break due to technical issues... All sorted now and on with the posts.

Brrrr, away with you chilly weather and April showers!  

This is definitely the time of year that the trench coat was invented for.  Our cosy, woolly sweaters have been packed away and we resort to transitional layers topped off by a trench coat to provide a little warmth and some waterproofness.  There are so many gorgeous trench coats out there on the High Street and online; the jewel in the crown of all trenches is, in my opinion, one from the Burberry range as here, but with a price point the same as that of a small secondhand car I doubt my wardrobe will be graced with its presence in the near future or ever..Oh well, one can dream, and keep checking www.vestiairecollective.com on a regular basis to see if one is available within my budget.

In the meantime, it is  no hardship to browse (and maybe purchase) more available offerings on our High Street, in-store and on-line. Here are six that I have plucked out for you:

1. MANGO Trench £59.99

2. MARKS & SPENCER Pure Cotton Mac with Stormwear £85.00

3. RIVER ISLAND Long Sleeve Trench £85.00

4, ASOS Mac with Pleat Back £75.00

5. NEW LOOK Long Sleeve Trench £49.99

6. TOPSHOP cotton Khaki Trench Coat £79.00

The trench is such a practical garment which waits patiently in our wardrobes and lofts throughout the Winter months; once freed in the Spring, Summer and even Autumn months it reminds us how versatile and useful it really is, looking just as good with a business suit or thrown over jeans or dresses, here are a couple of ideas to get you started..

1. ASOS Classic Trench £60

2.H&M Distressed Boyfriend Jeans  £29.99

3.BODEN Long Sleeve Breton Top £21.25

4. Oasis x KEDS Leopard Skater £45

Pssst!! - there's 20% off at Oasis until midnight tonight (1st May) with code 'TREATME20' and BODEN continues to offer a 15% discount and free delivery and returns.

1. ZARA White Dress £79.99

2. M&S Pure Cotton Mac with Stormwear £85

3. MINT VELVET Ankle Boot in Smoke £149 OR similar at H&M £29.99

4. ACCESSORIZE Fringed Tote £55

Have a fantastic Bank Holiday weekend!  Fingers crossed we can throw off our trench coats and layers and enjoy some warm sunshine.  Me, I'll be keeping my trench thrown nonchalantly over my shoulders or my arm just in case of a shower...

Sue