Midlife Loves

"Timeless everyday style"

Midlife Loves

New Outfit Post - Pleather & Leopard!

So the morning after the night before - after a great time with our neighbours I think it's safe to say we're feeling a little jaded this morning ;-0  A normal Saturday of errands & the karate run here.  So keeping things nice & simples & teaming my pleather trousers with a blazer, grey shirt & a spot of Bet.  




Blazer - Zara
Shirt - Mango
Bag - Boden 
Pleather Trousers - Zara
Slip Ons - Boden


Dressing Up Pleather Leggings


Blazer - Zara £49.99
Leggings - Mango £29.99


Really hoping to sneak a snooze in this afternoon as I'm absolutely shattered, don't know about you but this first week back after half term has seemed a long one!

Not sure what we're having for dinner this evening but a bottle of bubbles & box of chocolates are chilling in the fridge ready for tonight & looking forward to crashing in front of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway - what more could we need?!!!  How about you any plans this Saturday?

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New OOTD - Pleather & Lace

Happy Friday ladies :-)

I'm keeping things nice & simples today with a monochrome look broken up with a bit of lace & pleather.  





Shirt - Massimo Dutti
Jumper - Wallis
Bracelets - Ashiana
Pleather Trousers - Zara
Boots - Mango


Monochrome


Shirt - Mango £19.99
Jumper - Mango £27.99
Pleather Trousers - Mango £29.99



Busy day at work ahead & son has the day off school apart from a brief appointment to discuss progress - although I'm not sure it went down too well that I'd booked an early appointment so he couldn't have a lie in!  But at least it gets him up & ready to start the day & get on with some revision as those GCSEs are starting to loom - think I might have to get some Rescue Remedy for us all when actual exam period kicks in lol!!

Roll on wine o'clock & the official start of the weekend :-)  We're starting the weekend off as we mean to on & have some neighbours coming round for drinks tonight.  How about you, what are you up to?

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New Outfit Post - Stripes & Leopard Print

Fancied a spot of pattern clashing today with my Zara leopard print scarf & striped top or as the hubby referred to it my 'Denis The Menace' top!!  Although I'm hoping I won't be getting into too many scrapes like Denis & his sidekick Gnasher ;-)




Scarf - Zara
Biker Jacket - Zara
Top - Zara
Bracelets - Ashiana
Jeans - Zara
Boots - Mango


Pattern Clashing With A Breton


Scarf - John Lewis £20
Biker Jacket - Zara £59.99
Boots - Mango £39.99


Happy Thursday ladies.....I'm thinking favourite day of the week calls for a little glass of something chilled tonight, anyone joining me?!!

Finally just in case you had your eye on some Boden temptations (see my recent post here) then they've just launched 20% off everything (till Sunday) with free delivery & returns click here to get shopping & use code 6E5R.

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What I've Been Buying In January & My OOTD

Time for my first monthly confession of the new year & whilst I have tried to be good (said lightly of course ;-) ) I don't think I've done too badly, although because I've posted this so late in the month if I post next month's earlier in the month it's going to look as if I've been really bad!!

My first purchase is something totally unpractical & goodness knows when I will ever wear them (only when I've got hubby's arm to cling to that's for sure as I'm a nightmare in heels & these are high!!) but boy was it love at first sight!  Plus these babies will totally make an outfit - even hubby loves them & declared them stunning for our summer holidays to which I replied swollen feet & a 15 minute walk to the port not to mention the fact it's all uphill on the way back means that's never going to happen unless he fancies giving me a piggy back ;-)  But they had us both at hello & are now safely in my wardrobe to be worn for special occasions.






My second purchase was this metallic skirt, also from Zara that I managed to pick up in the sale for a steal £7.99.  I love it teamed with my trainers & think it will be perfect for the summer holidays with a cami.







Next was this fab poncho.  Gloriously soft but not that thick or heavy so it will be idea for throwing over a jacket but my main reason for buying this baby is because it will be really useful to pack when flying & when going to the cinema.  Yup I'm the one that's always freezing in the cinema no matter how many layers I wear so I can easily slip this into my bag & it will be perfect for wrapping round me.






Sticking with things to wrap round you as soon as I saw the pompoms I just couldn't resist this scarf!







And there was of course my bargain Zara blue faux fur jacket & a couple more Ashiana bracelets both of which have now disappeared off their websites so it's almost as if I didn't make these purchases right?!!

Finally here's my outfit for today - off out to the hairdressers so bye bye greys & hello being able to see again - my fringe is desperate for a  trim & I won't say no to a couple of hours of me time either - pure bliss :-)




Blazer - Zara
Jumper - Wallis
Jeans - Zara
Boots - Boden


All Blue


Blazer - Zara £69.99
Jumper - Wallis Now £24
Bag - Boden £110
Jeans - Mango £44.99
Boots - Boden £119


So come on ladies time to join the confession train......what did you buy in January?!!!  Did you go wild in the aisles with all the sales or where you too busy polishing your halo?!!  I'd love to hear.

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New Outfit Post - Winter Whites & Faux Fur

Going for an off white/winter whites outfit today & teaming it with a dash of grey including my Mint Velvet faux fur gilet.




Gilet - Mint Velvet
Necklace - Zara
Jumper - Gap 
Bracelets - Ashiana
Jeans - Massimo Dutti
Boots - Zapita


Winter Whites & Faux Fur


Jumper - Boden £69
Jeans - Mango £39.99


Have a great Tuesday.  I'm planning on a little celebratory drink tonight as today marks my second birthday blogging!!  I can't believe how quickly the time has gone & I just wanted to thank each & everyone of you who reads the blog, follows me, comments & emails as without you all I wouldn't be going on this amazing journey so a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart.  It really does mean the world to me & I can't tell you the amount of courage it took to click publish that first time!  Cheers to each & everyone one of you lovely ladies.

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Back To Routine, WIWT & A Spot Of Furniture Renovation!

Back to it this morning & the grind of the school run not to mention the trials of waking & getting a teenager up & out for school on time!!  Still a nice short half term - only 5 weeks till the Easter hols whoop whoop :-)

Now before I post my picture of today's outfit I've had quite a few people ask me to post some pictures of the furniture I bought last weekend at the antiques market but as I hadn't planned on doing this I've only got a 'before' piccie of the one piece of furniture but it will give you an idea.

So first up this is the solid wood Ercol corner unit that we managed to snag for the princely sum of £18!!!  You can imagine how chuffed I was with this bargain - although hubby wasn't quite as chuffed when it came to fitting into the car & spending 5 minutes trying to get into the driver's seat & get his legs under the steering wheel not to mention having to drive home with his forehead practically touching the windscreen - still all fun & it certainly gave our son & I plenty of giggles ;-)




I really love the shabby chic style so we've literally just washed the unit down with sugar soap, left it to dry & then applied two coats of chalk paint (we use Autentico Vintage Chalk Paint in Antique White) then  lightly sand the edges & detailing for a distressed feel & finish with a layer of their furniture wax which we paint on with a brush (a bit like varnish).




And here's the finished piece!




We also managed to pick up this floor lamp for £15 & a brand new still in the wrapper lampshade for £3!  Again a bit of paint, sanding & waxing & here's the finished light.




I'm absolutely delighted with both pieces not to mention the stunning serving silverware & china we managed to get.  The date for the next fair is already in the diary so hubby is practising his contortion techniques as we speak ;-)

So back to today & I'm pattern clashing with stripes, leopard print, a denim shirt & a pop of red!




Jumper - Zara
Denim Shirt - Zara
Bag - Zara
Trousers - Zara
Slip Ons - Boden


Stripes, Leopard Print & A Denim Shirt


Jumper - Mango £34.99
Denim Shirt - Mango £44.99
Bag - Next £24
Trousers - Mango £29.99
Slip Ons - Boden £69


So does anyone else like  hunting bargains at antique fairs & doing a spot of DIY?  I'd love to hear if you do.

Hope everyone's managed the school run without too much stress & hassle & not forgotten lunch boxes or PE kits!   Have a great Monday & see you in the morning.

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A Boden Show & Tell & WIWT

Following on from my recent post on my picks from Boden's latest launch (see here) I thought today I'd do a little show & tell with some classic pieces that the lovely people at Boden kindly sent me.

As I've previously said for the past 18 months or so, in my eye Boden have really upped their game &  have started stocking some real wardrobe classics that don't necessarily scream Boden but have a real elegance & style that can be dressed up or down & are simply going to last a lifetime.

The more I think about dressing the more I realise that less really is more & you really can't go wrong with well styled, classic pieces accessorised with some statement accessories.

So with this in mind here's what I picked.

First up it's another breton top BUT this one has a dipped back!!!  I love the casualness of this top as it has a real sweatshirt feel to it but because of the dipped hem feels that bit more stylish so it's going to be ideal for dressing down but of course can so easily be dressed up to.






Keeping the words classic & stylish in mind, I'm sure you'll agree this stunning navy bag is a style that's never going to date.  It has a good amount of internal pockets, which are essential if like me you are forever trying to find your keys, lippy & mobile plus a textured leather on the outer meaning it's not too easy to scratch, as well as a detachable strap.






Now we all know I love a stripe & in my mind a wardrobe can never contain too many & this beauty is in a slightly different but yet still classic colour way.  I just love the delicate grey teamed with the navy & being a lovely lightweight knit it's going to be perfect for wearing this Spring & Summertime.






As I mentioned above invest in classic, stylish plain pieces & you can afford to play around with accessories & of course this scarf with it's pom pom edging not to mention the fact it's neon pink really needs no explaining as to why I picked it does it?!  But it's going to be perfect for injecting a splash of colour to an outfit but not in an overpowering way.  






Come spring & even more so in the summer I just love wearing dresses so as soon as I spotted this lightweight denim dress at their press day I just knew this would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe.  Perfect for throwing on & layering up with some statement jewellery - what's not to love?!!






And of course what better way to inject a bit of individuality to an outfit than with some statement heels & these beauties are even more stunning in the flesh.  I've gone for the higher heel version (8.5cm) but they're also available in a mid-heel (6cm) (click here).  Available in several stunning colours I was really torn between the amethyst & navy version but in the end I just had to pick the tutti frutti & raspberry version.






So how would I style these beauties?  Well being great neutral classics they're of course going to go with lots of things & can be worn many ways but thinking of sunnier times here's my initial ideas.

First up I just couldn't resist teaming the dipped hem sweatshirt with grey, distressed denim & one of my new additions - white trainers!!  Plus of course it's the perfect outfit to team with the Westminster bag too.  As you'll see from the picture the bag is a great size - as baby bear from Goldilocks & the Three Bears would say not to big & not to small!  Perfect for throwing everything in & equally ideal to be worn as either a handbag or cross body.  I must admit I hadn't expected to like this bag worn across the body but it's won me over, which has to be in part due to the sizing as it really is the right size to go across the body.




Breton - Boden
Jacket - Zara, similar here
Bag - Boden
Jeans - Zara, similar here
Pumps - Mango, similar here






Bag - Boden


And I just couldn't resist teaming the stripes with a bit of leopard print & red not to mention my sparkly shoes.  Apologises for the photo bomber I think by this stage he'd got fed up with not being the centre of attention & was trying the 'sitting bang in the middle of the photo with my back to you' tactic in the hope of gaining some fuss!

Size wise I decided to size up with this top as I wanted something that was a looser fit to give a more dressed down feel plus of course there's plenty of room for layering so I can get my wear in the cooler months too.




Breton - Boden
Scarf - Zara, similar here
Trousers - Zara, similar here
Shoes - Boden, similar here


I just love the dipped hem at the back as it really does give it that bit more style, plus who doesn't love covering their bum?!!




Moving onto the Easy Day Jumper & again I decided to size up for a more relaxed fit.  This really is a gorgeous top that's so easy for teaming with some classics & of course I couldn't resist adding my leopard print slip ons, which incidentally are now back in stock, see here.




Jacket - Zara, similar here
Jumper - Boden
Trousers - Zara, similar here
Slip Ons - Boden


I just love the fact that the denim dress is perfect for layering up in the cooler months.  Here I've teamed it with a short boucle jacket & some beloved Bet.  It's hard to describe the actual fabric but if you think lightweight, soft denim then you won't be disappointed - it really is lovely & should be nice & cool for when the sun puts in an appearance too :-)




Dress - Boden £79
Jacket - Zara, similar here
Bag - Boden, similar here
Boots - Boden


But equally looks just as good when worn on it's own.  Come the warmer months I'm planning on wearing it with some simple sandals, a couple of delicate necklaces & a stack of bracelets.  It really is a great go to dress for a laid back summer look.




Necklace - Wallis, similar here



And I just love the button detailing on the neck & sleeves.




Finally I couldn't wait to style my new hot pink accessories & as you'll see from the below picture they compliment each other perfectly & really transform a simple cream blouse & jeans combo.  Plus of course they go really well with my ASOS bag from last summer, so I'm a very happy bunny :-)




Scarf - Boden
Blouse - Zara, similar here
Bag - ASOS, similar here
Jeans - Zara, similar here
Shoes - Boden




Scarf - Boden


I went for my normal size in shoes & they fit brilliantly & surprisingly are pretty comfy even on the first wear.  Plus for anyone like me that suffers with heels slipping out of high heels the adjustable strap is brilliant & means there's no worries of having a Cinderella moment, although of course any Prince's out there please feel free to approach ;-) (hubby I'm only joking....pinky promise!).




Shoes - Boden


Stepping away from all things striped & finishing with what I'm wearing today - keeping it simple with my Zara shift dress, oversized scarf & biker boots.




Dress - Zara
Scarf - Massimo Dutti
Boots - Clarks


Biker Boots With A Shift Dress


Dress - Mango £19.99
Scarf - ASOS £18
Boots - Clarks Now £55


So what do you think, do you think I chose wisely & these new beauties are going to be hard working additions to my wardrobe?  How about you do you see anything to tempt you or have you got your eye on some of Boden's other stunning goodies?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on Boden's latest offerings & what's tempting you.

Enjoy your Sunday & make the most of the last day of half term.  I'm guessing that tomorrow morning is going to be interesting getting everyone up & out on time & back to school!

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Happy Saturday - Monochrome, Stripes & Trainers

No karate run this morning so a nice leisurely morning at home which was started with cookies & tea in bed - bliss.  We're off to spend a few hours with my Mum & make some fresh pasta.  Then a quick pitstop at home before we head off to the village club for quiz night......one day, just one day we  just might win - well dreams can come true can't they?!!

Keeping it simples with monochrome & wearing a few of my favourite things - a tuxedo jacket, stripes, pleather leggings & my Mango trainers.




Tuxedo Jacket - Zara
Shirt - H&M
Jumper _ Zara
Leggings - Zara
Trainers - Mango


Monochrome & Stripes


Blazer - Mango £44.99
Shirt - Next £22
Jumper - Mango £34.99
Leggings - Mango £29.99
Trainers - Next £28


So how about you, what are you up to today?  I'd love to hear & time permitting I'll post tonight's outfit on Instagram.

Have a fab Saturday :-)

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