What to wear on New Years' Eve...

... whether you're slurping champagne on the sofa, watching fireworks outside, dancing into the early hours or misbehaving at a house party (that would be me).

jumper - Hush, jeans - Topshop, flats - Topshop

coat - Scotch Maison, jumper dress - & Other Stories, boots - Stuart Weitzman

dress - & Other Stories, clutch - Net A Porter, nail varnish - Chanel

jumpsuit - Topshop, earrings - J Crew, heels - Office

And if I were lucky enough to be seeing in 2016 in sunny climes (as three of my closest friends are - Not. Jealous. At.  All.) I'd be wearing this beyond gorgeous Marysia swim suit accessorised with my new Prada sunnies and a succession of Gin Fizz's.

Unfortunately, I'm not  - so it'll probably be a shirt, jeans and heels - boooooooooooo!


However you're celebrating, Happy New Year!

'Tis the season to be very very grateful

Ah Father Christmas has been very kind to me this year.  Not only have I had a fabulously lazy Christmas with my family (and a well-needed break from the general day to day chaos that goes with two children, one stupidly busy husband and a part time job) but I've also been extremely spoilt on the present front.


So before I start, I should say that this post is focussing on items which are more on the pricey side.  I'm a huge fan of the Great British high street but I always use Christmas and birthdays as an excuse to chose something a little more special as a present, something that I couldn't necessarily afford during the rest of the year.  


I've stuck to this school of thought this Christmas and had one present early in the shape of a black star print Equipment shirt.  After years of buying silk shirts on the high street and by high street, I mean almost exclusively from Zara, I've been completely converted by these admittedly way more expensive but far, far superior shirts. The fit, the quality, the weight of the silk, the drape.  Drool.  They're just beautiful. 


This pale pink one is gorgeous and may well be on my spring/summer wishlist. Whilst I can't bring myself to seriously think about S/S quite yet, in my head this looks delicious unbuttoned a little and messily tucked into faded skinnies with sandals and a tan.

The big man (ie, my husband) came up trumps with my favourite Jo Malone goodies - the English Pear and Freesia perfume which is by far my favourite and also the body crème.  Again, on the pricey side but a little goes a very long way.  Their candles and room diffusers (the Pomegranate Noir especially) are also gorgeous and long lasting.


These oversized Prada sunglasses which I'd been lusting after since trying them on in Florence in the summer were also under the tree.  I'm a big fan of Prada sunglasses - the quality and finish are always spot on whilst not being break-the-bank expensive.  And before you wonder, no, your eyes do not deceive you - they are absolutely massive!

And last, but by goodness not least, this 1970 Bella Freud jumper which has been on my list since I saw a picture of Kate Moss wearing one years ago.  (Because obviously I'm going to look just like Kate Moss in mine.....)  I'm planning on wearing it to a New Year's Eve party with a leopard print mini skirt, opaques and block heeled Mary-Jane shoes.  It's an outfit I love the idea of however, the (likely) reality is that it's 15 years too young for me and I'll look like some sort of sad Kate Moss tribute act.  Watch this space.....

Overdressed

I absolutely love dressing up, even when the occasion doesn't really require it.  Pre-Christmas lunch and cocktails (which stretched through dinner and very nearly to closing time) at the pub around the corner doesn't really require red high heeled sandals but hell, if you can't wear inappropriate shoes at Christmas then when can you?

black tux jacket - Zara / white bib front shirt - J Crew / jeans - Topshop / red suede sandals - River Island / leopard clutch - Mango / gold earrings - J Crew

Time to lounge

At this time of the year I seem to be either wildly dolled up or bumming about in pyjamas with nothing in between.  Indeed, diving straight into nightwear the second I'm home from work/school run/after school clubs is a perennial habit for me (I can't be the only one who does this?!) but during the festive period, much as I love dressing up, pulling on super comfy pyjamas (with an elasticated waist to accommodate the vast amounts of cheese I seem to be mainlining) is an absolute joy.  Pyjamas, fire, cheese, gin, lounge - on repeat. 


I like a classic pyjama.  No shock there.  Not for me your logo'd jersey set, your novelty onesie, your frilly negligee.  No, I'm all about a masculine buttoned-up two-piece, always in cotton, striped, checked or maybe paisley in print.  Some swear by silk but much as I love a silk shirt or dress, I find silk pyjamas just too restrictive and fragile.  During the colder months, I like to wear mine with an old cashmere jumper chucked over the top.  Comfy, cosy but respectable enough to face the postman in (even if it is midday).


Last Christmas I took advantage of the Christmas/January sales and gave my decidedly sorry collection of nightwear a complete overhaul.  House of Fraser came up trumps for me, mainly because their 50% off discount was too tempting to resist and once I'd bought one pair and realised how great their Linea range is, I bought a whole lot more.   To date I have four pairs and I can't rate them highly enough.


A few weeks ago, courtesy of the Black Friday Sales I snapped up the first pink striped pair shown in the collection below for less than £25.  I love all the other ones featured too, especially the last grey checked pair from John Lewis.


Linea pink stripe pyjamas

Cyberjammies black stripe pyjamas

Linea mauve check pyjamas

John Lewis Carrie navy spot pyjamas

John Lewis grey box check pyjamas

Happy lounging!

Zebra, (p)leather and fur

As usual, I've over committed in the Christmas Party stakes this year and I'm almost (almost) fed up with drinking and socialising.  I'm six parties in and feeling it.  Last week was our third (!) works party and I actually bailed early which is unheard of.  I work in accountancy and we clearly don't get out enough as the whole firm seems to go bananas every single year.  In past years I've made the mistake of wearing heels on this final works do which is effectively early dinner and then a huge bar crawl before the remaining slaughtered hardcore hit some horrendous club to drink yet more shots and throw shapes until the early hours.  This year I thought ahead and went for flats - why I haven't done this on previous years I do not know.


Anyway, I felt good in what I wore which was a mix of old favourites and one new purchase.  The flats are from Boden and were originally navy.  After a few wears I dyed them black as the navy wasn't really working for me and they came up an absolute treat.  Something to bear in mind if you have any suede accessories that you'd like to revamp.  The fur stole is a new addition to my wardrobe and to be honest, not one that I thought I'd ever buy/wear but I have to say I love it and got so many compliments wearing it.  It was a complete bargain from New Look and is SO much nicer in real life compared to their God awful web picture.


Excuse classy bog selfie.

zebra coat - Zara / back pleather leggings - Zara / black shoes - Boden / pewter clutch - Marc Jacobs / black fur stole - New Look / silver earrings - J Crew

Well, hello....

By way of some kind of introduction, writing about a subject I have a true passion for is something I’ve considered for a while.  And I really am truly passionate about my chosen subject: style.  And more specifically how the clothes we wear impact that style. 

Over the years, I have helped some of my lovely friends who’ve lost their way a little in the style stakes, rediscover what they like and what likes them.  In some cases, they never really knew what they liked in the first instance so a whole imagine/style evaluation exercise has been undertaken which I’ve enjoyed immensely.  Quandaries have ranged from the simple “which shoes look better with this dress” to the more complex “I’m going on holiday and haven’t a clue what to buy/take/wear”.  I’d never really given these discussions much thought but my friends seem to think that I’m actually OK at this kind of thing.  One even went so far as to suggest that I may have missed my calling. 

They may be onto something.  I do adore clothes, shopping, outfit planning – many tedious trips around Sainsbury’s and wet walks to work have been spent thinking about what I’ll wear on Saturday night.  A bit of fash-chat is very nearly my favourite thing, only superseded by my children and a good G&T.


My love affair with clothes (and when I say ”clothes” I am, of course, including shoes, bags and accessories), goes way back.  Back to a pair of Clarks’ black patent shoes with an ankle strap at age 10.  Back to a fawn (eighties word or what?!) kilt which was shot through with gold thread and was part of my (fabulous) Christmas Day outfit aged 8.  Back to a fuchsia and white batwing jumper from Chelsea Girl aged 14 that I wore until it fell apart.  So you see, I really do LOVE clothes.  I love how an excellent pair of heels can change an otherwise fairly dull outfit.  I love how a gorgeous cashmere sweater and a favourite pair of jeans can look so effortlessly cool.  I love the thrill of pulling on a really beautifully cut winter coat.  God I love coats…… 

With regards to my style and what I like, we’re not talking rocket science here.  I’m not what you could ever call edgy or ground breaking – I’m 42, those days are long gone, if they were ever actually here in the first place.  No, I’m talking classics and lots of ‘em.  Grey, stripes, a red nail, a lot of denim, shirts, black for evenings, a statement heel, cashmere (I have a thing for cashmere, you’ll see).  As I said, no wheels will be reinvented here.  So I guess this is a place to cast my thoughts, musings, ideas, suggestions.  Oh and to chart the progress of a very dear friend who has nobly agreed to be my protégé, my work in progress, my guinea pig if you will.  To be photographed and analysed ruthlessly in an attempt to see if I am actually any cop at this style thing.